Osian Jones and Llyr Davies on another giant slaying performance on the Night Owl (Joseph John Gilbertson)

The fourth round of the welsh road rally championship, the Night owl road rally, organised by Aberystwyth and district motor club would take place on the 25th and 26th of April, once again starting from the National library car park. An event of some 95 miles, all of which took place on OS map 135, would greet the competitors and naturally being an event close to home a number of club members would be present on the entry list.

First up seeded at 2 were George Williams and Cadog Davies, who were debuting their newly built Mk2 Ford escort, which would win the award for best presented car. Sadly it would not be a successful night for them as they would retire by PC1 with engine issues. At 3 would be Lewis Morgan and Marc Highes in Lewis’ Mk2 Ford escort, Lewis and Marc have set some excellent times over the years and only needing a little luck on their side they were certainly capable of an outright win.

The number 6 slot would go to Andy Davies and Owen Rowcliffe in Andy’s Subaru impreza, they would be another crew capable of big things. Car 7 would go to Arwyn Jones and Mathew Pryce, who have now become one of the crews to keep an eye on, they will no doubt be in with a chance of an excellent result here again in their Mk2 Ford escort. 14 would go to Owain Rowlands who again would be competing in his Mazda MX5, he would have Jamie Mills sat with him for this event. At 15 were Osian Jones and Llyr Davies in their Nissan micra, once again this pairing would no doubt be carrying out some giant slaying tonight. Behind them at 16 were Phillip and Lewis Jenkins, once again in their Mk2 Ford escort, they are an incredibly consistent crew that always put in a good performance and would no doubt do the same here. Huw Rowcliffe and Andrew Gaunt would start at 23 in Huw’s Toyota Corolla, they were hoping for better luck than what they had on the Bro caron. Richard Hughes would be navigating in a Nissan micra for Euros Williams, and they would be seeded at 27. Right behind them at 28 would be Chris Palmer who would again have Deian Rees sat with him, and again they would be in Chris’ Mk1 Ford escort. At 33 would be Bro preseli winners Arfon Jones and Chris Hill, once again in Arfon’s Subaru impreza. At 36 would be Jonathan Davies in his Peugeot 206 GTI, he would have James Martin sitting with him. At 41 would be Dafydd “daffy” Hughes and George Eadon in Dafydd’s recently purchased Mk2 Ford escort, the car previously belonging to another club member, Ieuan Evans. At 55 was Debbie Evans in her Mk2 Ford escort, she had Gethin Sollis on the maps. 

At 69 were Arthur Jones and Gregory Harrand in Arhur’s Ford Fiesta ST, they were hoping to make it third time lucky in the Fiesta after having two DNF’s together so far. Liam Reegan and Jason Thomas would start at 77 in Liam’s Nissan micra, they were looking to make it four from four in what has been an excellent start to Liam’s first year in the lanes. Lee Evans and SIon Busson would start at 80 in Lee’s Peugeot 206 GTI, and behind them at 86  would be Leigh and Charlie Storr, the father and son team once again in their Peugeot 309 GTI. Rounding off club members at 88 were Morgan Bending and Osian Jones in a Citroen C2.

