Competitors in the Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship head to Dolgellau on saturday for round 3 , the North Wales Rally Service – Weir Laundry Equipment Rally North Wales, with registrations up more than 25% on last year and more still coming in.
With Junior World Rally Championship star Osian Pryce leading the field off, car 2 on the event, organised by Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire Car Club, will be the Mitsubishi Evo IX of Welsh Championship front runner Luke Francis. The Abergele driver missed the opening round of the Championship and with him and co-driver John H Roberts from Colwyn Bay succumbing to electrical problems on round 2, they will be keen to get their Championship campaign back on track with a top finish this weekend.
Roland Llewellin lies in second place in the Group N standings, for less modified cars in his Mitsubishi and the Haverfordwest driver and co-driver Jamie Edwards from Wrexham will be looking to close the gap on class leaders Paul Davy and Roger Allan, the Worcester duo seeded fourth this weekend in their Subaru Impreza. Surrey driver Wug Utting completes the Group N top 3 in his Subaru.
With Championship leader Hugh Hunter, from Ruthin, not out this weekend, Malvern’s Bob Ceen could close the gap at the top of the table with a strong finish in his Subaru Impreza World Rally Car. Wiltshire duo Martyn and Dawn England, in their Mitsubishi Evo X are another crew anxious to move up the standings as is Llanon driver Dylan Davies, behind the wheel of a Subaru Impreza.
Llandysul driver Jamie Jukes has made a strong start in the two wheel drive category but the Suzuki Swift driver can expect stiff opposition this weekend from, among others, John Baker from Ellesmere Port driving a Ford Escort and Llanwrda youngster Meirion Evans in a Citroen DS3.
The Junior category for drivers under 25 is led by Morgan Handford but with the Cardiff driver not entered this weekend, Evans could also make up ground in that category.
In the RAVENOL Welsh Challenge, which sees drivers from across the classes battling it out for a share of a prize fund valued at £3000, Paul Davy holds a single point lead over Hugh Hunter while Jamie Jukes lies third, a further point back.
The rally starts from the centre of Dolgellau with the first car departing the Start Arch at 09:00 hours on Saturday morning, and cars leaving at minute intervals thereafter. There are two main spectator locations with competitors tackling each of them twice. Admission is £10 per car which includes a copy of the event programme. Further details can be found on the event website, www.rallynorthwales.co.uk.
With plenty still at stake so early in the season, competitors in the Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship are relishing their return to Rally North Wales and another thrilling day long battle on some of the best stages in British rallying.
You can find out more about the Championship on www.wnrc.wamc.org.uk, on the Championship Facebook page and on Twitter @WnRC.
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