DEALER Team Suzuki driver Guy Wilks stormed back into contention for the Kwik-Fit Pirelli British Super 1600 Rally Championship with a superb drive on last weekend's International Rally of Wales, finishing second in class and tenth overall.

Wilks, from Heighington, and Welsh co-driver Phil Pugh drove conservatively on the first day, lying second in the Super 1600 class overnight and tenth overall.

But a storming drive on the first stage of day two gave Wilks and the Dealer Team Suzuki Ignis their first-ever fastest stage time in the Super 1600 class.

The Rally of Wales saw 11 cars from five manufacturers, making it the biggest-ever field of Super 1600 cars to take part in a British Rally Championship round.

Kris Meeke and Chris Patterson (Opel Corsa) won the Super 1600 class by 45.8 seconds from Wilks and Pugh.

But Wilks secured the maximum 20 points for winning the Super 1600 class because Meeke is not registered for the British Championship.

That got his championship challenge back on track after the disappointment of retiring on the opening Pirelli International Rally last month.

The 23-year-old said: "It's been a very good event for us as it has been my longest amount of time behind the wheel of the Ignis since I joined the team.

"We've been learning about the set-up as we go, making small changes at every service halt, and we've made significant progress."

Wilks and Pugh now head for Greece and the Junior World Rally Championship from June 4-6, with the next British event being the Scottish Rally the following weekend.

Meanwhile, it was a weekend of frustration for former Scottish rally champion Barry Johnson, who endured a number of problems on his JPM-prepared Barrier Surveillance Subaru WRC.

The Shildon driver, with Channel Islander Stewart Merry co-driving as usual, suffered from a broken gearshift paddle as well as electrical problems throughout the two-day event in the forests around Dolgellau, which were swathed in dust due to the sweltering conditions.

The pair held tenth overnight before upping the pace on Sunday to claim ninth overall and fifth in the championship going into the next round.

* More motor sport news on page 31.