Rallynuts Heads To The Mid-Wales Forests

By Paul Evans

The battle for the Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship continues tomorrow in mid-Wales with the Rallynuts Stages Rally.

WRC2 star Osian Pryce leads the series after contesting the opening two rounds for fun, but with the Machynlleth-born driver absence this weekend, the regular Welsh Championship contenders have a great change to bag some points and stake their claim on the top spot.

On-form Dylan Davies, from Llanon, and his Caernarfon co-driver Llion Williams, currently lie second in the Championship in their Subaru Impreza, and are therefore in prime position to take the lead. They dominated the 4WD Rally North Wales last time out, setting fastest time on all six stages to win comfortably.

It won’t be so easy tomorrow, as tough opposition comes from the likes of Narbeth’s Julian Reynolds (Fiesta R5), Ruthin’s Hugh Hunter (Fiesta WRC) and former champion Luke Francis from Rhuddlan (Fiesta WRC). Llysfaen’s Matt Edwards also returns to the Championship after crashing his Fiesta R5 out of an early lead on the season opener, while the hotly-contested two-wheel drive entry is headed by Nick Elliott/Dave Price in their rapid Escort Mk2.

The Ravenol Welsh Challenge, aimed at competitors who have not previously finished in the top 10 of a National B status rally, is currently led by Matthew Hirst, followed by David Lloyd Roberts, Colin Griffiths and Kalvin Green.

The event is also a round of the national BTRDA Rally Series with defending champions Stephen Petch/Michael Wilkinson (Fiesta WRC) leading the field away as top seeds, ahead of Paul Bird/Jack Morton (Focus WRC).

Competitors will leave the start at the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd from 08.30 and spectators can see them in action twice on the Crychan stage, from 09.18 and again from 14.34 as well as on the Radnor stage from 12.09. They are scheduled to return to the showground from just before 16.00.