Andrew Barnes and Guy Simmons recorded their best ever result on a round of the BTRDA Rally Championship finishing fourth overall on Saturday’s Dukeries Rally based at Southwell Racecourse, Nr Newark.

The Barnes JLT Rally Ford Focus WRC was running without the flyby wire after recent problems which slowed his performance but he still recorded fourth fastest stage times. The sister car driven by John Lloyd and Adrian Cavenagh was beset with electrical problems starting on the road section to the first stage when the brake lights were stuck on, this was cured. Lloyd was pleased with his performance on the first stage setting a time equal to Barnes. As he left the stage he lost all gears, the problem could not be detected and he eventually came to a halt on the third stage with no drive and no electrics.

On reaching the finish Barnes good run in fine conditions was overshadowed when news was received that fellow competitor Martyn Lewis was killed in an accident on the seventh stage of the rally when his Vauxhall Nova rolled and hit a tree. The event was won by BTR team mates Steve Perez and Paul Spooner driving a 2007 Ford Focus WRC.

Barnes is now in sixth place in the championship with three events remaining. The teams next outing is the Quinton Rally based in Llandovery on Saturday 10th July.