Port Talbot Motor Club opens the 2017 tarmacadam rally season on the Epynt Ranges on Sunday with the Melvyn Evans Motorsport Tour of Epynt.
The challenging moorland roads will welcome competitors from all areas of the tarmacadam rallying world in what is a very different year, following the abrupt loss of the MSA National Tarmacadam Series.
Despite that decision by the BTRDA in difficult circumstances, this year’s rally is a round of the 2017 J D Tyres Welsh National Tarmacadam Championship, the Restruct Ltd Welsh Mixed Surface Championship and the 2017 Hirefit King of Epynt Challenge.
It has attracted over eighty crews from throughout the country for seventy five competitive miles over seven stages, based at the Castle Hotel Llandovery, and starting on Epynt, with one central Service Area.
Last year’s 2016 JD Tyres Welsh Tarmacadam Championship men Bob Fowden/Paul Wakely are seeded at number two in the Comline – Kumho- NGK Subaru Impreza WRC S11, as Damian Cole / Paul Morris wheel out their Get Connected Ford Fiesta WRC machine in first place.
It will be a battle worth watching between these two cars and crews, both acknowledged Epynt experts., and with the ‘big guns’ from the former BTRDA contest not present, victory seems sure to go to one or the other, but in rallying you can never be certain of anything.
That said, one mistake on Epynt can prove costly and the top ten has a number of crews that may fancy their chances should the two front runners slip up !
Spectators are welcome to the event, access only via the dual carriageway from Llywel on the A40 Llandovery – Sennybridge road. Three locations will be provided, Llandeilo’r Fan Triangle for Stages 1,3,5,6,7 from 09.00 to 16.41 , Burma Road for the same stages and times, and German Village East for stages 2,4,5,6,7 from 09.12 to 16.21. Admission will be by Programme at £10 per car and all occupants.
TOP TEN :
1 Damian Cole Paul Morris Ford Fiesta WRC
2 Bob Fowden Paul Wakely Subaru Impreza WRC S11
3 Mark Jones Jon Hawkins BMW M3
4 Phil Turner Simon Anthony Mitsubishi Evo9
5 Tomas Davies Eurig Davies Ford Fiesta R5
6 Sean Crowley Emma Jones Mitsubishi Colt
7 Paul Kirtly David Jones Subaru Impreza WRX
8 Gareth Richards Ian Jones Darrian T90
9 Geoff Kitney Ken Gibbard Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9
10 Huw Reed Anthony Hackett Darrian T90 GTR