By Paul Evans
Tom Llewellin has added the Pirelli Motorsport UK Welsh Forest Rally Championship two-wheel drive title to the Junior and RAVENOL Welsh Challenge awards he has already won this year, after another stunning performance on the Eventsigns Woodpecker Stages Rally.
Co-driven by Peredur Davies, the Pembrokeshire teenager also won the historic class on the event in his Ford Escort Mk2, after a fast and faultless drive.
“I’m really enjoying my driving at the minute, I’ve got a really good feeling with the car and everything seems to be working,” said Llewellin. “Our pace was there and everything felt good – I’m really happy.”
Although Llewellin has amassed the most amount of points in overall drivers’ standings, he cannot take the overall Welsh title owing to the dropped scores rule – as only the best six scores from eight rallies count towards the final tally.
This means that in reality, Russ Thompson actually holds a 15 point lead in the series and thus wins a free entry into the Wales Rally GB National Rally, provided by Motorsport UK as part of its Road to Wales initiative, should he wish to take up the offer.
Thompson and co-driver Andy Murphy scored maximum Welsh Forest Championship points on Woodpecker Rally (and finished sixth overall) in their Mitsubishi. Scott Faulkner/Gareth Parry had held a three second advantage in their similar Lancer, but a spin on the final test through Radnor forest denied them victory.
Matt Hirst/Declan Dear stopped on the opening stage with engine problems in their Evo IX – but despite this they are still in a three-way battle for the overall Welsh Forest title with Thompson and Faulkner. This will be decided on the final round of the series, the Wyedean Stages Rally on 9 November.
The fight for runners-up spot in the Junior category is also close, with just a point separating Zak Hughes and Gethin Price. Tom Murphy holds a 14 point lead in the Junior co-drivers’ standings, with three others holding a mathematical chance of stealing the title.
Ollie Mellors/Ian Windress were the overall winners of the Woodpecker Rally, taking a 20 second victory in their Proton Iriz R5. George Lepley/Tom Woodburn (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X) were second, with Stephen Petch/Michael Wilkinson (Ford Fiesta WRC) coming home third.