VK Kick Energy rally driver Steve Perez enjoyed his return to gravel in the 2008 Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship with a superb fourth place finish overall on Saturday's Swansea Bay Rally.
Driving the Ford Focus WRC, the Chesterfield businessman, along with Irish co-driver Stephen McAuley battled their way up through the field after a steady start to continue their recent form which saw them win the Quinton Stages Rally a couple of weeks ago.
After taking it easy in the early stages in the classic Welsh forests, Perez upped the pace to lie in fifth position after the second service but a concerted effort on the final loop of stages saw him bag fourth place overall and with it scored third place points in the ANCRO Championship.
"We were a little steady on the first stage and we had a bit of a scare in testing on Friday when we met another car on the forest road,” he reflected. "Stage three was OK but on SS4 the tyres were too soft and were moving around but other than that it was okay."
"The last two stages went better. It was my first time back out on the gravel on ANCRO for a while so I'm pleased to have got my pace back up towards the end of the rally," added Perez who was third fastest on stages five and six.
![Steve Perez / Stephen McAuley. Ford Focus WRC. Swansea Bay Rally. July 19 2008. [Pic credit: www.cmwi.net.]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/470157.jpg)
