STUART Clarke and Cliff Simmons took top local honours on the Braces Bakery Neath Valley Historic Stages with an excellent second overall and first in class in the CC Groundworks pinto engined Escort. Six stages and 36 miles were on offer at this excellent compact event run by Three Counties Car Club. Clarke set the top three times all day, despite having to change the gearbox at service. Apart from that they had a superb run to second place.
Also out on the Historic event was Eric Davis and Russ Joseph in the Armley Enterprises Mini GT. A slipping clutch on stage two and intercom problems on three were their only problems on the way to 13th overall and first in class and second Mini home. Fellow Mini pilot Nigel Dutson, with Matt Davis on the notes, took 16th and third in class and fifth Mini after a trouble free day.
It was not such a good day for Graham Waite and Gill Cotton debuting a new two litre Opel Ascona. A lead came off the coil pack on the opening test, forcing them to stop and replace it, dropping over a minute. But Waite soon got to grips with his new mount only to slide off on stage five breaking a front wishbone, and therefore facing instant retirement.
Mal Stuart and Tudor Jenkins Sunbeam 1600 retired on the opening stage, with mechanical problems. Phil Collins and Nicky Grist totally dominated the historic event in the NG.com Ascona 400 winning by over a minute.
Running behind the Historic rally was the open event, covering the same stages. Bob Morgan and Ade Williams in the Winner Garage Impreza got off to a slow start coming in 14th after the opening test. But they soon stepped up the pace as the event wore on, with some good times on the second loop of stages to finish eighth overall and fourth in class
Nigel Jenkins and Karen Watts totally dominated their class in the Dean Autoservices Nova 16v to finish 17th overall, winning their class by over two minutes.
Jason Morgan and Gareth Pritchard debuted a new Winner Bikes Subaru Impreza. After a steady start learning his new machine, Morgan began to push as his confidence grew on the afternoons three tests, to arrive home 29th and 10th in class. Rob Drew and Mike Truman were out again in the Clark Willetts Accountants Escort RS. These two had an uneventful day to take 32nd and sixth in class. The National Rally was won by Jamie Anderson in a Lancer Evo 8.