Matthew Hirst’s record-breaking fourth Pirelli Welsh Championship

Matthew Hirst put his hopes of a record-breaking fourth Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship title right back on track after a dominant performance on the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally (Saturday 26 October).

Co-driven by Declan Dear, the Doncaster driver shot out of the blocks in his Delta Salvage/Witham Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5 with incredible speed, setting a time 21.6 seconds faster than his nearest Pirelli Welsh rival on the opening Elsi stage.

By the time he’d reached midday service after four stages, Matthew’s Pirelli Welsh lead was over a minute – despite clipping a bale in Alwen (SS4) and damaging a front wing.

The masterclass continued in the afternoon, as Matthew eased off on the final stage to make sure of a Cambrian Rally Interclub Rally win and maximum Pirelli Welsh points.

“It was a relatively relaxed day with no drama, except for clipping a bale in Alwen,” said Matthew.

“We showed respectable pace against the British Rally Championship crews who reeced the stages beforehand, and we came away with maximum Pirelli Welsh Championship points. It’s now all to play for on the Wyedean Rally in a couple of weeks.”

Russ Thompson/Stephen Link never put a foot wrong in their GPM/PD Extinguishers/The Inn Collection Mitsubishi Evo 9 and were best placed to pounce should Matthew make a mistake. They finished the event with a fastest stage time (Interclub section) to pick up second-place Pirelli Welsh points, 1min 52.5secs behind. They also move into the lead of the series – but only by three points and thanks to the scores to drop rule.

Iwan Roberts Jnr completed the overall Pirelli Welsh podium after a tremendous run in his Roberts of Ffestiniog Ford Escort G3. The top-placed 2WD driver was on sensational form, outpacing a number of his 4WD rivals with some typically brave and skilful driving. The result gives Daniel Jones the 2WD co-drivers’ title.

David Tomlin scored a season-best fourth-placed Pirelli Welsh finish. He and co-driver Keith Ashley had a scare in the morning when their Axon Fiesta R5’s water temperature hit the roof and they had to free wheel down hills, but they survived to score an excellent result.

Despite picking up an early puncture, Wug and Max Utting had another good run in their Geoff Jones Motorsport-prepared Subaru Impreza N12b. Thanks to a sixth-place points finish, the Surrey driver moves up to sixth in the overall standings.

James Giddings/Aled Davies arrived in Llandudno leading the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship, albeit aware of a head gasket issue which they had, for the last few rallies, been able to manage. Unfortunately, the water temperature soon hit 124°C and they had to retire their Fordpad/Enva/Sar Metals Mitsubishi Evo 9 to save the engine. Thanks to this, they’ve dropped to third in the standings.

Colin Minton/Tom Törngren didn’t get too far either, retiring their Ignition Motorsport-prepared Tutts Clump Fiesta R5 on SS2.

Colin Griffiths/Marc Morgan struggled to get into a groove and went off into a field on the first pass through Brenig (SS3). Things didn’t improve after lunch, and they went off for good in Clocaenog 2.

SS5 also claimed Adam Durston-Hillyer/Chris Davies (Saulire PC Rally Team/MacWhirter Motorsport Mitsubishi Evo 9) together with last year’s Welsh Challenge champions Martyn Andrews/Steve Greenhill, who lost power in their Opie Oils Subaru Impreza STi N12.

Robert Gough/Jez Rogers overcame early steering and brake issues to win the Historic class W9 in their Escort Mk2. It wasn’t enough however to deny the absent Rudi Lancaster/Guy Weaver the class title, after a wonderful season in their Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks Escort RS18000 Mk2.

Gareth Bevan/Craig Nelson won class W8 and took home ninth-placed overall Pirelli Welsh points after a fabulous run in their Escort. Gary Smith/Clive Jones just missed out on a top 10 themselves in their Escort RS1600 Mk1, but second on the day keeps them in the lead of the class with it all to play for on the final round.

The top three finishers in each Historic class at the end of the season will be put forward for the David Stokes Historic Challenge award for drivers and the Guy Weaver award for co-drivers.

Lewis Hooper has won the OnThePaceNote / Restruct Welsh Junior title. Co-driven by Rhys Edwards, he had to settle for second in class on the day after fuel surge issues in his Hooper Sport Fiesta R2 – but that made little difference as he wrapped up the U25 and class W4 trophies. Lewis also leads the 57 Tyres Welsh Challenge and Hockly Motorsport 2WD category!

Sam Mason won the Junior class on the Cambrian, and took home an impressive eighth-place overall points finish, after he and co-driver James Seymour excelled in their SM Autocare Ford Fiesta. Meanwhile Luke Watts (co-driven by Mark Twiname) came home third to remain third in the points table, despite differential problems in his Ian Watts & Son/NJ Auto Repairs MG ZR.

Geoff Phelps/Colin Jenkins picked up an early puncture, but worse was to follow when they hit a massive rock lying in the middle of the road. It launched their Hartpury Farms/Sparkrite Escort Mk2 up into the air – damaging the prop shaft, sump guard, cross member and steering rack and causing instant retirement. The DNF was costly, as it sees the Gloucester driver lose the lead in 2WD and the Welsh Challenge, although Geoff still leads class W11.

There were plenty of other top 2WD retirees, including Andrew and Jaime-Lee Fox (Xwatch Safety Solutions BMW 325), Gareth Humphreys/Adam Burkill (Mini Cooper S), Wyn Hughes/David Davies (Escort MNk2) and Greg Mills/Andrew Sankey who had 1.6-litre Toyota engine problems in their Lake Vyrnwy Hotel Escort Mk2.

Those that made it to the finish included Dan Chester/Steven Davey (despite handbrake issues in their Dan’s Action Vehicles BMW E30) and Simon Millington/Sam Kelter (Escort Mk2).

Michael Jenkins/Jordan Joines won class W10 in their Tutts Clump Fiesta R2 and are now just 15 points behind Martin Walters/Marie Fletcher after the defending class champions recorded a rare retirement in their Digger Parts Direct Honda Civic.

Ashley Francis Adams/Mark Ammonds have won the W2 title after a remarkable run in their PRC Cleaning/JFB Msport/Colliers MOT Nissan Micra. The young Blaina driver also took home seventh-placed overall points and finished second in the 2WD category – against much more powerful opposition.

The live streaming coverage from the Cambrian Rally remains available to view on the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship and Special Stage TV Facebook and YouTubepages.

The final round of the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship is the Wyedean Rally on Saturday 16 November.

During the 2024 season, the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship will be raising awareness of its official charity partner The Osborne Trust.

For details about the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship please visit: wnrc.wamc.org.uk.