HEREFORDSHIRE co-driver Dan Petrie continued his bid for the British Historic Rally Championship in Yorkshire.

There was a mixed bag of results as crews headed to the ultra-fast forests for the Trackrod Rally Yorkshire based in the seaside town of Filey.

The penultimate round of the British Rally Championship, British Historic Championship, Bowler Challenge and BTRDA series which attracted a full 170 car entry.

The British Historic championship runners joined the British championship entries for nearly 12 miles in the legendary narrow tracks of Dalby Forest on the Friday night in full darkness.

Championship front runners Henri Grehan together with his co-driver Petrie in the Plaslime Escort RS1800 got off to a steady rather than spectacular start on the opening 12-mile Dalby test.

However, championship rival Matt Edwards in the Fiat 131 set a tremendous time some 17 seconds ahead of his nearest rivals.

From then on it was damage limitation for Petrie and Grehan knowing he had to score good points to take the battle to the final round so settled for fifth overall at the end.

Reigning British Historic champions Ben Friend and Cliffy Simmons calling the notes in the Allglass Anglia Escort RS1800 had a good event.

The pair were fifth fastest on the Friday night opener despite being held up slightly with a car off, but then set some very good consistent times on Saturday to lose out on second place by just 10 seconds after 53 miles of action. 

The BTRDA championship joined Saturday morning and again it was a case of what might of been for front runners Perry Gardner and co-driver Jack Bowen the Devanti Tyres backed Fiesta R5 punctured on the opening Cropton test costing some 90 seconds and 27th place but a run of consistent top 10 times on the remaining five tests saw the duo finish 11th.

In the 1400 championship battle it was Nigel Jenkins who yet again took top honours together with wife Karen in the hotseat in the NJ Autos Nova.

A trouble-free run saw them take top spot in the 1400 series 30th overall and first in class

Those not fortunate to see the finish included Geoff Phelps & Colin Jenkins in the Hartpury Farms Escort RS1800 with oil pressure issues. 

Tim Phelps with Elwyn Manuel in his Escort RS1800 retired after rolling in stage three.

The Historic event was won by Matt Edwards in the Fiat 131 and the historic battle will now go to the final round in the notoriously difficult Kielder Forest in three weeks’ time.

David Henderson won the National event but Elliott Payne’s second place was enough to give him the BTRDA title.