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: Gareth Thomas
Stages: 8 (45 Gravel Stage Miles)
Venue: Epynt, Halfway & Crychan
Starters: 80
Winners: Graham Middleton/John Morgan (Hyundai Accent WRC)
Graham Middleton/John Morgan took their newly acquired Hyundai Accent WRC to a clear win on the Red Kite Stages.
The Amman & District MC event, in its fourth year, used eight gravel stages, in its usual stamping ground, on and around the Epynt Ranges.
Middleton, who only took delivery of the WRC car on the day before the rally, secured fastest time on all eight test; beating the bogey twice on Route 60. Although he still felt that he wasn’t getting the maximum out of the car, he did find that the soft compound Matador tyres suited both the car and the slippery conditions.
Dorian Rees/Patrick Walsh put in an excellent performance in their Group N Impreza to take second place, in the latter stages coming to within a few seconds of Middleton’s stage times. John Perrott (Mitsubishi Lancer E5) had a steady event to finish third in his first outing since his major crash on the Woodpecker. Lorna Smith (Mitsubishi Lancer E4) took another impressive result with fourth place on her first visit to Epynt.
Top seed Phil Morgan (Subaru Impreza WRC) lost three minutes with an off on SS1, there was no significant damage and he continued, but only to roll out of the event on SS5. Mick Jones also rolled on SS1 but was still holding fourth place when his Lancer E3 was halted by gearbox problems after SS5.
The over two litre class was won by James Belton/Eurig Evans, the win coming despite an additional one minute penalty awarded for a jumped start. Reigning Miller Oils Welsh Clubmans Champions Tim Jones/Don James (Ford Escort) had a comfortable lead in Class 3 when they stopped with engine problems on SS7. Their demise allowed Duncan Goldsmith/Bryan Hull (Ford Escort) to take the class win, with Steven Finch/Stanley Graham (Ford Escort) just two seconds behind.
Duncan Williams/Mark Freeman had built up a three minute lead in Class 2 when the engine on their Peugeot 106 blew on SS7. Steve Roderick/Mick Wilcox (Toyota Corolla) thus inherited the class win. The small car class was won by the Mini Clubman of Steve Griggs/David Lloyd.
Jon Ingram/Andy Marchbank (Mitsubishi Lancer E3) had a 'big' off on a 60 left on SS1. They managed to drive out of the stage, but the car was beyond repair. The throttle cable on the Escort Cosworth of Dennis Parry/Huw Lewis broke on the first stage and put them out. Also on the retirement list on the first test were Geraint Mills/Jonny 'Tad' Evans (Opel Manta), their car breaking its drive shaft.
Andrew Kenny/Gary Kenny lasted until SS6 before the engine on the Lancer E3 failed.
Ieuan Rowlands/Kelvin Savage totally dominated the second round of the Peugeot 206 Winter Cup, coming home over two minues clear of their nearest championship challengers. Rowlands took fastest time on all eight stages and ended the day in seventh place in the overall event, the only two wheel drive car in the top ten. For the rest of the 206 field it was a demoralising display.
Tom Boardman/Craig Parry put up the greatest challenge to Rowlands, but by the time they were forced out after four stages, with a bent steering rack, they were already thirty seconds behind.
Gareth McHale/Clive Jenkins were then left as the only crew remotely in touch with Rowlands’ pace, they finished in what on other days would have been a creditable eleventh place overall. The rest of the field were over six minutes down on the winners.
Other than Boardman, the only other retirement in the 206 category were Paul Jones/Steve Smallbone, who retired on SS3 with clutch problems.
Rowlands started the Red Kite as the Winter Cup series leader having won the opening round, the Galloway Hills Rally, in December. He left the Red Kite as Winter Cup Champion, with one round, the Sunseeker, still remaining.
