HEREFORDSHIRE rally driver and farmer Roger Chilman took a podium finish at the weekend's WKD Trained Dog Historic Rally North Wales.

Alongside Patrick Walsh on the notes the pair finished an excellent third overall, writes Paul Willetts.

The event attracted 160 cars to the Dolgellau start and offered 44 miles in the Dyfi and Pantperthog forests, two loops of four stages made up the action.

Chilman set equal fastest time on the opening test, and then settled into a steady pace conscious of punctures which had already befell his rivals.

A bent track control arm made the steering very heavy for the afternoon loop and they were pleased to arrive home in third.

Just five seconds behind were Henri Grehan with Dan Petrie alongside in the Plaslime Escort RS1800.

The race went wrong for them over the opening morning loop with a wrong tyre choice leaving them playing catch up.

But in the afternoon they flew out of the blocks and closed the gap to Chilman to take fourth place and first in class.

"It's been a good rally but the stages were very rough in places," said Petrie.

"We lost so much time this morning we had to push hard this afternoon, that saw us risk punctures but we kept out of trouble."

Not so fortunate were two more local crews Ben Friend with Cliffy Simmons alongside who suffered two punctures on the opening test loosing nearly six minutes, then another on the fourth test saw them retire.

Robert Gough and Jack Bowen had a good run on the middle section after a steady start.

However, they broke a half-shaft on stage six and retired in there Escort RS1800.

In the National Rally, Bob Morgan and Adrian Williams continued their good form with a fine sixth overall.

Chilman moved into second place in the Fuchs Historic Championship after two rounds, and he will be out again this weekend on the Rallynuts Stages chasing Welsh Championship points.