Tag Archives: Roughead

Cambrian Rally – Conwy County

Cambria is the Latinised form of the Welsh name Cymru from Old Welsh combrog and Proto-Brythonic word kom-brogos, meaning fellow countryman or compatriot, known to much of the rest of the world as Wales.

After studying Welsh rock strata in 1835 Adam Sedgwick named the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era the Cambrian period which characterised by the rapid diversification of lifeforms, known as the Cambrian explosion, some of which have been well preserved in the sedimentary rocks exposed in Wales.

Snowdon, County Conwy

500 million years after the Cambrian explosion 266 of the direct descendants of some of those lifeforms gathered in County Conwy to take part in the 61st running of the annual Cambrian Rally organised by the North Wales Car Club on Saturday February 13th.

The Cambrian Rally has moved from being the concluding round of the MSA Welsh Rally, Ravenol BTRDA Rally, FMP and ANWCC Forest Rally Championships last year to being the season opener for them this year.

 Mini John Cooper Works WRC, Conner McCloskey, Damien Duffin, Penmachno, Cambrian Rally,

With the intention of making a 4am departure from Bristol to see the opening stage of the Cambrian Rally I left home promptly at 5.30 after being unexpectedly invited out for tapas and sing a long the night before.

The delay was fortuitous as I ended up not far from Snowdon on the third Penmachno stage of the rally which sent the cars around the perimeter of the quarry where the #7 2012 McGeehan Motorsport Mini John Cooper Works WRC crewed by Conner McCloskey and Damien Duffin, who finished the event 4th overall, are seen above.

FIAT Abarth 131 Rally, Matthew Robinson, Sam Collins, Penmachno, Cambrian Rally,

Walter Rohrl, a hero in my youth drove a FIAT Abarth 131 Rally to claim his first World Rally Championship in 1980.

I believe the 1978 #30 FIAT Abarth 131 Rally seen above started as a more pedestrian brown model before being converted by RSD Rally Sport Development into a competition version, Matthew Robinson and Sam Collins retired the #30 from the event after exceeding the time limit before stage 6.

Hillman Avenger, Barry Jordan, James Gratton-Smith, Penmachno, Cambrian Rally,

In the 1970’s it would appear there were plans within the British product planning arm of the Chrysler Europe empire to produce an Avenger to compete with the Ford Mexico with a BRM developed 16 valve twin cam head.

It would appear a few heads got built and at least one was fitted to a car used by factory personnel but the project stumbled at this stage, I am not sure if the #64 1971 Hillman Avenger 1500 GL Luxe has one of the 16 valve twin cam BRM heads fitted but the BRM livery on the rear piqued my interest, the car driven by Barry Jordan and James Gratton-Smith unfortunately also retired, after Stage 3.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI, Jayne Auden-Rowe, David Auden, Penmachno, Cambrian Rally,

The #75 1998 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI seen above crewed by Jayne Auden-Rowe and David Auden was classified 50th overall.

Skoda Favorit, Paul Ellis, Simon Jones, Penmachno, Cambrian Rally,

I could not resist going back to the puddle in the quarry as the final competitors went through Paul Ellis and Simon Jones make a splash in their way to a 70th place finish overall in their #120 1992 Skoda Favorit.

Ford Fiesta R200, Glynne Jones, Glenn Mercer, Penmachno, Cambrian Rally,

Similarly Glynne Jones and Glenn Mercer go temporarily amphibious in their Ford Fiesta R200 on their way to a 77th place finish overall.

Ford Fiesta 2000, Stephen Simpson, Andrew Roughead, Great Orme, Cambrian Rally,

Andrew Roughead moved from co – driving Andrew Fenwicks 6th placed Proton S2000 the week before on the Legend Fires North West Stages to sit beside Stephen Simpson in his #12 2010 Ford Fiesta S2000 seen above lifting a rear wheel on the final Great Orme Stage on their way to 8th place overall.

Ford Escort L, John Rowlands, Glenn Latham, Great Orme, Cambrian Rally,

Lifting a front wheel in classic Mk2 style is the #20 1976 2 litre Ford Escort L crewed by John Rowlands and Glenn Latham which came home 15th overall.

Peugeot 309 GTi, Tim Cains, Richard May, Great Orme, Cambrian Rally,

The sun came out for a short while and is seen above illuminating the faces of 36th place finishers Tim Cains and Richard May in their #85 1988 Peugeot 309 GTi.

Nissan Micra Tropic, Niel Andrew, Dominic Adams, Great Orme, Cambrian Rally,

54th place finishers overall and 2nd in the 1400C class were Niel Andrew and Dominic Adams in the #86 1994 Nissan Micra Tropic seen above heading into the sunset sans rear bumper cover.

