BOURNEMOUTH'S Steve Hendy strengthened his claim to the Kumho National Rally Championship title with an excellent fifth overall on the Isle of Man.

Hendy and co-driver Mark Milton in their now aging Escort Cosworth took third in class A8 on Saturday's Roush Manx Rally, which added to their top local performance on the Rallye Sunseeker.

Hendy set two fastest times on the asphalt where he excels and at one time held fourth overall behind the dominant Escort WRC of Melvyn Evans

On the same event Winton GP Nick Kennedy and his driving partner Iain Freestone took the lead in Group N1.

The pairing, driving their works supported Skoda Fabia, finished third in category on the weekend's tarmac Manx event

This success made up for failing to finish Kennedy's home event, the Sunseeker Rallye in February.

"We're happy to have finished the rally and gained championship points," commented Freestone.

"We had a crack in the gearbox all day Saturday and so had to go much more slowly than the car is capable of."

Bournemouth's Jonathan Legris staked his claim for the Junior Intercontinental 'A' (JICA) title at Larkhall, Lanarkshire, last Sunday, by finishing third in round two of the prestigious BRDC backed Champions of the Future series.

The 14-year-old now lies second in the championship fight for the elite class in the junior ranks of karting.

Starting from third in the final, Jack Anderson (Newbury) led off the line but a mistake at the end of the straight which allowed Legris to slip past in turn one to head up the 18-strong field.

He held on until Sutton Coldfield's Riki Christodoulou dived past on lap four, the move pushed the Bournemouth karter wide and down to third, allowing Phil English (Sheffield) through into second spot.

He then swapped places with Anderson numerous times around the undulating South Lanarkshire track. Lap nine of the 15-lap final saw Legris move up to second, pushing Christodoulou down to fourth spot, but Anderson began his crusade for the lead, taking Legris and Christodoulou by lap 12.

After a few laps in fourth place, Legris timed his move well to once again take English and cross the line in third place, with just eight tenths of a second covering the first three karts.