DUAL Wyedean winner Nik Elsmore says it's unlikely he'll be competing on this year's Wyedean Rally in his state-of-the-art Mitsubishi Evo 9 (pictured).
The car, worth around £55,000, has been up for sale for more than six months and is still on the market.
Elsmore said: "I've had a few people interested in buying it.
"I was very close to doing a deal with one guy, but he went to a prep company and they offered to build him a brand new car for the same price.
"Another friend of mine in Scotland was getting back into rallying and interested, but he got snowed in and ended up buying something closer to home."
Elsmore lost his long-term deal with sponsors Hydrex – worth around £100,000 per year – in 2009.
He has not raced since finishing third in last year's Wyedean in February.
Elsmore did last year's Wyedean with the backing of GMF Motor Factors, Klarius Exhausts, Pete Smith Cars and MG Contracting.
He added: "I'm not going to use the car on the Wyedean in case I smash it up, and I won't be ploughing my own money into it.
"It's sad to see it standing there unused, but I'd only continue using it if I had a four or five rally deal.
"It's frustrating because I didn't want to give up rallying."
Elsmore says he might still do this year's Wyedean – possibly in a Mark II Escort.
"It would just be about the fun factor and I'd love the opportunity," he said.
"Driving something like a Mark II would mean a totally different style of driving and the pressure would be off because I wouldn't be competing to win.
"I might also go down the enduro motorbike route and I've been asked to mentor a couple of up and coming rally drivers.
"That would enable me to stay involved in the sport."