Llandovery rally driver Cameron Davies put in a mature drive belying his youth to clinch the prestigious 2016 DMACK Fiesta ST Trophy with one round of the series still to spare.
With the title, Cameron’s fifth in a six year rallying career, comes the opportunity to compete for a place in the 2017 World Rally Championship.
Despite missing the opening round of the series, such has been the dominance shown by Cameron and co-driver Lee Taylor subsequently that they went into the weekend’s Woodpecker Rally needing to just finish in the top six to clinch the series. That, however, could easily have been their undoing.
“We relaxed a bit too much”, Cameron explained after the event, “and we had a spin on Stage 4. That was a bit of a wake-up call. We had to push hard enough to keep our concentration but with enough in reserve to get to the finish.”
When they did get to the finish, they were in second place and the title was theirs. With the Championship crown comes a free entry on next month’s Wales Rally GB although Cameron is not quite sure whether they will tackle that in the Fiesta that has served them so well all season or in something a little more powerful.
“We have had an exciting offer to use something with four wheel drive”, he commented cryptically, “So watch this space.
They have also won support from tyre company DMACK to contest next year’s British Rally Championship and, most excitingly as far as Cameron is concerned, a place in the end of season DMACK shoot-out.
The shoot-out will see ten of the world’s best young rally drivers brought together for a two day assessment process, including physical and media tests as well as a rigorous examination of their driving skills. Just qualifying for the shoot-out is viewed within the sport as a major achievement.
At the end of the two days the top driver will be rewarded with a funded prize drive in next year’s Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy, which takes place over five FIA World Rally Championship rounds. Success in that series is regarded as one of the best launch pads to a career at the pinnacle of World Rallying.
With another title still up for grabs as well, Cameron currently leads the English Rally Championship, the coming months are set to be a busy time for the young Llandovery driver who looks to be on the road to yet more rallying success.