For Enniskerry rally driver Daniel Barry and his co-driver Mark Bowens from Castlemartr , it was a case of deja-vu in round five of the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge - the Swansea Bay Rally - when they recorded their second non-finish in as many events.

This result follows a near perfect start to the season for the Irish 24-year old, having scored three podium finishes in the first three rounds in the highly competitive one-make rally series for Mitsubishi Lancers and therefore he headed to South Wales as the championship leader.

To get back to his winning ways following round four of the Evo Challenge, Daniel and Mark contested the Quinton Stags Rally at the beginning of July, when they convincingly won their class and finished fifth overall.

With six stages in the forests regularly used by the Wales Rally GB (the UK’s round of the World Rally Championship) and with just one point separating the top four drivers in the Mitsubishi championship, the battle for supremacy was destined to be fierce. Adding to the challenge were the conditions, the overnight rain making the morning’s gravel stages more slippery than usual.

Opting for a cautious approach, Daniel was satisfied to emerge from the first stage third of the Mitsubishi runners. He then upped the pace on stage two, but an overshoot at one of the junctions meant that he lost time and dropped to fifth, albeit still only 17 seconds off the lead.

Following the first service halt of the day, Daniel got the bit between his teeth for stage three and, following a determined effort, posted a time quicker than all the other Evolution Challenge runners.

Now, with a chance of victory in sight, the former championship leader set off on stage four at similar pace, only to be caught out when he had to avoid an un-seen pile of logs on the inside of a corner, the evasive action causing his Lancer to slam into a pile of logs on the outside of the bend. Thankfully, he and co-driver Mark Bowens were unhurt, but the same could be not be said for their car.

“Sometimes this sport can be so frustrating”, said Daniel. “One moment everything is going well and you are challenging for the lead, the next minute you can be off the road and out of the rally. However, our championship hopes are far from over, so it’s now a case of fixing the car and getting ready for the next round in a few weeks time.”

The forthcoming event to which Daniel refers is round six of the Evolution Challenge, the Ulster International Rally, which takes place on 22nd & 23rd August. Based in Armagh, the event is the second of two all-asphalt rallies in the Mitsubishi championship’s seven round season.

Daniel’s 2008 campaign is supported by: Tech-Plus, Irish Shipping and Transport, BPI Telecom, Henco under-floor heating and SC Signs.