Dylan Davies and Llion Williams go into the 6th round of the Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship, the Nicky Grist Stages, (14th July) with a 17 point lead.
With competitors counting their best six scores from the eight-round series, however, the battle for the title remains wide open. Dylan, from Llanon and Caernarfon co-driver Llion can expect stiff opposition from another healthy championship entry as they tackle the Builth Wells based event in their Subaru Impreza.
Among those chasing championship points will be top seeds Tom Cave and James Morgan in their Mitsubishi Mirage, while Matt Edwards and Darren Garrod, competing in a Ford Fiesta, will be looking to add to their two wins so far in this year's Championship to improve on their current 7th and 6th places respectively in the Championship standings.
Other front-runners should include former champions Luke Francis and John H Roberts in their Ford Fiesta WRC and West Country husband and wife team Martyn and Dawn England in the R5+ version of the same model.
Surrey driver Wug Utting and co-driver Bob Stokoe currently lie second overall in the Championship but also lead the Group N category for less modified cars in their Subaru Impreza. Treorchy driver Kalvin Green, co-driven by Osian Owen lies just 13 points behind in the Group N standings, however, in the less powerful Ford Fiesta ST.
Kalvin and Osian also lead the junior categories for competitors aged under 23 but Kalvin has a narrow four-point advantage over Mitsubishi Evo driver Matthew Hirst, co-driven by Declan Dear.
Front-wheel drive Fiesta driver Max Utting heads the ranks of rear-wheel drive cars in the two-wheel drive category. With second placed Ieu Rowlands absent this weekend, there will be an opportunity for third placed Hereford driver Colin Griffiths to make up ground in his BMW Compact while reigning two-wheel drive champions Andy and Jamie-Lee Fox will be another team looking for a strong points haul in their BMW 325.
In the RAVENOL Welsh Challenge, for competitors who have never finished in the top 10 of a National B status event, Max Utting will be keen to consolidate his lead in the drivers' category ahead of Matthew Hirst and Colin Griffiths. Declan Dear currently leads the co-drivers' category from Dei Jones and Alan Proudman,
Competitors on the Quinton Motor Club organised event will leave the formal start venue outside Strand Hall in the centre of Builth Wells from 09:01 on Saturday with opportunities for spectators to see the cars in action on the Route 60 stage from 10:05 and again from 14:12 and the Halfway stage from 10:32 and 14:39.
More information about the rally can be found on the event website, www.nickygriststages.co.ukand about the Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship at wnrc.wamc.org.uk, on the Championship Facebook page and on Twitter @WnRC.
- Ends -
Issued 10th June 2018
Issued by Peter Hughes Media on behalf of the Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship
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