By Paul Evans

Many of the world’s greatest gravel forest stages will come together to form the 2022 Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh National Rally Championship with an exciting eight round calendar planned for next year.

The Welsh Association of Motor Clubs organised series will contain three events in mid-Wales, three in the north and two in the south, giving the 2022 series an excellent geographical spread.

With the first round taking place at the end of March, the final round at the end of October and a summer break in between, the calendar is nicely spread out over eight months.

Most events will feature an ultra-compact one-day format, with around 45 stage miles and minimal road mileage.

Thanks to the outstanding road regrading work of Rally4Wales, the Welsh forest stages are always in excellent condition.

This has enabled event organisers to run double use rallies with little or no deterioration in road condition, especially in the mid-Wales forests and the events ran in the summer months.

These world class road conditions have also contributed to a record number of crews registering for the Pirelli Welsh National Rally Championship in recent years, with both quality and quantity competing for overall and class honours in categories such as the hugely popular Welsh Junior Championship, Restruct Two-Wheel Drive category, Ravenol Welsh Challenge, Historic Cup and new Road Rally class – plus the smaller capacity classes which attract a wide variety of cars and crews of differing experience and ability.

The 2022 Pirelli Welsh National Rally Championship will start with Rally North Wales on Saturday 26 March. Organised by Wolverhampton & South Staffs Car Club, the event is based in Dolgellau and contains challenging stages in the nearby Dyfi and Gartheiniog forests.

Round 2 will be the Rallynuts Stages Rally on Saturday 9 April. Organised by Midland Manor Motor Club, the event is based at the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd with stages in the famous Myherin, Sweet Lamb and Hafren forests.

Round 3 will be the Plains Rally which is planning a move into the forests of North Wales for 2022. The Knutsford & District Motor Club organised event takes place on Saturday 21 May.

The Vale of Neath plays host to Round 4, with the Amman & District Motor Club organised Red Kite Stages offering challenging stages in Rheola, Resolven and Margam Park on Sunday 12 June. These stages have always proven very popular with competitors and a new event organising team has some exciting plans for the 2022 edition.

Round 5 will be the Nicky Grist Stages on Saturday 9 July. Based in Builth Wells, with the start, finish and service area all located in the town centre, the Quinton Motor Club event will contain super-smooth stages in the classic mid-Wales forests in and around the Epynt military range, including Crychan and Halfway.

The Eventsigns Woodpecker Stages Rally is another hugely popular event, with some fantastic stages in Radnor forest.

The Sixty and Worcestershire Motor Club organised event was praised this year for reformatting its event and running with incredibly few road miles and it will be back in 2022 to host Round 6 on its traditional date of Saturday 3 September and with a route including a return to Haye Park.

The seventh and penultimate round will be the Winner Garage Škoda Wyedean Rally. Organised by the Forest of Dean Motor Club, a compact route within the stunning Forest of Dean forestry complex will take place on Saturday 15 October.

The eighth and final round will be the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally, which will take place on Saturday 29 October.

The North Wales Car Club organised event will be based in Llandudno with stages including the legendary Penmachno forest venue.

This year the event also used Gwydir and Alwen forests and a new Twin Lakes asphalt stage which had only previously been used on road rallies.

“It is fantastic to be able to put together a 2022 Pirelli Welsh National Rally Championship calendar with eight high quality events included, and I’d like to thank the rally event organisers and their teams for their enthusiastic approach to the new year,” says the Pirelli Welsh National Rally Championship Secretary, Dave Evison.

“Despite the challenges the sport has faced during the pandemic, there are many new ideas around that will ensure that the events continue to offer competitors top quality competition and as championship organisers it is down to us to retain the increased interest from 2021 and reward their endeavours.

“With a regular road repair programme by Rally4Wales in place and a renewed interest in rallying, thanks to the variety of cars that are welcomed into the Welsh Championship and increased awareness of this exciting sport through live online broadcasting, we can’t wait to get the 2022 season started in March with Rally North Wales.

“It’s a very exciting time to be part of the Welsh National Rally Championship and if any individual or company would like to join us as a partner or supporter then please do get in touch.”

2022 Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh National Rally Championship calendar

26 March….Rally North Wales

9 April….Rallynuts Stages Rally

21 May….Plains Rally

12 June….Red Kite Stages

9 July….Nicky Grist Stages

3 September…. Eventsigns Woodpecker Stages Rally

15 October…. Winner Garage Škoda Wyedean Rally

29 October….Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally