Pirelli Motorsport UK Welsh Rally Championship

RALLYNUTS RIVALRY IN ROUND 3

This weekend’s Builth Wells based Rallynuts Stages Rally (Sat 14^th April) gives competitors in the Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship their third opportunity of the year to pick up points in the series. Amongst the end rewards on offer are a free entry on the National Rally of Wales Rally GB, provided by the organisers of the World Championship event, IMS, as part of their Road to Wales initiative. That prize will go to whoever leads the Championship after the eighth round.

Currently leading the series overall after tackling the first two rounds in two very different cars are Osian Pryce and Dale Furniss. They claimed maximum points on the season opener, the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally, in the Spencer Sports Mitsubishi Mirage R5.

The Machynlleth driver and his co-driver, from Llanfyllin, followed this up with third place points on Rally North Wales, competing in an historic specification Mark II Escort. While the series leaders are not scheduled to take part in this event, the duo who took top points on the last round will be in action. Nick Elliott and Dave Price made their Championship debut on that event, taking their Mark II Escort to outright victory.

Narbeth’s Julian Reynolds and co-driver Patrick Walsh, who took second place points on the Cambrian Rally, will be out once again this weekend in their R5 specification Ford Fiesta while Ruthin driver Hugh Hunter and Rob Fagg, who finished third on that event in their WRC spec Fiesta, also return to the championship.

Three former champions are also out. Luke Francis, from Rhuddlan, is teamed up as always with Colwyn Bay’s John H Roberts in their Fiesta WRC while Irish man Connor McCloskey is partnered by John Rowan in the R5 Fiesta. Llysfaen’s Matt Edwards and Darren Garrod of Pwllheli return to the Championship after crashing their Fiesta out of an early lead on the season opener.

It’s Dylan Davies from Llanon and Caernarfon co-driver Llion Williams who currently lie second in the Championship standings and they will be looking to close the gap on the absent Pryce and Furniss. Also chasing outright honours will be West Country husband and wife pairing Martyn and Dawn England in their Fiesta R5+ as well as Yorkshireman Matthew Hirst and Declan Dear, from Woking, currently lying fifth and fourth in their respective championship standings in their Mitsubishi Evo IX.

Former Group N Champions Paul Davy and Roger Allan currently lead that category once again but the seasoned campaigners from Worcester face strong opposition including from two young competitors lying in second place. Kalvin Green, from Treorchy, campaigns a Fiesta ST while second placed Group N co-driver Tom Wood, from Cwmbran, will once again be in the passenger seat of Welshpool driver Zak Hughes’s similar car.

Others chasing points in the category for near showroom specification cars will include currently third placed Wug Utting and Bob Stokoe in their Subaru Impreza and 2017 Champions Andy Davies and Max Freeman who failed to finish Rally North Wales in their Impreza.

John Rowlands from Ffestiniog and Glenn Latham of Machynlleth are leading the two-wheel drive category in a modern specification Mark II Escort but their absence this weekend should allow some of their rivals to narrow the gap. Among them are 2017 two-wheel drive champions Andy and Jamie-Lee Fox, competing in a BMW 325 as well as Colin Griffiths in his BMW Compact. Also out to make a mark will be David and James Young. The Ford Escort mounted duo travelled all the way from Norfolk for Rally North Wales only to be side-lined by mechanical problems before the start of the event.

The RAVENOL Welsh Challenge is aimed at competitors who have not previously finished in the Top 10 of a National B status rally. Matthew Hirst currently lead the driver standings from David Lloyd Roberts, Colin Griffiths and Kalvin Green.

In the co-driver category it’s Declan Dear who tops the table with Dei Jones and Aled Edwards tied on points ahead of Tom Wood.

Competitors will leave the start at the Royal Welsh Showground from 08:30 and spectators can see them in action twice on the Crychan stage, from 09:18 and again from 14:34 as well as on the Radnor stage from 12:09. They are scheduled to return to the showground from just before 16:00.

You can find out more about the event at www.rallynutsrally.co.uk and about the Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship at wnrc.wamc.org.uk, on the Championship Facebook page and on Twitter, @WnRC.

Ends -

Issued 08^th April 2018

Photo Credit to Rallysport Media

Issued by Peter Hughes Media on behalf of the Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship

HISTORIC PERFORMANCE ENABLES PRYCE TO RETAIN WELSH CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD

Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship debutants Nick Elliott and Dave Price took maximum points on the second round of the year, the North Wales Rally Services Rally North Wales on Saturday(March 24^th). However, it was another Historic spec Mark 2 Escort mounted crew, Osian Pryce and Dale Furniss, who retained the series lead after finishing in third place.

This year’s Championship has attracted a record number of registered drivers already this season and looks destined to set a new high for registered co-drivers. So, it was a strong Championship field that headed out from the Dolgellau start.

The early lead was claimed by Ieaun Rowlands and Emyr Hall, but they were forced out of the event on the second stage with distributor failure on their Hillman Avenger. That promoted Elliott and Price to a lead that they would not concede for the remainder of the day. They faced stiff opposition, however, from Pryce and Furniss who had switched from the modern Mitsubishi Mirage R5 that they took to victory on the opening round the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally. They might even have repeated their victory on this event last year were it not for a puncture late on in the event.

Second place overall went to Dylan Davies and Llion Williams. The Subaru Impreza crew headed the four-wheel drive field throughout the day to also claim second overall in the Championship standings, their cause being assisted when the Impreza of Andy Davies and Max Freeman suffered turbo failure on the third stage. Second place among the four-wheel drive contenders went to Matthew Hirst and Declan Dear in their Mitsubishi Evo IX. Despite his relative inexperience, Hirst leads the under 23 drivers’ category and the crew head the standings in the RAVENOL Welsh Challenge.

