FLYING Flookburgh rally star Aaron McClure can put his season back on track at the Eventsigns Woodpecker Stages this weekend.

McClure has endured a run of bad fortune this year which has seen his title chances in the REIS Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series all but extinguished from the start.

But the South Cumbrian speedster will get back behind the wheel on Saturday determined to propel himself back into contention in the N4 class.

He has a mountain to climb if he is to win the category, after a tough year behind the wheel of his new Allfloors Express Yokohama-backed Mitsubishi E9.

The 2300 Club John Easson Award winner starts the event fourth in the championship standings, but will aim to get his title aspirations back on track in Shropshire.

The Ludlow-based event is the seventh round of the national series and McClure has been on the back foot since his rally-ending off in the Malcolm Wilson Rally in March.

Fighting to regain lost points in the championship, the 21-year-old has proved he has the pace required to fight for victory in the class, but mechanical issues and uncharacteristic errors have meant he needs a change of fortune.

McClure, who is joined by regular co-driver Elliott Edmondson in the Woodpecker, technically still has a chance at winning the competitive N4 class and Hyundai Genpower Production Cup.

He will call on his past experience of the event to ensure he is 100 per cent ready for the task ahead.

“I had a go at this event last year in a RallyMe Ford Focus while I was tackling the British Rally Championship in my R2 Fiesta, but sadly we didn’t finish the event” said McClure.

“I’ve done the stages a few times now and I’m concentrating on previous in-car footage to familiarise myself with the characteristics of the forests.”

The gravel event could decide the outcome of his inaugural season in a four-wheel drive machine, and he added: “We have to win. It’s that simple.

“We have been so nearly there all year long and showed that we have the pace to challenge the leaders but it never really has come together.

“Now we need to really knuckle down and get the measure of the car and myself and see if we can score our first maximum points haul of the year.

“The other guys in the series are incredibly quick, so it’s going to be a tough ask, but I’m not giving up yet.”

The Woodpecker Stages has a maximum 180-car entry and the field will leave Ludlow Racecourse for more than 43 stage miles in Shropshire and Wales.

McClure is supported by IPD Motorsport Services, Camp Road Garage, Carcraft Body Repairs, BE Hargan, Darce Tech Racing, Questmead, Revolution, AMS and MCR Motorsport Media.