Rally Archive
E Roberts (Ffestiniog) Memorial
Rali Meirion
Supported by John Roberts (Ffestiniog) Ltd & Emyr Jones Groundwork Contractor
Harlech & District Motor Club
3rd/4th September 2011
Clerk of the Course: Euros Hughes & Caron Jones
Route: 125 Miles
Maps: 123 & 124
Starters: 67
Winners: Arwel 'Sbidi' Hughes-Jones/Eurig Davies (Ford Escort)
Arwel Hughes-Jones/Eurig Davies took their second successive victory on the Rali Meirion, finishing a closely fought rally just ahead of a highly competitive field. Once again a Welsh Championship event developed into an rally decided by seconds, with Escorts to the fore. In fact the car filled the top ten places at the Finish.
Hughes-Jones/Davies grabbed the lead shortly before the halfway halt and retained it until the Finish. Meirion Evans/Iwan Jones took the runner up spot having been in fourth place at Petrol after side swiped the rear quarter of their car in classic Escort style. A session of panel beating before the halt ensured that they passed a stringent damage check. Iwan Pritchard/Ceri Hughes continued their run of good results by taking third.
Dyfed Pritchard/Dilwyn John had put their Peugeot 205 into second place at Petrol but faded in the second half and finished in eleventh.
The winners were the only crew in the top ten to maintain the position they held at the halfway point until the Finish. Behind them a close battle ensued as crews tackled the demanding route in sometimes foggy conditions. The major winners of the second half were Kevin Davies/Dylan Jenkins who moved from tenth to fourth.
Howard Price/Alan Williams were the only retirement of the night from the top twenty starters, their Escort suffering exhaust damage in the first half.
While the leading crews swapped seconds, the lower numbers struggled. The last five starters failed to make it to Petrol. However four novice crew made the Finish without fails, with Shon Wyn Roberts/Tudur Griffiths taking the class win.
RESULTS