Rikki Proffitt took his third pre-’68 Category One win last month to lead the British Historic Rally Championship.
Heavy rain overnight made for slippery conditions at the tough event with Proffitt and co-driver Phill Harrison’s Porsche 911 locked in battle with the 911 of Dessie Nutt and Geraldine McBride.
Just two seconds separated the cars but, when Proffitt’s machine developed a misfire, it looked like Nutt would gain the upper hand as he took a 15-second lead, it wasn’t to be though.
A jammed throttle soon put the pressure on Nutt before a broken gear linkage, and being caught behind a slower car, meant it was all over for the Irishman.
Peter Lewis and Alan Jones’ Ford Anglia, meanwhile, took third.
In Category Two (1968-’75 cars) the Mk1 Escort RS1800 of David Stokes and Guy Weaver had an easier time of it to take the class, with a 2 mins 56 secs lead over Roger Matthews and Paul Morris’ Escort.
Stokes arch-rival, Richard Hill, suffered gearbox woes that meant even missing a turn and reversing up the stage couldn’t hold Stokes back. Hill’s mechanical gremlins would later force him to retire.
