Swansea Bay National Rally
author:
The Swansea Bay National Rally - last Saturdays fifth round of the Kumho National Rally Championship - started from the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea Marina under sunny skies, and though the weather was welcome the dust that inevitably waited in the forests of the Neath & Afan Vales would not be so welcome…
A short run from the Dylan Thomas Centre start, the eighteen miles of the Tower stage lay in wait, and although number one seed Jonny Milner was expected to set the pace there were few who expected that the Pirelli British Rally Championship leaders margin would be a huge thirty five seconds after a single special stage of the rally!
Of the challengers to Milner - driving a new Hyundai Accent World Rally Car in a test and development programme - former Swansea Bay Rally winner Kenny McKinstry had a wheel come loose on his Subaru, , whilst Roger Duckworth had gearbox problems in his Impreza, Mark Perrott challenging before his Ford Escort WRC went out on stage three.
Steve Petch spun his Hyundai Accent WRC, Theo Bengry snapped a driveshaft in the 555 Subaru, whilst the first local retirement was the Proton Compact of Gareth Jones and Ryland James, the West Wales crew stopped in the first stage.
"Mad Mick" Jones also hit trouble, the Welshpool drivers Mitsubishi getting two punctures, and with only one spare his rally was effectively over. Mark Williams and Swansea co-driver James Phillips went out on stage 1, their Mitsubishi Evo 7 rear axle failing. Steve Petch improved by eleven places in the Hyundai Accent WRC to finally finish fourth, as Glyn Jones fared better than his son Gareth, his Impreza WRC netting second place overall, the Group N lead, and first placed Kumho Tyres runner.
In the Mitsubishi Evolution Challenge battle Jeremy Easson and New Tredegar co-driver Nigel Gardner won, former series leader Mark I'Anson retiring his Evo 6 at the finish of stage 1 with engine failure after a cambelt problem. John Morgan had his Fairfield Motorsport - Ken Thorne Cars - Rallysport.com Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 up to a creditable second Evo Challenge crew on his first foray into the series, despite the car getting stuck in third gear.
As the cars crossed the finish ramp outside the Dylan Thomas Centre, Milner was delighted with the car, saying "It's just got faster and faster throughout the day and I'm grateful to MSD for giving me a chance to drive the car…" Carmarthens Glyn Jones also enjoyed his second place, only teaming up with co-driver Stewart Merry on the Thursday before the rally, also having the distinction of being first Kumho Tyres driver. Swansea driver Phil Morgan made a triumphant return to rallying, the Mono Bakery-Robbins Transport-Sigma3-Jefferies Car Sales- Rickard Motor Factors Ford Escort winning the class by over half a minute.
A successful event, rewarding the support of the City & County of Swansea and the Dylan Thomas Centre, clearly enjoyed by the crowds that gathered for the start and finish. The rally was also a qualifier in the Peugeot 205 Challenge, a record 48 crews making rallying history by being the largest number of single make cars ever to enter a British National rally, the 205 win going toElliot Retallick and Mike Ockwell of Wiltshire.
The Promax Clubman Rally was won by David Young / Simon Howlett in a 2 litre Ford Escort, hard pressed daylong by a Welsh crew, the West Wales Rally Spares Ford Escort of Gareth Lloyd and Dilwyn Llewellyn of West Wales.
|
|
