Ross-on-Wye’s Steve Bennett and co-driver Iain Tullie got their Mintex MSA British Historic Championship campaign off to a great start with an excellent fifthth overall and first in class D5, in the historic section on last weekend’s Red Kite Stages.

The Llandovery-based event attracted a high quality 75 historic entries plus a further 50 modern entries, so Steve was delighted with his result. He told the Ross Gazette that he struggled during the first two stages with the intercom in the car which meant he could not hear his navigator and co-driver very well. He said it was also very foggy and there was lots of rain so the conditions were far from ideal. However he added that the car, which is looked after by Dave Jenkins Motorsport of Coleford, went really well.

Six stages were on offer, with two loops of Crychan, Caeo and Route 60 totalling some 40 miles. Simon Tysoe with another Ross resident, Paul Morris in the co-drivers’ seat in his Escort RS1600 also had an excellent run to 12th overall and first in class C5.

Ben Friend had the experienced Cliff Simmons on the notes in the Allglass RS1800, the duo started well, but bent steering, and then a puncture on stage two, cost them over two minutes and saw them plunge down the leaderboard to 42nd.

A good consistent run over the final four tests saw them climb back to 21st overall and second in class D5.

Jason Gardner debuted his new RS1800 with Graham Cox alongside, an overshoot on the opening test was followed by a spin on stage two, all was well until near the end of stage four, when an anti-roll bar bracket broke, pitching the car into a bank and retirement.

The overall event winners were Scottish duo David Bogie and Kevin Rae.

All in all it had been an excellent, well run Red Kite Stages, worthy of its status as opening round of the National Historic championship.