The Mazda MX5 of Owain Rowlands and Hefin Jones powersliding their way to a podium position (Aneurin James)

Making a welcome return to the rallying calendar on the 24th of May would be the Classic tracks targa rally, organised by Llandysul motor club. This event would start and finish in Llandysul, and would contain a route of some 100 miles, with 21 tests over quarries and tracks giving the competitive miles. As always the event filled very quickly, with over 90 entries gained in the event of 75 entries, there would sadly be a number of reserves.

A handful of club members would make it onto the list, with the first being Andy Davies and Owen Rowcliffe is Andy’s Mazda MX5, with his regular Subaru not eligible for an overall award Andy would use his backup car for this event. At 6 would be Osian Jones and LLyr Davies who would be in their regular Nissan micra. Owain Rowlands would be at 11 in his Mazda MX5, he would have Hefin Jones on the maps. 15 went to Chris Palmer in his regular Mk1 Ford escort, he would have Mark Rodway sit with him on this event. Trystan Bryn Evans would once again be sitting with William Mains, they would start at 30 in William’s MG ZR. Sion Busson would be at the wheel once again, using his Ford puma he would have Andrew Davies alongside him, and they would start at 36. Right behind them at 37 would be Rhodri Lewis and Trystan Leyshorn in their Citroen saxo. Lewis Morgan would be making another appearance on the maps, he would be sat alongside Ashley Saunders in Ashley’s Ford fiesta. They were seeded at 43. Car 50 went to Rhydian Thomas in his Subaru impreza, he had Cerith Jones on the maps.

Rally HQ would once again be at West Wales rally spares on the edge of Llandysul, and again there would be a large croud of spectators and enthusiasts filling the start venue. The weather would be perfect for a spot of rallying with the sun shining and warm temperatures. After signing on and the driver’s briefing complete one by one road books would be collected and the leading cars would filter out of the start venue on their way to the first test of the day, which would be at Castell Llwyn Bedw, just a short drive away from the start venue. This opening test would be a mile long and doing best on it, and in fact setting the outright best time were Sion and Andrew who would stop the clock on 2 minutes exactly. Next up would be Owain and Hefin who would have 2 minutes 34 seconds, and they would be just in front of William and Trystan who would manage 2 minutes 35 seconds. Rhodri and Trysatn came next in the saxo with 2 minutes 46 seconds, and then it was Ashle and Lewis in the fiesta on 2 minutes 58. Rhydian and Cerith managed 3 minutes 13 in the Subaru, and Andy and Owen would have 3 minutes 16 in their Mazda. Osian and Llyr would manage 3 minutes 24 in their micra and Chris and Mark would have 3 minutes 53. 

The route would then see a few tests near the village of Llangfihangel ar-arth, with test 2 would be at Vicarage Farm, just to the North of the village. There would be a tie between the front running club members on this test with both Owain and Hefin and Chris and Mark both stopping the clock on 1 minute 50 seconds. Coming in just behind them on 1 minute 58 seconds would be Osian and LLyr in the micra, sadly this would be the last test for them as they would retire in the third test. William and Trystan would have another good run and would manage 2 minutes 1 seconds here, just ahead of Rhydian and Cerith who would have 2 minutes 2 seconds, and right behind them would be Rhodri and Lewis with 2 minutes 3. Sion and Adnrew would manage 2 minutes 19 seconds, Ashley and Lewis would have 2 minutes 26, and Andy and Owen would have 2 minutes 44.

