The Plains Rally, a round of both the BTRDA and Welsh Stage Championships proved as tough as it was on paper attracting some 125 entries.
The event ran over eight stages totalling to some 45 miles of the classic Dyfi forest stages in Mid Wales. Radstock’s Ross Whittock was once again out to gain experience and seat time alongside regular pilot, Jamie Anderson, in the Ford Fiesta R5, run by CA1, the team who took Elfyn Evans to win the British Championship in 2016.
Following a day’s testing in the Sweet Lamb complex, the team was ready to challenge the lead for the R5 group, but challenge the few WRC cars for the overall position. Things started well in the eight miles of Gartheiniog north of the Dyfi complex, only losing out some two seconds to Steve Petch and Steve Black, both enjoying the extra 50+bhp of their open specification cars. After four stages, service took place in Dolgellau before a repeat of the morning stages. Try as they could, there was no substitute for horse power and both Jamie and Ross settled for a podium finish of third overall back in the centre of Welshpool.
Ross said: “It’s been a great test for both of us. To be on the pace in the BRC this season you have to be 11/10ths from the outset. To get there you really need to live in the car every day, not possible for most of us, but we will do our best.”
This coming week they are to Scotland for round three of the British Rally Championship Scottish Rally.