dor sion barcud

It was a very successful outing for club members as they took on the Barcud motor club organised Barcud rally with all the podium finishers going to a crew that featured at least one member from Lampter and District Motor Club. The event which saw a very strong entry from club members, as aside the clubs own event, the Bro Caron, was for many of the event closest to home. The route was 98 miles in length, starting from Tregaron and would use the lanes in between Tregaron and Aberaeron, where the half way fuel halt would be held, made up of the Northern half of map 146 and the Southern half of map 135.

First club representatives amongst the seventy-five starters on the entry list in class one, expert class, were at car 2, which went to Andy Davies, who was partnered by Bro Caron winning navigator Aled Richards, Andy once again using his IDZ impreza. At 6 were Steffan DR Davies and Micheal Gilbey in Steffan’s Mk2 ford escort, and right behind them at 7 were Justin Jones and Dafydd Evans. Number 12 went to Edryd Evans, who after failing to find a navigator decided to navigate himself, and ended up in the passenger seat for Bro Caron Winning Driver, John “Tyres” Davies, in his Vauxhall Astra GTE. Behind them at 13 were Sean Crowley and Dorian Evans, Sean who was once again trying his luck on road rallies and hiring the GTA Mk2 ford escort with Dorian on the maps was hoping for better luck than the luck he had on his previous attempt on the Ystwyth rally. Llion Williams was Navigating in car 15, a BMW compact, for Kevin Jones. Driving car 25 was Justin Davies who was partnered by Rhys Lewis, in a Peugeot 206 GTI. Switching seats once again in car 32 was Cadog Davies, this time driving his Proton Satria GTI, who was accompanied by Jordan Dziadulewicz. In behind at car 33 were Wayne Jones and Andrew Gaunt, in another Peugeot 206. Navigating in car 36 was Fiona Balchin for Christopher Hill in another Peugeot, this time an older 205 GTI model. Another navigator, running at 39, was Richard Hughes, who was out with Dafydd Evans.

Down a class in class 2, for semi expert crews were Marc Hughes and Arfon Griffiths at 41, in a Proton Satria GTi, the Proton becoming a very popular car for road rallying and many were seen on the entry list. Behind them at 42 were Bryn Smorthit in a Ford Sierra, who had Jamie Mills navigating. Number 45 was given to Mathew Pryce who had entered in an MG ZR, but turned up in a Honda Civic Type R, with Natasha Roberts Navigating. 49 went to Geraint Wright and Owen Rose, who were to use a Peugeot 206 GTI. Car 54 was Arwyn Jones and Christian Coleman, in another Mk2 Ford Escort. 56 went to Anwen Davies and Rhodri Williams, who were another crew to use a Proton Satria GTI. Paul “nobby” Jenkins was at 58 with Bryan Thomas navigating, using a Nissan Micra to compete in.

In class 3, the novice class saw Dion Phillips at 63 in a Ford Fiesta ST with Gwern Thomas on the maps. Not far behind at 66 were Evan Justin Jones and Dan Irving, in yet another Proton, and at 68 were David and Owen Rowcliffe, with a Vauxhall Corsa as their vehicle of choice. Rounding off club members were car 70, which was Simon and Daryl Bailey.

With so many club members amongst the entrants there was a great chance for success for many awards, including overall honours. So at midnight as the action began it didn’t take long for club members to establish excellent times and many crews featured among the fastest times tables, with fastest at the first time control going to Justin and Dafydd in the Mk2 escort. Unfortunately, it was to be an early night for car 32, as Cadog Davies came to difficulty on a slippery triangle some half a mile into the rally, where unfortunately the little Proton slid from the road, whilst the crew were perfectly ok, the suspension and wheel were damaged, and were unable to continue.

The organisers took the decision to scrub the majority of the first half due to an incident, so at the Aberaeron petrol halt it was Justin Jones and Dafydd Evans who held a slim lead over Steffan DR Davies and Micheal Gilbey, with Justin on 19 seconds and Steffan on 23. Third place was also occupied by a Lampeter and district club member which was Justin Davies, together with Rhys Lewis they were only 2 seconds behind Steffan. Sean Crowley with Dorian Evans and Andy Davies also featured in the top 10 at the half way halt. Just outside the top 10 in twelfth were John “tyres” and Edryd Evans, who were on 54 seconds. Leading the semi expert class and holding a very respectable eighteenth were Marc Hughes and Afron Griffiths who had 1minute 11 seconds and third in class was held by Geraint wright and Owen Rose. In all 52 cars made it to the half way halt and many club members were still running, although sadly there were a few retirements, with Paul Jenkins and Bryan Thomas retired with alternator problems. Arwyn Jones and Christian Coleman also featured on the retirements list.

The second half of the event seemed to be slightly less eventful, but unfortunately the list of retirements did grow a little, as Andy Davies and Aled Richards retired with IDZ developing a leaking fuel pump. Justin Davies and Rhys Lewis, Wayne Jones and Andrew Gaunt, Bryn Smorthit, all featured on the retirement sheet.

The second half of the event was shorter than the first, but with times at petrol being so close, crews could not afford to ease off.

Having an excellent second half and climbing from an already respectable fifth overall all the way up to the top step of the podium was Sean Crowley, who with Dorian Evans managed to pull off an excellent and well deserved win on what was an event that was originally a memorial rally for Sean’s sister (Suzan Crowley), which made the win far more special for Sean, and added yet another win to Dorians impressive tally. They managed to pull a great amount of time back and pull out a 15 second win, collection 2minuets 59 seconds in penalties. Second place was to go to Justin Jones and Dafydd Evans, who unfortunately couldn’t hold on to the top spot, but still managed a very respectable finish. Taking third was to be another Lampeter and district member, and also making it a top 3 for Mk2 Ford Escorts, was Steffan DR Davies and Micheal Gilbey, who had an excellent run and posted consistent times all night.

Llion Evans once again featured in the top 10 as he guided the BMW of Kevin Jones into sixth place. Winning semi expert class and making it into the top 10 were Marc Hughes and Arfon Griffiths, an excellent result for them and no doubt the first of many top 10s for Marc. Mathew Pryce and Natasha Roberts to put themselves in the top twenty, with nineteenth overall, Anwen Davies and Rhodri Williams managed a very respectable twenty first overall, no doubt Anwen will soon be following in her fathers and brother’s footsteps by climbing up results tables even higher soon. John Davies and Edryd Evans would have been tenth overall, but unfortunately they picked up a fail, dropping them down to thirty second at the finish. Evan Justin Jones and Dan Irving rounded off the Lampeter and district members, finishing thirty fifth, also picking up a fail. It was widely regarded to be a very enjoyable event that unfortunately saw events beyond the control of the organisers have to scrub much of the first half, but that’s rallying!

Sean would like to give thanks to Tsalta motorsport for the hiring of the car.

Thanks goes to Emma Jones for supplying the picture of Sean and Dorian.