Test 3 would be a short blast around a farm yard to the South of Llanghfihange ar-arth. Doing best over it would be Owain and Hefin, and William and Trystan, both crews managing an excellent time of 39 seconds. Chris and Mark would follow them on 43 seconds, and then it would be Andy and Owen on 44. Sion and Andrew and Rhodri and Trystan would tie on 45 seconds, and Ashley and Lewis would have 50 seconds, and Rhydian and Cerith would have 51 seconds. From here the route would go to its most southerly point with a test at Ffynnonau-Gleision, to the South of Pencader. Here the majority of the field would receive a time of 2 minutes 48 seconds, so it was back up towards Llandysul for the fifth test, visiting a farm that lay between Llandysul and Llangfihangel ar-arth. Here it would be Owain and Hefin that did best with 2 minutes and 2 seconds, with the other Mazda crew of Andy and Owen who followed them on 2 minutes 10 seconds, and they were followed by Chris and Mark who had 2 minutes 15.

Test 6 would take place on the old railway line on the outskirts of Llandysul. This would be one of the longest tests of the event at 2 miles long. Andy and Owen would be the front running club competitors on this test with an excellent time of 4 minutes 21 seconds. Owain and Hefin would tie with Chris and Mark on 4 minutes 28 seconds, and William and Trystan would manage 4 minutes 38 seconds. Rhodri and Trystan would have 4 minutes 47 seconds and Ashley and Lewis and Rhydian and Cerith would both have 4 minutes 48 seconds. Sion and Andrew would cut route and miss both the sixth and seventh test, collecting penalties in the process. 

The route would now head North of Llandysul for some classic tests that regularly crop up on the event, with test 7 taking place at Troedrhiwffenid. Doing best over it would be Owain and Hefin who would manage 1 minute 7 seconds. They would have Andy and Owen close behind on 1 minute 9 seconds, and then Rhodri and Trystan would follow them with 1 minute 11. Test 8 would be at Cwmdyllest, just to the West of Pont Sian. Here again there would be a battle between the two Mazda crews with little separating them, Owain and Hefin just getting the better of Andy and Owen with 1 minute 33 to Andy and Owen’s 1 minute 37. Sion and Andrew would be close behind on 1 minute 40, and they would have Chris and Mark right behind them on 1 minute 41. Both William and Trystan and Rhodri and Trystan would have 1 minute 46, and Ashley and Lewis would have 1 minute 50.

Test 9 was due to be at Pantymoch but was scrubbed from the results, so it would be over to test 10 which would be another long one that would begin at Bryngranod and would end at Rhos Ymryson and would over 2 miles in length, sadly here would be another test where the majority of the field would match the bogey time of 4 minutes 12 seconds. Sadly this would be the last test for Sion and Andrew who would retire with broken rear shock absorbers. Test 11 would be another where the bogey time would be hit, taking place by Bwlch y Fadfa this test would be a straightforward affair through some fields, and the majority of the field managed to hit the 1 minute 48 bogey.

Test 12 would be at Henbant and it would be William and Trystan that would do best over it with 1 minute 36. Rhodri and Trystan would follow them on 1 minute 47, and then it would be Owain and Hefin on 1 minute 54. Right behind them on 1 minute 55 would be Rhydian and Cerith, and then it would be Chris and Mark with 1 minute 58. Ashley and Lewis would have 2 minutes and Andy and Owen would have 2 minutes 5 seconds.

The final test of the opening half would be at Wervil Grange, at Perntregat. Here there would be a three way tie with Andy and Owen, Owain and Hefin, and \\\\\\\rhodri and trystan all stopping the clocks on 1 minute 33 seconds. Chris and Mark would be close behind on 1 minute 35, and William and Trystan would follow on 1 minute 38 seconds. Ashley and Lewis would be on 1 minute 43 seconds and Rhydian and Cerith would be on 1 minute 47 seconds.

The fuel halt, taken at Brynhoffnant would follow, as things stood it would be Owain and Hefin that were doing best among club entrants, as they would have a total time of 26 minutes 28 seconds. Rhodri and Trystan would be next as they lay in twelfth overall with 27 minutes 49 seconds, they also held the semi expert class lead. Chris and Mark were in fifteenth with 28 minutes 23 seconds, and Andy and Owen would be nineteenth with 28 minutes 35 seconds, they had gained a 10 second penalty during the first half. Ashley and Lewis would be twenty-fourth with 29 minutes 3 seconds. Rhydian and Cerith would be the leading four wheel drive class vehicle in thirtieth with 29 minutes 43 seconds, and William and Trystan would be thirty first with 30 minutes 1 second.

