Rally ace Williams gives rallycross a go... and he has a blast!

WEST Wales rally driver James Williams continued his podium-setting ways by winning the RX150 class in the 5 Nations British Rallycross Championship at Mondello Park in Ireland last weekend.

Following a stunning second overall on the Jim Clark Rally, the second round the British Rally Championship, the 24-year-old from Newcastle Emlyn was invited to try his hand at another Motorsport UK discipline as the organisers of the British Rallycross Championship offered up a RX150 Buggy for the young driver.

Rallycross was a completely new discipline for Williams, and along with getting to grips with his motorbike-powered rocket ship, he had to get accustomed to racing wheel to wheel with his fellow drivers on a half-asphalt, half-dirt circuit.

The opening day saw a series of timed qualifying races, with the focus on recording the fastest times during the heats to secure a better position on the grid in the grand final.

Williams got off to a blistering start,

snatching the lead of the Q1 race on the opening lap. Keeping his head down, he took an opening race win to get his BRX campaign off to a strong start.

However, in Q2 Williams quickly found out how tough rallycross can be. A stall off the start line dropped him down to the back of the pack. Now trying to pick his passes, a fellow competitor gave him a small nudge, which spun the British Rally driver around on the slippery, wet surface.

Brushing himself off, Williams couldn’t find a way past his rivals in the closing stages, finishing in sixth.

Starting where you finish in the previous heat, the BRC star had to get his elbows out – something he isn’t used to doing in rallying.

A strong start off the line put Williams right in the hunt, making up two positions into the first corner.

In rallycross you have to be clinical with your passing or use the slightly longer tactical ‘Joker Lap’, which every driver must take once during the race, providing an undercutting opportunity. With patience, and punching in fastest lap times, Williams leapfrogged the third-placed driver as he came out of the ‘Joker’ on the final lap.

The final for the RX150 buggies was to be a tantalising prospect. Sitting in his front-row grid slot, the start and commitment into the first corner was going to be vital for a strong showing.

A scorching start from the Hyundai Power Products driver enabled him to get into the first corner first, and with some late braking, enabled him to swoop into the lead.

Now out front, Williams had clear road and clear visibility as he set rapid lap times, just a second off the topflight Super Cars in another class.

He carefully threaded his buggy through the slightly longer ‘Joker’ on the final lap to come out in front and seal his first rallycross final victory at his first attempt.

“I had an absolute blast,” said an enthusiastic Williams. “I have been involved in rallycross previously, running cars for other drivers, but I have never had a chance of giving it a go, but now I am kind of hooked!

“It’s completely unlike anything I have done previously as they [RX150 Buggies] are really wild, need a lot of commitment and patience – all at the same time. I loved giving the racing side of things a try and that was another challenge, but with some good drivers around you it’s a lot of fun. I actually almost didn’t take my Joker! I was enjoying myself so much I almost forgot. Thankfully I remembered, otherwise we wouldn’t have won!

“I want to say a big thank you to Ollie O’donovan, the RX150 Team, Rockland Concrete and the British Rallycross Championship for having me. If there is another invite to get behind the wheel again, I am grabbing it with both hands.”

Following his Rallycross escapade, Williams returns to British Rally Championship action next month on the gravel stages of the Nicky Grist Stages (July 9) – round three of the British Rally Championship, where Williams currently sits second.