This Saturday's (11th February) Team GMF Wyedean Forest Rally will see Cliff Simmons clock up his 21st Wyedean.

The former Monmouth boy will co-drive for 17-year-old rising star Chris Ingram in an R2 Renault Twingo.

Manchester-based Ingram (pictured inset testing the Twingo) is the son of 2006 Wyedean victor Jon Ingram, and is the reigning Formula 1000 junior champion.

"I had entered with Simon Tysoe, but he then broke his collar bone, so I pulled the entry. Then Paul Willetts asked me to sit with Chris. 20 years ago I sat with a 17-year-old who went on to become a British Champion, so here we go again," said Simmons.

Simmons' Wyedean history started back in 1986 when he first co-drove for Jack Major in a Sunbeam. Since then he has guided many top drivers over the gravel roads of the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley stages.

Top stars such as David Higgins, Phil Collins, Nik Elsmore, Colin Webb, Richard Moore, John Collins and in more recent years Historic Championship front runner Simon Tysoe have all benefited from his wealth of experience and knowledge.

When pressed on his biggest disappointment, he says retiring with Colin Webb when leading in 1991 with clutch failure, with just one stage to go, was gutting.

"There was a bit of snow about, and we were running back in the 20s, but we took on the best in Metro 6R4s, 4wd Sierra Cosworths and Toyota GT4s, and we were leading by 20 seconds with about seven competitive miles to go when the clutch let go," said Simmons.

"Colin was some driver in that pinto-engined Escort back then."

Simmons has also had two top-five finishes – third with Richard Moore in an ex-works Subaru Legacy and fourth with John Collins' Escort RS1800 – plus many class wins.

He's also had probably his biggest ever accident on home turf alongside Nik Elsmore.

"We had major problems on the morning of the event and finally left the start well down the field, and were catching cars hand over fist.

"Near the end of the tarmac road is a dodgy fast right over crest, we approached it about 20mph too fast, the front wheel touched the grass on the inside, the next minute we were going end over end.

"It was a massive accident, Nik actually broke his arm. I had another biggie with Simon in Speech House two years ago."

He lists Trellech Common as his favourite stage, back in this year's event after a seven-year gap.

"For me the Wyedean is always a challenge – rain, ice, snow, fog and sunshine – but it's still the best organised event in the country."

Long-time friend and Forest of Dean Motor Club chairman Paul Willetts said: "Cliffy ranks up their with the very best co-drivers.

"He's well liked and respected by his fellow competitors, got vast experience and he's even threatened to drive on the Wyedean, but as yet he's not found anyone brave or daft enough to co-drive."

One thing that's never changed in more than 20 years is his passion and enthusiasm for the sport, and come Saturday it will be a job to know who is the 17-year-old in that car.