Rallying: Excellent result for Stokes in Ulster (From Gazette Series)

David Stokes finishes third in Ulster Historic Rally

9:00am Saturday 25th August 2012 in Sport

DURSLEY’S David Stokes and co-driver Guy Weaver took an excellent third overall on last weekend’s Ulster Historic Rally, writes Paul Willetts.

The tarmac event based in Antrim was the latest round of the Kololi MSA British Historic Rally Championship.

Twelve stages offering over 100 miles of bumpy narrow lanes were spread over the two days.

The opening leg saw crews having to deal with damp stages and indifferent grip levels.

Stokes got off to a good start in the Draycott Bakeries/Ashmores Escort RS1600 to hold a comfortable third overnight behind the similar cars of Julian Reynolds and overnight leader Ernie Graham.

Saturday’s opening two tests saw rain on the windscreens but from then on the stages dried out.

Again the Dursley baker had a trouble free run to consolidate his third position to the end, while Reynolds overhauled Graham to take the victory.

The series now heads to Belgium for the Tour of Flanders, which a favourite event for Stokes.