A puncture midway through last weekend’s Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally ended Isle of Man co-driver Rob Fagg’s chances of a podium finish on the opening round of the Jordan Road Surfacing BTRDA Rally Series.

The 38-year-old co-driver from Kirk Michael and Ruthin driver Hugh Hunter started the latter’s home event strongly in the Gulf-backed Melvyn Evans Motorsport Ford Fiesta WRC, setting second fastest time over the opening test in a slippery Penmachno forest. Although it was another local and British Championship front runner, Matt Edwards who would top the leader board in a quality national field in his R5 variant of the Fiesta. 

“The opening stage flowed really well for us where as others maybe were a little too cautious. We made a nice gap and have given ourselves something to work with today” commented Rob, “There is plenty of quality in the field and we’re taking nothing for granted at this stage.”

A clean committed run on stage 4 through Alwen was good enough to hold on to third but they were coming under pressure now from yet another event local Luke Francis (Fiesta WRC), as he closed to just one second.

The damage was not over though, with the tyre replaced there was no time to reflect as there was only a short road section between tests. With confidence knocked and the car not feeling as stable as it had prior to the puncture, the pairing would haemorrhage time and drop a further place to fifth.

“We just don’t have the confidence in the conditions we had at the start of the event. The impact on the rear may have just moved the alignment slightly and the car does not feel as stable” explained Rob at the stage finish, “It’s about damage limitation now and ensuring we get as many points on the board for the start of the season”.

It would be further dismay though, as Julian Reynolds fired in his best stage of the day as he got used to his hired Fiesta R5 and leapfrogged into fifth. It had quickly become a case of what might have been in the day as Hugh and Rob had gone from a battle for a podium finish to dropping outside the top five following the puncture.

The event as won by Mellors closely followed by Bird who took top points in the BTRDA series with Mellors choosing not to register with the event being a one off. Reigning champion Stephen Petch took the final podium spot while Hunter and Fagg finished sixth but collected points for fifth. Some reward though was a podium finish in the Pirelli Welsh Championship.

“It’s disappointing to not capitalise on the start we had today and from that point we strongly believed a podium result was ours for the taking. The puncture though not only cost us time on the stage itself it took the wind out of our sails and we suffered over the remaining stages while others got quicker” explained Rob at the finish on Llandudno sea front. 

It’s not long before their back in action with the second round of the series; the Cumbrian based Malcolm Wilson Rally, taking place March 3^rd.

Rob is supported in 2018 by Robert Graham & Co Chartered Quantity Surveyors, MC Locksmiths, JR Hinchliffe Plumbing & Heating and Burger Man Catering.