Graham and Kellard double upErnie Graham and Robin Kellard made it two wins in five weeks when they took their Mk1 Ford Escort to victory on round four of the HRCR Classic Stage Rally Challenge, the Rally Marketing Mid Wales Stages over the weekend (26/27 June).The Classic Challenge was back alongside the Armajaro MSA British Historic Rally Championship for the nine-stage event, with much of the mileage on the classic gravel tracks of Hafren and Sweet Lamb.The action kicked off with two stages on Saturday evening and in the damp and sometimes foggy conditions it was Graham/Kellard who swept into an immediate lead. They went 13s clear on the opening stage in Hafren North and held that margin overnight. "We slowed down in the low cloud over the top into Sweet Lamb on the second stage," admitted Graham.Leading the chase of Graham were Gareth Lloyd and Ryland James in a newly-prepared Mk2 Escort from West Wales Rally Spares. The Holbay-engined car, with a history from the Haynes of Maidstone era, was on its first event for some time and Lloyd spent the early stages learning about the car.Sadly out of the rally on the opening pair of stages went the Escort of Will Nicholls/Nick Broom after head-gasket failure.There was little to choose between the top two crews on the opening three stages of Sunday morning, although Lloyd flew on the Esgair stage back into Sweet Lamb for service. By taking 15s out of his rival, Lloyd arrived at service with a lead of 5s so the pressure was now on Graham with just three stages to run.Graham responded immediately and took 12s back on Cymysgawen and another 12s in Cymcynydd to head into the final stage in Ceri with a lead of 19s. He added another 2s in the 5-miles of Ceri to make sure of victory after a memorable and typically sporting contest."We were on it for those last three stages," confirmed Graham back at the finish in Newtown. "It's been a lovely event. Our only mistake was taking harder tyres for the first four stages this morning," he admitted. "We had to work hard for that!"Lloyd/James had given the new car a fine debut and will now continue to use this Mk2 for forest rounds of the championship. "The engine is more tractable," reported James. "We were a bit cautious early on getting used to the car, but we had a good clear run."Only a minute and a half adrift in third place after 55 competitive miles were Martin Freestone and Chris Heyes (Escort Mk2), while another class three victory went to Michael and David Pedley (Escort RS2000). Despite the loss of the intercom and struggling with second-hand tyres that proved too hard in the slippery conditions, the brothers bagged another class win. Completing the top five were Ian Rix and Frank Richer (Escort Mk2).

The HRCR Classic Challenge now has a summer break before round five, the Tour of Flanders in Belgium over the weekend of September 11/12.