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Hyundai
Rally Team Drivers / Co-Drivers
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Mark Higgins debuted on the rally circuit in his native
country in 1987, and has enjoyed a varied career off-road
as well as on asphalt.
He began
his career in karting, earning four national karting championship
wins.
Higgins
has earned a number of victories in competitive events throughout
Europe and the Near East.
In
1997, Higgins became the British Rally Champion.
Higgins
also has competed in a number of road races in such varied
vehicles as Volkswagen Beetles and Lamborghinis.
Since
1992, he also has served as a factory development and test
driver for Nissan, Volkswagen, Open and Ford.
Higgins
received tremendous notice in 2000 when he became the British
F2 Champion, winning the title during a highly competitive
season.
For
2002, Higgins embarks on a new rally challenge, competing
for the first time in the U.S. in the SCCA ProRally Championship
for Libra Racing. He will drive a second Hyundai Tiburon
and will partner with Irish co-driver Michael Gibson.
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Michael
Gibson is one of the United Kingdom's most experienced
rally co-drivers.
After
years of success in Ireland and his native Ulster, including
championship victories in the Irish National series and the
Northern Ireland Stage Championship, Gibson teamed up with
driver Neil Simpson beginning in 1999.
During
that season, Simpson and Gibson crewed their Volkswagen Golf
TDI to the British Rally Championship Diesel Class victory.
In 2000,
the duo switched to gasoline power, along with a Group N Mitsubishi
Lancer, to score some notable success in the British Championship,
including second overall in the renown Manx International
Rally.
Continuing
in 2001, Gibson served again as co-driver to Simpson as the
pair contested the Formula Rally Championship events in a
Volkswagen Polo GTI.
A significant
change embraces Gibson for 2002, as he has been selected to
serve as co-driver to British F2 Champion Mark Higgins, and
compete in the U.S. as the second half of the revised Libra
Racing team. Higgins and Gibson will contest the SCCA ProRally
Championship in a 2003 Hyundai Tiburon.
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Career
Highlights:
Began in karting, starting 1980
1991 Shell Scholarship Finalist
1992 British Rally Champ, Class A6
1994 British Junior Champion
1996 Second overall, British and Thailand Championships
(Nissan F2 and Subaru)
1997 British Rally Champion (awarded Autosport British
National Rally Driver of the Year)
2000 British F2 Champion (again received Autosport
British National Rally Driver of the Year)
2001 Factory Ford Focus test driver; competed in
World Rally Cup on behalf of Ford
International
Rally Wins:
1995 Turkey--F2 Co-20 event
1997 Ulster International (Asphalt)
1999 Bologna Rally Sprint
2000 Welsh Rally Gravel; Jim Clark Memorial Rally
and Manx International Asphalt; Bologna Rally Sprint; Cunio
(Italy) Rally Sprint
Other:
1996-1997 Belgium Group N (Subaru 4x4)
1999 Beetle Cup Championship
2001 Lamborghini Cup, WRC
competition Sweden, Finland, RAC, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus,
San Remo, Australia
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Career
Highlights:
1988 First in Group N Irish Tarmac Championship,
co-driver
1991 Second overall, North Ireland Stage Rally Championship
Second overall, British Rally Championship (Class A5)
1994 Second overall, Irish National Rally Championship
First overall, Donegal Hills Rally
1995 Third overall, Irish National Rally Championship
1996 Second overall, Irish National Rally Championship
First overall, Monaghan Stages
1997 Irish National Rally Championship, co-driver
champion
First overall, Downhill Hotel Stages; Circuit of Kerry;
Carlow Stages Rally; Sligo Stages Rally
1998 Irish National Rally Championship, co-driver
champion
First overall, Circuit of Kerry; Carlow Stages Rally; Montague
Stages Rally
First overall, North Ireland Stage Championship; Mourne
Rally
1999 Diesel Class winner, British Rally Championship
Second overall and first in class, Sony Manx International
Fifth overall and first in class,
Ulster
Rally
Ninth overall and first in class, Jim Clark Memorial Rally
Second overall, North Ireland Stage Championship
2000 Second overall, and first in Group N, Manx International
Rally
Fifth overall and first in Group N, Jim Clark Memorial Rally
2001 Seventh overall, Rally of Silverstone, Formula
Rally Championship
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