Four months after being airlifted to hospital with a broken neck, Kick Energy rally driver Steve Perez bounced back in remarkable fashion to take a superb victory on the North Humberside Forest Rally today.

Having sustained the injury whilst competing on the East African Safari Rally in Kenya back in November, the Chesterfield businessman has been out of action since as his injuries healed but after being declared fit by his doctors just prior to the North Yorkshire event, he rocketed his Ford Focus WRC to a convincing victory to reach the Whitby finish some 45 seconds ahead of his closest rival.

With experienced Welsh co-driver Howard Davies on the maps, Perez put any lingering fears behind him as he went in search of his second successive victory on the North Humberside Motor Club event and straight away, set fastest time on the opening nine-miler in Langdale.

It was a trend that was to continue for the morning and at service, he was 24 seconds to the good and looking forward to the second loop in the fast, but chicane-ridden, Yorkshire forests.

With no major problems to report in the Tim Ashton-prepared car other than the worsening weather, Perez extended his lead to arrive back at the finish much to his delight.

"I'm back!" he told the assembled masses at Whitby's West Cliff finish ramp. "I was a little nervous before the start but I'm delighted with the way it has gone. To win this rally for a second successive time is fantastic and with my Trackrod win, that's three out of three in the past year in these forests. I won it by 46 seconds last year so I must be slowing down! Now I want to do the Border Counties next weekend, so I'll have to make a few phone calls!" said Steve.

The one slight blip on an otherwise perfect day was the fact he was pipped by a single second on the final test in Cropton, otherwise he'd have been fastest on every stage of the day.

"I told Howard not to have that other sandwich at lunchtime!" quipped Perez in deference to his ever-so-slightly rotund co-driver. "I'm blaming him for that but seriously, he's done a great job for me and I'm over the moon."

Results

1, Steve Perez/Howard Davies                   Ford Focus                     0:42:29
2, Michael O'Brien/Ian Allsop                    Ford Focus                     0:43:14
3, Ryan Champion/Jemma Bellingham         Mitsubishi Lancer            0:43:16
4, Hugh Hunter/Andy Marchbank               Ford Focus                     0:43:23
5, Will Nicholls/Nick Broom                       Subaru Impreza               0:43:30
6, Damian Cole/Craig Drew                        Hyundai Accent               0:43:50
7, John Lloyd/Adrian Cavenagh                  Ford Focus                      0:44:00
8, Peter Egerton/Paul Spooner                    Hyundai Accent               0:44:14
9, Shaun Gardener/Ben Innes                      Mitsubishi Lancer            0:44:19
10, Tim Pearcey/Jamie Edwards                 Mitsubishi Evo9               0:44:31