Cinderford duo Jason Gardner and Ade Williams continued there good run with 29th overall & 3rd overall Historic and 3rd in class H3 and first local crew home on last weekends Event Signs Woodpecker Stages based at the picturesque Ludlow Racecourse.
The event attracted a very high quality entry of 142 cars for the penultimate rounds of both BTRDA and Welsh Championships, this included a number of top historic crews looking at Radnor ahead of the RAC Rally later in the year, just 5 tests made up the 44 miles of action, with 2 runs each of Haye Park and Radnor Forest plus the tricky little Hopton test, adding to the mix.
For Gardner it was a trouble free day and continue his recent good run in the Brecon View Plumbing Escort RS1800.
"The stages were so fast in Radnor, but Jase was a good boy and did has he was told, and we are well pleased, given the level of top historic crews out today " smiled Williams.
Just a few seconds behind Gardner in 31st place & 5th in class B11 was Mark Griffiths with Ross motor clubs Matt Rogers on the notes in the Griffiths Engineering Escort RS1800, this being the duo's first event since a big accident on last year's rally, despite early morning drama with a misfire before the rally got underway, they too had a trouble free day.
"I just couldn't believe how rusty i was, it took me a few stages to get into it again, but after this mornings drama,the car ran perfectly, so we can look forward to the Wyedean now." said Mark.
In the 1400 series it was a good day for Steve Black and his Ross based co driver Paul Morris finishing 2nd overall 1400 and 37th overall in the SBG Group Suzuki Swift, making it a SBG 1 & 2 with Steve, s son Callum taking the 1400 honours and the championship in his Rover ZR.
"That's the best Steve's driven so far this year, the car ran faultlessly again, great team result congratulations to Callum on winning the series. " said Morris
Newent farmer Geoff Phelps with Pete Wilson back on the notes in the Dave Jenkins Motorsport run Escort RS1800, they took 41st and 7th in class.
Martyn Wyles had Jamie Vaughan calling the notes in the Jones Rally Hire Escort RS and were 74th and 10th in B11 class.
Charles Hopkinson and Gavin Haycock in another Dave Jenkins run car finished 81st and 10th in class H3 just behind in 83rd and taking home some silverware were Graham Waite and Gill Cotton in the Opel Ascona with 3rd in class H1&2, there only problem of the day, was when the start of ss2 was delayed, and rain came they were on the totally wrong tyres which caused a few heart stopping moments.
Tim Phelps with Elwyn Manuel alongside finished 91st & 12th in class B12 in there 2.4 litre Escort, one place behind was first time pairing David Goose and Simon Cox in another Escort also taking 7th in class H1&2.
It wasn't a particularly good day for the Dunkley family with James co-driven by Colin Jenkins, in the Dunkley Auto Services 1400 Corsa breaking a diff on stage 4 and wife Kelly co driving for Joseph Keen in a MG ZR rolling out of the event on stage 2, thankfully with no injuries to ether party.
Overall event winners were Ollie Mellors and Ian Windress in a new upgraded version of the Proton Iziz R5 by a comfortable 33 seconds.
Paul Willetts
