News

Machynlleth based Huw Jones, a motor vehicle technician by trade, ended the 2007 season on a high when he finished fourth in class on the Bulldog Rally last weekend, clinching the runner up spot in the Welsh Clubman championship despite only contesting a handful of events.

Huw, who was co-driven once more by Cambrian News reporter Lowri Davies in the H.G Jones backed MG ZR, was a last minute entry on the event after struggling to find the budget. However once they reached stage 1 it was business as usual. Although the conditions were slippery Huw pushed relatively hard but struggled with his concentration due to so many cars crashed off in the undergrowth. Despite this the pair made good time throughout the day, only loosing a bit of time with a couple of moments through the high speed Dyfi stage.

The Bulldog went really well for Lowri and I. We had no major dramas but it was hard to push when you kept seeing OK boards from cars that had gone off ahead of you. There was a lot of carnage on this event! Lowri has improved as a co-driver so much this year and I hope she stays in rallying.

Meanwhile Lowri, the niece of renowned co-driver Howard Davies, has admitted that she is hooked. I am really enjoying co-driving. I found the Bulldog more challenging than other rallies I’ve done. I’m not sure of my plans for 2008 but I’d definitely like to carry on competing.

With fourth in class enough to guarantee Huw the runner up class position in the championship he has now decided to take a break from rallying and instead will focus his efforts on motor cross.

Championship Lead For Humphreys After Manx Thriller

Rally Isle of Man 19^th – 21^st July 2007

Wyn Humphreys and Ally Mackay have become one of the only crews ever to lead the British Rally Championship during their first attempt at the series, after a superb result on this weekend’s Rally

Isle of Man. The welsh and Scottish pairing guided their Stobart TEG Sport Subaru Impreza expertly around the Manx lanes to earn themselves a podium position on one of rallying’s most prestigious events by the narrowest of margins. Going into the 22^nd, and final stage of the marathon event Humphreys was 0.2 seconds behind Rob Swan and a large crowd had gathered at the TT Grandstand to see the crews cross the finish line of the last stage. The last mile or so of the stage used the Classic TT course and as the green and white machine emerged from Governors Bridge they were dead level with Rob Swan’s time. The large clock on the final straight displayed the time and the crowd watched with anticipation while cheering the crew over the line. The clock stopped at 10.29.20, a mere 0.8 seconds quicker than Swan, meaning the final podium spot belonged to Humphreys by just 0.6 seconds! A huge cheer echoed around the grandstand for the new BRC leaders!

Wyn Humphreys at the finish ramp : “I just cant believe it! After our result on the Pirelli we didn’t think we would better that and here we are on the podium in only our third international event alongside two of the biggest names in rallying, Guy Wilks & Gwyndaf Evans. After nearly 650 miles in the rally car and 700 miles recce it is unbelievable that it has come down to just point six of a second! It’s a shame someone has to lose out in such a close battle, Rob (Swan) drove superbly all weekend and it is great that both of us made it to the finish. To be leading the championship overall is fantastic for us and the team, we can’t wait until Ulster now!”

Ally Mackay : “At the final control we still didn’t know if we had done enough. Wyn and I were franticly asking the marshals for Rob’s time and when they told us, the relief and joy was unbelievable. During the recce we didn’t bother going over the corners round the triangle at the grandstand because we thought it was so tight and being the final corner of the final stage we wouldn’t be taking any risks. Little did we know that that corner would prove so crucial! Getting onto the podium and leading the championship is just the icing on the cake for us and the team after a fantastic week, the guys at TEG Sport have been amazing!”

The team arrived on the Isle of Man on Tuesday and after a long recce took to the first stage round Castletown on Thursday evening. Three runs round the town and a ten miler near St Marks faced the crews before the overnight halt. For Humphreys, a solid start setting 11^th fastest time on the ten mile stage and leaving him 15^th at the end of the first leg.

