HEREFORDSHIRE Motor Club driver Tom Magnay took the overall lead in the Welsh Mixed Surface Championship following a strong performance in the Trawsfynydd ranges, in the foothills of the Snowdonia mountain park.

Tyre choice was crucial with the ever changing conditions meaning one loop of stages would have different grip levels to the next.

Magnay and Sam Colman (Whitby & District Motor Club) in the BlendLine Rally Team Saxo were in a close battle with Trevor Groves in the Porsche 924 all day.

Conditions dried a little for the final loop of four stages, allowing the Porsche to slip ahead of the Saxo pair.

“I’m glad to better last years result,” said Magnay.

“Trawsfynydd is a venue the local guys know very well so you’ve got to be quick straight into the first stage, even when it’s soaking wet!”

Magnay and Colman finished with a win in the Welsh Mixed Surface Championship as well as a Production class win.

Their closest championship competitor, in a Honda Civic Type R suffered driveshaft failure early in the day, handing the lead to Magnay.

These results put Magnay into the overall lead of the Welsh Mixed Surface Championship, with just two more championship rounds to run this season.

Magnay added: "We were just aiming to win the Production Car Cup for standard engined cars, but now we're leading by just three points in the overall standings, which is fantastic!"