Welsh National Tarmacadam Champion 2016 Bob Fowden began the 2017 title battle where he left off last year – at the top, says Roger Gale.
Fowden swept to another victory on the Rali Cwm Gwendraeth held over forty five miles on Sunday at Pembrey Circuit.
The Welsh multi-champion was co-driven on home territory by his son Paul Fowden, regular co-driver Paul Wakely temporarily sidelined with a broken foot, though he will return to contest the remaining JD Tyres Welsh Championship rounds.
Fowden struggled a little with his Comline – Kumho – NGK Subaru Impreza WRC on the opening stage, driving the car for the first time after engine remapping.
The big power increase saw him make a few errors as he adjusted his style, allowing an on-form Geoff Kitney to lead in his Mitsubishi Evo by thirty seconds.
But once Fowden adjusted suspension and tyre settings he simply swept away from the opposition to take fastest on the remaining four stages, with the winning margin fifty nine seconds over the Kitney Evo by the end.