STOURBRIDGE rally driver Richard Sykes made a successful return to competition last weekend when he finished second in class and 19th overall on the Nicky Grist Stages event in Wales.

Sykes’ day didn’t get off to the best of starts when his Bathams Breweries, G I Sykes Ltd and Body Clinic-supported Citroën DS3 R3 dropped onto three cylinders at the start of the first stage. Despite an under-performing car, Sykes was fifth in class on the opening Crychan stage and fourth on stage two, Halfway.

Sykes and co-driver Janice Moore’s troubles weren’t over, however, as an electrical gremlin affected the car on the remaining stages. Sykes continued to push as hard as he could though and he was rewarded with a second in class finish.

“The electrical problem meant that the car would not run correctly when accelerating hard, so we were particularly affected on stage starts and coming out of the corners. We didn’t get the class win that we wanted but second is a great result under the circumstances and we had a really enjoyable day,” said Sykes.