Dixies Historic Challenge
Fast Fords beat Mini and TR4 competition in thrilling one-day historic rally
Ford Escort MkIIs and Mini Coopers put in some rapid times on stages running through the Mid-Wales countryside on this one-day rally, with unseasonally dry weather aiding the classics taking part.
The Dixies Challenge, held on the Epynt Ranges to the north of Sennybridge, is a round of the Historic Rally Car Register (HRCR) Mintex ‘Old Stager’ championship. The day also incorporated the Mini Sport Mini Cup, the Welsh Historic Rally Championship and HRCR’s Stage Masters series.
The abrasive nature of Epynt’s asphalt stages and the speed that the event commands would prove too much for some of the classics taking part, with the Mini of Clive King and Anton Bird bowing out on the fourth stage, retiring with engine maladies. A Triumph TR4 campaigned by Stephen Hall and Aggie Foster picked up pace during the day, and despite the nerves of being on Epynt for the first time in a while, they posted a respectable time to bolster their confidence.
There was a raft of Ford Escorts in attendance, including RS1800s piloted by Jason Gardner and Dan Petrie, and Paul Robins and Kenny Owen respectively. Gardner and Petrie couldn’t keep up their early pace and mechanical issues forced them to retire on stage two, meaning Robins and Owen could monopolise a depleted class and claim third overall in the historic section.
The more powerful RS1800 couldn’t hold off a charging Ray Cunningham and Jared Gill in their Mini Cooper S, which proved to be just the ticket on the ranges; they stopped the clocks a full 13 seconds ahead of the Escort crew.
Nothing could take away the dominance of Tobias Adam and Ian Meakin in their Ford Sierra, though. They finished first in the historic competition and ninth overall – three minutes and four seconds ahead of Cunningham and Gill.
’The speeds would prove too much for some of the classics taking part’