Rally Archive
Farrington Trophy Rally
Clwyd Vale Motor Club
29th/30th November 2025
Winners: Ian Lloyd/Cyril Jones (Ford Escort)
Photograph: © Joseph John Gilbertson
Organiser: Clwyd Vale Motor Club
Date: 29th/30th November 2025
Clerk of the Course: Gareth Williams & John Broadhurst
Route: 110 Miles (Map 116)
Base: Ruthin
Starters: 59
Clywd Vale Motor Club resurrected its Farrington Trophy Rally after a break of three years. Based at the Ruthin Cattle Market, the event offered competitors a challenging 110 mile route all within the confines of Map 116. Additionally, the lanes had been made more treacherous by heavy rain in the days and hours preceding the start.
A late withdrawal meant that 59 cars, rather than the capacity 60 car entry, started the event.
The first competitive section started near Pentre Llanrhaedr and ran for 25 miles, finishing at Groes. It contained five timing points, plus the finish control; there were also 14 PCs and nine Route Checks en route.
Everyone dropped time at TC1A; Alun Pierce Jones/Alun Hayward (Ford Escort) were best here, 23 seconds ahead of top seeds Gareth Wyn Jones/Ryan Griffiths (Ford Escort). The positions were reversed at the next dropper, which was TC1C near Cyffylliog, this left Jones/Griffiths with a one second lead as they attempted to tie up the ANWCC Championship, which they led.
This title challenge was given impetus when their nearest rivals Heath Griffiths/Dylan Griffiths (BMW 318Ti) retired with a broken rear shock absorber after just a few miles.
Roger Albert Clark Rally winner Dale Furniss also had a short event; he was navigating for Chris Tank Young when the heater matrix of their Nova failed and doused the pair's feet with water. Hywel Davies/Eifion Pughe didn't get much further before their Escort collided with a salt bin and then a tree.
After a loop down to the top end of Clocaenog Forest, the section ended with a tight segment in the lanes north of Nantglyn. Again, everyone was late at the finish control. By this point Jones/Griffiths were six seconds ahead of Pierce Jones/Hayward, while Zak Hughes/Robbie Pugh (Ford Escort), who had been quickest to SF1, were in third.
The second section was as demanding as the first. Like the opening test it was 25 miles in length, but had six timing points plus the finish control. The leading crews were caught at three TCs, including the first, which was at Tan-y-Fron. Ian Lloyd/Cyril Jones (Ford Escort), who were in fourth place, were best here, while Pierce Jones/Hayward took three seconds back on Jones/Griffiths.
Hughes/Pugh cleaned TC2C, where everyone else was late, but then dropped 54 seconds at TC2D, where their rivals were on time; this allowed Lloyd/Jones to take third place from them. Pierce Jones/Hayward had moved to within two seconds of the leaders, when they booked in four seconds early at TC2D; with double penalties for early arrival, this added eight seconds to their total.
All were late at TC2E, which was at Tyn-y-bedw, was the last dropper before the petrol halt; the break was taken at Junction 31 of the A55. At this point it appeared that Jones/Griffiths held a 30 second lead, however it was found that they had failed to get counter signatures for two route checks, this gave them two fails. The pair withdrew.
Lloyd/Jones now found themselves in the lead, 15 seconds ahead of Hughes/Pugh, who had been fastest at TC2E. Pierce Jones/Hayward were in third place, two seconds behind Hughes/Pugh. This trio were almost two minutes ahead of the remainder of the field.
There was a tight battle for fourth place with Gerallt Williams/Osian Richards (Ford Escort) just a second ahead of Robyn Jones/Aron Jones (Ford Escort). The latter crew were to retire on the next section after their car suffered a failed clutch.
There were three sections in the second half; none of these were as long as the opening two sections and, in the main, were less intricate. The beginning of the fourth section was lost as the course cars found a sodden track too difficult to tackle.
Lloyd/Jones extended their lead by 13 seconds as they were quickest at SF3, then they were also 14 seconds ahead at TC4C, which ran over Moel Arthur. This extended their advantage over their pursuers to 42 seconds. They gained further as Hughes/Pugh booked in 12 seconds early at the cleanable TC4D. In addition, Pierce Jones/Hayward had a throttle cable break on the approach to the same control and they lost four minutes as they fixed the problem. The pair then booked in a minute early at the following control. They eventually finished in eleventh place.
In the lead battle Lloyd/Jones were once again quickest over the final section, which looped to the south-west of Ruthin. This meant that they came home with a victory margin of over a minute and a half, giving them their fourth Farrington Trophy win after their 2005, 2008 and 2017 successes.
Hughes/Pugh took the runner up spot, finishing almost exactly equidistance between the winners and third placed Howard Price/Carl Williamson (Ford Escort), the 2002 multiple champions making a strong finish in their first outing together for some time.
Gerallt Williams/Osian Richards were fastest of all crews to SF5, but just failed to catch Chris Farrell/Phil Savage (Ford Escort) for fourth place.
Elgan Morris/Glyn Aled Jones (Vauxhall Nova) had led the Semi-Expert Class throughout and finished over two minutes, but only one place, ahead of second placed Geraint Bowness/Huw Evans (Toyota Corolla).
Three Novice crews finished fail free and it was Andrew Roberts/Stuart Frost (BMW 318Ti) who secured a five minute win in the category.
RESULTS
- Overall Positions
- Award Winners
- Class Positions
- Time Penalty Details
- Fail Penalties
- Overall Positions at Petrol
- Non-Finishers
- List of Starters