Report
Congratulations to all the award winners and well done to everyone that completed the course. Many thanks to the organising team.
Full results are below and photos of the award winners can be found in the Gallery.
This is a copy of the report by Ian Mills and originally published on the RallyRoots.com website.
The 2025 JJ Brown Memorial was in effect a 150 mile circuit of Snowdonia, taking in most of the challenging narrow lanes that the region had to offer. Everywhere these roads were bordered by unforgiving stone walls, many competitors were to fall victim to these.
Starting and finishing at Penygroes, the event ran a clockwise route around Wales' highest mountain, touching Llanrwst and Porthmadog on the way, with a mid-point petrol halt at Betws-y-Coed.
Eighty crews lined up at the start, although two notable teams, on the published starting list, were absent, these were Mark 'GT' Roberts/Dylan Jenkins and Lewis Morgan/Michael Gilbey. Dafydd Sion Lloyd was a late replacement for Alan James in the navigator's seat of Richard Jerman's Escort.
At Car 21 on the Starters List was the VW Golf of Nigel Davies; the West Wales garage owner had lost his brave fight against cancer ten days before the JJ Brown, and the organisers, as a mark of respect, retained the start number in his memory.
A four mile straight forward section, which ran along the shore of the Menai Strait, and passed Caernarfon Golf Club, was used as a warm up and was cleaned by all crews.
This lulled the competitors into a false sense of ease as the next section, although only two miles long, went through Tryfan Junction Halt and all were late at SS1F. Fastest were Arwel Hughes Jones/Dylan John Williams (Ford Escort), but their steering had suffered a violent bump and the car was now pulling to the left. Just one second further back were reigning Welsh Champions, George Williams/Cadog Davies (Ford Escort), while Iwan Roberts/Jamie Mills (Toyota Corolla) led a tight group, with Richard Jerman/Dafydd Sion Lloyd (Ford Escort) and top seeds Kevin Kerr/Huw Manion (Ford Escort) in close attendance.
SS2S to SS2F ran between Llanrug and Bethel, there was an intermediate time control at the mid-point and all of the leading crews dropped time, with Williams/Davies quickest. However, after the top cars had been through a crash blocked the route for the following crews and the section had to be cancelled. The same thing happened again on the fourth section and this was lost as well.
These issues were of no importance to either Jerman/Lloyd nor Gavin Edwards/Owen Rowcliffe (Honda Civic), both retired before SS2F, the former with a broken compression strut and the latter suffering a broken bottom arm.
A blast up the Nant Ffrancon Valley, which was cleaned by all but one crew, led the route towards the Betws-y-Coed/Llanrwst area. SS6S was to the south-west of Capel Curig and passed the Swallow Falls before reaching SS6F on the outskirts of Betws-y-Coed. The leaders didn't drop time here, but the section did see the demise of Roberts/Mills, whose Corolla suffered a broken gearbox.
Two tight sections, where all picked up penalties, preceded the main petrol halt at the Waterloo Bridge - there had been a splash 'n dash fuel option after the third section at Glasinfryn earlier on.
SS8S was near Melin-y-Coed , with SS8F being below Dinas Mawr; there were two ITCs. Williams/Davies were quickest and emerged from the section with a lead of 15 seconds over Jones/Williams in their ill handling Escort, while Kerr/Manion were ten second further back.
Only three seconds behind Kerr/Manion was the Escort of Carwyn Evans/Aled Pennant, however they broke a bottom arm, a common occurrence during the night, just before the fuel halt and had to withdraw.
Early on in the following section, the final one before Petrol, Jones/Williams hit another bump and this somehow rectified the steering issue, the car was once again fully driveable; to underline this, the pair were fastest to SS9F, four seconds quicker than Williams/Davies.
Iwan Jones/Andrew Lowe (Ford Escort) had been in fifth place at SS8F, but on the next section, around Eidda Fawr, the car broke a panhard rod, they lost four minutes and had to retire at Petrol.
These developments meant that at MC2, Williams/Davies led Jones/Williams by eleven seconds, with Kerr/Manion a minute off the lead in third place. The leading Expert crew, Gareth Jones/Ryan Griffiths (Ford Escort), were in fourth, 14 seconds off third.
After Petrol only four of the top ten starters were still running. Amongst these retirements was the Escort of Andrew Jones/Matt Rees, the winners of the Best Presented Car Award at the start, they were another victim of a broken bottom arm.
Like the first half, the second opened with an easy section, which went from Penmachno to Fynnon Eidda. Almost everyone cleaned this. This wasn't true of SS11S to ITC11a, running south of Llan Festiniog, where all were late. Jones/Williams edged two seconds closer to Williams/Davies, but it was on the following section, which started at Rhyd and finished at Garreg, where Jones/Williams retook the lead as they stopped the clock 41 seconds ahead of Williams/Davies. This put the 2023 Welsh Champions 32 seconds ahead of the 2024 title holders.
The most demanding section of the night now followed, it started at Aberglaslyn and looped around via the Sygun Copper Mines to finish at Beddgelert. Jones/Williams extended their lead by a further eight seconds and then cleaned the final two sections to finish with a winning margin of 43 seconds.
