Ross-on-Wye garage owner, Steve Bennett, together with co-driver, Osian Owen, missed out on the Red Kite Historic Stages win by just two seconds after a titanic battle with Simon Webster and Jez Rogers, both in Escort RS1800s after 38 miles of the classic Rhondda stages of Margam, Resolven and Rheola. Sadly, stage four had to be cancelled for logistical reasons. 

Bennett and Webster went at it from the offset in changeable conditions, with Ben Friend and Cliff Simmons hoping to end a run of three retirements in a row in the Allglass Escort RS1800 held third after stage two.

Sadly, Friend’s run of bad luck continued  when a broken half shaft on the third test brought another retirement. 

With the fastest time on stage five, Bennett nosed in front by just one second with seven miles of Rheola left to do, but it was Webster who stopped the clocks quickest in Rheola and, more importantly, three seconds faster than Bennett, to take a well deserved victory in the Frank Richer built Escort. 

Graham Waite and Mike Reynolds finished 18th overall and 5th in class in the Opel Ascona, this being Waite’s first event in a while.

Sadly for Alan Walker and Will Rogers in their Escort RS1800 holding a comfortable 6th place going into stage five, they slid off the road and were beached. With no spectators around their event came to an end.

In the National B event Jason Gardner and Ade Williams were looking for more Welsh Historic championship points in the Brecon View Plumbing Escort RS1800, and took 13th overall and 3rd in class. The National B rally was won by Dylan Davies /Mark Glennister in a new Ford  Fiesta R5.See this week’s paper for more stories like this, available in shops and as a Digital Edition now.