Rain and some changeable conditions made the weekend’s RJ Matthews Haulage Dixies Challenge live up to its name, reports PAUL WILLETTS.

Although the military roads of the Epynt Ranges are nowhere near as challenging as 40 years ago, they still presented a stiff challenge to the full entry of 80 cars who lined up on Sunday.

The event co-promoted by Forest of Dean Motor Club and Foresters Car Club offered some 40 miles over 10 tests on the damp asphalt roads, and was a round of several championships – the ASWMC, HOERC, HRCR Mini Cup, HRCR Stage Masters and WAMC King of Epynt.

Top local honours were taken by Tim Hill with his Abergavenny co-driver Paul Spooner with 17th overall and second in class.

The duo – national championship front runners in the late 80s – still team up for a few events each year in the Hills Ford Ford Fiesta R2.

Also in the silverware were Ross-on-Wye father and daughter Paul and Jemma Taylor in their newly-built Mini.

They had a trouble-free run to place 55th overall and second in class and now look forward to the Manx National Rally in a few weeks time.

Herefordshire event sponsor Roger Matthews had the experienced Keegan Rees in the hot seat in the RJ Matthews Haulage 2.5 Escort.

This was only Roger’s second event in the car and it’s a case of getting seat time in the new machine, with a trouble free run playing with settings and tyres until retiring on stage 8.

Another crew with a new car were veterans Eric Davis and Russ Joseph in the Dennis Motorsport backed Mini

They were having an excellent run but broke a wire to the fuel pump after a heavy landing, but it gave the car a good work out before heading to the Manx also.

The event was won by the awesome Darrian T90 GTR of Malcolm and Rhys Jones, a terrific drive in wet conditions.

Sadly, Damian and Charly Cole suffered a serious accident and both Forest of Dean Motor Club and Foresters Car Club wish them a full and speedy recovery.

Organisers paid a special thanks to the rescue and recovery people and paramedics for the way the incident was dealt with, and to competitors Toby Adam and Ian Meakin who stopped and took the appropriate action making sure that they were looked after until the medical team arrived.