The rally would be broken up into ten sections, with five in each half, the first five concentrating on the lanes to the North of Aberystwyth and the second half seeing competition further to the East. There would be many whites featured in this year's route, and a couple of forestry sections by Pendam. With routes plotted one by one cars would leave the start car park, as they would go off into the night. The first section would be four miles in length in the lanes to the East of Rhydypennau and Bow street. Competitors would also pass through Penycefn farm approximately half way through the section. Time control B would be located near the end of the farm, and it would be timed to the minute. The front runners would pass through this section without dropping time, but those running further down would typically drop a minute. The route would then head South towards Penrhyncoch before turning right and passing through one of the many whites up to the section finish, which would be TC1C, and everyone would drop time here. Lewis and Marc would do best here, with 1 minute 6 seconds dropped, and then it would be Jonathan and James with 1 minute 9 seconds. Following them would be Lee and Sion with 1 minute 22 seconds. Owain and Jamie would have 1 minute 25 seconds. Dafydd and George got their rally off to a good start with 1 minute 30 dropped. Arwyn and Mathew followed on 1 minute 35, and then it would be Osian and Llyr on 1 minute 38 seconds. Phillip and Lewis would manage 1 minute 43 seconds, and there would be a tie between Arfon and Chris and Debbie and Gethin who would both have 1 minute 44 seconds. Liam and Jason would manage 1 minute 56 seconds and Arthur and Greg would have 2 minutes 1 seconds. Euros and Richard would have 2 minutes 2 seconds, and Leigh and Charlie would have 2 minutes 59 seconds. Sadly we would lose Andy and Owen in this section as they would gain multiple punctures here, forcing their retirement.

The second section began to the North of Clarach, with the section starting on the B4572 before slotting off to the right towards Llandre, before slotting right into another white at Bryn-hir and then rejoining the B road into time control 2B, which the front runners would clean. From here the section would continue up the B road briefly before turning right and passing through Bryn-bwl farm where there would be a via control, and then onto the section finish by Dol y Bont, where TC2C would be, and this would be another one where competitors would drop time. Lewis and Marc would be flying over the section, dropping only 29 seconds. Owain and Jamie were also going strongly, they would drop 41 seconds. Osian and Llyr would be next with 44 seconds dropped, they would be closely followed by Arwyn and Mathew who would have 45 seconds. Phillip and Lewis would manage 49 seconds, and Dafydd and George would manage 51 seconds. Jonathan and James would have 58 seconds and Arthur and Greg would have 1 minute. Lee and Sion would manage 1 minute 4 seconds and Euros and Richard would have 1 minute 5 seconds. Liam and Jason would drop 1 minute 19 seconds and Arfon and Chris would drop 1 minute 22 seconds. Debbie and Gethin would have 1 minute 52 seconds and Leigh and Charlie would have 3 minutes 27 seconds. 

The third section of the event would begin on a white by Pant y dwn, and would finish in another white, just before competitors joined the A487. TC3B would be at the end of this section and this would be another clock where everyone would drop time, Lewis and Marc once again doing best with 1 minute 8 seconds dropped, they would be ahead of Arfon and Chris who would have 1 minute 12 seconds, and behind them would be Owain and Jamie with 1 minute 15 seconds.

The fourth section would see the rally visit its most northerly point, beginning by the village of Tre’r Ddol. This would be another short but sharp section full of technical turns. There would be three passage controls in the section as well as a via at a farm yard. The pace setters on this section would be Jonathan and James as they dropped 1 minute 10 seconds through it, Lewis and arc not being far behind and in the battle for the overall lead would have 1 minute 13 seconds. Arwyn and Mathew would have 1 minute 21 seconds, and Osian and Llyr would have 1 minute 29 seconds. Owain and Jamie were having a great run and would drop 1 minute 37 seconds. Euros and Richard were also going well in the other micra and managed 1 minute 46 and they would be followed by Lee and Sion who had 1 minute 55 seconds. Dafydd and George would be next with 1 minute 58 seconds, and they would be followed by Debbie and Gethin with 2 minutes 15 seconds. Liam and Jason did very well for a novice crew with 2 minutes 20 seconds dropped, and they would be followed by Arfon and Chris who would have 2 minutes 23 seconds. Phillip and Lewis would have 2 minutes 26 seconds, and Arthur and Greg would have 2 minutes 32 seconds. Leigh and Charlie would drop 3 minutes 27 seconds, they would also jump to the petrol halt from here, adding a few fails to their penalty. Sadly we would lose a few members over the course of the half, with the Toyota of Huw and Andrew, the escort of Chris and Deian and the C2 of Morgan and Osian all retiring during the half. 

