The Cambrian Rally, the second round of the 2025 Welsh Road Rally Championship, was the first time that Tregaron & District Motor Club had contributed a counter for the series.
The organisers had laid out a 100 mile route based on Pontrhydfendigaid, preceded by a two-mile test at the nearby Mid Wales Activity Centre.
Familiar with the test venue, Ieuan Evans and navigator Michael Gilbey stopped the clock three seconds ahead of Evans’ previous best, eight seconds ahead of their nearest challengers.
Iwan Jones/Dafydd Sion Lloyd were second quickest, two seconds ahead of Arwel Hughes Jones/Dylan John Williams. The latter crew were not to get much further, retiring before Petrol with a failed clutch.
Lewis Morgan/Marc Hughes went into a ditch at the Quarry, damaging their front quarter, completing the test in ninth place. Max Hughes/Jamie Mills added a minute to their time when they failed to stop astride at a control at the top of the hill. They retired early on in the road section when a drive shaft broke.
Following assembly of the whole field at Teifi Lakes, Evans/Gilbey reinforced their lead on the first section, three seconds ahead of reigning Welsh Champions George Williams/Cadog Davies.
Everyone dropped time on the second section, through the Rhiwlas Mine loop to the south-east of Ysbyty Ystwyth. Morgan/Hughes were fastest and moved into second place. Andy Davies/Eurig Davies also went well over the section, moving up to fourth overall, just behind Williams/Davies. Less fortunate were Richard Jerman/Alan James who picked up a puncture and dropped 30 seconds.
Edging the Ystwyth Forest, Morgan/Hughes had their second off of the night, blocking the road for a number of following cars. This led to the penalties for the section being scrubbed - fortunately for Morgan/Hughes, who had lost several minutes in the incident.
All the leaders lost time on the run down the deceptive lane through Brynchwith. Evans/Gilbey extended their lead to 12 seconds over Morgan/Hughes, however on the next section, which used the wooden bridge and Goytre roads, the latter crew moved into a lead of seven seconds over Davies/Davies, with Evans/Gilbey dropping to third.
Evans/Gilbey, Williams/Davies and Jones/Lloyd cleaned a short, tricky section that started at Bronnant, while Morgan/Hughes dropped 32 seconds.
At Petrol (Stag’s Head) Evans/Gilbey were once again in front, 21 seconds ahead of Davies/Davies, with Morgan/Hughes two seconds further back, Williams/Davies 12 seconds more, while Jones/Lloyd were another 31 seconds behind in fifth.
Sam Woodcock/Mark Rodway had been the fastest Expert crew over the test by one second from Joshua Davies/Trystan Leyshon; neither of these made it to the halfway halt, Woodcock/Rodway going out after picking up a third puncture, when they were only carrying two spares. The class was now led by Gareth Wyn Jones/Ryan Griffiths, who went on to take the class award, by almost two minutes, at the finish.
Leading Semi-Experts Arwyn Jones/Matthew Pryce fell behind Phillip Jenkins/Lewis Jenkins who held the class lead to the end.
Connah Urquhart/Iwan Twigg led the Novice Class at Petrol, but they were passed by test class winners Selwyn Lodwig Jones/Gwenno Mair Griffiths in the second half.
A demanding section through farm tracks at Gelligarneddau saw a number of crews go wrong, led astray by an enticing open gate. This dropped Williams/Davies to fifth behind Jones/Lloyd.
Evans/Gilbey lost only seven seconds on the Trefilan section, allowing them to hang on and take the win. Their victory margin at the Finish was 14 seconds over Davies/Davies, with Morgan/Hughes just two seconds further back.
After their costly visit to a field, Williams/Davies finished in fifth, but now held a healthy lead in the Welsh Championship. Of the leading contenders, they were the only ones to have top finishes on both the Cambrian and Round One, the JJ Brown.
Original Report: K M Baker