dan cilwendeg

Daniel Williams with Shaun Richards on their way to another class win on the Cilwendeg (credit Joseph John Gilbertson)

Its been another busy couple of weeks for club members with events taking place down in Pembrey and in the lanes of west Wales. The first event to be taken on by club members was the Carmarthen motor club organised Fairfield Merlin stages which took place on the 21st of October, an event that was previously known and the Peter Lloyd stages. It was to be a five stages event around the motorsport venue giving competitors some 45 competitive miles of motoring. Lampeter and district motor club were well represented on the entry list. First club members on the entry list were Emyr Morgan and Paul Jones in Emyr’s immaculately prepared Mk2 Ford escort. They were seeded at 19. Right behind them at 20 was Rhys Jones who was navigating for Malcolm “tar” Jones in Malcolm’s Peugeot 207. At 27 were Jonathon Davies and Wayne “tar” Jones in Jonathon’s Peugeot 206. At 40 were Gari Evans and Owen Rowcliffe in Gari’s Mk2 ford escort. Rounding off club members were Kevin Davies and Hugh Jones who were at 49 in another Peugeot 206.

                On the opening stage of the day it was Malcolm and Rhys that did best amongst club members as they set the thirteenth quickest time on the stage with 6 minutes and 48 seconds. Next up were Jonathon and Wayne “tar” in sixteenth quickest on 6 minutes and 56 seconds. Emyr Morgan was in fortieth with 7 minutes and 24 seconds. Gari and Owen were at joint forty-first in their escort on 7 minutes and 26 seconds. Kevin Davies and Hugh Jones were forty-ninth on 7 minutes and 40 seconds.

                After three stages Malcolm and Rhys climbed up to ninth overall as they found their rhythm and set some excellent times. Jonathon and Wayne jumped up two places fourteenth. Emyr Morgan and Paul Jones were at thirty-third in their escort, right in front of the other escort of Gari and Owen who were holding thirty-fourth. Kevin and Hugh held fortieth in their Peugeot.

                With the days final two stages completed it was Rhys Jones with Malcolm “tar” Jones that were best amongst club members who finished in an excellent seventh overall, winning their class b 3 minutes in the process, they had spent most of their day catching the cars in front of them showing just how competitive their pace was. Jonathon Davies and Wayne “tar” Jones were next who finished in a highly respectable thirteenth overall, and winning their class in the process. Emyr Morgan and Paul Jones had spent the whole day climbing up the leader board and eventually finished in a highly respectable twenty-fifth overall. Gari Evans and Owen Rowcliffe finished in thirty-first in their mk2 Ford escort Kevin Davies and Hugh Jones managed an excellent thirty-third. All competitors seemed to have very much enjoyed the day and could not fault the organising of the event.

                The following weekend of the 27th and 28th of October once again saw club members head down to the mart car park down in Newcastle Emlyn to take on the Teifi valley motor club organised Cilwendeg road rally. This year making up the ninth round of the welsh road rally championship it is a very famous rally that always attracts a strong entry.

                First club representative on the entry list went to Andy Davies who took number 4 once again in IDZ the Subaru impreza, he was once again partnered by Michael Gilbey. They were hoping to clinch the welsh road rally championship on this event. Next was Sean Crowley at 14 who was out in a Mk2 Ford escort. He had Richard Williams navigating for him. Dafydd Evans was once again navigating for Carig Judd in Craig’s Peugeot 306, they were seeded right behind Sean at 15. Four navigators were next, Cadog Davies being the first, who for this event was navigating for Gavin Edwards in another Mk2 Ford escort. They were at 17. Justin Davies was also navigating in an escort, he was with Adrian Evans, they were seeded at 23. Richard Hughes rounded off the quartet who was at 40 with Tomos Evans, in another Mk2 Ford escort. Rounding off club members was Daniel Williams down in semi expert class in his regular BMW 318i at 72, he had Shaun Richards navigating for him again.

                With the routes all plotted it was off into the lanes for the beginning of the action. The first sections of the rally headed north of Newcaste Emlyn. Time control 3 was a tight section that was timed to the minute where many competitors picked up a minute of penalties here although Andy and Michael managed to navigate IDZ through here penalty free. From here the route turned left just before the village of Rhydlewis into Gwernant white before turning right Troedyraur and through Felin-Wnda. SF (section finish) 2 was located here and Andy and Michael managed to complete it with 33 seconds od penalties gained. Sean and Richard were pushing very hard on these sections and were rewarded with a time of 18 seconds on this section. Craig and Dafydd managed also managed an excellent time of 16 seconds, but it was Gavin and Cadog who were really on it as they only had 4 seconds. Adrian and Justin achieved a very respectable 24 seconds whilst Tomos and Richard achieved 34 second. In semis expert class were once again going for class honours were Daniel and Shaun as they achieved 27 seconds.

