After finishing runner up on last year’s Dennis Motorsport Welsh Historic Championship, Jason Gardner took the top step of the podium in 2018, after a year which saw him miss the first two rounds, but still did enough to clinch the crown by September.

With the Quaife gearbox being replaced by a Martin Jones built ZF over the winter months, the Cinderford based businessman felt confident he could go one better this year.

After bad weather saw the first round cancelled, also meaning that Gardner did not enter round two, he was left to play catch up. However, this year Gardner finally got underway in with the Rally Nuts Stages, which was formerly the Severn Valley, in April, 2018, based over the classic tests in Crychan, Cefn and Radnor. This was together with regular co-driver, Graham Cox, and the pair managed to net 42nd overall and 1st Welsh historic points.

Next up, the drivers faced the first of two visits in the notorious Epynt Ranges. The first round was The Dixies Challenge, this time with Dan Petrie onboard, but a snapped crank brought an early retirement.

Thanks to swift work by Alan Sherwood at Sherwood Engines, the car was ready within two weeks. This was in readiness for the Mid Summer Stages at RAF Caerwent in June, 2018. Driving on the tight narrow tarmac roads saw Gardner slide down a bank on the third stage and this cost him a stage maximum. Although he had to run at the back of the field for the rest of the day, they took maximum Welsh points away from him.

A return to gravel at the end of June saw the forests of the Rhondda valley once again reverberate with the sound of rally cars. This was in the Red Kite Stages. During this, a fine drive saw Gardner holding 19th overall after stage four, but with the car pulling to one side, he thought the diff had chipped a tooth, so just drove the final test. This meant that he lost a lot of time, and this saw him drop back to 33rd at the end, but he still took the 2nd championship points. On closer inspection of the car, it turned out to be a bolt from the brake caliper working loose which caused the brakes to bind.

A second visit to Epynt was next up for the Harry Flatters Rally, this time with Adrian Williams calling the notes Graham Cox was unavailable. Heavy rain saw full wet tyres all day, but an excellent run saw them net 15th overall and another maximum haul of points, putting Gardner in a strong position to fight for the title.

September saw another a very hot dusty, Woodpecker Stages and another excellent run to maximum points. Although they had one or two moments in the dust, putting the Cinderford plumber in pole position with one round remaining.

So the title fight was all set to come down to a gripping finale on the Wyedean Stages, on home turf Gardner was confident of a strong result to seal the title, but sadly the event was cancelled, and after some wait to be notified by championship officials, Jason Gardner was crowned the 2018 champion.

Unfortunately for Graham Cox, having missed two rounds, he had to settle for a class win in the co-drivers section. He said: “After missing out on the title over the last two years, I finally managed to do it this year, we didn’t have it all our own way, and it was a good battle all year, a big thank you to Graham, it’s a shame he missed out on the co-drivers title, thanks also to Adie Williams and Dan Petrie for stepping in when Graham wasn’t available, to Paul Simmonds and Mark Griffiths for servicing for me, and to Mark Wheeler at Samurai Signs.”

Jason would also like to thank Brecon View Plumbing, Geoff Jones Motorsport, Harkness Competition, Tyres Martin Jones, Gearboxes, Sherwood Engines and Valley Oaks Garage.

If plans come together over the winter months then Gardner will step up to a full MSA British Historic campaign or RAC Asphalt series in 2019.

The photograph was taken by Paul Mitchell.See this week’s paper for more stories like this, available in shops and as a Digital Edition now.