A second successive maximum points score means that Scott Faulkner leads the 2019 Pirelli Motorsport UK Welsh Forest Rally Championship by a single point as the series reaches its Halfway stage.
Having taken top points score on the previous round, the Rallynuts Stages, a similar performance on the weekend's Plains Rally, organised by Knutsford and District Motor Club, moved Scott clear at the top of the table while co-driver Gareth Parry moves into second place overall in his part of the Championship.
From the start in Oswestry, competitors tackled five special stages in Dyfnant, Aberhirnant and Llangower. Scott and Gareth took the lead among the championship contenders on the opening stage ahead of Russ Thompson and Andy Murphy in a similar Group N specification Mitsubishi Evo IX. Third place was held by joint series leaders going into the event, Matthew Hirst and Declan Dear but they would be among a number of competitors to suffer punctures in stage 2, Aberhirnant 1.
That promoted Richard Hill and Patrick Cooper to third place in their Subaru Impreza although they conceded it to the Mark II Ford Escort of Ieuan Rowlands and Emyr Hall on the following stage. Hill and Cooper reclaimed the position on the following stage, holding on to it to the finish.
Fourth place was enough to ensure that Matthew Hirst left the event just one point adrift of Faulkner while his co-driver Declan Dear continues to lead that section of the Championship two points clear of Gareth Parry.
Another strong run in the Historic specification Ford Escort means that former series leader Tom Llewellin lies in third place, four points off the lead.
Faulkner and Parry also lead the Group N Championship, five points clear of Surrey based duo Wug Utting and Bob Stokoe in their Subaru Impreza.
Tom Llewellin leads the driver standings in the two-wheel drive section from Chris Powell and Perry Gardener although it was Callum Black and Michael Gilbey who took top two-wheel drive points for the second event running in their MG ZR. Top two-wheel drive co-driver is Jim Lewis ahead of Caron Tomlinson and Keaton Williams.
Tom Llewellin also tops the junior drivers category from Gethin Price and Zak Hughes. Leading the junior co-driver standings is Tom Murphy with a five point advantage over both Keaton Williams and Rhys Stoneman.
It is Llewellin as well who leads the RAVENOL Welsh Challenge for drivers ahead of Perry Gardener and Tony Simpson. Heading the RAVENOL Welsh Challenge for co-drivers is Tom Murphy from Keaton Williams while Ian Bevan and Tom Woods are in joint third place.
The next round of the Pirelli Motorsport UK Welsh Forest Rally Championship is the Red Kite Stages. Based in Resolven in the Neath Valley and organised by Amman and District Motor Club, the event takes place on June 23rd.
You can find out more about that event on their website, www.redkitestages.co.uk and about the Championship at wnrc.wamc.org.uk, on the Championship Facebook page and on Twitter @WnRC.
