NATHAN Crewe completed round six of the British Trials and Rally Drivers Association (BTRDA) Championship in sixth place at the Rainworth Skoda Dukeries Rally.

The Mansfield-based rally took place during one of the warmest weekend's of the year with the heat and dust playing its part on the loose surface special stage rally.

Crewe, from Bromsgrove and Chris Brooks, his Birmingham co-driver knew the conditions would have little effect compared with the event's long straights requiring far more horsepower than their MG ZR could deliver.

The pair made a steady start moving up to fifth in the XSpec 1400 category after the first two opening tests. But they suffered a series of spins over the next couple of stages.

"We made some changes to the brake set-up prior to this rally and drove hard to try and make up for lack of power."

Crewe and Brooks continued throughout the day with some minor gearbox problems, a problem which first occurred on the recent Red Dragon Rally.

However, the pair eventually returned to Mansfield to finish in sixth place and fifth in their class. Despite missing the first two events in the series, the result moved Crewe into eighth place in the drivers series and Brooks into ninth for the co-drivers title.

"It is a bit disappointing to finish in sixth but it was hard to ask for anything more given the power disadvantage," said Crewe.

"I can't keep blaming the car for the result, but we have suffered heavily with the nature of this rally.

"The next event should be better for us. It has been the hottest rally I have ever done, both Chris and myself have taken on lots of fluids," added Crewe.

The Midlands rally duo will now wait three weeks before they resume their championship campaign, when they contest the Quinton Stages Rally on Saturday, July 8.

Voted the best BTRDA event of 2005, the Quinton is set in Mid-Wales with its rally headquarters set up in the relatively quiet town of Llandovery.