Yesterday saw the start of the epic five-day Roger Albert Clark Rally with 165 historic cars based in the Carmarthen Showground as the cars went through scrutineering and document checks.

The town centre’s Guildhall square was the place to be last night to see the cars up close along with their drivers and co-drivers as they headed over the start line.

Car 1 was Martin McCormack in a Ford Escort with the No2 car being run by Meirion Evans from near NC Emlyn with Evans having secured top World Rally Championship driver Kris Meeke to be behind the wheel of the Wales Motorsport prepared Ford Escort Mk2.

Other interesting cars to look out for included probably the best sounding car on the rally, the Lancia Stratos driven by Seb Perez seeded at No 15. 

With a total off 33 forest stages totalling some 350 miles where the cars will be timed as they race flat out for victory, it will also be an endurance test as the cars and crews have to last five days of rallying.

This morning (Thursday) the crews leave the Carmarthen show ground and head to the first of the forest stages in Crychan near Llandovery.

Car No3 is driven by another WRC star, Oliver Solberg, the historic Mk2 Escort will no doubt be on the limits in the Welsh forests that his father Petter drove through some 20 years ago and where he was crowned World Champion along with Welsh co-driver Phil Mills who’s Viking Motorsport company will be running the Escort on the RAC this week.

Other stages include Cefn near Llandovery and Walters Arena near Glyneath for spectators to watch the cars.

The Friday stages again begin near Llandovery with Esger Berfedd in the Crychan forest before they move to stages just east of Aberystwyth at Myherin and Sweet Lamb / Hafren for the remainder of the day.

Then it's the long trip up to the new event based at Carlisle for the rest of the rally, with three days of racing in the Kielder forests as well as the iconic stages near Dumfries some not used for many years.

Also a bonus for the Lampeter residents, the cars will travel through the town on Friday morning at an approximate time of 10am as they head up Tregaron way to Myherin after completing the Esgair Berfedd stage near Llandovery.

Monday will see the last of the stages with the final stage being a monster 39 mile long stage in Pundershaw Kielder. It will be the longest gravel stage for 40 years in UK rallying history where the event can certainly be be won or lost so easily with the slightest mistake.

Welsh crews listed on the entry include No 4 Osian Price / Rhodri Evans; No5 Jason Pritchard / Phil Clarke; No 7 co-driver Patrick Walsh Aberystwyth; No23 Dai Roberts co-driver Pontyberem; No24 Gareth James H-west; No32 Ian Taylor co-driver Carmarthen; No38 Arwel Jenkins; No 41 Marc Crisp; No 46 Dyfrig James and Emyr Jones, Llandysul; No 47 Ieuan Evans / Dafydd Evans, Lampeter; No 59 Neil James / Kevin Jones, Ammanford; No 82 Adrian Young / Gwynfor Jones, Llandysul; No 84 Geraint Davies / Eurig Davies, NC Emlyn; No 88 Mike Roberts / Ken Bowman, Carmarthen; No 102 Co-driver Ryland James, St Clears; No 114 Lyn Jones / Aled Richards, Lampeter; No 148 Wyn spot Hughes / Dai Tow,y Penygroes;  No 158 Wyn Jones / Martin Davies, Carmarthen.

Thursday Stages

SS1 Crychan 1- 09.24

SS2 Cefin 1 - 09.51

SS3 Walters Arena 1 12.23

SS5 Crychan 2 - 14.16

SS6 Cefin 2 - 14.43

SS7 Walters Arena 2 - 16.30

Friday Stages

SS8 Esgair Berfedd 08.54

SS9 Myherin 1 - 11.09

SS10 Sweet Lamb / Hafren 1 - 12.57

SS11 Hafren South 1 - 13.32

SS12 Myherin 2 - 15.06

SS13 Sweet Lamb / Hafren 2 - 16.34

SS14 Hafren South 2 - 17.09