Mini Cup/Cat 1 Report. Dixies Rd1
Mini Cup/Cat 1 Report. Dixies Rd1
Pitstop Garage Dixies Challenge was the opening round of both the Mini and Cat 1 Cups for the 2025
Championships and after discussions with the organisers after last year we were given the opportunity to early entries.
In the event the organisers were that inundated with contenders from the various championships the
entry filled within the first few hours of release which led to some difficult decisions by the
organisers.
Only one Mini crew failed to make the cut but in his own words Harvey Stevens admitted “that was
my own fault”.
The rally started with an impressive nine Mini and four Cat 1 registered crews and would be great to
report that they were all counted out and back in accordingly……this was not to be the case!
Last years Mini Cup winners, Clive King & Anton Bird were the first to withdraw with an output shaŌ
problem on SS3 leaving the gate open for others to pick up points.
It was great to see the return of Eric Davis and Russell Joseph given Erics problems of last season but
unfortunately, they too recorded a DNF when the distributor parted company with the rest of car on
SS4.
Stuart Hart lost oil pressure when the oil also parted company with the block on SS2. The service
area was a flurry of activity as the valiant crew begged and borrowed some bits and pieces to carry
on. A replacement oil filter housing gasket was fashioned from the cardboard folder that previously
held the co-driver’s paperwork but all went black on the following stage as the Manilla Folders
cardboard wasn’t up to job.
These retirements certainly spurred the others on as early Mini leader Ryan Taylor with new co-
driver Catrin Price capitalised by coming in just under a minute ahead of local crew Don Pryce & Don
James.
Taylor & Price Lead the Way Photo: Brooke Evans
Giving it their all Andrew O’Hanlon & Kevin Hogan couldn’t quite match the pace in their Mini but did
take second place in H2.
The Taylor family’s second crew of father Paul co-driven by daughter Jemma weren’t quite able to
overhaul Ryan & Catrin for family bragging rights.
The other local Mini crew of Thomas Welsby & Rhys Jones were struggling for pace after a recent
engine replacement following an interesƟng rally at Pembrey but they too weren’t expecƟng the
gearsƟck pin to snap on SS5 and in Thomas’ words “we’d have been ok if it hadn’t snapped when in
fourth!”.
They took a maximum on both SS5 & 6 whilst the problem was resolved in service but were sƟll able
to cross the finish line to qualify as a finisher.
Moving onto the Cat 1 Championship the Scotland based TR4 crew of Stephen Hall & Aggie Foster
stopped looking in the rear-view mirror too intently when the King/Bird Mini pulled up and
concentrated on ploughing their own furrow with a trouble-free run winning the H1 class and a very
creditable twenty-fourth overall.
Not sure what it is with Cat 1 contenders but it seems that most of them are island inhabitants as the
newbie pilot of Ian Jones hails from the Isle of Wight, at least co-driver Bryn Pierce is a Welshman.
The AusƟn Healy 3000 certainly turned some heads and a very popular addiƟon to the generally
“modern” rally cars. They started at 55 and finished at 56 with a third place in H1 so not bad for a
vehicle that out dates most of the spectators.
Eye Brow Raiser Healy Photo: Brooke Evans
But story of the rally must go to the “never-say-die” Mini and Cat 1 Crew of Shane Gamble & Julia
Perry.
On SS2 the universal joint sheared but was replaced in the service area with the assistance of the
registered but non-competng Harvey Stevens and Craig King doubling up as general factotums. A
couple of stages were missed whilst the repair was sorted and the intrepid Gamble and Perry Mini
made a return to the fray on SS5.
The clutch thrust bearing then decided that it too had had enough leading to another interesƟng
stage and a return to the service area some dejected faces.
Shane berated himself for not changing it earlier in the week and found a replacement in the van but
too little, too late.
Never Say Die!! Photo: Chris Phillips
