LUDLOW Castle Motor Club members enjoyed a successful trip to Down Ampney in Gloucestershire for the Red Dragon IT Stages.

The event, a round of the Heart of England Stage Rally Championship, was organised by Enthusiasts Motor Club of Stonehouse and covered 65 miles over 10 stages on an old airfield site.

Top seeded Ludlow member at three was Dan Petrie, who was with Ian Ross in a Subaru Impreza. They were joined by Roger Titley and Michele Petrie at 20 in a BMW, Steve Davies and Lucy Wilding at 21 in their Renault Clio and John Petrie and Lucy Owen out at 36 in a Peugeot 106 Gti.

All of the crews reported that the early stages were very slippery, however Ross/Petrie endured no major dramas as they brought the Impreza home in fourth overall and third in class.

Davies/Wilding quickly realised that they were on the wrong tyres and an early change cured the grip issue, allowing Davies to drive the Bodenham & Parker Plastering supported Clio to its full potential setting consistent top 15 times. They finished fifteenth overall and seventh in class, a result which took Davies to fifth overall and joint top in his class in the Championship.

Titley/Petrie overcame early struggles to climb up to sixteenth overall and third in class. The pair also won the title of King and Queen of Down Ampney, an award presented to the driver and co-driver who score the highest total overall Cotswold Motorsport Group Stage Rally Championship points from the three events held at the airfield during 2018.

Petrie/Owen performed well in the conditions, finishing the event in nineteenth overall and first in class. Petrie now sits seventh overall and second in class.