Cave ready to retain Cambrian crown

Welsh rally ace Tom Cave will return to the sport exactly 12 months after securing victory at the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally in 2023, in a bid to defend his win.

The Aberdovey driver had endured a two-year sabbatical from the sport prior to last October’s Cambrian Rally but returned to the driver's seat in style, claiming a start-to-finish victory in a Volkswagen Polo GTi R5.

Now, the 32-year-old will return to the popular Llandudno-based event [26 October] to defend his crown, once again stepping into the potent Volkswagen run by Melvyn Evans Motorsport.

“The Cambrian Rally holds some very fond memories for me, and I've enjoyed some of the closest battles there over the years, so its fantastic to be heading back to try and do the double and take a second win in a row” says Cave.

Cave has an illustrious history in the sport but took a back seat for several years thanks to  the family business and other commitments taking hold, he hasn’t contested a full season since 2019 but instead, enjoyed sporadic outings including last year's Cambrian Rally.

There, Cave and returning co-driver Dale Furniss set the benchmark on the very first test and despite Cave’s lack of seat time, was never headed throughout the day to claim an impressive rally win by over 21 seconds from his nearest rival.

The rally has fond memories for the Welshman too, with the route evoking memories of the FIA World Rally Championship encounter, Wales Rally GB which utilised many similar stages to that used on the Cambrian, meaning Cave can feel “at home” in the famous tests such as Clocaenog, Elsi, Alwen and Brenig.

“Alwen is a favourite of mine,” remarks Cave fondly. “I've done many stages over my career but that one is always really enjoyable. The weather always plays its part of course but I do feel at home there. Brenig is using the Wales Rally GB Power Stage configuration which I also remember from years ago, that’s got a really nice flow and a finish to the event.”

This year, the Cambrian competition steps up a gear, with the resurgence of the BRC, a top-line list of drivers will be heading for the popular event, meaning an impressive top ten will offer up a considerable challenge to Cave’s reign on the event. But that’s a fight he is very much up for.

“We certainly had to return to defend our Cambrian win from 2023, and it’s a nice bonus that we can show our pace against the BRC front runners. I’m excited to have Dale [Furniss, co-driver] back alongside me to be back in the Melvyn Evans Motorsport team again. Their professional set up and outlook aligns perfectly with my partner's expectations.”

“Our participation in the event wouldn’t be possible without key figures and long-time supporters of my rallying career, Go Fetch and HN Nuttalls Food Service. Also supporting me is The Joker and Thorne Wines Limited who come on board for the first time.”

There is no underestimating the size of the challenge ahead, but Cave is eager to see where his pace sits amongst the current BRC thoroughbreds.

“I`m very excited to be back behind the wheel of the Polo, it’s easily the best car I’ve driven on gravel in the Rally2 format and it’s still at the top in terms of competitiveness at a national level. We have a pre-event test planned to get re-acquainted with the Polo and Pirelli tyres, but we are going out there to show our pace and fight at the sharp end of British rallying. I can't wait for the challenge that brings; it’s been a while.”

The Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally gets underway from Llandudno seafront early on Saturday 26 October, with a full day of flat-out action in the nearby North Wales forests in store. The winners will then spray the champagne back in the seaside town later that afternoon.

Cave is supported by: The Joker, Go Fetch Ltd, Thorne Wines Limited, HN Nuttall Food Services Ltd, GF Grigg Construction Ltd, Pirelli, Tom Cave Racing Ltd, Melvyn Evans Motorsport, Atech Racing.

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