LUCK run out for Ludlow Castle Motor Club members who tackled the latest round of the British Historic Rally Championship the Harry Flatters Rally.

Joe Price and Chris Brooks were tackling the daunting tarmac roads of Epynt Military Ranges for the first time in their Ford Escort MkII.

Unfortunately, gear-selection problems raised their head again on the first stage and a plug lead came adrift on the second. The resultant time losses dropped the pair well down the field, however, Price can be satisfied with a second fastest time on the last stage which helped him to climb to 16th overall and seventh in class.

Last year’s event saw Phil Clarke take the victory spoils alongside Jason Pritchard in his Ford Escort MkII and they were the top-seeded Historic crew.

The first stage saw them drop six seconds to Melvyn Evans/Patrick Walsh in a similar car, however, with Evans not registered Pritchard/Clarke were the top championship crew. With a change of tyre compound on the front in an effort to reduce understeer, they were looking to consolidate their championship advantage, but they posted their third non-finish on the trot when their engine blew up halfway through the second stage.

To round off a poor day for the Ludlow crews, Dave Bennett/Gareth Price retired their Ford Escort on the first stage when the brakes went on fire.

A number of crews also took part in the Pacemaker Rally, a navigational road event organised by Knighton Motor Club and taking place in the lanes of the Powys/south Shropshire border.

Top seed were Will Maddox and Geoff Lowe in Will’s Golf at number 34, they were closely followed by Andrew Price/Will Hough at 35, Price being forced to borrow his son’s Proton following issues with his Suzuki Swift in the run-up to the event, both pairs were running in the Semi Expert class. Brother-and-sister team Frazer and Fiona Moss wheeled out the Peugeot 205 and were the top-seeded novice crew.

Price/Hough finished in 11th overall and second in class with Maddox/Lowe 16th overall and fourth in class.

Meanwhile, the Mosses, after suffering electrical problems early on, later got stuck in a ditch and retired.