Rally crews revel as Powys hosts Welsh championship round

The Welshpool based rally formed the second round of the British Historic Championship and the first round of the Pirelli Welsh Championship and featured eight stages in the Dyfnant and Fyfi forest complexes.

Matthew Hirst and Declan Dear made a flying start to the defence of their Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship title by winning the opening round.

Gethin Price had spent the last six months repairing his RKP Haulage Nissan Micra, having rolled it last time out on Rali Ceredigion.

Action from the Get Jerky Rally North Wales. Picture by Bob Benyon.

The Machynlleth driver was on a road section to a stage when he was hit head-on by another competitor travelling in the oppositie direction.

With front panel damage, he and co-driver Steven Brown continued and were rewarded with a class W2 win.

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The event was well supported by Newtown and District Motorclub members.

The event was based in Welshpool this year and was sponsored by Get Jerky, with the town buzzing and local businesses enjoying a boost.

Keith Jones/Sion Williams in action at the Get Jerky Rally North Wales. Picture by Bob Benyon.

Andrew Stokes/Jonny Evans were just one second down on class after the first stage and lost a little ground to the leaders by the time they got to the service halt in Dolgellau after four stages.

An engine misfire on the road section was rectified before the fifth stage and the duo managed to finish in 21st overall and second in there historic category.

Ricky Crone/Ifan Devine in action at the Get Jerky Rally North Wales. Picture by Bob Benyon.

Ricky Crone/ Ifan Devine started off their campaign in their MS Textile backed escort mk2 but an electrical issue put pay to any kind of result with them managing to get the car to service missing three stages and eventually ended 51st and ninth in class in the interclub event

Alun Horn/ Ian Beamond returned after a winter rebuild of their Escort but slippy conditions and an alternator issue hampered the pairing as they ended 28th and sixth class in the interclub event.

Alun Horn/Ian Beamond in action at the Get Jerky Rally North Wales. Picture by Bob Benyon.

Keith Jones/ Sion Williams competed in a Grooms Garage backed Subaru Impreza which had not competed for three years and finished a respectable 12th overall in the interclub event and sixth in class.

Chris Gittins/ Chris Arnott finished 42nd in there BMW Compact in the interclub event while the Mitsubishi Evo 3 of Alun Jones/ Geraint Mills were the only Newtown crew to retire on the event with a broken drive shaft during the third stage.

Action from the Get Jerky Rally North Wales. Picture by Bob Benyon.

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