The Team In Action At Mewla

Stages: 10 – Starters: 120– Finishers: 81

The military road network high on Epynt in the Brecon Beacons is synonymous with super fast stages, unpredictable weather, unforgiving “offs” and last stage heartache! This years Event Signs Mewla Rally boasted all of this and much more.

Mark II Motorsport was returning to this most challenging of venues after nearly a decade’s absence. The latest round of the BTRDA National Asphalt Championship attracted an extremely high quality field, as it was a round of the MSA Asphalt Rally Series as well. This translated in to a top 20 comprising wall-to-wall WRC cars and a seeding for Mark II of just 32 from a full field.

“We should beat our seeding,” said driver Welch. ”This place is not for the fainthearted, but if you keep it clean and steady, you normally get a result”. The result the team was looking for was more points towards the championship and a finish in the top 15 overall. Co driven again by Andy Wynn, Welch summed up the approach to the rally. “We’ll keep it tidy and in one piece, I don’t expect to beat the local crew of Chris Jones/Richard Williams in the Focus, but we do need to beat our other rivals Gary Le Coadou and Paul Hollingham in the Celica”.

The day of the event dawned wet and gloomy, conditions that normally suit Mark II. However, Welch and Wynn’s first stage was not going to set the world alight. “We were way too cautious said Wynn”. SS2, which incorporated the infamous Deer’s Leap, Devils Leap and the Burma Road, was better. By the team got into its stride on the 11 mile SS3, Jones had already pulled out a 16 second lead. With the weather still intermittent with showers at one end of the ranges and scorching sunshine at the other, tyres were proving a big headache.

When the teams Escort Cosworth arrived at first service, the decision was taken to leave the intermediate tyres on. This had a risk attached, as it was the only set the team had brought along and if the surface of the stages dried, they’d be wrecked in no time!

The second loop of stages was a re-run of the first and the team got well and truly going. By the time they returned to service, the gap to Jones was down to just 6 seconds after 37 stage miles. Le Coadou was dropping back so the maximum points would be a scrap between the Cosworth and the Focus.

SS7 was the longest stage so far in the event, nearly 16 miles long. Rain started to fall as Mark II left the start line and after a short distance entering the German Village, they were slowed as the car in front, a Mitsubishi driven by Robert Tout, ran head on into the side of an army-training house. This merely underlined the treacherous conditions. Then mid stage, the team were slowed again by spectators flagging them down after another incident “I don’t know who was off, but they were so far off, we couldn’t even see them” reported Wynn.

By the end of the adventurous SS7, Welch had slipped 11 seconds further back from Jones. “I don’t think we can catch them without taking huge risks” said Welch, “we’ll try and bag some points and keep the car in one piece”.

With the ranges drying out fast but the threat of further rain still constant, Welch left the intermediate tyres on for the last 3 stages. This turned out to be a tactical error as the final 20-mile stage was bone dry and really required slicks. “I don’t think we’d have caught Jones, but we would have been a whole lot closer” said Wynn. “The tyre error cost us at least 30 seconds in the end and 2 places”.

However, the team weren’t too disappointed. 13th place overall, 3rd in class and second in the championship was a reasonable haul after a very long day. Damian Cole in a Hyundai Accent WRC won the event. Going into the final stage, Cole was a few seconds behind long time rally leader John Dalton in a Darian GT90, but Dalton came to grief just a few miles from the finish.

In second was WRC competitor Gareth Jones in a Subaru WRC S12B and 3rd was Steve Simpson in another Hyundai Accent WRC.

As for Jones, he finished 10th, 3 places ahead of Mark II and Le Coadou/Hollingham 30th after drama on the final stage as well as some time penalties for being later out of service.

With 2 more rounds of the championship left and with both Jones and Le Coadou now having to drop points as they’ve scored on 4 of the 6 events, Mark II could take a stranglehold on the title at the next round, The Patriot Stages in Caerwent, Chepstow on 28th September. That is of course, providing they finish and finish well!

More news soon.

Mark II Motorsport would like to thank all of its sponsors, Rally Gallery for the excellent photos and Bruce and Dan, the faithful service crew.

Mark II Motorsport Would Like To Thank Their Sponsors :-

Posted 7th September 2008