AS the gruelling Kielder Forest complex played host to round two of the Prestone MSA British Rally Championship, 21 year-old Meirion Evans was fighting at the front in one of the closest Junior BRC battles to date.

The Lampeter-based driver headed to the Carlisle based event searching for his first podium in the ultra competitive series, open to drivers aged 26 and under.

After a solid result on the opening round of the Series, the Border Counties Rally, where Evans bagged points for fourth, he and co-driver Jonathan Jackson looked to bank on their previous Kielder experience to gain the edge on their title rivals.

Nearly 100 miles of competition lay ahead of the Melvyn Evans Motorsport run crew and, with day one dawning dry and dusty, the pair were looking well placed to make their mark at the top of the time sheet.

They entered the Remote Tyre Zone in the heart of Kielder Forest just 4.9 seconds off the lead, after taking fastest Junior and Two Wheel driver times through the 15 miles of stage two.

With confidence boosted, the Michelin Tyres shod Peugeot 208 R2 headed back to the action, however stage three would prove to be the turning point of the event, as a time consuming spin in a chicane – placed into the stages to keep the average speed down – would lose the pair 20 vital seconds; a figure which proved crucial at the end of the event.

Unbeknown to the crew at the end of the third stage, they would now be in the lead of the Junior event, with their nearest rival retiring from the opening day at the very same spot which had earlier claimed the Welsh pairing. Problems with dust would cause further time loss on the final stage of the day, with Evans and Jackson ending the opening leg of the event second, by just 2.2 seconds!

With their goal of that ellusive first podium in sight, Evans headed into day two buoyed by their pace aboard the Peugeot and set out to fight for the win. With the second leg being identical to day one, the pair enjoyed a trouble free run over stages 5 and 6 to come into the mid-day tyre zone 8 seconds off the lead, having lost out on the day’s opener.

A scare on the final two stages, when the oil light flashed early in stage 7 and again on the start of stage 8, distracted the Welshman but it didn’t stop the crew from achieving his goal of coming from the Carlisle-based event with a podium, just 12.9 seconds off the win.

It was a case of what might’ve been had they not lost those 20 crucial seconds earlier in the event, but Evans was delighted to finally have the chance to prove the crew’s pace.

“It’s nice to finally be able to prove that we’re capable of fighting for wins on these events,” he commented.

“It’s something I know has been there for the last year, and finally things came together to get us this result.

“Our goal before the rally was a podium place, and looking back, we probably should have won it - but the spin was my mistake.

“It was a class battle all weekend with the other boys and I thoroughly enjoyed it, which I’m sure will continue in Scotland.

“Thankfully the issue with the oil light wasn’t as serious as I first thought.

“I almost turned it off and parked up at the start of the last stage, but the signs were pointing towards a sensor fault, so we drove in steadily and got it home.”

Next on the calendar for Evans and Jackson is the RSAC Scottish Rally, round three of the Prestone MSA British Rally Championship and another chance to prove they have the pace to head the pack of one of the most competitive Junior Championships in the World.

Meirion and Jonathan would like to take this opportunity to thank their supporters; Melvyn Evans Motorsport, Race and Rally NI, Tim Hoare of Michelin Motorsport, West Wales Rally Spares, Samco Sport, JD Tyres, GMF Motor Factors and Speedline Corse.