Llandudno’s Matt Edwards had another successful weekend behind the wheel of a rally car, claiming second overall on Saturdays Tour Of Hamsterley Rally.

Stepping up to his four-wheel drive, MERallySport-prepared Mitsubishi Evolution, Edwards was joined for this rally by experienced navigator John Connor for the event based in County Durham. “I’ve not driven this car competitively for over a year and with this rain it looks like it could be a difficult day ahead.” Explained Edwards as he left the start ramp in Saturday morning.

The first two stages of the day were to be Edwards’ downfall in his hopes for victory. Catching a car on the first stage saw the pair drop over twenty seconds to his nearest rival and eventual winner, Stephen Petch. “That was frustrating, the driver obviously couldn’t see us and sadly held us up for over a mile.” Edwards was making a few setup changes to the car at the service halt and went on to explain the time lost on stage two, “We overshot a chicane, the surface is so slippery I couldn’t get the car stopped in time, it stalled and wouldn’t restart straight away.”

The changes made in service, along with the addition of some narrower DMack Tyres gave the Swift Group-backed Mitsubishi a performance boost, as Edwards and Connor went on to set two fastest stage times and match the event winner on two more as the day eventually began to dry up. “The times were there this afternoon, and to be on the pace of a factory built Ford Fiesta R5+ is pleasing to see. Geoff Jones Motorsport have done a great job looking after the car, thankfully its not missed a beat all day.” Said Edwards.

Finishing second overall makes three from three events with a trophy for Edwards, who will now turn his attention to his next event, Rally Yorkshire, where he will return to his Ford Escort Mk2. Hoping to make amends for last year, Edwards lost the Historic Rally victory on the final stage, finishing second after a tyre choice error.