The world famous British World Rally Championship round, Wales Rally GB, will see a new face line-up alongside the World’s greatest rally drivers, the face being that of Rally Team GB Facebook competition winner, Scott Larder.

Scott, who is bizarrely a Welsh man himself, found his way through to the winning position from a whopping 6000 entrants. This now means that Scott will be given everything he needs to compete, including an MSA National B Rally License to contest the National part of Wales Rally GB.

Scott Larder is 26 years old, from Cwmbran, in South Wales. Scott is an avid rally fan who has been a spectator on a number of rallies over the years. It was at the Wales Rally GB event 2011 that Scott came across the Facebook competition to get a random member of the public into rallying.

“I have always wanted to become a Rally Driver, though I’d never broadcast it. I have been inspired by the likes of Ari Vatanen, Carlos Sainz, and Colin McRae, watching them on videos and DVDs. I kept it a secret, thinking that I might get laughed at by my friends. My area is dominated by rugby and football and I thought I may be out casted, although I loved rallying and wanted to be a rally driver. I knew it was a very expensive sport, I didn’t even know where to start. I am not from a wealthy background which made the possibilities feel even further away.

“Then last year, on the final day of Wales Rally GB, I was driving out of the car park from spectating at Wales Rally GB in the rear seat of my mates Ford Fiesta and a random bloke hands a flyer in through the window. I asked the boys what that was all about and they said “You can be a rally driver for free on next year’s Wales Rally GB”. It sounded too good to be true but I was definitely interested, I was thinking to myself this might be my chance and my way into rallying.” Said Scott.

“I actually thought, loads of people will be going for that, my girlfriend told me “go for it, it’s free, you have got nothing to lose have you?” I ‘liked’ the Rally Team GB Facebook page and followed the instructions. I had never entered a competition in my life before and thought, I will never get it.” Said Scott.

“Two months later I read the local newspaper and it said that a Newport girl had been selected as a Semi-Finalist for Rally Team GB. I thought no way, two people from the same area will never both become Semi-Finalists.” Said Scott.

Then on 8th May Scott received an e-mail from Rally Team GB congratulating him on getting through to the semi-finals.

“I honestly thought to myself oh my god! I did not know what to do with myself, I told my mum, Jo, my Girlfriend, and my Cousin, Shaun. I didn’t know what to do or say, I was so happy but was also worried. A task of the semi-finals was promoting myself as a potential Rally Driver. I had to get some media in my area and gain sponsors to cover the small cost of travel and accommodation for the finals process. I thought, that is an impossible task, but after a long chat with Jo, I got on with it.” Said Scott.

“It is a very difficult sport to get into. There are a lot of barriers and hurdles, so we knew we needed the winner to be someone who it meant a lot to and that would work to make their own career happen in 2013. A one off drive is great, but if the winner was not going to start a career, then it would be a waste. In setting a task of talking to the media and potential sponsors, we could filter out those that really wanted to make it all work.” Said British Rally Driver, Stefan Davis.

Scott submitted his entry and all the work he had done to the team and waited fingers crossed to see if he was in the final.

“I was waiting for the Final 10 to be announced, I was praying that I would be one of them. Yet the more people I talked to about it, the more depressed I seemed to get. I had tried my best and put everything into the competition but wondered if I could have done more somewhere. I wanted to be out every day hunting sponsors now, be on the computer sending out e-mails, and phoning companies. The competition really made me realise I wanted this over anything in the world.” Said Scott.

The 10 lucky finalists were announced on Facebook and Scott Larder’s name was there.

”I was on top of the world again! I was happy and amazed, I had to read it a good few times to make sure it was happening. I felt that I could really do this now. I could actually go all the way. I was worried about the other finalists and also thought I may be there to fill a gap or something.” Said Scott.

The final process was a trip to Rockingham race circuit. Scott got to meet Rally Team GB Drivers Louise Cook and Stefan Davis and of course all the other finalists in the competition.

“The day was great, I did have one or two people in mind who I thought were definitely in with a chance of winning the competition over me, but I also thought I had exactly the same chance as the others and I was a Rally team GB finalist just like them. It all started to feel very real, like maybe it was meant to be, like this competition was made for me!” Said Scott.

In the meantime Scott went to spectate on a rally further from home, his first ever International rally event, the World Rally Championship round of Rally Deutschland. Whilst out spectating on the event, Scott did not realise that he had actually scored the highest from the Rally Team GB final’s tasks.

“I was on my way to the airport and I heard the news. I was the Rally Team GB winner. I would be driving on my home event Wales Rally GB. I was the happiest man alive and was just pumped full of energy and excitement. I thought this was just the most unbelievable journey of my life and it hasn’t really started yet! It didn’t sink in for days.” Said Scott.

Scott had to revise straight away for his rally license and to pass his B.A.R.S test which he passed both practical and theory with flying colours.

“The whole thing is just so surreal, seeing Scott Larder on the Entry List for Wales Rally GB as car 141. It is just absolutely CRAZY! I never thought it would happen and certainly never like this. What a way to start rally driving, I can’t thank Rally Team GB enough for what they have done and are doing for the sport!” Said Scott.

Scott’s prize will be an entry into this year’s Wales Rally GB, fully supported by the Kent based outfit and will borrow British Female Rally Champion and Production World Rally Championship Driver Louise Cook’s Fiesta ST for the event.

Scott will be competing in the National B section of the event which starts in Newtown, Powys on Friday 14th September 2012.