PWLLHELI rally ace Andrew Jones has won the 2016 RAVENOL Welsh Challenge title in his Mark II Ford Escort.

The Challenge runs in conjunction with the Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship, and going into the final round, the Winner Garage Skoda Wyedean Rally, seven drivers still had a chance of sharing in the prize fund, valued at £3,000.

When competitors crossed the finish in Mitcheldean, after completing six testing stages in the Forest of Dean, it was Jones who had taken top honours in the Challenge to round off what has been a hugely successful season for the youngster.

Jones had also claimed the two wheel drive honours, along with the Vital Equipment junior title for drivers under 25.

Points in the Challenge are awarded based on a driver’s performance within his or her class, and runner up was Championship Group N class winner Wug Utting from Surrey, in a Subaru Impreza.

Making it three different makes of car in three different classes, the final podium place went to newly crowned Welsh Champion Luke Francis, the Rhuddlan driver, competing in a Mitsubishi Evo IX.

Despite heavy overnight rain that produced treacherous conditions for competitors, Shaun Gardener made it back to back maximum points scores in the Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship on the Winner Garage Skoda Wyedean Stages Rally, with co-driver Ben Innes.

Second place went to the Worcester pairing of Paul Davy and Roger Allan in their Subaru Impreza, while Andrew Jones and co-driver Keaton Williams took their Mark 2 Ford Escort to third place.

Absentees Luke Francis and John H Roberts had already secured the overall driver and co-driver titles but the lower positions were still up for grabs. Sixth place points were just enough for Surrey’s Wug Utting and co-driver Bob Stokoe to claim the overall runner-up position.

Third in the driver standings was secured by Andrew Jones, with Mark Glennerster third among the co-drivers.

While outgoing Group N champions Paul Davy and Roger Allan took maximum points on this event, Utting and Stokoe secured the title for less modified cars. The absent Andy Davies and Max Freeman take second place while completing the drivers’ Group N Championship podium was Simon Dalton. Roger Allan was third placed Group N co-driver.

Rear wheel drive honours went to Flying Kiwi Boyd Kershaw and Tim Cains secured the front wheel drive honours.

The top two wheel drive co-driver was Caron Tomlinson. He took the place by just a single point from Richard Crozier, while Martin Griffiths and Richard May took rear and front wheel drive honours.

Rhydian Price and Jake McKenna complete the Junior driver top three, while Max Freeman headed the Vital Equipment Junior co-driver standings. Just one point back, in second place, was Simon Jones, who missed out on the title after finishing behind Keaton Williams on the event. Ahead of Williams and third in the end of season standings is Chris Davies.

McKenna and Price the drivers’ titles in Class Two and Three respectively with Cal McElhinney and Claire Williams heading the class co-driver standings.

Bob Vardy and Rhodri Evan were top Class Four driver and co-driver pairing, while the honours in Class Five went to Hywel Davies and Richard Crozier.

In Class Six, Gavin Edwards and Bryan Hull took the laurels, with Colin Griffiths and Emyr Hall picking them up in Class Seven. The hotly contested Class Eight went to Dylan Davies, who finished a single point ahead of Simon Thomas, while Mark Williams was the top co-driver.

Despite retiring from this event, Martyn England won the Class WRC1 honours, with Mark Glennerster top co-driver.

Arwel Jenkins will take the crown as leading Class N3 co-driver while top driver and co-driver in Class N4 are Andy Davies and Max Freeman.