THIS weekend’s Roger Albert Clark Rally will boast a cosmopolitan flavour with a former FIA World Rally Championship and Dakar Rally contender set to join the fray.

Named in honour of the late Roger Clark, who won the original RAC Rally back in 1972, this year’s race starts with a series of special stages in Sunderland’s Herrington Country Park on Friday and also boasts two high-speed special stages at Croft Circuit on Saturday morning.

The popular and demanding rally has attracted more than 60 entries, with Gregorie De Mevius an especially notable participant.

Running as a privateer, the Belgian finished a career-high fourth in the 1998 Network Q Rally of Great Britain and, after hanging up his WRC helmet, went on to compete in a number of Dakar Rallies.

De Mevius is no stranger to the RAC Rally either, having finished 11th in the event in 2012, and will return in a Porsche 911.

Former British National Rally champion Steve Perez will be another leading contender in his Lancia Stratos, with Paul Griffiths (Escort RS1800) and Matthew Robinson (Escort MkII) also expected to be at the head of the field.

Following an almighty battle with Robinson and Steve Bannister in last year’s race, Matt Edwards is another fancied runner, along with Nick Elliott, who recently celebrated a title-winning campaign in the West Wales RAC Rally Championship. Both Robinson and Elliott’s cars have been prepared by Rallysport Development, which is based in Malton.

The dark horse of the field could well be 2012 champion Julian Reynolds, who will link up with long-term co-driver Patrick Walsh in a Fiat 131 Abarth that has been built from scratch.

Friday’s Herrington Country Park stages start at 6.34pm, with stages nine and ten of the rally taking place at Croft at 9.54am and 10.09am respectively on Saturday morning. The mid-morning service will also be open to the public shortly after, with admission at Croft priced £10 adults, with children aged 15 and under admitted free.