RPS-prepared cars scored fantastic wins at the weekend as two clients took home the silverware from the Three Castles Welsh Trials. Shane Houlihan and co-driver Richard Pain followed up their Flying Scotsman class success by taking the overall win in the Heritage Trial in their 1931 Alfa Romeo 8C, while Bodfan and Beverley Jenkins won the Classic Trial in the rare 1976 Jensen GT.

Shane and Richard had led right from the start of the three-day event on Wednesday, but were chased all the way by the green Bentley of Stuart Anderson and Richard Lambley. Having originally entered a Fraser Nash, the Irish team were glad of the Alfa’s extra power over the event’s 20 driving tests, which the pair completed in grand style, holding on to beat the Bentley boys by a mere 12 penalty points overall.

At the end of three days and around 400 miles of rallying, the Alfa crew had been consistently fastest on the driving tests, and that secured their win, for they dropped thirteen seconds over the event’s nine regularities to the Bentley team.

Bodfan and Bev’s win was a tough battle as they battled the event’s previous winners Mark and Sue Godfrey in their MGB, who had just one penalty mark in hand and were under severe pressure.

The stage was set for a mighty shoot out and so it proved, but it was the Welsh crew who held their nerve best and triumphed in the end. Their winning margin over the Godfreys was just two penalty points after 500 miles and over 20 driving tests.

Bodfan and Bev do just one rally a year and have been contesting the Three Castles since 2006. Theirs was no lucky victory; it was keenly fought every step of the way against some of the most experienced and competitive crews in the sport and we salute them!

The Three Castles Welsh Trial is an event in the grand tradition that’s three events in one – Concours, Regularity Rally, Driving Tests. Returning each night to Llandudno, it runs through the ancient landscapes of Anglesey, Gwynedd and Clwyd in North West Wales on the first weekend of summer. The Classic Trial and Heritage Trial run in tandem with time allowances given for what is billed as a ‘relaxed competition’.

Register your interest for the 2017 event. Find out more at www.three-castles.co.uk