JOSH Payton with co-driver Jamie Vaughan continued their recent fine form with a sixth place overall and first in class at last weekend’s Wells Masonry Solutions Corinuim Stages organised by Cirencester Car Club.

Another full entry of 75 cars lined up for the 52 miles on the old the WW2 airfield at Down Ampney.

Rain had left the stage conditions extremely slippery giving the four-wheel drive entry a huge advantage.

The 2019 winners found the slippery conditions not to their liking despite taking an early class lead which they held to the end.

As conditions dried out by stage five Payton switched to medium compound rear tyres and their lap times improve dramatically.

The pair clawed their way into the top-six at the end of the eighth and final stage.

Just 15 seconds behind Payton was Steffan Davies with Dan Petrie on the maps.

With the morning stages being so slippery and a wrong tyre choice they struggled to get the power down in the 300bhp 2.5 Escort RS1800 and were outside the top-10 after four tests.

But with conditions drying out they moved up the leaderboard to finally finish seventh overall, first in class and second two-wheel drive.

There is no doubt that drive of the day came from a Hereford & Wormelow duo Justin Brooks and Dan Evans finishing 11th overall and first in class B on what was Brooks first ever stage event as a driver.

Their 16v 1600 Nova has been totally rebuilt mainly by Brooks from what was an ex Ian Evans built car.

Sadly Ross on Wye duo Martin Taylor /Phil Suckling retired with engine issues on stage four.