With all competitors refuelled and regrouped the second half would begin with another classic, held at Gwernant Home farm. Here Owain and Hefin would be in a league of their own with 2 minutes 36 seconds. William and Trystan would follow on 2 minutes 48 seconds, and Rhodri and Trystan would be behind them on 2 minutes 50 seconds. Chris and Mark would be next with 2 minutes 52 seconds, and Andy and Owen would manage 2 minutes 54. Ashley and Lewis would manage 3 minutes 14 seconds, and Rhydian and Cerith would have 3 minutes 37 seconds. 

There would then be two tests by Blaen-Cil-Llech. Andy and Owen would do best on test 15 with 2 minutes 3 seconds, and Ashley and Lewis would do best on test 16 with 2 minutes 21. Test 17 would be another classic at Glyn yr Odyn. Here it would be Andy and Owen that would do best with 2 minutes 59 seconds. Owain and Hefin would follow on 3 minutes 15 seconds and then there would be a tie between Chirs and Mark and William and Trystan with 3 minutes 18 seconds. Rhodri and Trystan would manage 3 minutes 22 seconds, and Ashley and Lewis would have 3 minutes 26 seconds. Rhydian and Cerith would have 3 minutes 40 seconds. 

Bronwydd would be the location of test 19, and here it would be Rhydian and Cerith who would do best among club entrants, with a time of 2 minutes 27 seconds. Next up would be Andy and Owen with 2 minutes 34 seconds. Owain and Hefin would follow on 2 minutes 47 seconds, and then it would be Ashley and Lewis with 2 minutes 49 seconds. Chris and Mark would manage 2 minutes 59, William and Trystan would have 3 minutes 1 second, and Rhodri and Trystan would have 3 minutes 5 seconds.

Test 20 would be by Bangor Teifi, here it would be another battle between the MX5’s with Owain and Hefin managing 1 minute 40, and Andy and Owen managing 1 minute 49. Chris and Mark would have 1 minute 56, and William and Trystan would have 1 minute 58. Ashley and Lewis would have 2 minutes 3 seconds, and Rhodri and Trystan would manage 2 minutes 7 seconds. Rhydian and Cerith would have 3 minutes.

The final test of the event would be a short one at the edge of Llandysul. Finishing their day strong would be Andy and Owen with a time of 50 seconds. William and Trystan would also finish strong with 51 seconds, and then it would be Rhodri and Trystan with 53 seconds. Chris and Mark would have 54 seconds, and both Owain and Hefin and Ashley and Lewis would have 55 seconds. Rhydian and Cerith would round their day off with 1 minute 10 seconds.

Everyone would then head down to the Porth hotel in Llandysul for the results and well earnt pint following another excellent day. It would be Owain and Hefin that would do best among club entrants as they would finish in an excellent third overall in their Mazda MX5, ending their day with a total time of 44 minutes 48 seconds. Rhodri and Trystan would be next with 47 minutes 27 seconds. They would end their day in a very respectable twelfth overall, winning the semi expert class in the process. Chris and Mark would finish in fourteenth overall with 47 minutes 42 seconds, and Ashley and Lewis would end their event in sixteenth with 48 minutes 46 seconds. William and Trystan would make it into the top twenty in nineteenth overall with 49 minutes 16 seconds, and Andy and Owen would finish twenty-first with 50 minutes 29 seconds. Rhydian and Cerith would end their event in twenty-seventh with 51 minutes 45 seconds, they would also win the four wheel drive section of the event.

It had been another very enjoyable Classic tracks, and everyone would leave the event with next year's installment already pencilled in the diaries.

Thanks must go to Aneurin James for the use of his image in this report.