Waters Takes Midway Challenge Lead
Cooper Fights His Way to Victory
The hottest day in the history of Carmarthen Motor Club’s event, greeted competitors at the Pembrey Motorsport Centre, with the heat taking its toll, on crews, engines and tyres.
Thomas Cooper / Paul Williams (pictured right) got off to a slow start on the first two Stages, with the Fiesta R5 set up used the previous weekend on Epynt not suiting the conditions. New tyres put them back in contention but the heat generated was so high that a Pirelli representative recommended letting out the hot air and to re-inflate them. An incredible charge on the final Stage widened the gap to seven seconds from Nigel Gibbard, and a well earned victory.
Begelly’s Layton Waters (pictured left) needed a Class Podium position to ensure that he emerged on top of the current midway challenge leaderboard, eventually taking 3rd and almost a minute ahead of his nearest Class rival.
In the Co-drivers category, Junior Contenders remain prominent with four under 25’s lying in the current Top 7. Robbie Sandford’s 4th with Max Jones sees him take the Junior Lead and second overall, just 2 points behind the leader, Forest of Dean’s Colin Jenkins. Also with a 4th in Class and finishing 7th Overall in the Porsche 911 with David Chislett was Brecon M.C’s Sam Weller (pictured below right), which has elevated him to third in the Junior Title Race.
Richard Merriman and Kath Curzon (pictured below left) were the second Darrian crew home with 4th Overall and 2nd in their Class. Also in a Darrian was Chris Gifford (pictured below right) on his second event in the ex Russell Davies car, with Russell on hand with some words of wisdom! Chris stated that it was a steep learning curve after being used to his less powerful front wheel drive Peugeot 205. One Stage where he admitted to trying out a different driving technique lost the crew about 30 seconds and with five crews separated by just 27 seconds at the end, a Top 10 finish in future is well within his and son Cieran’s reach.
Hard luck story of the day must go to Neil Spain (pictured right) who was well on course for the best finish of his rallying career with a Top 5 finish on the cards. Unfortunately, his and co-driver Kevin Jones rally ended with propshaft failure on the Hirefit Escort Mk.2.
Photos courtesy of Mike Frayne
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