RALLYMAN Steve Entwistle staged a brilliant comeback to keep his HRCR Clubmans title challenge on course.

Entwistle, from Rishton, was contesting the fourth round of the series, the Leukaemia Historic Rally in his Orangebox Mini.

Lying second overall going into last weekend’s event, Entwistle and navigator Bob Hargreaves endured a difficult start to the rally.

The pair were baulked by another competitor on one regularity, losing almost two minutes, and dropping them down to 20th overall at the morning halt.

But Entwistle, who is renowned for his 100 per cent commitment on tests, began his fightback with a string of top three times.

Up to 12th by the lunch halt, he used every bit of Orangebox’s 100bhp to claw back another six places and finish a hard-earned sixth overall.

“It didn’t go quite the way we hoped, but given the start we had, I’m happy with sixth,” said Entwistle, who is sponsored by Mini Sport of Padiham.

The result leaves him top of the HRCR historic class and maintaining his second overall in the drivers standings.

The next event is the Hughes Rally in Kent next month.