Third place in the Championship is held by John Rowlands and Glenn Latham who finished top of the modern specification two-wheel drive cars in their Mark 2 Escort. They finished ahead of the Historic specification Escort of Alan Walker who was nonetheless pleased with his performance in such a competitive field. Another very happy driver was Alun Roberts, he and co-driver Aled Edwards claiming a big points haul in their Ford Ka. The finished just ahead of the Fiesta of Max Utting. The Surrey driver saw his stage times improve throughout the day and believes there is more to come.

Meanwhile, Max’s dad, Wug, and co-driver Bob Stokoe took top points in Group N, for less modified cars. Paul Davy and Roger Allen continue to top the Championship standings in Group N in their similar Impreza. That is despite the fact that they discovered during the course of the day that there was nothing connecting their near side from wheel to the differential and so they were effectively competing in a three-wheel drive car on the closing stages. An impressive third place in Group N and class win went to the Fiesta ST of late entrants Kalvin Green and Tom Wood who now lie second in the Group N standings.

The battle of the BMWs in the two-wheel drive category went to the Compact of Colin Griffiths, reigning champions Andrew and Jamie-Lee Fox reporting a lack of grip for their 325i which meant they spent much of the day looking through their side windows to see where they were going. Meanwhile long time Welsh Clubman’s Championship competitors David Jones and Glyn Price finished third in class in their BMW.

Among other contenders to put in strong performances were David Lloyd Roberts who claimed maximum class points in his Ford Escort, as did Perry Gardener in his Nova. 2017 Junior Champion Rhydian Price in his Fiesta was particularly pleased with the start to his 2018 campaign.

Steve Deeley receives a RAVENOL voucher the Peugeot 205GTi driver picking up the award for the biggest improvement on seeding while a second RAVENOL voucher goes to Graham Palmer, the Escort driver competing on his very first event.

The next round of the Championship is the Rallynuts Stages Rally. The Builth Wells based event, organised by Midland Manor Motor Club, takes place on April 14^th.

ENDS -

Issued 27^th March 2018

Image:- Rallysportmedia

RALLY NORTH WALES WELCOMES BUMPER WELSH CHAMPIONSHIP LINE-UP

With the second round of the 2018 Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship, the Grooms Garage Mid Wales Stages, postponed due to weather conditions, this weekend’s North Wales Rally Services Rally North Wales (24^th March) offers competitors their second chance to score points in the series.

The opening round, the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally, saw Osian Pryce and co-driver Dale Furniss pick up maximum points in the overall championship. Behind the wheel of a four-wheel drive Mitsubishi Mirage for that season opener, this weekend they have opted to take on the massed ranks of two-wheel drive machinery in a Mark 2 Ford Escort.

Dylan Davies is currently six points behind Pryce and he and co-driver Llion Williams, both from Lampeter, will be looking to close the gap to the top of the table in their Subaru Impreza.

Driving another four wheel-drive Impreza, Andy Davies, who missed the Cambrian will be keen to get his Championship challenge underway. The Bryncrug driver will be teamed up with co-driver Max Freeman in a Subaru Impreza.

Freeman, from Stafford, was 2016 Champion junior co-driver and 2017 Group N Champion co-driver. He took outright victory on the Cambrian Rally alongside Derbyshire driver Ollie Mellors, but the team were ineligible for Championship points.

Former Group N Champions Paul Davy and Roger Allen took the honours among the less modified cars in round 1. Their challengers this weekend will include Wug Utting and Bob Stokoe who were absent from the Cambrian. Like Andy Davies, Surrey driver Utting led the overall Championship standings for part of last season.

Interest in the two-wheel drive category of the Championship continues to grow with nearly forty Championship contenders scheduled to cross the start ramp on Saturday morning. John Rowlands leads the two-wheel drive standings. He and co-driver Glenn Latham took top honours on the Cambrian in their Escort following a late puncture for the Hillman Avenger of John’s brother Ieuan, partnered by Emyr Hall. With Osian Pryce in contention for two-wheel drive points other Escort mounted crews include Rudi Lancaster and Guy Weaver and Norfolk pairing David and James Young.

Others to watch out for include the distinctive Fiat 131 of Barry Jordan and Paul Wakely while Brynmor Pierce and Alan Jones opt for front wheel-drive in their Ford Fiesta ST. 2017 two-wheel drive champions Andrew and Jamie-Lee Fox will be continuing the defence of their title in their venerable BMW 325i while Worcester’s Colin Griffiths will be out in his BMW Compact.

The RAVENOL Welsh Challenge is a new addition to the Championship this season and is open to competitors who have not previously finished in the top 10 overall on a Championship round. Matthew Hirst and co-driver Declan Dear currently top the standings in their Mitsubishi Evo IX

With an array of classic North Wales stages ahead of them for a second time this season, a strong line up of Championship contenders face a challenge worthy of Wales’s premier Rally Championship as they head away from the Dolgellau start.

With two-wheel drive cars leaving the start-line at Gwyndaf Evans Motors from 7.30am and four-wheel drive heading out from the town’s Farmers’ Market from 1.20pm, spectators will have the chance to view the action in both the Geoff Jones Motorsport Big Ray stage and in “Tim Hobbs” Gartheiniog.

Full spectator information is available on the event web site, www.rallynorthwales.co.uk and more about the Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship at wnrc.wamc.org.uk, on the Championship’s Facebook page and on Twitter @WnRC.