DAMIAN Cole strengthened his lead in the Welsh
National Rally Championship with a fourth win in a row
at the Swansea Bay national event last Saturday.
The Swansea Bay Rally attracts leading drivers
from across the UK and Cole elected to compete in the
full national event with four of the six stages counting
towards the Welsh National Championship.
It was a high risk strategy for Cole, who could
have jeopardised his Welsh challenge with the two
gruelling extra stages taking their toll on his Get
Connected! Hyundai Accent WRC.
"We could have concentrated just on
strengthening our Welsh Championship position but
this event contains some of the UK's top teams and
drivers and it was important to take up the challenge,"
said Cole, who finished in eighth place overall with
stand-in co-driver Cliff Simmons.
"Rallies like this are very demanding tests, and
whilst I always race to win, a top ten finish at this level
of competition is a good result."
Cole now has an almost unassailable lead in the
Welsh National Championship, and with three events
remaining the focus now moves to the Woodpecker
Rally on August 30.
In the meantime the Abergavenny-based boss of
Get Connected! will be swapping cars on August 3 for
the tarmac Harry Flatters Rally at Epynt.