Ford Fiesta S2000, Charles Payne, Carl Williamson, Penmachno, Cambrian Rally,

After nearly 48 mins of competitive driving Charles Payne and Carl Williamson in their #3 2009 Ford Fiesta S2000 came home just 1 second behind the winners …

Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, Luke Francis, John H Roberts, Penmachno, Cambrian Rally,

… Luke Francis and John H Roberts in their #6 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX who also won this event in 2012.

Volkswagen Lupo E, Paul Barbet, Chris Sheriden, Great Orme, Cambrian Rally,

Paul Barbet and Chris Sheriden above are heading to an evening 81st place finish overall in their #127 2001 Volkswagen Polo E.

As darkness rapidly fell after the action was over I managed to stumble back across Great Orme back to the car park after another great days entertainment.

Thanks for joining me on this Cambrian Rally edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at the last of this month’s featured Camaro’s. Don’t for get to come back now !

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Legend Fires North West Stages – Blackpool & Fleetwood

Organised by members of the, Blackpool South Shore Motor Club, Chester Motor Club, Ecurie Royal Oak Motor Club, Fylde Motor Sports Club, Garstang and Preston Motor Club, High Moor Motor Club, Preston Motorsports Club, Stockport 061 Motor Club, Warrington & District Motor Club and Wallasey Motor Clubs the 17th Legend Fires North West Stages Rally ran over 75 miles of tarmac stages in and around Blackpool and Fleetwood for competitors in the Northern Tarmacadam championship, The ANWCC Stage Rally Championship, The ANCC Rally Championship, The SD34 Rally and the Formula1000 Championships on the first weekend of the month.

Legend Fires North West Stages, Legend Fires North West Stages, Stage 3 Fleetwood,Legend Fires North West Stages, ABP Fleetwood Docks Special Stages

I missed the first stage on Friday and after standing down at 9am on Saturday I negotiated over 200 miles of heavy rain and a closed section of Motorway to arrive in time to catch some of the action on the ABP Fleetwood Docks Special Stage, above the 6th place finishing #4 Proton S2000 driven by Andrew Fenwick with Andrew Roughead is being chased by the cheeky #48 Vauxhall Corsa crewed by Nick and A Constantine that finished 7th overall.

Ford Focus WRC, ABP Fleetwood Docks Special Stages

On their Stage 15 run through the Fleetwood Docks Tony Bardy and Neil Colman lost over a minute in their #1 Ford Forcus WRC with what appears to have been a puncture, above members of the team and public put their backs into lifting the car onto a jack, they finished the event 3rd overall despite the delay.

Ford Fiesta, Duncan Taylor, Steven Grayson, Legend Fires North West Stages, Legend Fires North West Stages, Blackpool Promenade,

Unofficial paint job of the event went to Duncan Taylor and Steven Grayson who’s UFO, Unicorn, Dinosaur bedecked #31 Fiesta came in 16th overall, if anyone can tell this old duffer what the paint job is about please chime in below.

MG Metro 6R4, Driver Unkown, Legend Fires North West Stages, Blackpool Promenade,

The MG Metro 6R4 above was part of a demonstration before the final Promenade stages opened, not sure who was driving it, again if you do please chime below.

Land Rover Wolf XD, John Hickinbotham, Scott Young, Legend Fires North West Stages, Blackpool Promenade,

Class L of the Rally was run for 4 Land Rover Wolf XD’s all crewed by members of various active military units, the Royal Air Force (RAF) #108 was crewed by John Hickinbotham and Scott Young who finished 3rd in class and 43rd overall.

Sunbeam Imp Sport, Alan Kitson, Ronald Aspinwall, Legend Fires North West Stages, Blackpool Promenade,

Oldest car in Class A by the best part of at least two if not three decades was the 1968 #68 Sunbeam Imp Sport crewed by Alan Kitson and Ronald Aspinwall who finished a highly respectable 2nd in class and 24th overall.

Subaru Impreza, Arron Newby Rob Fagg, Legend Fires North West Stages, Blackpool

The #5 Subaru Impreza driven by Arron Newby and Rob Fagg added plenty of colour to the event on it’s way to 2nd overall, but that was not enough…

Subaru Impreza WRC S11, Simon Bowen, Richard Robinson, Legend Fires North West Stages, Blackpool Promenade,

… to get ahead of the older Subaru Impreza WRC S11 driven by winners Simon Bowen and Richard Robinson seen above at one of the chicanes on the last but one Promenade Stage.

Legend Fires North West Stages, Blackpool Promenade

I added a few new snaps to my collection of abstract lights before it started raining just in time to drive the 200 miles home.

Thanks for joining me on this “Legend Fires North West Stages” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at another Trans Am Camaro. Don’t forget to come back now !

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