AN unscheduled visit to a fire break on stage five of the Brick and Steel Borders national rally, cost Steve Perez and Paul Spooner victory during last weekend's event.
The event was ultimately won by Marcus Dodd/Andrew Bargery In an Hyuandai Accent WRC just six seconds in front of Perez, with Paul Bird and Ian Windress coming third overall in a Ford Focus WRC 07.
The rally based in the Scottish Borders and starting in Jedburgh, ran two stages on the Friday night and a further five on the Saturday.
After setting fastest times on the two night stages, Perez and Spooner had built up an excellent lead of thirty three seconds.
After setting second fastest times on stages three and four the crew went up a fire break on stage five - the longest stage on the event at fifteen miles.
The duo's car stalled and took some starting as a very hot engine tends to, ensuring the crew lost about thirty seconds during the incident.
They fought back with a third fastest time on stage six and second on stage seven but lost the rally by six seconds.
Perez and Spooner turn back the clocks next weekend for the Bulldog Rally, where instead of using a start of the art Ford Focus WRC they will enter a thirty five years old Lancia Stratos. The Bulldog is a round of various championships including the first round of the British Rally Championship and also the British Historic Rally Championship.
Historic rallying has really taken off over the last few years and over eighty historic class entries will compete, including Porches's, Ford Escorts and the amazing sounding Stratos of Steve Perez.
The Bulldog will also see the return of Damian Cole and Den Golding, who will enter their Hyundai Accent WRC in the clubman's section of the rally.
The rally is based in Bala in North Wales and uses stages in the Dyfnant and Dovey forests. The event web site is at http://www.bulldog-rally.co.uk">www.bulldog-rally.co.uk.
Pictured are Steve Perez and Paul Spooner taking to two wheels on The Brick and Steel Border Rally.