Classic Challenge Gareth Lloyd will use an ex-John Taylor/Haynes of Maidstone Escort Mk2 in the remaining gravel rounds of the HRCR Classic Stage Rally Challenge. Lloyd, partnered by Ryland James, drove the car for the first time on the Mid-Wales Stages and will also contest the Trackrod and Bulldog events with the famous Escort.Built primarily for Taylor to use, the car was driven by Roger Clark on the 1978 RAC Rally in the colours of the Allied Polymer Group after the factory cars were hit by a strike. Although Clark failed the finish the 1978 event, the car briefly led the RAC Rally a couple of years later when driven by Tim Brise in the colours of Kent Ford dealer Dees."Phil Collins rallied it after that and it went to Ireland in 1989. It was complete when I got it and we've tried to put it back to original specification," says Lloyd, who runs West Wales Rally Spares.Currently, Lloyd has fitted a 2-litre Holbay engine rather than the BDG engine it ran in period. "The Holbay suits me better in the woods," he says of the car that is now back in the colours of Haynes of Maidstone. Taylor won several events with the car, including the Galway International.Lloyd is now locked in a fine battle with Ernie Graham and Will Nicholls for the 2004 Classic title, and the contest resumes on the Tour of Flanders in September. Lloyd will use his tarmac-spec Mk2 for the Belgian event, before reverting to the ex-Taylor car for the two gravel events in October.