Gary Midwinter is the latest driver to join the HRCR Classic Stage Rally Challenge, and started by contesting the Robin Hood Historic Forest Stages Rally in the ex-Tony Pond Vauxhall Chevette HSR.

The former Subaru Impreza WRC driver and his regular co-driver Martin Saunders plan to contest a full season and the Gloucestershire driver has already assembled a fleet of Chevettes.

"I got carried away, I've got 11 of them now," admitted Midwinter. "I've got lots of bits and pieces and we should end up with four complete cars," he says. He plans to have both a tarmac and a gravel specification car for his own use.

"I'd forgotten what it's like without power steering," he said after setting encouraging stage times early on during the Robin Hood. However, after setting third fastest classic time in the first Clipstone South stage on Saturday evening, the Chevette suffered cam follower failure in the same stage on Sunday morning.