RC506 - 2005 Mutiny Historic Forest Rally

RC506 - 2005 Mutiny Historic Forest Rally

00:00 - Start
00:21 - Start Bulith Wells Showground
00:40 - Dessie Nutt Interview
01:19 - Patrick Watts Interview
01:56 - Geoffrey Crabtree Interview
02:25 - Steve Smith Interview
03:05 - Graham Waite Interview
03:46 - Jonathan Gale Interview
04:54 - Matt Peirce Interview
05:52 - David Stokes Interview
06:23 - Jeremy Easson Interview
07:06 - Ray Bellm Interview
08:02 - Dominic Frattaroli Interview
08:31 - Stephen Hall Interview
09:03 - Interview
09:47 - Special Stage 4 Radnor
14:03 - SS4 Post Historic Class
23:50 - Special Stage 7 Halfway Forest
28:12 - SS7 Post Historic Class
30:42 - Montage
36:18 - Montage Post Historics
43:13 - Finish Interviews

Entry List

https://www.ewrc-results.com/entries/...

Results

https://www.ewrc-results.com/final/59...

Rally headquarters lay in Builth Wells at the Royal Welsh Showground, but the proving ground was miles away in the Welsh woodlands. The opening salvo came in the form of the daunting 17-mile Radnor forest stage, a route seldom tackled in recent historic competition. It would prove decisive.

For many, Radnor was not just a stage — it was a make-or-break moment. Few crews in the historic pack had recent experience on it. The drivers knew that a bold performance here could sculpt the rest of their day.

As the first car broke onto Radnor, tension crackled. Easson and Golding wasted no time: they attacked aggressively, opening up a commanding advantage over their post-historic rivals. According to reports, they emerged with more than a minute in hand, a lead that would shape their day. 

Meanwhile, in the historic Porsche class, Smith and Nichols had made a gamble. Smith admitted later that he had “never been in Radnor” before.  Still, their bravado paid off: they stormed through the stage and built a solid cushion over Nutt/McBride, who themselves had a fright when their 911 slid into a ditch. 

Others were less fortunate. Dominic Frattaroli and Wyn Thomas, in their flamboyant Datsun 240Z, crashed out at the very end of Radnor — a cruel twist for a crew many expected to challenge.  Not far behind, Ray Bellm / Mark Solloway dropped precious time after their Escort suffered trouble, turning what could have been a strong start into a recovery drive. 

Beyond Radnor, the rally loop included faster forest tests — tighter, twistier, but no less punishing. Through Crychan, Cefn, Halfway and others, the top post-historic Escort of Easson/Golding held fast. Stokes/Oakey chased relentlessly, pushing hard through each test; their pace was strong, but the margin opened early and proved difficult to close.

In the historic camp, Smith/Nichols paced themselves with clinical precision. Their early lead allowed them to absorb pressure: Nutt/McBride kept them honest, but rarely threatened to overtake. Patrick Watts in the Tiger, meanwhile, drove with gusto, but the flowing nature of the stages and perhaps the sheer balance of the 911s made his challenge a risky one; he lacked the outright time to dislodge the Porsches. 

When the dust settled, Jeremy Easson and Den Golding crossed the finish with a time of 57:06.7, claiming the overall post-historic win.  Their control, early pace, and maturity under pressure had paid off. For Golding, it was a second consecutive Mutiny win — a real testament to their strength on these mid-Wales forests. 

In the historic division, Steven Smith and John Nichols claimed a convincing victory in their Porsche 911 S, finishing in 58:37.2.  Their day had started with courage on Radnor, and ended with the precision of a crew who knew how to measure risk

The 2005 Mutiny Historic Rally was more than a round of the championship: it was a celebration of classic rallying spirit. Several themes emerged that day:
Radnor as Kingmaker: The 17-mile opening stage set the tone. For Easson/Golding and Smith/Nichols, it was not just a chance to make a gap — it was a line in the sand. Their bold starts carried them through.
Strategic Maturity: While some crews attacked relentlessly, the victors knew when to press and when to manage. In historic rallying, it’s often not the fastest driver who wins, but the one who best blends speed with restraint.
A Diverse Field, from Escorts to Porsches to The Tiger, the cars represented different eras and philosophies of rallying. That variety added nuance and drama to the competition, making every class battle meaningful.

The 2005 event helped define the spirit of the Armajaro British Historic Rally Championship. It showed that classic rallying was not just about nostalgia; it was about real competition, real skill, and a genuine test of driver and co-driver.

In the years that followed, fans would look back on that day in the Welsh forests as one where classics roared, legends were forged, and the Mutiny once again lived up to its name — a rally of defiance, spirit, and pure historic rallying magic