THE Epynt Motor Club DG Jones Agri Ltd Powys Lanes Road Rally took place on November 4/5 starting from Builth Wells, taking in the areas of Maesmynis, Gwenddwr, Erwood, Ffynnon Gynydd, Painscastle, Aberedw before returning to Builth for the halfway halt. It then moved on to Cilmery, Llanafan Fawr, Newbridge on Wye, Llandrindod Wells, Crossgates, Penybont, Franks Bridge and Howey before finishing, after 110 miles, back at the Royal Welsh Showground.

The rally was part of the Welsh Road Rally Championship, ASWMC and the ANWCC championships.

This was going to be a decider for the Welsh Championship in both the drivers and navigators championships with several contenders for the overall titles.

Overall winners were George Williams and Epynt MC member Jon Hawkins from Llandefalle, in their Ford Escort Mk2, strangely enough it is the third different red four door Escort to win the event bringing it to six wins out of seven on the event for that specific style of car.

Local knowledge helped Jon Hawkins guide George Williams around the area on George’s first attempt at the Powys Lanes.

The pair took a seemingly dominant win of 1m 26s over last years winners Kevin ‘Smiley’ Davies and Dale Bowen in a similar Ford Escort Mk2 after the latter crew made a wrong turn in the second half, this meant it is Jon Hawkins’ first road rally win and the first win on the event for an Epynt member in 34 years!

It was set to be a lot closer however Epynt MC driver Will Arrowsmith from Brecon with Derbyshire navigator Daniel Stone showed his Gremlin winning pace once again and challenged Williams/Hawkins until very late in the second half, being only five seconds down on the leading crew at the halfway halt and until the last section lay in second only eight seconds behind however issues dropped them 10 minutes and plummeted them down the leaderboard, the hopes of an Epynt MC 1-2 were dashed.

Knighton crew of Mark Lennox & Ian Beamond were third overall some 1 minute 17 seconds down on second place.

In the Welsh championship stakes Mark ‘GT’ Roberts partnered by Cadog Davies secured the drivers championship by finishing in sixth, three minutes off the lead but enough to win the title, in the navigators championship Dylan Jenkins won the overall title 30,000ft up a mountain whilst on holiday after his rivals failed to score enough, Michael Gilbey who was navigating for another previous winner Irfon Richards retired due to clutch failure and Dafydd-Sion Lloyd navigating for Steven John Williams failing to score enough points by finishing seventh.

Epynt MC member Brian Jones navigated by Richard ‘Tyson’ Morris in his Ford Escort Mk2 drove a consistent rally and despite ‘just going out for fun’ finished an excellent twelfth overall and picking up the Best Epynt MC Driver award.

Of the 82 starters, 57 reached the finish after a challenging route set to test the crews.

It is expected that once again Epynt MC have raised a significant amount for charity, this years being various schools along the route.

Epynt Motor Club would like to thank everyone for their assistance in the running of this year’s Powys Lanes Road Rally, our kind sponsor Gerwyn Jones of DG Jones Agri Ltd for once again supporting the event and to all the Householders, Landowners and Residents along the route for their support and co-operation and everybody else involved.

Full results and more information can be found at www.epyntmc.co.uk.

The next club event will be an autotest on the Epynt Ranges on Sunday, November 19 followed by a Christmas Treasure Hunt starting in Builth Wells on December 10.

New members are always welcome.