Cinderford duo, Jason Gardner and Ade Williams, continued their good run with 29th overall and third overall historic and third 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 which included a number of top historic crews looking at Radnor ahead of the RAC Rally later in the year.

Just five tests made up the 44 miles of action, with two 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 continues his recent good run in the Brecon View Plumbing Escort RS1800. 

Williams said: “Those stages were so fast in Radnor, but Jase was a good boy and did as he was told, and we are very pleased given the level of top historic crews here.”

Just a few seconds behind Gardner, in 31st place and fifth in class B11, was Mark Griffiths with Ross motor club’s Matt Rogers on the notes in the Griffiths Engineering Escort RS1800. It was the duo’s first event since a big accident at last year’s rally, and despite early morning drama with a misfire before the rally got underway, they too had a trouble free day.

Mark said: “I just couldn’t believe how rusty I was, it took me a few stages to get into it again, but after this morning’s drama the car ran perfectly, so we can look forward to the Wyedean now.”

In the 1400 series it was a good day for Steve Black and his Ross based co-driver, Paul Morris, finishing second overall 1400 and 37th overall in the SBG Group Suzuki Swift.