dylan llion champions
Dylan Davies and Llion Williams on their way to winning the Welsh Forest rally championship, image: RallySport Media

Llanon driver Dylan Davies has won the Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship but in one of the most closely fought seasons that the series have ever witnessed it took a tie-breaker to determine the destination of the crown.

Dylan and Caernarfon co-driver Llion Williams finished equal on points with former champion Matt Edwards of Llysfaen and co-driver Darren Garrod, from Pwllheli, but take the award based on the competitors’ performances within their respective classes.

Third place overall goes to two more former champions, Luke Francis, from Rhuddlan and John H Roberts with Roberts, from Colwyn Bay, also taking senior co-driver honours. The senior drivers category goes to Surrey driver Wug Utting.

Utting and co-driver Bob Stokoe miss out on the Group N award, however, by a single point. That award goes to Scott Faulkner and Aberystwyth’s Gareth Parry after a season long battle with their rivals. Parry also takes the junior co-driver title while top junior driver goes to Matthew Hirst from Doncaster.

Max Utting and Mike Ainsworth clinched the two-wheel drive category while front wheel drive honours go to Shropshire driver Dave Brick and co-driver Keaton Williams from Ludlow. Barry Jordan and Paul Wakely take rear wheel drive honours.

In an equally closely contested RAVENOL Welsh Challenge, top driver is Matthew Hirst ahead of Max Utting and Colin Griffiths. Declan Dear takes co-driver honours from Mike Ainsworth and Church Stretton’s Geraint Thomas.

Confirming the results, Championship co-ordinator Dave Evison said, “We are naturally disappointed that the scheduled final round of the championship, the Wyedean Stages will not happen as the event was set to provide a great climax to the season, but that doesn’t detract from Dylan and Llion’s achievement in what has been a hugely competitive season.”

The championship has attracted a record level of registrations this season, but Dave is adamant that the series organisers are not sitting back on their laurels. “We are looking at all aspects of the Championship to see if there are ways we can improve it and make it even more attractive to competitors. We will be unveiling further details very soon.”