Meeke's tales of the unexpected.

Up-and-coming Junior World Rally Championship [JWRC] rally driver Kris Meeke will be taking nothing for granted when he heads into the Rally of Turkey next weekend [June 25-27].

The 24-year-old was playing a starring role in the recent Acropolis Rally, but his challenge for victory was ruined when his Palmer Sport-tuned Opel Corsa Super 1600 car was halted by a freak breakage.

With similarly rough and rocky conditions expected in Turkey, Meeke is hoping that luck will be on his side as he renews his challenge for victory.

"In Greece it was a heart-wrenching moment to be up there fighting for the win one moment and then, without warning, be sat at the side of the road," said Meek, who is backed by McRae Motorsport. "But Turkey is an opportunity for the whole team to look ahead and redouble our efforts to collect a good haul of championship points."

"The information I'm getting is that the conditions will be smoother than in Greece, as long as you keep on line. If you start to stray from that, though, I'm told there are some very big rocks. That's why it's important to keep your concentration at all times, and why I have been spending so much time focusing on my physical preparation recently."

Meeke, who has been in training with his backer, 1995 World Rally Champion Colin McRae, is currently fifth equal in the championship with six points, 12 behind series leader Nicolas Bernardi. Turkey is the third round of the seven-round Junior World Rally Championship.

"The championship is definitely hotting up, and I want to make sure I am right in the thick of the fight," said Meeke. "Greece was a setback, but if I can get some pressure on the leaders I'm certain that the title is still a realistic goal. It isn't going to be easy, but that's what this sport is all about - fighting for those vital edges.

"Despite the result in Greece, I think my approach in Turkey has to be the same. It's not the sort of rally you can go out and try to win from the front. It is more a case of taking things sensibly and biding your time, taking a tactical approach and reading the roads so that you know where it is and isn't safe to push."