Simon Hughes arrived in Scotland hoping to win the penultimate round of the Fiesta SportingTrophy UK at the weekend - sadly though, the long trip north from Wales was to prove a fruitless one.
Despite starting the event brightly, Hughes slipped off the road on the second stage of the rally, ending any remaining hopes he had of lifting the title after a frustrating season.
Partnered by Claire Mole, the Furrows for Ford backed duo were desperate for a good result on the Park Systems Rally, based in Newton Stewart. The forests of South West Scotland have been good to Hughes in the past, and the young Welshman was looking forward to making the most of his experience of the stages.
Hughes was denied a chance of victory on the recent Mewla National Rally after collecting a puncture on the final stage of the rally, dropping him to a still respectable third. As such, the result kept Hughes and Mole within the fight for the title, but a victory in Scotland would be essential if he was to stand a chance of taking the title on the final round, the Bulldog Rally.
Heading into the first stage, Hughes was immediately in trouble, as the Fiesta was suffering a long brake pedal, not ideal for an attack on the stages. Hughes still recorded an excellent time as he took second fastest on the stage. The Welshman's event was not destined to go much further however, as it all went wrong in the following stage. Hughes misjudged a tightening right hand corner, and slid into the ditch on the outside, breaking a driveshaft and wishbone. The Welshman dragged the ailing Fiesta ST150 out of the ditch, but the damage was permanent, and Hughes title fight was over.
![Simon Hughes [Pic credit: FST / M-Sport]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/225498.jpg)
