WILPSHIRE rally driver Matt Griffin claimed his fourth class victory of the year on Saturday as he closes in on the BTRDA N3 title.

Griffin was already in a strong position ahead of the Woodpecker Rally in Ludlow and took first place in the N3 class together with co-driver Chris Spilstead.

The 22-year-old, who also won his class in the BTRDA Championship last season, finished 65th overall out of 134 starters in his Rallyschool prepared Ford Fiesta ST.

He will now hope to seal the title at the Cambrian Rally in north Wales on October 20.

“We had a poor start to the rally as the brake pads had been changed at the last minute and we hadn’t had time to bed them in prior to the start of the rally,” Griffin said about the Woodpecker Rally.

“After the first stage the car performed without a hitch and we began to really enjoy the rally by posting some very good times. “I now feel that I have a lot more confidence in the car and my co-driver Chris, which in turn is allowing me to drive the car fast.

“It was my fourth win of the year and we now only need to finish the BTRDA Cambrian Rally in October to win the BTRDA N3 class.”

Griffin’s performance at the Woodpecker Rally also earned him points in the MSA English Rally Championship, where he sits second in the E4 class.

He will return to action in the Trackrod Rally Yorkshire in Scarborough on September 28.

The event is part of the English Rally Championship but is not included in the BTRDA series.

Griffin won the 1400L class in the BTRDA championship 2011 in a VW Lupo, also prepared by Rallyschool, before switching to the Ford Fiesta this year.

He teamed up with Joe Cruttenden last year but Spilstead will again be the man alongside him at the Trackrod Rally Yorkshire.