GEARBOX trouble on the penultimate stage cost Ludlow Castle Motor Club’s Joe Price and Chris Brooks victory in the historic section of the Severn Valley Stages.

The pair, in their orange Ford Escort MKII, were in control around the 45 stage miles through the Crychan and Radnor Forests near Builth Wells and looked set to increase their lead at the top of British Historic Stage Rally Championship.

But with a 29-second lead from rival Nick Elliott going into the fifth stage, Price struggled to find a gear and was then stuck in fifth at the bottom of a climb. He lost around four minutes and although he managed a temporary fix for the final stage, victory had gone and the pair finished 14th and seventh in class.

There was also disappointment for Ludlow co-driver Phil Clarke who, alongside driver Jason Pritchard, was up with the leaders until the car ended up on its side on the Radnor stage midway through the day.

Corfton’s Gary Smith was also out in his Ford Escort MKI with his South Wales-based co-driver Yan Griffiths but a spin in Radnor and on the last stage saw him finish 20th overall and fourth in class. Bridgnorth co-driver Jez Rogers sat alongside Simon Webster in the Ford Escort MKII but crashed out following brake problems.

In the modern section of the rally, Tim Cains and Richard May were looking to maintain their Welsh Championship push in the Peugeot 309 but driveshaft trouble and traffic saw them finish 20th overall and 4th in class. Colin and Martin Griffiths were beset by problems in their BMW Compact and were 32nd overall and 5th in class.

Jack Bowen partnered driver Trevor Morgan for the Red Dragon IT Stages at Down Ampney, taking part in the latter’s Darrian T90 GTR+. The new pairing were hampered by a spin and a flat tyre on the final stage and finished 17th overall and third in class.