Tough rally challenge attracts huge entry
ALMOST 150 registrations have been made for the TCS Plant Rally Challenge, the series promoted by Maesteg and District Motor Club.
The next round of the championship is the Nicky Grist Stages and the TCS series contenders will be joined by competitors in the Bowler Defender Rally Series.
Team principal Dave Marsh, who oversees the Bowler Defender series, said: “I spoke with the Maesteg and District Motor Club promoters on the Rallynuts Stages Rally in Builth Wells on the second round of their championship.
“They advised that their aim was to raise the profile of Wales Air Ambulance and we are pleased to again be associated with the charity on the Nicky Grist Stages.”
The Defender team uses vehicles prepared and run by Bowler, the 2024 competition beginning in Walters Arena above Glynneath in March.
The aim of the series is to allow relative newcomers to the motorsport world to gain experience and get an international competition licence, which allows moving to the International series also organised by the Bowler Defender team.
Boyzone singer Shane Lynch is among the contenders on the British series.
Round three of the 2024 Defender Rally Series UK Championship was at the Scottish Summer Hill Rally at Thirlestane Castle, where just six seconds separated first and second after two days of competition.
First-time competitor, Finland’s Ismo Leikola, took victory.
Mark Thomas and co-driver Phil Mackay remain top of the standings, with Nathan Burrell and codrivers Rob Morris and Matt Kirby tied for second with Denis Ferry and co-drivers Phillip Gillespie and Richard Mills.
In the TCS Plant MDMC Championship, the next round of the Rally Challenge is the Bob Shaw Memorial Stages on July 6 at Brawdy in West Wales.
At the Nicky Grist event, Matthew Jackson – the 2022 Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship R2 champion – will drive the Bowler Defender Zero Car to open the course on Saturday, July 13.
The 32-year-old driver’s rallying experience has been called upon in recent years to give Bowler Defender Challenge driver tuition and special off-road driving experience days.
Nine Bowler 90s will be entered on the rally. Jackson has contested the Nicky Grist Stages six times and in the process of building a new rally car, he will undertake this safety role for the Quinton Motor Club organisers.
This year’s Nicky Grist Stages will be something of a family affair for Jackson, as his father Tony drives the Motorsport UK Safety Delegate Kevin Dawson on the route in another Bowler Defender.
His brother Jonathan co-drives for Meirion Evans in a Castrol Melvyn Evans Motorsport Rally Team Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
Matthew Jackson will be accompanied in the zero car by Paul Morris, who won the BTRDA Silver Star section on the 2023 Nicky Grist Stages with Robert Gough in a Ford Escort Mk2, and also won the BTRDA Bronze Star award with Steve Black in a Suzuki Swift in 2021.
He finished second overall on the event in 2008 co-driving for Damian Cole in his Hyundai Accent WRC3, so has vast experience of the event.
Morris is also the co-ordinator of the Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship, the Port Talbot MC Nigel Ferguson Fabricators Tour of Epynt being round six. It has been moved to the weekend of July 20-21 from August 3-4 because of an increase in military activities on the Epynt ranges.
Jackson said: “I haven’t contested a rally since winning the Welsh R2 title in 2022 as the new Micra Kit Car I’m currently building is taking longer than planned.
“So I’m looking forward to getting out on the Mid Wales forests.
“It’s quite a responsibility driving the zero car. There is a lot going on, as I’ll have the organisers’ radio plugged into the intercom as well as listening to the route instructions.
“But it’s nice to do something for the event and to give something back to rallying.
“Since I sold my Fiesta R2T I’ve done more rally miles in a Bowler Defender than any other rally car.
“I’ve done a fair bit of driver tuition and given media and guests rides and it’s a fun vehicle to drive.
“I’m also looking forward to teaming up with Paul Morris. I’ve known him a long time and this is the first time we’ve sat in a rally car together.
“With my father Tony driving the safety delegate around and my brother Jonathan competing, it’s going to be a fun Jackson family day out.”
Swansea Bus Museum and Transport Heritage Centre brought the wider world of motoring splendour to the city, amassing a glittering array of the best and rarest cars in the region.
They were on display in the main hall and in the sunshine of the museum grounds.
Given the other attractions taking place in the area, visitor attendance was encouraging for the volunteer team who have kept the unique Transport Heritage collection available for public viewing for many years.
The ‘motormania’ display included what must be one of the rarest Austin 7 Mini models, still pristine despite being 64 years old with an 850cc engine.
There was also the huge – and winner of the Best in Show award – fully restored 1937 Ford Roadster Pic Up, with a glittering Chevrolet 5.7-litre engine.
The Ford was obtained from Bristol in 2006 in a poor state, with no engine and no rear body or roof.
But after a 10-year rebuild by its Bridgend owner, who re-bodied the Roadster, built a bespoke load space at the rear, a Chevy engine at the front and a soft-top roof, the car lives on.
Other stars were the Nissan Skyline, Nissan 350 Drift Car, Mazda RX8 and a rare TVR Griffith.
There were competition cars including the Audi Quattro and Ford Escort Mk2, plus gleaming Ford Capris.
And the Morris Thousands – in saloon and van mode – also made an appearance.