An early start on Friday morning for the teams and with changeable weather forecast the days eleven stages were a daunting prospect. The first three stages before service remained dry and Humphreys was gaining confidence with the car on the Pirelli slick tyres. “We are really happy with the set up of the car now and can start to push a bit more, we just hope it stays dry now!” Humphrey’s impressive pace gained him four places over the three stages and brought him back to the first service in 11^th position overall.

On the next pair of stages the young Welshman continued his charge but lost a little time on SS9 after sliding on a patch of water into a bank. Luckily for the crew the bank was quite soft and they escaped damage. Ally Mackay : “We had the corner well caution from the recce due to the water but even although we slowed, on slick tyres it was like ice! The car just under steered wide into the bank but we got away with it although we lost a little time due to dented confidence!”

Three more tests awaited the crews after the day’s second service and the weather was beginning to change. For Humphreys and Mackay they decided to go on full slicks after consulting with team mate Mark Higgins who knows the island better than most! Unfortunately for both team members this was to prove a turning point in the event as not more than a mile from the start of the next stage the heavens opened. Many of the other crews had opted for intermediate tyres so, not for the first time this year, damage limitation was the plan. Around half way through the stage Humphreys found team mate Mark Higgins off the road on a fast section as he fell fowl of the conditions. The crew decided to back right off after this as they did want to make the same mistake in the treacherous conditions. The next two stages were tackled in similar weather, costing the crew around two minutes to their rivals and meaning they were now just under a minute behind Rob Swan.

Due to a stage being cancelled, only two further tests faced the teams and the sole remaining Stobart TEG Sport car was on a charge again to make up time in the now drying conditions. Both tests were very technical stages which suited the Welshman and he set two amazing times, beating many of the much more powerful WRC cars.

Humphrey’s took 22 seconds of Rob Swan in just 7 miles bringing the gap down to 30 seconds at the overnight halt.

With all to play for on the final day of the event seven further tests faced the crews and Humphrey’s target was clear – get past Rob Swan! Ten seconds quicker on the first test was a great start but then a slight error on a tight hairpin bend round a bale slowed the charge a little but the crew were still two seconds up on Swan. Returning to service the gap was now down to just over 17 seconds.

A difficult tyre choice again for the next loop so there was a lot of debating in the Stobart TEG Sport camp. Mark Higgins had rejoined the event under Super Rally rules and he opted for intermediate tyres so Humphreys followed suit but took two slicks as spares to keep his options open. At the stage start it was completely dry so the crew had to quickly change the front tyres onto the slicks so as not to lose too much time. Humphreys : “We had an ok run through there but lost a little time with the intermediate tyres on the back making the car slide around a lot. It was good fun though – like driving an old escort again!” Around four miles from the end of the next stage, as the crew approached a tight hairpin left, the road surface suddenly changed for bone dry to soaking wet. The car locked up and over shot the junction meaning Humphreys had to reverse several times to get the car turned around. The remainder of the stage was again like driving on ice but never the less Humphreys continued his in roads on Swan, returning to the final service just 4.2 seconds behind.

Dry conditions were forecast for the final stages meaning that once again the Stobart TEG Sport cars went back onto the slick tyres. 3.2 seconds of Swan on the first test brought the gap down to just one second with two stages to go. A further 0.8 on the penultimate stage kept the pressure on leaving the smallest of gaps going into the last test. An anxious run through the final stage but Humphreys held his nerve and emerged just 0.6 seconds ahead of Swan, securing the podium spot and the championship lead.

At the finish Wyn’s dad Gareth said : “The boy done well! He has held his nerve and driven faultlessly all rally. We have not had to put a spanner near the car and this is one of the hardest rallies. This event was Wyn’s nineteenth rally in this car and he has finished all nineteen showing the superb reliability of the TEG Sport car.”

For the Stobart TEG Sport team a car on the podium at every event so far this year means they still lead the team challenge and will be hoping to continue their championship charge at the next event in Ulster , beginning on the 30^th August.

The Stobart TEG Sport team would like to thank Andy and Pip from the Inglewood hotel in Douglas for there superb hospitality throughout the event and making sure the whole team were suitably rested and fed. Their support over the week boosted the crew and created a real homely environment.