Cwmtydu was the next challenge for competitors as the route went up the famous harpins into Time control 5. Here Andy and Michael picked up 35 seconds of penalties in the Subaru, Sean and Richard were on 59 seconds and Craig and Dafydd achieved 46. Gavin and Cadog had the joint second-best time of 22 seconds despite overshooting one of the passage controls. Adrian and Justin did very well up this tricky section and were rewarded with a time of 30 seconds. Tomos and Richard manged 50 seconds and Daniel and Shaun managed 56 seconds.  

From here the route used the tight and twisty lanes that are between Sarnau and Tresaith, right on the coast. SF4 was located here, and Andy and Michael began to really push for the win on this section and achieved an excellent time of 8 seconds of penalties gained. Sean and Richard were still pushing on hard and managed a time of 25 seconds here. Craig and Dafydd were ten seconds further back on 35. Gavin and Cadog were once again the crew really trying though, as they managed a time of just 4 seconds here. Adrian and Justin managed a highly respectable time here too of 10 seconds. Tomos and Richard were still doing well and managed 40 seconds.

The petrol halt was in Gogerddan and with one half taken care of Andy and Michael were lying in fourth overall with 1 minute and 16 seconds Gavin and Cadog were holding seventh overall with 1 minute and 30 seconds. Adrian and Justin held thirteenth on 2 minutes and 4 seconds. Craig and Dafydd were seventeenth with 2 minutes and 37 seconds. Sean and Richard were just inside the top twenty in nineteenth overall on 2 minutes and 47 seconds. Tomos and Richard were in twenty-sixth with 3 minutes and 26 seconds. Daniel and Shaun were once again involved in a battle for semi expert honours with 5 minutes and 1 seconds which put them at thirty-sixth.

                With everyone refuelled it was back into the lanes for another half of action. The lanes south of Newcastle Emlyn where were the action took place. Time control 13 was located near Tegryn and was another difficult section. Andy and Michael were really pushing here in a bid to score as many points for the welsh championship as possible and were rewarded with best time of the entire field with only 4 seconds of penalties gained. Sean and Richard were still pushing too and managed a time penalty of 49 seconds. Craig and Dafydd were also pushing and managed 33 seconds. Gavin and Cadog were also really trying and managed an excellent time of 28 seconds. Daniel and Shaun were again doing very well and achieved 56 seconds. Unfortunately, Adrian and Justin’s rally and Tomos and Richard’s had both come to premature ends as both crews retired during the second half.

                From there the route headed east in the direction towards Cynwyl Elfyd. Time control 15 was located to the south-east of Trelech, approaching on the B4299. Here Andy and Michael continued to push vey hard and again stopped the clock with 4 seconds of penalties gained and once again achieving the best time. Sean and Richard were also pushing and had a very good time of 31 seconds. Craig and Dafydd had been setting consistently good times all night and Time Control 15 was no different as they stopped the clocks on 20 seconds. Gavin and Cadog were still going very well and despite a slight hold up managed 11 seconds. Daniel and Shaun set an excellent time here with 28 seconds.

The route of the event then headed back up to Newcastle Emlyn to finish, it had been a good tricky but enjoyable event and there were many happy competitors at the finish control. Andy Davies and Michael Gilbey managed to finish in an excellent second overall with a total penalty count of 1 minute and 24 seconds, just 30 seconds down on the overall winner, in the process winning class 1 for masters. Gavin Edwards and Cadog Davies finished in an excellent sixth overall with 2 minutes and 9 seconds. Craig Judd and Dafydd Evans achieved twelfth overall on 3 minutes and 30 seconds after another good night. Sean Crowley and Richard Williams managed fourteenth overall on 4 minutes and 17 seconds and winning semi-expert class again was Daniel Williams and Shaun Richards in their BMW, achieving twenty-second overall on 7 minutes and 25 seconds.

The next round of the welsh road rally championship is the Powys Lanes which takes place in Builth Wells and no doubt will see club members in action again.

Many thanks must go to Joseph John Gilbertson for the use of their image for this report.