LLEWELLIN TO STAR IN RX150 OUTING Welsh rallying icon takes on buggy racing with event at Pembrey

Welsh rally legend Dai Llewellin will make his rallycross debut at the third and fourth rounds of the British Rallycross Championship at Pembrey next month.

Llewellin tested an RX150 buggy at the circuit last week and will race the category’s celebrity car at the doubleheader weekend.

“The buggy was a lot better than I thought it was going to be,” said Llewellin. “It makes you smile, they are bloody quick. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do it or not, so I wanted to try it out first, but now I am sure.”

The Welshman has limited experience of racing against other cars and expects the wheel-to-wheel action to be his biggest challenge: “I have done a couple of races before, years ago. That was in the RS2000 challenge in a guest car. I qualified on pole and I finished the race eighth, you know with cars everywhere and you’re just not used to it. In rallying we’re on our own, so the racing will be the most difficult part for me.”

Llewellin says the dualsurface format of rallycross isn’t a problem to get used to.

“I can drive the buggy, and the gravel parts suit me great,” he said. “I don’t mind the change in surfaces, because I’m very confident going onto the gravel and going onto the Tarmac you’ve got more grip anyway. I think if there’s anywhere that I can really use my experience from rallying it’s actually going on to the gravel, but having the cars around me is definitely the biggest challenge.”

Llewellin’s son, Ben, also tested an RX150 and could potentially also make a rallycross appearance.

Last year, GT Academy graduate and Nissan works driver Jann Mardenborough drove an RX150 at the Welsh event and finished third in the final, behind Chrissy Palmer and Stephen Jones. World Rallycross driver Janis Baumanis drove the car at the second round of the British series recently at Lydden Hill and finished second to series leader Palmer.