George Williams and Cadog Davies mastering the weather condtions on their way to win the Autumn Road rally (Joseph John Gilbertson)

Another busy couple of weeks have been had by members of Lampeter and district motor club with two rallies taking place, with one of them being held on closed roads. On the 17th of September Cheltenham motor club ran the Hills Ford Three Shires stages. This rally would be made up of twelve stages on closed roads near the market town of Ledbury. Made up of four stages, each ran three times, an event of around 60 miles greeted competitors. 

The rally attracted a few members of Lampeter and district motor club, with Mark Glennerster being the first on the entry list as he would be navigating for Melvyn Evans at number 3 in Melvyn’s R5 specification VW polo GTI. At 11 were Andy Davies who once again had Michael Gilbey on the notes, he was giving his R5 Ford fiesta another outing and looking for a solid result. They were given number 11. Rounding off club members was Dafydd Evans who was once again navigating in a Darrian T90 GTR+, this one belonging to Jeremy Straker, they were seeded at 22. 

Melvyn and Mark got their rally off to an excellent start on the opening loop of stages with a string of consistent times in the top five including second fastest time over the third stage, Okle Green 1, just four seconds down on the overall fastest time. Andy and Michael got off to a good start, being sixteenth after the first stage they soon climbed up the leaderboard to eighth on the following stage. Unfortunately a mistake in the notes led to a spin on the fourth stage, Shaw Common 1,  which cost them some thirty seconds or so and the car's rear roll bar. This would temporarily drop them back down to fourteenth overall. It was a day of confidence building for Jeremy as this was his first rally on closed roads in some eighteen months. With Daf’s guidance on the maps they held twentieth at the end of the first loop. 

It was pretty much a repeat performance for Melvyn and Mark on the second loop, as they featured near the top of the leaderboard on all of the stages, including two third fastest times, which were on stages five, Petty France 2, and seven, Okle Green 2. This saw them hold a comfortable third overall. Andy and Michael climbed from fourteenth up to seventh over the second loop, after setting times that climbed deeper and deeper into the top ten. Jeremy and Dafydd would climb a couple of places over the course of the second loop, the slippery conditions not suiting the two wheel drive vehicles. At the end of the second loop they held twentieth.

On the final loop of stages Melvyn and Mark continued to do well but would drop one position to finish the rally in an excellent fourth overall with their total time being 57 minutes and 21 seconds. Andy and Michael would climb one more position to sixth overall after a great third loop where they set joint second quickest time on stage 11, Okle Green 3, and again on stage 12, Shaw Common 3. They were no more than three seconds off the overall stage quickest time on both of those stages. Jeremy and Dafydd would climb up to sixteenth overall after a great third loop. They managed the eighth quickest time on stage elven and the quickest two wheel drive vehicle, hinting at their potential there. 

On the following weekend the action was closer to home, as on the 23rd and 24th of September saw Carmarthen Motor club hold the Autumn road rally. This 110 mile event made up of competition on OS maps 145, 158 and 159 would make up the seventh round of the welsh road rally championship. Originally the route intended using OS map 146 as well but due to stormy weather conditions some roads became flooded and a reroute had to be carried out just before the event. 