Williams/Davies had to be content with the runner up spot, almost a minute and a half ahead of third placed Kerr/Manion. The top three seeds filled the top three finishing positions, although in the reverse order to those in which they started.
There was a tight finish for the Expert Class win with Gareth Jones/Rhys Griffiths (Ford Escort) just holding off Dewi Jones/Iwan Jones (Mazda MX5); the two had been as close as two seconds apart at one point in the second half, but Jones/Griffiths held on through the final section to end eight seconds in front; they were also fourth overall.
The Semi-Expert Class was won in dominant style by Arwyn Williams/Llifon Williams (Toyota Corolla), they finished more than five minutes ahead of any of their class rivals; they were classified in seventh place overall. David Glyn Jones/Timothy Alan Parry (Ford Escort) won the Novice Class by three minutes.
Despite the carnage amongst the top runners, over half of the entry made it to the Finish, with 44 crews being listed in the final results.
The Spirit of the Rally Award was presented to Gwion Huw Jones & Iolo Dafydd Hughes; running at Car 29 they retired when a drive shaft broke on their Mazda MX5, instead of going home, they then manned a control.
Results
Full results available here:
Final Instructions
Final Instructions and seeded list of entries now available here.
Seeded list of entries: JJBrown Memorial Rally 2025 Entry List
Latest Information and Bulletin
Seded list of entries is now available - JJBrown 2025 seeded list
This is an information bulletin from the Secretary of the Meeting.
Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i chi gyd / Happy New Year to you all.
Here is a little update for all prospective competitors of the JJ Brown Memorial Rally 2025 and to answer a few FAQ's.
COMPETITION LICENCES.
May we remind everyone that you will need a 2025 Motorsport UK Competition Licence of RS Interclub grade or higher (Not the Free RS Clubman!). Please make sure you have familiarised yourself with the Motorsport UK Sport:80 licence platform and made arrangements to renew your licence and that it will arrive in good time.
Alternatively, you can complete the competition licence application form, present a FULLY completed form, with payment, stamped and addressed envelope, on the night. PLEASE do not contact the Clerks of the Course or anyone else from the organising team with licence queries. If you have any queries, questions or issues with this please speak to a member of the Motorsport UK Membership Services Team on 01753 765 050.
MAPS.
Competitors will need latest versions of OS Landranger maps 115, 116 & 124. The Basic Roamer Company are taking pre-orders if you wish to collect them at the start venue. Contact them via their website or Facebook page.
ENTRIES.
We are currently at full capacity of 90 entries. All reserve entries have been given a run and been placed on the unseeded list.
There is currently NO reserve list, but ten unpaid or incomplete entries. If anybody on this list completes their entry, they will be placed on the reserve list.
MARSHALS.
Marshal booking for anyone wishing to man one control will open at 2pm onSUNDAY 12th January 2025. This will be by TEXT only. (Not WhatsApp or iMessage). Please TEXT Dylan Jones, our chief marshal, on 07867 520875 stating Marshal Name, Entered Driver Name, and state either Time or Passage Control. Please remember you will not be able to sign on without a marshal. No Marshal = No Start.
FINAL INSTRUCTIONS.
The Final Instructions and Seeded Entry list will be emailed to competitors and uploaded onto the club website at https://www.camconline.co.uk/events/2025-1-18/2025-j-j-brown-memorial-rally and on Sportity (access code = CAMC) during the week prior to the event.
We look forward to seeing you all at Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle, Penygroes on the 18th.
Dion Bee - Event Secretary
Information
Scroll down for our offer on J.J.Brown Memorial Rally hats.
The Supplementary Regulations are available below.
For this year's event, officials may be contacted by emailing jjbrown2025@mail.com.
The event will start from Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle, Penygroes, LL54 6RL, and finish at Pant Du Vineyard, Penygroes.
The online entries will open here at 19.00 hours on Sunday, 1st December 2024: J.J.Brown Memorial Rally Entry Form
Please take care to ensure that you enter a correct email address on the entry form and enter the correct class as defined in the Supplementary Regulations.
When paying the entry fee, use the reference JJ and the driver's name and entry reference.
Keep up to date with information on the Sportity app, using the code CAMC.
Competing crews are required to supply a marshal and will not be able to sign-on until the marshals' details have been provided on the entry form. Marshals and officials should sign-on prior to the event (link here soon).
If you require membership of C&A Motor Club (check the Supplementary Regulations for eligibility) you may renew your membership or make a new application here: Become A Member
Please note that competitors will require a Motorsport UK competition licence of minimum Interclub grade.
Applications for a Motorsport UK competition licences should be made here: Licence application.
If required, the parental consent form for under 18 year old is available here: Parental Consent Form
J.J.Brown Memorial Rally Hats
The 2024 JJ Brown Memorial Road Rally hats are now available to order at only £15 each! High quality, thick knitted hat with a chunky pom-pom top, fleece lined band and embroidered logo. They'll be available to pick up in person from the event in January or pickup from Caernarfon, Penygroes or Pwllheli areas before Christmas.
Get your orders in quickly - we are producing a limited run of these. We can't guarantee we will have some left to be sold on the night.
Payment secures your hat. Cash on collection or bank transfer to 'C&A Motor Club' 40-16-02 01166034, using the reference 'Hat & your full name'.
