TOM Cave and co-driver James Morgan showed that they had lost none of their former pace, when they recorded the fastest time on the first of eight stages on Saturday’s Nicky Grist Stages Rally.

Following a day long battle for the lead, they went on to cross the line in second place. But having reached the finish, their convincing podium position was denied when, due to an administration oversight by the co-driver, the duo were disqualified for infringing a regulation.

“Whilst the final outcome was of course, not what we had wanted, rallying is a complicated sport with lots of rules and regulations, so these things can and do happen," said Aberdyfi ace Cave.

“It was great to be back in an R5 specification car alongside James, who did his usual great job on the notes. And to be straight back on the pace right from the start was very reassuring to us both.

“The Mirage has really progressed into a competitive car and the stage times prove it. It’s great to drive and I hope I have the opportunity to enter another event with it soon."

After a successful test in the Spencer Sport Mitsubishi Mirage last week, Cave was more than ready to make his return to the stages in a R5 specification car, following a nine-month sabbatical since he and Morgan finished third in the WRC2 category in October’s Wales Rally GB.

The event featured a loop of four stages on the gravel roads on and around the Epynt Ranges in the morning, followed by the same loop of four in the afternoon.

Seeded at number one, things started perfectly. In the dry, dusty conditions, they set the fastest time on the opening stage and consequently led the rally by two seconds, ahead of current British Rally Championship leaders Matt Edwards and Darren Garrod in a Fiesta R5.

During the following three stages before the lunch-time service halt at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells, they delivered another first and two second-fastest times, which enabled them to maintain their lead by two seconds at the half-way point.Following a quick check around the car by the Spencer Sport team, they embarked on the afternoon’s four stages and, like the weather, the battle between them and their main rivals got even hotter.

In fact, on stage five both crews set exactly the same time, four seconds faster than anyone else.Still with a two-second advantage, Cave knew it would be flat to the finish and, although he pushed as hard as he could through the remaining three stages, they could not hold off winner Matt Edwards and co-driver Darren Garrod, who fought back to take the win.

On returning to Builth Wells, however, Cave and Morgan found that they had contravened an event regulation due to a rare co-driver error and were consequently disqualified from the results.

Although a conclusion they and the team would not have wished for, they were pleased they had been able to get straight back to a front-running pace.

Matt Edwards and co-driver Darren Garrod had won a very closely fought Nicky Grist Stages in their Swift Group Ford Fiesta R5, after turning a two second deficit at halfway into a 58 second winning margin at the finish. Victory on the Quinton MC organised event has seen them take the lead of the Jordan Road Surfacing BTRDA Rally Series.

Luke Francis hurt his back after hitting a big compression at speed on the bridge in Route 60, and then picked up a front puncture on the last stage. Co-driven by John H Roberts, the 2016 event winner was therefore pleased to finish second in his Melvyn Evans Motorsport-tuned Ford Fiesta WRC to keep his Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Championship hopes alive.

Rory Young’s first attempt at the Nicky Grist Stages resulted in an excellent third place finish overall.Co-driven by Allan Cathers, he recovered from two overshoots on SS2 to move from fifth at the midday service halt in Llanelwedd to a podium finish in his Fiesta R5.

Click on link below for full rally report and reaction.