Once again there was a good handful of club members present, with the first being navigating in car 5, which was Cadog Davies, who with regular driver George Williams were once out for a strong result and as many points as possible for their welsh championship bid. Again they would be using Georgre’s Mk2 Ford escort which had undergone a recent facelift. At 12 was Arwel Evans who at the last minute was paired with Moi Williams for this rally; they were in Arwel’s Mk2 Ford escort. Owain Evans and Arfon Griffiths were at 16 in another Mk2 Ford escort. LLion Williams was down to navigate for Guto Ifan in Guto’s Ford escort but sadly they were one of the non starters. Wayne “tar” Jones and Owen Rowcliffe were at 23 in a Renault clio and then a few places down at 35 were Gareth Hughes and Daniel Evans in yet another Mk2 Ford escort. At 40 was Sam Woodcock in his Subaru Impreza, he had Liam Evans with him on the maps. Osian Jones and LLyr Davies were at 48 in Osian’s Nissan micra, and at 54 was Rhodri Lewis in a Citroen saxo, he had Trystan Leyshorn with him on navigating duties. Lewis Jenkins was navigating in car 60, a Peugeot 309 GTI, he was sat with Robert Brown. Carwyn Jones and Steffan Thomas were once again out for a good result in a new Proton compact, this one with more of spec than the example they have been using up until now, purchased a week before the rally they were using the event to familiarise the new car and get some competitive miles in ready for the up and coming Cilwendeg. They were given number 74. A couple of places behind them was Arthur Jones in his Ford fiesta ST, he had Llion Steffan Williams with him. Sion Busson was again out in his Ford fiesta with Ryan Dabner guiding him around, They would start at 79. Rounding off club members at 89 was Gwern Sion-Thomas who was navigating for Bethan Eynon-Stobbs in a Nissan micra. 

With signing on taken care of at Carmarthen auction mart it was off into the lanes for the night's action, with the fist section being a short four minute run to the West of Carmarthen just off of the A40. This first section included four passage controls including a not as map one and would see all competitors gather penalties at the end of it, which was Time control 2. Here it was Carwyn and Steffan that did best among club members with 1 minute and 20 seconds of penalties gained. George and Cadog were right behind on 1 minute and 31 seconds. Following them were Owain and Arfon on 1 minute and 55 seconds, everyone else received over 2 minutes with Arwel and Moi stopping the clock dead on 2 minutes, Osian and Llyr being 4 seconds further down and then Sam and Liam another 2 on that. Rhodri and Trystan achieved 2 minutes and 33 seconds and Arthur and Llion Steffan managed 2 minutes 57 seconds. Bethan and Gwern managed 4 minutes and 49 seconds. Sadly it would be a short night for many, with the incredibly wet weather conditions adding to the challenge. Car 35, the escort of Gareth Hughes and Daniel Evans, number 60, Robert Brown and Lewis Jenkins’ Peugeot, and 79, Sion Busson and Ryan Dabner all retiring over the course of the first half.

The next section began to the West of St. Clears, with the section once again beginning just off of the A40. The section would loop in an anti-clockwise direction around the village of Llanddowror before heading further East towards the A4066, and would include two further Time controls, which a number of the leading competitors managed to pass through without incurring any penalties. From here the next section began near Talacharn, where competitors would travel West before slotting right into the first “white” road of the night. Once leaving this road competitors would turn left at the next junction into the Time control, which was Time control 7. Here everyone would gather penalties, with Geroge and Cadog really pushing they managed a joint quickest overall time of 59 seconds. Sam and Liam were next here with an excellent time of 1 minute and 22 seconds, great going by them. Arwel and Moi came after them with 1 minute and 43 seconds, and 10 seconds further back were Osian and Llyr with 1 minute 53 in the micra. Owain and Arfon managed 2 minutes and 26 seconds, and then Rhodri and Trystan followed on 2 minutes and 31. Carwyn and Steffan managed 4 minutes and 49 seconds, Arthur and Llion had 5 minutes and 52 seconds, and then Bethan and Gwern managed 6 minutes and 64 seconds. Another tight section immediately followed on the way into Time control 8 which included a Via section in a farm yard. George and Cadog almost managed to pass through this section penalty free, gaining only 1 second here. Osian and Llyr would have done very well here too had they not of booked in early here, in doing so they picked up 8 seconds of penalties. Rhodri and Trystan did well here and achieved a time of 12 seconds, they were followed by Sam and Liam with 26 seconds. Arthur and Llion managed a very respectable 34 seconds at this Time control, and then it was Arwel and Moi on 37 seconds. Carwyn and Steffan were still going well with 1 minute and 20 seconds. Owain and Arfon had a penalty count of 48 seconds here and rounding off club competitors were Bethan and Gwern with 2 minutes and 35 seconds. 

