HEREFORDSHIRE co-driver Keaton Williams has made a dramatic return to top flight rallying taking victory in America.

Williams is set for a full American rally championship with rising American star Brandon Semenyuk in the Red Bull/ Subaru USA Subaru Impreza, writes Paul Willetts.

Semenyuk has been the find within the ARA Championship in recent years, now battling team-mate Travis Pastrana for the number position in the team.

Last weekend's 100 Acre Wood Rally saw the pairing take on Pastrana and World Rally Car (WRC) drivers Barry McKenna and Ken Block.

Given the super fast super smooth nature of the stages it would be hard to task to beat the WRC machinery plus Pastrana, but they were determined to give it a go.

" We wanted to push really hard from the off, to take the fight to Ken,Barry and Travis although the WRC cars would have an advantage on the fast stages we couldn't afford a slow start," said Williams.

Both Pastrana and McKenna picked up punctures but Block set the pace to lead overnight, with Semenyuk and Williams holding second place on the first stage.

Saturday's stages were very rocky with big river crossings.

Again the duo decided to attack from the off knowing that both McKenna and Pastrana would be on the charge after the previous days stages.

But there was no catching Block with his new mount.

Delays during the day saw the cancellation on the penultimate test, so all that remained was the new power stage.

Lady luck smiled on the Herefordshire co-driver as Block hit a deer loosing over a minute and the rally, and they also bagged three power stage bonus points beating by McKenna by one second and Pastrana by 0.01 of a second.

The duo came home 16 seconds ahead of the Hyundai of Block with McKenna third.

" You have to feel for Ken but we're delighted to take the victory," said Williams.