daf jaffa stages

            Wednesday the 28th of December saw the Carmarthen Motor club organised W.W.R.S Jaffa stages rally run down at Pembrey motor sport complex, a popular rally that would be made up of five stages giving some forty-five miles of competitive motoring for competitors. The rally would count as the first round of Lampeter and District motor clubs 2017 tarmac rally championship. Entries to the rally had to be sent in very quickly, as it is a popular event which sees the entry list fill very quickly with crews hoping to be amongst the lucky seventy that get a run on the event.

 

Lampeter and District motor club were well represented amongst the entrants, with Carwyn Davies and Paul Jones seeded at 21 in a Ford escort Mk2 which was running in class 5, which was for two-wheel drive cars with engines greater than 2001ccs. A couple of places behind them at 23 was Iwan Griffiths, who was navigating in Scott Williams in a Ford escort Mk2, in class 4, for two-wheel drive cars with engines between 1601ccs and 2000ccs. At 25 were Steffan “DR” Davies and Rhys Jones, out in Steffan’s regular yellow Ford escort Mk2, running in class 7, which was for road rally specification cars. Cadog Davies was navigating in car 30, for Will Mains, and they were out in a Vauxhall corsa, in class 1, which was for cars under 1400cc. Two places further down in 32 was Alex Rossiter, who was out in a Ford escort Mk1, running in class 3, which was for cars with 8 valve engines between 1601cc and 2000cc, he was accompanied by Hefin Jenkins. A little further down the field at 52 were Christian and Mark Coleman in their familiar Peugeot 106 Rallye in class 2, for cars with engines between 1401ccs and 1600ccs. Just behind them at 53 where Jonathon and Kevin Davies, who were also out in a Peugeot, this time a 206, and out in class 7. The final Lampeter member on the entry list, navigating in car 55, a Sunbeam in class 3, was Dafydd Evans, who was navigating for Dafydd Williams.

With a good number of club members out and many classes well represented there was potential for excellent results and great opportunities for trophies to be won.

The first stage of the day began at 9:30 am and immediately club members showed excellent form and posted great times on the day’s opening stage, with Steffan “DR” and Rhys being quickest club members with a time of 7 minutes and 58 seconds. Just behind on 8 minutes and 5 seconds were Carwyn and Paul in their Ford escort Mk2, and one second further back on 8 minutes 6 were Scott and Iwan. Will and Cadog began the day with a time of 8 minutes 20 seconds. Christian and Mark, and Jonathon and Kevin tied on the first stage with a time of 8 minutes and 32 seconds. The two Dafydd’s managed 8 minutes 45 seconds. Alex and Hefin came into difficulties on the first stage and had a maximum time of 30 minutes.

The following stages of the day were all longer and this time it was Scott and Iwan Griffiths were the quickest amongst club representatives with a time of 13 minutes and 33 seconds. Steffan “DR” and Rhys were next quickest on 13 minutes and 40.

All club members did very well throughout the day’s stages, and most finished in very respectable positions. Unfortunately, as with all rallies there were a couple of retirements on the day, with Christian and Mark Coleman retiring on stage 4, a great shame as they had been putting in excellent times on the day’s opening stages.

Thankfully the rest of the day seemed to run smoothly for most other competitors, and at the end of the day’s stages it was Steffan “DR” Davies and Rhys Jones that finished highest amongst club members, by finishing and excellent eighth overall and winning class 7 in the process with a time of 59 minutes and 26 seconds. Scott Williams and Iwan Griffiths were next in twelfth overall, and third in their class with 1 hour and 14 seconds. Carwyn Davies and Paul Jones finished fourteenth overall and second in their class on 1 hour 40 seconds. Will Mains and Cadog Davies achieved twenty second overall, and also achieved second in class with a tome of 1 hour 1 minute 54 seconds. Jonathon and Kevin Davies managed twenty eighth overall and fourth in class 7 on 1 hour 3 minutes 3 minutes 31 seconds. Dafydd Williams and Dafydd Evans finished forty fourth overall and third in class 3 on 1 hour 8 minutes 2 seconds. Rounding off the field were Alex Rossiter and Hefin Jenkins who finished in fifty third and fourth in class, having had some problems in the day, but still managed to finish the event with a time of 1 hour 57 minutes 25 seconds.

Everyone had enjoyed the day out and some excellent results were achieved with the club members and all look forward to the next event in the new year.

With thanks to Dafydd Evans for the picture.