BASINGSTOKE Motor Club member Jeff Brown and his Vauxhall Chevette rally car – nicknamed Greebo – enjoyed a successful start to the year at the recent Brean Stages rally.

The two-day event, run on the tight roads of Brean Leisure Park in Somerset, provided 55 miles of challenging tarmac stages.

Over 100 cars started the event, with Brown and his Reading-based co-driver Chris Pratt seeded at 64 in their car, sponsored by Pyrotastic Fireworks and Alpha Signs.

The car suffered an occasional misfire on the first day, frustrating Brown. Apart from slowing them down, they could not trace what was wrong, making it difficult to fix.

The first two stages were treacherous and the car picked up some bodywork damage after hitting a couple of stage markers, but this was cosmetic and did not affect performance.

After a steady start in very slippery conditions, the team got into their groove and posted some good times, eventually finishing the weekend in 23rd place, their best result at the event.

Brown said: “I was pleased with the result, especially considering the event had its largest ever entry.

“There is mechanical work to do before the next event, as well as the body repairs, but we are confident that it will be ready for the Grand Pier Rally in Weston-super-Mare.”

This event takes place on March 14 and provides a spectator stage on the seafront before crews compete on the famous Kewstoke Toll Road.

Following the Grand Pier Rally, Brown plans to take the car to the Aldershot Rally for Heroes in April before it makes an appearance at Basingstoke’s Festival of Transport the following month.