The technical sections continued into the next Time control, Time control 9. This section was timed to the minute with its usage of many “white” roads. George and Cadog were one of the few competitors to pass through this control without gaining any penalties. This put them well in the running for the rally lead. The majority of competitors gained a minute here but some gained more, which included Arwel and Moi who picked up 2 minutes, Bethan and Gwern picked up 3, as did Carwyn and Steffan. Arthur and Llion picked up 5 minutes. From here there was a 7 minute section that went North from Tavernspite to Whitland, which was cleaned by many.

From here the next section was very tight as the route went North of Whitland. Sadly this section would be cancelled as Wayne and Owen’s Renault clio drowned out in a ford, causing this section of the event to be removed. Sadly this didn’t help Sam and Liam who also retired here too. Competition resumed at Time control 18 which was over on map 145. The section began just outside of Cwmfelin, and would travel over to Cwmbach, then over to Time control 19. This was cleaned by a number of competitors but a few did gain penalties here and there, with Rhodri and Trystan gaining 39 seconds, Arthur and Both Carwyn and Steffan and Arthur and Llion gained a minute, and Bethan and Gwern gained 2 minutes. 

The route then went South by  Gelliwen before turning back for North. Then the route joined the B4299 briefly just South of Trelech. There were a couple of Time controls located along this seduction of route which the leading competitors managed to pass through without gaining penalties. Time control 23, located at Pen-y-Bont was the next tight section. It was Osian and Llyr that did best among the club members here in their little Nissan, as they achieved an excellent time of 52 seconds at this control. George and Cadog were next on 1 minute and 7 seconds, and then it was Arwel and Moi on 1 minute and 11 seconds. They were followed by Carwyn and Steffan who achieved a time of 1 minute and 32 seconds. Owain and Arfon managed a time of 1 minute and 35 seconds here in their escort, and then it was Rhodri and Trystan with 2 minutes and 12 seconds. Arthur and Llion achieved 2 minutes and 40 seconds, and then Bethan and Gwern followed on 2 minutes and 18 seconds. Many of the front running competitors managed to pass through the next Time control, Time control 24, penalty free, although lower down the field other competitors did gain penalties. Time control 25 was the next one that was timed to the second, and it was located near Blaen-y-Coed. Here George and Cadog achieved a time of 1 minute and 36 seconds, and they were ten seconds ahead of Arwel and Moi on 1 minute and 46. Rhodri and Trystan were right behind them on 1 minute and 47 seconds, and following right behind them were Osian and Llyr on 1 minute and 48 seconds. Carwyn and Steffan were also close behind with 1 minute and 50 seconds. Arthur and Llion were next on 2 minutes and 19 seconds, and then it was Bethan and Gwern on 4 minutes and 16 seconds. Owain and Arfon had 5 minutes and 15 seconds, and sadly this is the last we would see of them as they would retire at the fuel halt, which followed at Cwnwyl Elfed. 

The petrol halt was taken as roughly two thirds distance. Here George and Cadog held the rally lead with a penalty count of 5 minutes and 14 seconds. They held a slim lead of eleven seconds to the next competitor. Arwel and Moi were ninth overall with a time of 9 minutes and 17 seconds. Rhodri and Trystan were doing well in fifteenth overall with their penalty count of 13 minutes and 54 seconds, they also held the semi-expert class lead. Osian and Llyr were seventeenth overall, they had a penalty count of 15 minutes and 3 seconds. Owain and Arfon were holding twenty-first overall with 15 minutes and 17 seconds but they would not go much further sadly. Carwyn and Steffan were in thirtieth and leading the novice class with their penalty count of 21 minutes and 51 seconds. Both Arthur and Llion and Bethan and Gwern had gained a fail each so Arthur and Llion lay in forty-second overall with 26 minutes and 54 seconds and Bethan and Gwern were in forty-third with 32 minutes and 17 seconds. 