OVERALL RESULTS
Pos | Driver | Co-Driver | Car | Penalty | |
1 | Graham Middleton | John Morgan | Hyundai Accent WRC | 47m 32s | |
2 | Dorian Rees | Patrick Walsh | Subaru Impreza | 48m 45s | |
3 | John Perrott | Graham Hopewell | Mitsubishi Lancer E5 | 50m 16s | |
4 | Lorna Smith | Dave Robson | Mitsubishi Lancer E4 | 50m 49s | |
5 | John Morgan | Llinos Jones-Edwards | Mitsubishi Lancer E7 | 50m 59s | |
6 | Ieuan Rowlands | Kelvin Savage | Peugeot 206 XSi | 51m 29s | |
7 | Iwan Rees | Aled Rees | Subaru Impreza | 51m 42s | |
8 | Andy Pawley | Tim Sturla | Mitsubishi Lancer E6 | 53m 00s | |
9 | Owain Beaman | Phil Peak | Mitsubishi Lancer E5 | 53m 16s | |
10 | Damon Harvey | Aled Davies | Mitsubishi Lancer E8 | 53m 22s | |
11 | Gareth McHale | Clive Jenkins | Peugeot 206 XSi | 53m 32s | |
12 | James Belton | Eurig Evans | Ford Escort RS | 53m 48s | |
13 | Martin Kenny | Dave Stocking | Ford Escort | 54m 46s | |
14 | Duncan Goldsmith | Bryan Hull | Ford Escort | 55m 12s | |
15 | Steve Finch | Stanley Graham | Ford Escort | 55m 14s | |
16 | Aled Evans | Eryl Evans | Ford Sierra XR4x4 | 55m 25s | |
17 | Colin Minton | Peter Henness | Subaru Impreza | 55m 47s | |
18 | Mark Sheppard | Graeme Bolt | Vauxhall Astra Sport | 55m 59s | |
19 | Stuart Clarke | Cliff Simmons | Ford Escort | 56m 01s | |
20 | Neil Andrew | Mark Spavin | Ford Sierra XR4x4 | 56m 29s | |
21 | Stuart Thomas | Mark Kehrein | Ford Escort | 56m 29s | |
22 | Wyn Hughes | Elgan Davies | Toyota Starlet | 56m 37s | |
23 | Andrew Graham | Peter Brennan | Ford Sierra Cosworth | 56m 47s | |
24 | Huw Jeffreys | Avarina Connor | Ford Escort | 56m 48s | |
25 | Bob Gibbons | Den Golding | Ford Escort RS2000 | 56m 54s | |
26 | Steve Blunt | Bob Duck | Peugeot 306 | 56m 58s | |
27 | Lynsey Hansford | Graham Roberts | Ford Escort | 57m 14s | |
28 | Toby Adam | Byron Jones | Ford Sierra | 57m 18s | |
29 | Tony Rees | Geraint Thomas | Ford Escort | 57m 29s | |
30 | Paul Kiely | Eugene Donnelly | Peugeot 206 XSi | 57m 33s | |
31 | James Robertson | Mike Rollo | Peugeot 206 XSi | 57m 35s | |
32 | Alun 'Timo' Evans | Howard Davies | Subaru Impreza | 57m 55s | |
33 | Maurice Leach | Nigel Gilbride | Ford Escort | 58m 12s | |
34 | Michael O'Brien | Simon Coates | Peugeot 206 XSi | 58m 22s | |
35 | Steve Roderick | Mick Wilcox | Toyota Corolla | 58m 31s | |
36 | Richard Philipson | Brian Cammack | Peugeot 206 XSi | 59m 16s | |
37 | John Gibson | Dave Taylor | Ford Escort Mexico | 59m 27s | |
38 | Ed Lloyd | Eric Tong | MG Metro V8 | 59m 48s | |
39 | John Evans | Simon Anthony | Ford Escort | 59m 49s | |
40 | Bary Horan | Simon Mills | Peugeot 206 XSi | 59m 58s | |
41 | Iwan Evans | Raymond Davies | Proton Persona | 1h 00m 00s | |
42 | Gary Morgan | Paul Jenkins | Subaru Impreza | 1h 00m 22s | |
43 | Pete Hamer | Niki Griffiths | Talbot Sunbeam | 1h 00m 29s | |
44 | Mike Roberts | Dai Roberts | Peugeot 205 GTi | 1h 00m 32s | |
45 | Andrew Lawson | Gareth Shell | Ford Escort | 1h 00m 57s | |
46 | Gareth Nutt | Kevin Haven | Peugeot 205 GTi | 1h 01m 23s | |
47 | Simon Roberts | Richard Smalley | Peugeot 205 GTi | 1h 02m 14s | |
48 | Granville Cottle | Lisa Evans | Talbot Sunbeam | 1h 03m 32s | |
49 | Wayne Bonser | Richard Aston | Ford Escort RS2000 | 1h 04m 59s | |
50 | Clive Bayliss | Helen Giles | Opel Manta | 1h 05m 02s | |
51 | Steve Griggs | David Lloyd | Mini Clubman | 1h 05m 19s | |
52 | Trev Baynham | Jon Roberts | Ford Escort | 1h 05m 26s | |
53 | Andrew Lewis | Tim Samuel | Peugeot 205 GTi | 1h 05m 32s | |
54 | Clare Samuel | Sarah Owen | VW Polo | 1h 05m 58s | |
55 | Micah Morris | Tom Henderson | Peugeot 309 SRi | 1h 06m 22s | |
56 | Adrian Mayall | Robert Hayden | Alfa Romeo 33 | 1h 06m 46s | |
57 | James Chappelle | Peter Chappelle | Talbot Sunbeam | 1h 06m 49s | |
58 | Mark Chappelle | Justin Davies | Peugeot 205 Rallye | 1h 07m 05s | |
59 | Simon Mackay | Tim Jones | Ford Escort | 1h 07m 28s |