A change of surface for the next round of the West Wales Rally Spares Stage Masters Challenge and some new faces joining us for the first time as well as some of our seasoned regulars. The rally is also the first round of the Metric Services (Leicester) Ltd. Asphalt Cup. The Dixies Challenge Rally is held on the infamous Epynt military ranges but this event just uses the southern end of the range to run a number of short sharp tests where precision and neatness pays dividends. There is not a recce so everyone will go into it without being able to check pace notes but it is the same for everyone.

Top Challenge seeds and expected to be rapid are Seb Ling and Aled Rees who will bring their immaculate tarmac specification Ford Escort RS1800 to the stages. Equally immaculate will be the similar car of John Morgan and Llinos Jones Edwards who also know the ranges well but John has only recently got married (not to Llinos!) and may well have been distracted by the greatness of the occasion! Congratulations from the HRCR to John and Amanda and the best of luck for the future.

Mike Simpson is quietly amassing points and he has Ian Jones with him this weekend, the Malvern Farmer will be hoping that he can pilot them both to a decent finish after previous decent results on the ranges.

 

Above: Mike Simpson

Dave Hopkins and Siobhan Pugh will be hoping to keep their noses clean and score more points in their quest for Challenge glory, their Mk1 Escort RS1600 will be prepared to tarmac specification with nothing but a good result on their minds. Roger Holder will be joining us with a recently acquired RS1800 too and will no doubt be looking to take advantage of his new found power with the experienced but un-registered Shaun Layland in the hot seat. Paul Holmes and Liz Beesley are back on Epynt for the first time in many years and will staying safe in their RS2000 as they will probably make the trip north to Argyll in June.

We have a couple of Minis signed up too and Eric Davis will lead Craig King away on Sunday morning, partnered by Russell Joseph and Kevin Hogan respectively. Rounding out our contenders is Steve Powell in his Hillman Avenger who brings some welcome variety to  the stages.

Above: Steve Powell