The compact route of the Neath Valley Stages was a very different test from the previous Silverstone Tyres BRC Challenge round on the asphalt of the Isle of Man, but the overall winners were the same, David Harrison and Glyn Thomas taking their fourth straight victory.

Three runs in some of the best forest stages in Wales were repeated, with a service splitting the two loops, making a six stage sprint for the crews.

A fine mist and damp conditions greeted the drivers on the opening Walters stage, Richard Sykes setting the pace in the Fiesta, with a time just four seconds clear of main championship rival David Harrison. Tony Simpson brought up the rear in his Citroën, stating, “We know we've no chance of getting close to the guys at the front, but I'd like to get a clean run after the Manx.”

As the crews headed to Rhondda, a battle royal was in prospect between Sykes and Harrison, but at the end of the stage it was clear something was amiss. Harrison explained, “We dropped a load of time in that stage. The car went a bit too far sideways in a low speed corner and nosed into the ditch on the inside. I can't believe it; we could have had a great battle with Richard!”

At service after three stages, the potential battle was underlined by the closeness on stage three, both drivers setting identical times. “We knew David had dropped time on stage two,” explained Sykes, “but it was a tricky one for us too. I forgot my driving boots and my foot slipped off the brake, we slid between some log piles and I was sure we would hit them; very lucky.”

Simpson held third as the cars headed back to repeat the loop of stages, having fun back on gravel and leading the N1 class on the rally to boot. But it was this stage where the battle for the lead effectively ended.

Sykes broke a driveshaft, dropping seventeen seconds to Harrison’s Peugeot, but the road section to stage five would see the Midlander’s rally over, the car’s differential crying enough after struggling with one-wheel drive.

“It’s the third shaft in as many events,” shrugged a disconsolate Sykes, “I don't know what I've got to do to win this Championship. David is using my car from last year, which let me down and cost us the win. We went for the Fiesta that was supposed to be bomb proof; now all Dave has to do is finish the next round. I'm gutted!”

Scant consolation for the Stourbridge man is that the result, albeit not what he expected, was sufficient to secure the RC3 class win in the championship for him and Simon Taylor, nobody able to overtake them in the two remaining rallies.

Harrison and Thomas cruised to the finish, safe in the knowledge that even if they allowed Simpson past, he was not a threat for the Championship. “We still had a spin and a big understeer moment on the last two,” he beamed, “I think more through lack of concentration than anything. I'm obviously disappointed for Richard, it would have been great to battle to the end of the year, but we’re so close to the Rally GB prize I can't wait.”

The spin and overshoot unfortunately cost Harrison the Neath Valley Stages class win, but Simpson and co-driver Stefan Arndt held their nerve to take second and win the smallest capacity class, N1, beating several more powerful cars in the tricky conditions.

As Sykes had calculated, Harrison now needs only to finish the next round on the last weekend in September, Rally Yorkshire, to take a fully funded drive on the final round of both British and World Rally Championships, Wales Rally GB.

The victory not only places the pair as favourites for the title, but puts David beyond the reach of any other junior driver, effectively securing the Junior Championship with two rounds remaining. The championship RC2 class title is also beyond doubt, Harrison and Thomas adding it to their tally, as the Silverstone Tyres BRC Challenge heads to the penultimate round, Rally Yorkshire at the end of September.

For news, photos and crew profiles from the Silverstone Tyres BRC Challenge visit: www.rallybrcchallenge.co.uk

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or contact the BRC Office Tel: 01785 887988, 07767 377600