IT was double championship success

for two local crews on last weekend's

Llandudno based Cambrian Rally.

Simon Pickering and Colin Jenkins

wrapped up the Dennis Motorsport

Welsh Historic title with Jenkins also

taking the Welsh National 2WD co-drivers

crown.

They were followed by, Ross duo Dan

Gray and Matt Rogers who finished

runners-up in the Morris Lubricants

BTRDA 1400 series in their first year

together.

The final round of the BTRDA,Welsh

National, and Welsh Historic offered a

high quality entry and 43 miles of

tough North Walian forestry roads

through Penmachno and Gwydyr

forestry complexes.

Heavy rain in the days leading up to

the event had left the stages

extremely slippery.

But it was Martyn Walby with Adrian

McNally on the notes who were the

top all-local crew home in the Woodman

Inn Parkend backed Escort

RS1800, taking 18th overall, 5th historic

and 3rd in class after a fairly trouble

free run. Their only problem was a

puncture not far into stage two which

cost them nearly a minute limping out

of the stage.

Dan Gray and Matt Rogers finished

their season on a high with 22nd overall,

2nd 1400 home and 1st in class in

the Peugeot 106.

They started the day knowing if anything

happened to rivals Matt Smith

and Marcel Freling they could take the

1400 crown.

But early morning punctures were

costing seconds,and they held 3rd 1400

at service behind both Smith and Freling.

A huge overshoot on stage seven cost

more time, but the pair were happy to

arrive back in sunny Llandudno with

another class win though it was Freling

who took the 1400 win from Gray

with Smith 3rd.

This was enough to lift the duo in to

the championship runners-up position.

Following them to championship silverware

were Simon Pickering and

Colin Jenkins in the Dave Jenkins

Motorsport prepared Escort RS1600.

The duo were aware from the off that

a finish was essential but they still

needed a good finish to secure the historic

title and, apart from a huge

moment in Penmachno on stage three,

they took 37th overall 3rd in class and

the Welsh Historic crown easily.