David Higgins (rally driver) explained

David Higgins
Nationality: Manx
British
Birth Date:14 November 1972
Birth Place:Isle of Man
Related To:Mark Higgins (brother)
Current Series:American Rally Association
First Year:2017
Current Team:McKenna Motorsport
Car Number:75
Championships:2 (2018, 2019)
Career Template1:
Embed:yes
Last Series:Rally America
Car Number:75
Best Finish:1st
Championships:8 (2002, 2003, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)
Year:2002–2003, 2011–2016
Former Teams:Subaru Motorsports USA

David Higgins (born 14 November 1972) is a Manx rally driver. He is an eight-time Rally America champion and a two-time ARA Champion with Subaru Motorsports USA.

Early and personal life

Born on the Isle of Man but living in Trefeglwys near Llanidloes, Powys, Wales his brother Mark is also a rally and stunt driver. Higgins started motorcycle trials aged 8, and aged 10 he moved into the UK national kart racing circuit, winning seven titles against drivers including later Formula 1 driver David Coulthard.

Higgins stills lives in Trefeglwys, with his wife and two children, Alicia and Matthew, both of whom are karting drivers.[1]

Career

In 1993 he won his first rally car title, the Peugeot Challenge. Higgins won the 1997, 1999 and 2002 British Rally Championships in the Group N category.[2] He then won the SCCA ProRally Championship in the United States in 2002 and 2003. Grassroots Motorsports presented David Higgins with the Editors' Choice Award in 2003.[3] In 2004 he returned to the British championship for what was supposed to be a one-off entry at the season opener in a Hyundai Accent WRC. After winning the opening round he went on to complete the full season, winning the title.From 2004, Higgins spent his time rallying in China. He began in 2004, competing in three events and winning two of them to help Ralliart Hong Kong to win the teams' title. He returned in 2006, beginning a long relationship with the Wanyu rally team. In 2007 he won every round in the championship and helped the team to win the title in both 2007 and 2009.

In 2011 Higgins joined Subaru Rally Team USA in the Rally America series as a replacement for Travis Pastrana. He won the title at the first attempt with three wins from six events. That same year he also set the new record up Mount Washington in a Subaru Impreza, faster than Pastrana's run up the mountain. Later, in 2014, he would beat his own record again with Co-Driver Craig Drew.[4] He won the Rally America championship 8 times in 2002, 2003, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. He also won the American Rally Association National Championship in 2018 and 2019. Of those 10 championships, Higgins achieved 8 with Subaru Rally Team USA.

During the running of the 2007 Rally of Yorkshire, Higgins came across a JCB digger/tractor coming towards him on the seven mile Gale Rigg stage. Luckily, Higgins was able to swerve and avoid the JCB, whose driver had managed to avoid rally officials and get onto the stage, driving in the reverse direction to the competing cars.[5]

Racing record

Complete WRC results

YearEntrantCar12345678910111213141516WDCPoints
1994Peugeot SportPeugeot 106 RallyeMONPORKENFRAGREARGNZLFINITAGBR
Ret
-0
1995David HigginsHonda Civic SIRMONSWEPORFRANZLAUSESPGBR
27
-0
1997David HigginsRover Mini CooperMONSWEKENPORESPFRAARGGRENZLFINIDNITAAUS
Ret
-0
Seat Ibiza GTi 16VGBR
31
1998David HigginsSubaru Impreza WRXMONSWEKENPORESPFRAARGGRENZLFINITAAUSGBR
11
-0
1999FAW-Volkswagen FRD RTVolkswagen Golf Kit CarMONSWEKENPORESPFRAARGGRENZLFINCHN
Ret
ITAAUS-0
David HigginsSubaru Impreza WRXGBR
Ret
2000David HigginsSubaru Impreza WRXMONSWEKENPORESPARGGRENZLFINCYPFRAITAAUSGBR
Ret
-0
2001David HigginsSubaru Impreza WRXMONSWEPORESPARGCYPGREKENFINNZLITAFRAAUSGBR
11
-0
2002David HigginsSubaru Impreza WRC '99MONSWEFRAESPCYPARGGREKENFINGERITANZLAUSGBR
Ret
-0
2005David HigginsOpel Corsa S1600MONSWEMEXNZLITACYPTUR
31
GREARGFINGER-0
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIIGBR
24
JPNFRAESPAUS
2006David HigginsMitsubishi Lancer Evo VIIMON
21
SWEMEXESPFRAARGITAGREGERFINJPNCYPTURAUSNZL-0
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IXGBR
18
2007David HigginsSubaru Impreza WRX STiMONSWENORMEXPORARGITAGREFINGERNZLESPFRAJPNIREGBR
19
-0
2008David HigginsSubaru Impreza WRX STiMONSWEMEXARGJORITAGRETURFINGERNZLESPFRAJPNGBR
28
-0

Complete Global RallyCross Championship results

Supercar

YearEntrantCar123456789101112GRCPoints
2012Subaru Impreza WRX STICHA
TEX
LA
7
LOU
LV
LVC
19th10
2016Subaru Rally Team USASubaru Impreza WRX STIPHO1PHO2DALDAY1DAY2MCAS1
MCAS2 DC
AC
SEA
9
LA1
6
LA2
9
13th57
Race cancelled.

Notes and References

  1. News: David Higgins: Powys driver on verge of retaining US rally crown. BBC News. 11 October 2013.
  2. Web site: David Higgins – Driver. subaru.com. Subaru of America, Inc.. 21 July 2011. 19 September 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160919211854/http://www.subaru.com/rally/drivers/david-higgins/index.html. dead.
  3. http://www.grassrootsmotorspors.com{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
  4. Web site: Climb to the Clouds.
  5. Web site: Higgins slams organisers over digger incident . www.manxradio.com . 9 October 2023.