Luke Francis wins Rally North Wales

North Wales Car Club member Luke took victory on the opening round of the Championship, the Cambrian Rally but missed round two, the Mid Wales Stages and an engine rebuild on their Mitsubishi Evo 9 saw Luke and co-driver John H Roberts, from Colwyn Bay, just make it to the start line on Saturday morning.

It would prove worth the effort, however, as the duo set fastest time on each of the event’s five stages. In fact their time on the opening stage was matched by Steve Simpson and Patrick Walsh. They were forced to retire their Ford Fiesta S2000 after three stages, however, with driveshaft problems.

Also out of the event by this stage were Dylan Davies and Mark Glennerster who suffered an engine fire on their Subaru Impreza on the opening stage. Wug Utting and Bob Stokoe were sidelined after two stages with broken suspension on their Subaru while reigning Group N champions Paul Davy and Roger Allan continue to endure a fraught season as they went out with a broken exhaust manifold. The Worcester duo has also been burning the midnight oil before the event, repairing the damage they had incurred on the Mid Wales Stages.

Luke’s victory moves him to within two points of leader Andrew Jones in the Championship driver standings but the young Escort driver was delighted with his fifth place overall on the rally, partnered on this occasion by the very experienced Dale Furniss. John H Roberts, meanwhile, takes the lead in the co-driver standings.

Second place went to another Escort, that of Ieuan Rowlands and Emyr Hall with the final podium placing going to the Subaru Impreza of Andy Davies and Max Freeman moving the pairing to third in their respective Championship tables while they both top the standings in Group N, for less modified cars, ahead of Paul Davy and Roger Allan.

Andrew Jones retains the lead in the two wheel drive category ahead of Sion Ellis, the Nissan Sunny driver and co-driver Dan Nieroda surviving a heavy off that resulted in two broken bottom arms. Another crew to make it to the finish following a major accident were Matthew Jackson and Clare Williams in their Nissan Micra. Despite that mishap they both move into the lead in Class 3.

Matthew also moves into second place in the driver category of the Vital Equipment Junior Welsh Challenge for competitors under 25. Jake McKenna is in third place while Chris Davies heads the co-driver category from Max Freeman and Simon Jones. Making his first appearance in the Championship, Rhydian Price was delighted to record a finish in his Nissan Micra partnered by Peredur Wyn Davies.

The Genpower awards on this event went to competitors in the front wheel drive category with James Williams taking top honours in his Ford Ka by just two seconds from the Peugeot 309 of Tim Cains. Sion Ellis was third.

Andrew Jones also heads the Ravenol Welsh Challenge by five points from Impreza driver Nev Jones who, along with co-driver Chris Davies rounded off the top 10 on the rally. Despite finishing one place above Nev Jones on the event, with Challenge points determined by position within the driver’s class, Escort driver John Rowlands lies in third place.

Round four of the eight round championship is the Plains Rally. The Welshpool based event takes place on May 14th. You can find out more about that event on their website, rallynorthwales.co.uk and about the championship on www.plainsrally.co.uk, on the Championship Facebook page and on Twitter @WnRC.