Round 7: Eventsigns Mewla Rally, 26 August

Damian Cole sealed his third REIS Get Connected MSA Asphalt Rally Championship crown after winning the Eventsigns Mewla Rally.

The result makes Cole the first person to achieve a championship hat-trick since Pete Doughty in 1994-1996. Despite breaking his Ford Focus WRCs handbrake on the final stage, Cole and co-driver James Morgan arrived back at the finish nearly two minutes ahead of their nearest rivals.

Last years Mewla winner, Peter Lloyd, retired after hitting sheep on the second stage of the day, while Steve Simpson, the only man with a chance of denying Cole the title, failed to start when his car suffered an electrical problem.

Results1 Damian Cole / James Morgan (Ford Focus WRC) 1h12m42s2 Bob Fowden / Jason Sugden (Subaru Impreza) 1h15m46s3 Adrian Spencer / Mark Hewitt (Subaru Impreza) 1h15m59s

Provisional championship standings1 Damian Cole117 points (CHAMPION)2 Steve Simpson1013 Melvyn Evans754 Rob Tout705 Richard Clews60