THE 2005 rally ing season has started in promising fashion for up-and-coming young Thornbury driver Adam Gould.

Against a field of around 180 cars in the testing Wyedean Stages in the Forest of Dean, 17-year-old Adam did well to finish 93 overall and third in his N3 car class.

The achievement was even more commendable considering Adam was driving in only his second rally. He had a great start last December with a class win and top 50 placing on the Grizedale stages in the Lake District but testing conditions in the Forest meant there was much resting on his young shoulders.

Adam said after the competition. "Grizedale was slippery and difficult enough but the Wyedean was something else. It's a competiton that doesn't take prisoners."

Adam finished very respectably despite a spin on stage two, loosing 20 seconds waiting for a car to be moved on stage five and a front puncture on six resulting in him covering last two miles on what was left of the wheel rim.

His little Proton 1600 car, although tough and handling well, struggled gamely to try and get on the pace of the leading car in his class.

Rally driving dad Andrew, who has put his own aspirations on hold to act as instructor and chief mechanic, said Adam's racing experience - he was runner-up in the "Stars of the Future" British Rally Cross Championship - had given him a smooth and economical style well suited to low powered Group N or showroom class machinery.

"We're now really looking forward to the Malcolm Wilson Rally in the Lake District in three weeks time," said Andrew. "Adam has had good start and hopefully he will improve on it."