The Guinness loving members of Brecon Motor Club travelled to the Killarney Historic Rally and despite some bad luck everyone came home in one piece suitably refreshed. Mike Simpson and Dale Gibbons have accumulated a wealth of knowledge from previous visits and put that knowledge to excellent use winning their class in their Mk1 Escort and finishing 11th overall. 

Dale's Dad, Bob, didn't get the rub of the green with Jon Harris in the beautiful Mk2 Cortina and a steering arm was broken after clipping a roadside rock. Never mind, they met drummer Phil Collins in the pub so it wasn't a totally wasted weekend although Bob has been booked for an appointment at Spec Savers next week!

What a big weekend it was for Brecon Motor Club members with three cars out on the RAC Rally and two competing in Killarney. First of all the RAC and it was bitter sweet for the club as it looked as if Jason Pritchard was on course for victory in the beautifully turned out Scott Williams Motor Sport RS1800. Jason and co-driver Phil Clarke led going into day 3 (day 2 was cancelled due to Storm Arwyn) but a particularly muddy section through a harvesting saw them clip a log pile which led to a roll putting them out of the event. It was heart breaking as this rally just seems to elude Jason and Phil, hopefully they will bounce back and get that win in 2023.

The sweeter story involves club member Malcolm Rich who retired early on in the 2019 event with engine issues. This time he was determined to get to the finish and with Ryland James they did just that and in style too. A rapid start on day one saw them open up a healthy lead in not just the class but the whole category which wasn't totally expected. Day 2 was more Keilder and they were lucky to get out of the forest before the storm hit trapping many crews overnight. With Scotland cancelled it was off to Wales for two more days of competition and once again they drove perfectly to get to the finish in a very impressive 26th overall. It wasn't all plain sailing though as the gearbox lost reverse gear and the service crew had to work overnight to change it.

Last but not least is the story of stalwarts Dai 'Block' and Glyn Price who built a new car for the rally and what a good job they must have done as it transported them to a finish in 61st place overall with no reported faults. They suffered a little bit with the rougher roads as they were running down the field but the BMW took it all in its stride.

It is sad to have to report the passing of John Price, a stalwart competitor and a six time winner of the Harry Flatters Rally he was also seen on early Gremlin Rallies competing in his fantastic Alpine Renault, indeed even finishing in the top ten. John originally hailed from the Llandrindod Wells area and started competing in the sixties. He moved to the Hereford area at some point and ran a workshop behind Forge Garage in Wormbridge which is still there to this day. In his earlier days he campaigned Escorts and Alpine Renault's but progressed to Porsche before using a number of Renault 5 Turbos. Whilst still working on and maintaining Renault's he moved on to a succession of  Metro 6R4s which again were superbly presented. At various times he also used a Renault 11 and a BMW M3. The club extends its condolences to the Price family.

By Martin Leonard

Just a few words from me about Denis and the time that I knew him. I first met Denis at Cathedine Cottage in the early eighties when I also first knew Stuart, Den had been away for a motor sport 'do' somewhere and arrived back in his Porsche 911. He frightened me to death to begin with but it soon became clear that despite the huff and the puff he was a very nice, knowledgeable person. In particular his knowledge of wine an trying it was truly amazing! I went on a trip to West Cork with him and Stuart amongst others in the days of the Rover SD1 rally car which turned into an epic adventure with a drama before we even arrived in Fishguard when he thought that he had forgotten the clocks which were to be used to time the whole rally. 'SHIT AND CORRUPTION, THE CLOCKS'! was the cry but they were soon found and we moved on into Ireland where the first stop was Ahearne's restaurant in Youghal and of course Den knew the owners and a good evening ensued. The rally was a blur and was inconsequential as the bar of the Courtmacsherry Hotel was the epicentre of the weekend. An all night session after the rally was followed a couple of hours later with a dash for the ferry but not before a return to Ahearne's where lunch was followed by them sending us off with a box of glasses, ice, lemon and tonic to go with two bottles of CDC gin that happened to be in the van! There are other stories but that's enough of that for now!

A few words should be said about his impact on motor sport on a wider scale too, he was a clerk of the course of the International Welsh Rally, winner of the Cilwendeg Rally, a member of the RACMSA board, International Time Keeper and Steward and Chairman of the WAMC for many years. He was also instrumental in finding the Colnbrook HQ when the MSA made the move from central London. As a competitor he loved British cars and he rallied Minis, an Austin Allegro, Morris Marina and a Rover SD1, they were all driven with verve and made many visits to the scenery! That's a very short resume of his achievements, there were many more.

Later on Denis became a key member of Brecon Motor Club and sat as chairman for a number of years, clerked the Gremlin Rally and the Harry Flatters Rally and was instrumental in the Flatters becoming a part of the British Historic Rally Championship on its inception. The Gremlin was loved and loathed in equal measures by competitors but it was always a stern challenge with roads used that had not been used before on Epynt and the surrounding forests and have not been used since. Things did go awry occasionally and I remember one of Den's events where a regularity section came off Epynt down the Cilieni valley to Pentre Bach. We were surprised to find that the tulip road book contained an instruction for a roundabout in the village! Pentre Bach does not and never has had a roundabout.................

In later years Den stepped back from organising duties but was always keen to attend club meeting right up to a nav scatter that was run just after Christmas. He will be missed by us all, he had his moments and his faults but above all he was a very well respected member of the club. Rest in peace Denis, you will be missed.