The most demanding section of the night would be next, with a long section in the lanes and forests around Bont goch and Pendam, and everyone would drop at least three times in this section, with time controls 5C, 5E, and 5F all seeing competitors add to their penalty count. Lewis and Marc were really pushing through the section, dropping only 1 second at C, and 1 minute 27 seconds at E, however, Marc would begin to suffer the dreaded navigator sickness, they would then miss a slot, with the time lost, they decided to call it a night. A great shame as up to that point they would hold the overall lead. Osian and Llyr were having another storming run at time control 5C as they would only drop 26 seconds over it, they would be just ahead of Arfon and Chris who would drop 30 seconds. Phillip and Lewis also doing well here with 32 seconds dropped.

At time control 5E it would be Owain and Jamie that would do best with 1 minute 19 seconds dropped. Euros and Richard would be next best with 1 minute 38 dropped. Following them would be Arwyn and Mathew with 1 minute 55 seconds, who were just ahead of Arfon and Chris with 1 minute 56 dropped. Dafydd and George were going well in their new car, dropping 2 minutes 9 seconds here. Liam and Jason had a brilliant section and dropped 2 minutes 18 seconds. Jonathan and James would follow them with 2 minutes 19 seconds. Osian and Llyr would be next on 2 minutes 22 seconds, and Debbie and Gethin would have 2 minutes 40 seconds. Lee and Sion would have 2 minutes 47 seconds, and there would then be a tie with both Phillip and Lewis, and Arthir and Greg dropping 3 minutes 6 seconds. At time control 5F it would once again be the mighty micra of Osian and Llyr that would do best with 38 seconds dropped, Arfon and Chris would again do well too with 1 minute 4 seconds dropped here, and they were followed by the other micra of Euros and Richard who were also putting in a great performance with 1 minute 12 seconds dropped. Arthur and Greg would buckle one of the fiesta’s wheels in the final bit of forestry, they would have to change the wheel over before the section ended, thankfully they avoided any lateness penalties.

The fuel halt, taken at Penrhyn-Coch, followed. As things stood best among club members were Osian and Llyr who were lying in fourth overall with 8 minutes 36 seconds dropped, they would also be holding the expert class lead. Euros and Richard would be next in their micra in seventh overall with 9 minutes 42 seconds dropped, they would be just ahead of Arwyn and Mathew who were eighth on 10 minutes 2 seconds, and behind them would be Owain and Jamie in ninth with 10 minutes 7 seconds dropped. Arfon and Chris were just outside of the top ten in eleventh with 10 minutes 19 seconds dropped. Dafydd and George were currently in twenty second with 12 minutes 9 seconds, and Phillip and Lewis held twenty fifth on 12 minutes 33 seconds. Jonathan and James were holding twenty ninth with 13 minutes 55 seconds. Arthur and Greg were in thirty ninth with 15 minutes 22 seconds. Lee and Sion currently held forty third on 16 minutes 36 seconds. Debbie and Gethin had picked up a fail so they lay in fifty fourth with 14 minutes 39 seconds dropped. Leigh and Charlie gained 25 fails for missing the fifth sector so they would be sixty second with 16 minutes dropped. Sadly they would not go much further and would also join the retirement list. They would also soon be joined by Lee and Sion who would retire during the second half.

Five more sections would greet the crews, with the first of the half being a clockwise loop in the lanes North of Capel Bangor. This section would end with a long section on a white, and time control 6C would be at the end of it. Arwyn and Mathew would do best here, as they would only drop 8 seconds, both Owain and Jamie, and Osian and Llyr would have 26 seconds, and then it would be Arfon and Chris with 32 seconds. Phillip and Lewis would have 38 seconds, and Jonathan and James would have 44 seconds. Euros and Richard dropped 51 seconds, and Debbie and Gethin would have 54 seconds. Liam and Jason would have 55 seconds, and Dafydd and George would have 56 seconds. Arthur and Greg would be on 1 minute 17 seconds. 

