Llewellin to Welsh Championship

Tom Llewellin, son of double British Rally champion David, will compete in a historic-spec Ford Escort Mk2 in 2019.

Tom, who runs a farm with his father, will contest the Welsh Rally Championship’s twowheel-drive class, navigated by Dale Bowen and Ross Whittock. He started two rallies last year in the Swift Shining Stars series in a Suzuki – the Nicky Grist and Woodpecker Stages – and dovetailed that with a rallycross campaign. He’ll return to British Rallycross this season in a Swift.

The Group 4 Historic car Llewellin will rally has been driven by his Olympic medal-winning brother Ben, who competes in skeet shooting for Wales, and the car will now be looked after by the Llewellin family.

“I did two events in the Swift last year and I really enjoyed that in the forests, so I’m really looking forward to getting back out again in the Escort now,” Llewellin told MN.

“Ben has driven the car, it’s a Brace’s Bread car and we’ve bought that, we’re running it ourselves now with dad.

“We’ve had the engine out in the workshop. It’s a proper piece of kit.”

Llewellin made his debut in the car on the Builth Showground Stages last year, and despite clipping a bail, is confident of the step up from the 1400cc front-wheel-drive Swift.

“After Builth, I’m happy,” he added. “I feel like I know how the car is going to react and I’m happy with it.”

Ben Llewellin may compete in the car this year depending on shooting commitments, while there are no plans for David, who won the 1989 and 1990 BRC titles in a Toyota Celica, to compete in 2019. He came out of retirement to drive a Swift, finishing 22nd on the 2017 Rally North Wales.