Declan Casey  scoops special award for sportsmanship in 2022 Welsh Rally Championship

Declan Casey  scoops special award for sportsmanship in 2022 Welsh Rally Championship

David Lloyd Roberts and Declan Casey are the very worthy recipients of two very special Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship awards – the David Stokes Historic Challenge for drivers and the Guy Weaver award for co-drivers.

Both awards were open to all drivers and co-drivers registered for the Historic classes, with the names of the competitors who finished in the top three of class W6, W7 and W8 going into the final selection process.

The judging panel (made up of representatives from the Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship, the Welsh Association of Motor Clubs, members of the Stokes family and Guy Weaver) then debated and decided on who the two winners should be –considering (but not limited to) criteria such as sportsmanship, unflappable determination, performance improvement and how they promote motorsport in a positive and safe manner.

David Lloyd Roberts (from Corwen in Denbighshire) contested all seven rounds of the 2022 Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship in his Ford Escort Mk2, winning class W7 four times and clinching the title with victory on the final round of the series,the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally.

Declan Casey co-drove for Michael McDaid in their rapid McDaid Pharmacy Escort RS1800 Mk2 – with the Cork navigator winning the class W8 title, thanks to three magnificent class victories in the last four rounds.

 As well as ably demonstrating their speed, Roberts and Casey also impressed the judges with their excellent demeanour towards championship personnel, event officials and marshals, the high standard of car preparation and being great ambassadors to rallying – qualities that the late David Stokes always insisted upon and which Guy Weaver continues today.

David Lloyd Roberts said: “I’m very surprised, honoured and grateful to receive this award. I’ve always been a fan of David Stokes, so to have my name on this trophy is one of my rallying career highlights. I had a mixed season, with some highs and a couple of lows, but we had a great class battle with Neal James and it all came good in the end.”

Rathmore school teacher Declan Casey said: “Myself and Michael [McDaid] had a fantastic season in the Welsh forests coming away with the W8 class title. This award for me is the icing on the cake on a very successful 2022 campaign. I have recently got to know Guy [Weaver] and it’s an absolute 2honour to accept this award bearing his name.

I’d like to thank all our service crew, our families and our friends, without whom we could not have achieved this success.”

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