There were still some tight sections remaining so it was all still to play for. The first section of the second half began to the South of Cwnwyl Elfed and went South-East towards Newchurch. From here the route looped in a clockwise direction, using another “white” road in the process. Time control 28 was after the white road, and here was another control where competitors gathered penalties. George and Cadog were doing everything to hold onto their lead as they set another excellent time, stopping the clock on 41 seconds. Rhodri and Trystan were next on one minute 12 seconds, another crew doing very well and going for the class win. Osian and Llyr were after them with 2 minutes, and then it was Carwyn and Steffan with 2 minutes and 50 seconds. Arthur and Llion managed a time of 3 minutes and 12 seconds, and then it was Arwel and Moi rounding off club members with 4 minutes and 45 seconds. Sadly Bethan and Gwern would retire in the second half of the event. From here the route travelled further North past Dyffryn and into Time control 29, which many competitors managed to pass through without difficulty. After here competitors then turned left into a “white” and went through Felin Pandy. Then they would go right at the give way and up past Ty-hen where Time control 30 was located the other side of. This control would see a few gather penalties, although one again George and Cadog would pass through penalty free. Rhodri and Trystan did well here again, and were rewarded an excellent time of 48 seconds for their efforts. Osian and Llyr were close behind on 1 minute and 19. Right behind them were Arwel and Moi with 1 minute and 20 seconds. Arthur and Llion managed 2 minutes and 55 seconds here, and Carwyn and Steffan stopped the clock on 6 minutes and 44 seconds due to briefly going down the wrong road. From here it was back down to map 158 briefly. Time control 32 to Time control 33 was the next tight section. Here the route ran parallel to the B4299 and bypassed Meidrim. Once again George and Cadog were setting the standard with a time of 35 seconds here. Rhodri and Trystan and Osian and Llyr were involved in quite a battle for the semi expert class, separated by only one second here. Rhodri and Trystan managed 54 seconds to Osian and LLyr’s 55 seconds. Arwel and Moi were still going strong with 1 minute and 14 seconds, they tied with Carwyn and Steffan who matched their time at this control. Arthur and Llion managed 2 minutes and 24 seconds.

The final competitive section of the night was at Time control 35. Back on map 159 here and finishing to the West of Bancyfelin. George and Cadog sealed off an excellent performance with another great time of 42 seconds here, the only club members to achieve a time of under a minute. Arwel and Moi had a strong finish to their event with their time of 1 minute and 17 seconds, and Osian and Llyr also pushed hard at the end to be rewarded with 1 minute and 18 seconds. Carwyn and Steffan managed a time of 1 minute and 43 seconds at this final control, and then it was Rhodri and Trystan with 2 minutes and 2 seconds. Arthur and Llion ended their event with 3 minutes and 32 seconds.

Back at Carmarthen after a very wet night it was declared that George Willams and Cadog Davies had taken a hard fought victory in their Mk2 Ford escort. Their time in the end was 7 minutes and 28 seconds. They won with a winning margin of 5 seconds. Arwel Evans and Moi Williams achieved tenth place in their escort with a penalty count of 17 minutes and 53 seconds, a great result for them especially as they had partnered together at the last minute! Rhodri Lewis and Trystan Leyshorn held onto their semi expert lead to win the class and finish in fourteenth in the process. Their penalty count was 20 minutes and 28 seconds. Osian Jones and Llyr Davies achieved a very respectable sixteenth overall with 21 minutes and 21 seconds. Carwyn Jones and Steffan Thomas managed twenty-seventh overall in their Proton, a good result for them getting some miles in the car, Carwyn enjoying the new power. They ended the rally with a penalty count of 35 minutes and 45 seconds. Arthur Jones and Llion Steffan Williams finished in thirty-sixth due to their fail in the first half. Their penalty count was 48 minutes and 31 seconds. 

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