Round 3: Jim Clark National Rally, 28/29 May Damian Cole has moved into second place in the Richard Egger Insurance MSA Asphalt Rally Championship following outright victory on the Jim Clark National Rally. Cole overcame event-long gear-change issues – which began when the car jammed in sixth gear on SS1 – to take the win 13 seconds clear of Simon Mauger.The early leaders were former event winners Andy Fenwick and Lee Tindall, who looked on course for a second victory until retiring with brake issues on their Subaru Impreza WRC. Mauger inherited the top spot in his 2.5-litre Ford Escort MkII after a storming drive but his bid for victory was thwarted by the elements; the two-wheel drive car was at sea on the slippery roads and Cole was thus able to overhaul Mauger for the win.Third place for John Stone and Lee Carter in their Skoda Fabia WRC keeps them at the top of the points table while, at the other end of the scale, 2006 and 2008 MSA Asphalt Rally Champions David Kynaston and Andy Russell suffered their third consecutive retirement when their Audi A3 Quattro’s scavenge pump failed.Results1 Damian Cole / Craig Drew, 1h31m13.6s 2 Simon Mauger / Ashley Trimble, 1h31m26.9s3 John Stone / Lee Carter, 1h31m39.2s

Round 4: Rally of the Midlands, 18/19 JuneChampionship positions (provisional) after Round 3 1 John Stone – 60 points 2 Damian Cole – 503 Simon Mauger – 424 Jasper – 375 Jim Sharp – 33= Chris Marshall – 33