Unless otherwise clearly indicated, results on this site have been declared final and are therefore not subject to query or protest
Clerk of the Course: Phil Pugh
Route: 148 Miles
Maps: 124 & 135
Starters: 60
Winners: Huw Evans/Patrick Walsh (Ford Escort)
Huw Evans/Patrick Walsh (Ford Escort) made a perfect start to their Welsh Championship campaign by taking a convincing win on the Rali Bro Dyfi. The Dovey Valley MC organised event proved a tough test for competitors with just twenty-four of the sixty starters making it back to the rally's base in Machynlleth.
The superb 148 mile route took crews through a anti-clockwise loop of southern Snowdonia. Competitive motoring starting with the lanes to the east of Machynlleth, before moving north through the Dyfi Forest to the Dolegallau Maze and Coed-yr-Brenin.
With gravel tracks making up a large propotion of the route the going was made harder as a heavy drizzle fell for the duration of the event.
Top seeds Phil Turner/Owen Dodd were looking to make it a hat-trick of wins on Welsh Championship rallies, but they only got six miles before the head gasket on their Golf failed. Clive Wakeley, partnered by Welsh Champion Navigator Carl Williamson, had an even shorter rally, their Escort's engine expiring before the one mile mark was reached.
Evans/Walsh had built up a lead by the petrol halt and were to maintain their advantage to win by the comfortable margin of two minutes. Championship rivals Aled Evans/Eryl Evans (Ford Sierra XR4x4) took the runner up spot.
Dennis Quinn/Andrew Thomson (Ford Escort) finished sixth after losing seven minutes on the first section when they went off the road. Toby Adams/Pat Gadsby (Ford Escort) were going well until contact with a large rock in the second half damaged their Escort's suspension, leaving them to limp home in seventeenth place
The Bro Dyfi was Round Three of the North-Western Championship, but in general it was an unhappy event for the majority of series contenders, only Kevin Parry/Paul Holmberg (Ford Escort), who finished third, had a good result. Tudor Morris/Gerallt Davies (Ford Escort) retired in Dyfi with a siezed diff, while Jason Hardy/Alan Jôs (VW Golf) were also among the non-finishers.
After getting stuck on two different ocassions, Karl Hancocks/Byron Jones (Toyota Corolla) decided to withdraw. Meanwhile Kev Nunns/Dave Evison (Toyota Corolla) ended their rally stuck on a culvert.
Gary Jones/Dave Pitchford (Toyota Corolla) finished in fourth place and were the highest placed West Midlands Championship contenders. Richard Roe/Chris Ware (Talbot Sunbeam) had challenged for top series points, but they lost their brakes in the second half and had to cut some route to make it to the Finish.
Nick Bloxham/Martyn Allen won the Standard Production Award after bringing their Peugeot 205 into seventh place. One place further back was the Mini of Steve Rodgers/Paul Jones who took the Under 1425 category.
Local crew Jim Paterson/Martin Jones (Subaru 4x4 Turbo) won the Semi-Expert award, finishing in eleventh place, just one position in front of class runners up Iori Jones/Andrew Davies (Peugeot 205). Dave Williams/Wyn Davies (Vauxhall Astra) won the Novice class, with Norman Kohler/Mark Bridger (Vauxhall Nova) and Chris Wright/Erik West (Mini) being the only other Class Three finishers.
OVERALL RESULTS
Pos | Driver | Navigator | Car | Penalty | |
1 | Huw Evans | Patrick Walsh | Ford Escort | 12m 07s | |
2 | Aled 'Cacen' Evans | Eryl Evans | Ford Sierra | 14m 07s | |
3 | Kev Parry | Paul Holmberg | Ford Escort | 15m 40s | |
4 | Gary Jones | Dave Pitchford | Toyota Corolla | 15m 51s | |
5 | Michael Pedley | David Pedley | Ford Escort G4 | 21m 56s | |
6 | Dennis Quinn | Andrew Thomson | Ford Escort | 25m 59s | |
7 | Nick Bloxham | Martyn Allen | Peugeot 205 GTi | 37m 22s | |
8 | Steve Rogers | Paul Jones | BL Mini | 35m 25s | |
9 | Nick Broadway | Andy Oakes | Ford Sierra | 46m 39s | |
10 | Graham Evans | Ian Mills | Toyota Corolla | 1F 23m 19s | |
11 | Jimmy Paterson | Adrian Smart | Subaru RX Turbo | 1F 48m 26s | |
12 | Iori Jones | Andrew Davies | Peugeot 205 | 3F 27m 52s | |
13 | Richard Roe | Chris Ware | Talbot Sunbeam | 3F 40m 30s | |
14 | Polly | Duncan Pinnegar | Peugeot 205 GTi | 4F 49m 28s | |
15 | Colin Bound | Shaun O'Gorman | Nissan Micra | 8F 24m 29s | |
16 | Paul Davies | Phil Ralphs | Ford Escort | 10F 54m 20s | |
17 | Gareth 'Gog' Jones | Iestyn Leyshon | Ford Escort XR3i | 19F 59m 45s | |
18 | Toby Adam | Pat Gadsby | Ford Escort | 21F 11m 22s | |
19 | Howard Price | Steve Griffiths | Peugeot 205 GTi | 21F 26m 21s | |
20 | Mark Harris | Neil Bevan | Ford Escort | 22F 47m 09s | |
21 | Dave Williams | Wyn Davies | Vauxhall Astra | 27F 61m 30s | |
22 | Alan Lewis | Huw Davies | Nissan Micra | 30F 50m 47s | |
23 | Norman Kohler | Mark Bridger | Vauxhall Nova | 34F 46m 29s | |
24 | Chris Wright | Erik West | Mini | 35F 44m 35s |