ROSS-on-Wye’s Steve Bennett and co-driver Iain Tullie got their Mintex MSA British Historic Championship campaign off to a start with an excellent fifth overall and first in class on last weekends Red Kite Stages.

The Llandovery based event attracted a high quality 75 historic entries plus a further 50 modern entries.

Six stages were on offer, with two loops of Crychan, Caeo and Route 60 totalling some 40 miles.

Rain and mist were especially bad on higher ground in the Welsh forests, and lots of logging made conditions extremely difficult.

But Bennett had no issues in the Bennett Motor Services, Dave Jenkins Motorsport RS1800, topping the D5 historic class.

Simon Tysoe with another Ross resident Paul Morris in the co-drivers seat in his Escort RS1600 had an excellent run to 12th overall and first in class C5.

Ben Friend had the experienced Cliff Simmons on the notes in the Allglass Escort RS1800. The duo started well, but bent steering and then a puncture on stage two cost them over two minutes and saw them plunge down the leaderboard to 42nd. Despite their setback, a good consistent run over the final four tests saw them climb back to 21st overall and second in class D5.

Jason Gardner debuted his new RS1800 with Graham Cox alongside. An overshoot on the opening test was followed by a spin on stage two, all was well until near the end of stage four when a anti-roll bar bracket broke pitching the Brecon View Plumbing car into a bank and retirement.

Reigning Gwynne-Speed Citroen C2 challenge champion Ross Leach with new co-driver Hannah McKillop rolled out of the rally on stage five. Also joining the list of retirements were James Dunkley and Dan Sayce in the Winner Garage Vauxhall Corsa on stage four.

The overall event winners were Scottish duo David Bogie and Kevin Rae who debuted their new Skoda Fabia R5 and used the event as a shakedown in readiness for the opening British Rally Championship round next month.

All in all it had been an excellent,well run Red Kite Stages worth of its status as opening round of the National Historic championship.