LOCAL crews had an excellent day in mid Wales with many coming away from the Nicky Grist Stages with silverware after a tough day's motorsport, writes Paul Willetts..

Ben Friend together with co-driver Cliffy Simmons came away with 16th overall, second in class and third historic despite the heat causing an engine misfire and having excessive tyre wear on the Allglass Anglia Escort RS1800.

Nik Elsmore with new co-driver Ifan Devine in the CDS Taxis and Calico Interiors-backed Mitsubishi Evo 9 finished 19th overall and fourth in class.

Now armed with a new engine, it was a loose TCA bolt that caused for concern on the opening loop.

“The cars pulling all over the place I hope we can get it sorted in service,but the engine is really good, pin Sharpe.

“I did a small test yesterday just to knock some of the rust off me.”

Reigning BTRDA Bronze Star champions Nigel and Karen Jenkins in the NJ Autos Vauxhall Nova were looking to get their season back on track after a difficult start and had a real ding dong battle with Dylan Fowler-Bishop and Dan Evans in the Restruct-backed Nissan Micra on the opening loop.

Dust and an overshoot saw them drop 15 seconds to their rivals at service.

A big push on the next three tests saw the gap close to within three seconds with eight miles of Crychan to go.

A loose intercom lead meant that they went over a mile without the all-important pace notes.

A puncture saw any hopes of a 1400 win evaporate but they still finished 32nd overall and second in class.

Geoff Phelps and Colin Jenkins were another crew to take silverware with second in class six and 34th overall in the Cherry Rock Mk1 Escort after a trouble-free run.

Ed James with Kevin Lane in the lovely Nissan Micra kit car had their best run of the season to date finishing 53rd overall and third 1400.

Charles Hopkinson with Alun Jones on the notes in the Dave Jenkins Motorsport Escort RS1800 took 63rd and 15th in class.

It was a mixed day for father and daughter duo Jeremy and Alexandra Harris in the Kilcot Garage Escort Mexico with a time-consuming puncture on stage two and what Jeremy described as “miscommunication” on stage three.

He also had a vibration – which he hoped was just the exhaust – but all was well on the second loop finishing 76 overall and ninth in class and some good Welsh championship points.

Rounding out the locals were Graham Thatcher and Tim Samuel in the mighty Pembridge Vehicle Management TR7 V8 which took 99th overall sixth in class.

Overall winners of the event were William Creighton and Liam Regan in the Castrol-backed Toyota Yaris, with Osian Pryce and Phil Pugh taking top 2wd honours in 12th in the Wales Motorsport Escort RS1800.

The real heroes were the marshals and officials who were out in that heat all day and the organisers who supplied everyone with plenty of water.