By Paul Evans
Having already secured the 1400cc title, William Mains is aiming for overall honours in this year’s J.D. Tyres Welsh National Tarmacadam Rally Championship – which would be an incredible achievement in his Vauxhall Nova!
The Llandysul pilot heads to this Sunday’s Old Forge Garage Mewla Rally leading the overall drivers’ standings by two points. With long fast straights, Epynt isn’t best suited to his little front-wheel drive car, so Mains is hoping for wet conditions to help make it a more even playing field.
Co-driven by Ammanford’s Claire Williams, a strong haul of points on Epynt will line Mains up for a title showdown at the final round of the series, the Fairfield Merlin Stages Rally, at the Welsh Motorsports Centre near Pembrey on 21 October.
Mains has a good record on Epynt. He scored well last time out on the Harry Flatters Rally and was leading his class by four minutes on the Tour of Epynt earlier this year, before he was forced out with alternator problems.
Richard Merriman had looked in pole position to win this year’s Welsh title, but has suffered two retirements in a row – hitting a bridge and stopping with radiator damage on the Midsummer Caerwent Rally and then coming to a halt on the Harry Flatters when his 1998cc Vauxhall-engined Darrian T90 broke a driveshaft. If Merriman’s car is on song and it’s dry, then the Pontypridd driver will be favourite for maximum points this weekend.
It’s not a two horse race for the Welsh title however, with Llandudno-based Jade Paveley third in the series, just 10 points behind the leader, in her Subaru Impreza.
“Having won the 1400 class title, I wasn’t going to do any more rounds of the Welsh Tarmacadam Rally Championship – but I have to if I’m leading the overall standings,” said Mains. “I think one 1400cc car might have taken overall honours a few years ago, but it would be quite an achievement if we can do it this year. Epynt is a bit fast for our Nova, and Richard Merriman will be favourite – but we’ll have more of a chance if it’s wet up there this weekend. We’ll give it a good go anyway.”
Mains is also leading the FMP Rally Challenge, a title he won last year.