Section 7 would be another short one, and took place around Dollwen, finishing in the white by Blaendyffryn. Doing best through it would be Jonathan and James, who would only drop 5 seconds here. Owain and Jamie would be next on 40 seconds, and then it would be Arwyn and Mathew on 51 seconds. Both Osian and Llyr and Arfon and Chris would have 56 seconds, and Phillip and Lewis would have 59 seconds. Dafydd and George would have 1 minute 3 seconds, and Euros and Richard had 1 minute 8 seconds. Debbie and Gethin would have 1 minute 17 seconds, and Liam and Jason would drop 1 minute 28 seconds. Arthur and Greg would have 1 minute 39 seconds. 

Section 8 would take place in the lanes surrounding Ystumtuen. The section would begin at Cwmbrwyno and would see competitors turn right at a not as map triangle where passage control 32 was located, from there competitors would head into another white, turning a hairpin left back out onto the road, where unfortunately Arthur and Greg would go the wrong way and lose a couple of minutes. Competitors would then turn left in the middle of Ystumtuen and the section would come to a finish at Llywernog. Time control 8C was here, and doing best over it were Osian and Llyr who would drop 40 seconds. Next up were Arwyn and Mathew with 57 seconds dropped, and they were followed by Owain and Jamie who dropped 59 seconds. Phillip and Lewis would drop 1 minute 22 seconds, and Arfon and Chris would manage 1 minute 37 seconds. Jonathan and James would have 1 minute 44 seconds, and Dafydd and George would have 1 minute 47 seconds. Euros and Richard would have 1 minute 56 seconds, Arthur and Greg would have 2 minutes 37 seconds, and Liam and Jason would have 3 minutes 22 seconds. Debbie and Gethin would have 3 minutes 39 seconds. 

There would be a long neutral section which would take competitors down around Devil’s Bridge. The ninth section would take place by Mynydd Bach and finish just before Llanghfihangel Creuddyn. The majority of the front runners would clean this section, but those running further down the order would drop a handful of seconds here and there. This left the final section, located just down the road on the edge of Cnwch coch. This section would briefly head South before turning right and then right again to head North, finishing just before joining the A4120. This would be another section where those at the front would clean, but again those further back would gain a handful of penalties. With the final section complete, competitors would make their way back to Aberystwyth for a breakfast and the results. The rugby club in the town provided hungry competitors with a hearty breakfast and competitors swapped stories over the tables as the results team carried out their calculations. 

Highest placed club members would be Osian Jones and Llyr Davies who finished their rally in a very impressive third overall, and winning the expert class, with a total of 10 minutes 46 seconds dropped, it had been another giant killing performance by them and surely an outright win is on the cards very soon. Arwyn Jones and Mathew Pryce finished in very respectable fifth overall in their escort, dropping 11 minutes 58 seconds. Owain Rowlands and Jamie Mills would be right behind them in sixth with 12 minutes 12 seconds dropped. Arfon Jones and Chris Hill would break into the top ten with a very respectable tenth overall, their total penalty count being 13 minutes 24 seconds. Euros Williams and Richard Hughes would end their rally in eleventh overall with 13 minutes 37 seconds dropped. Phillip and Lewis Jenkins managed fourteenth overall with 15 minutes 32 seconds. Dafydd “daffy” Hughes and George Eadon had a successful first outing with the car, they would finish in twentieth overall, having dropped 17 minutes 33 seconds. Jonathan Davies and James Martin would end their night in twenty sixth overall with a penalty count of 19 minutes 30 seconds. Arthur Jones and Gregory Harrand finished in thirty fifth, they dropped 25 minutes 8 seconds. Liam Kyle Regan and Jason Dylan Thomas would be just behind them in thirty sixth with 36 minutes 40 seconds dropped. Debbie Evans and Gethin Sollis would be forty sixth with one fail, and 28 minutes 15 seconds dropped.

It had been a demanding but enjoyable event that would see many happy competitors at the end

Thanks must go to Joseph John Gilbertson for the use of his image in this report.