West Sussex rally duo Clive Wheeler and Ken Bartram beat their "bogey event" when claiming third place in class on the Manx Trophy Rally last weekend.

It was Wheeler and Bartram's fifth visit to the Isle of Man but the first time they have come away with a good result.

They were contesting the fifth round of the Castrol Polo Challenge, Volkswagen's own rally championship, in their Rycliff-backed car and were competitive from the outset, holding fourth in the early stages.

The retirement of second-placed Ian Chadwick (Cork) promoted them to third place at the Douglas finish ramp.

Albourne-based Wheeler said: "We've beaten our bogey even. Three times we failed to finish here and the only other time we made it to the end we were a long way down the order. We took it steadily and sensibly and it paid off."

The Castrol Polo Challenge celebrated its fifth different winner in as many events, Adrian Kermode triumphing on his home event.

With three rounds of the series remaining, Sophie Robinson retains the championship lead with Wheeler in second place overall, seven points adrift. The next round is in Belfast on September 6-7.

Wheeler said: "We are in a good position in the championship. With three rounds remaining we are very optimistic of winning the championship after last year's cruel blow in the last event when the gearbox failed while leading the event and the championship."

Provisional championship placings: 1 Sophie Robinson (Warwick), 106pts; 2 Clive Wheeler (Albourne), 99; 3 Roger Andersson (Sweden), 71; =4 Ian Chadwick (Cork) & Tony Simpson (Liverpool), 70; 6 Doni Keating Jr (Tipperary), 68.