IT was a night of firsts for Paul Buckel when he contested the Danum Road Rally.

For the Accrington driver won the semi-experts class and finished in the top 10 – and he’d only gone for a practice run!

“Maybe it’s all psychological because there was pressure on us,” said Buckel, who had usual navigator Steve Butler on the maps.

Organised by Lindholme Motor Club, the Danum rally featured 150 miles in Yorkshire and Humberside, with 36 crews chasing points for the ANWCC Championship.

A missed codeboard proved costly for Blackburn’s Terry Martin and Paul Taylor, who were set for a top 10 finish but had to settle for 13th overall.