Winning start for Smith and Dykes in Morris Lubricants BTRDA 1400 Championship

Mat Smith and co-driver Giles Dykes, driving a Ford Ka, won the opening round of this season’s Morris Lubricants BTRDA 1400 Championship in the Forest of Dean on Saturday.

The championship is part of the hugely popular REIS BTRDA Rally Series, which opened with the Weir Engineering Wyedean Forest Rally.

Smith from Thirsk and Darlington-based Dykes finished 11^th overall in the rally and 14 seconds ahead of nearest 1400 championship challengers David Bennett from York and Goole-based Alastair McNeil in a Vauxhall Corsa. Third were Darren Pinchin from Cheltenham and Lydney-based Karen Jenkins in a Proton Satria one minute 37 seconds behind the leader.

Overall rally winners were David Bogie and Kevin Rae in a Ford Focus WRC, who finished 62 seconds ahead of nearest challengers Paul Bird and Aled Davies in a Ford Focus 07 WRC.

Action from the rally can be seen on Motors TV (Channel 447) on Friday, March 7 at 10.30pm. Full results can be found at www.btrdarallyresults.co.uk/results/?e=288.