HIGH SPEED SUCCESS FOR WEST WALES BUSINESSMAN

Little more than a year after fulfilling a lifetime’s ambition of competing in top level motorsport, Newcastle Emlyn businessman Roger Thomas is making his mark in the hugely competitive British Rallycross Championship.

Following a career in the Royal Navy, Roger began working as a sub-contractor for various utilities companies, going on to set up HT Installations Ltd, undertaking similar work. Now the business employs more than 100 people and includes among its clients many of the UK’s biggest utilities companies.

When Roger decided to try his hand at motorsport he chose the discipline of rallycross which sees drivers competing over a course that combines tarmac and loose gravel sections. The ex-navy man aimed straight for the top, choosing to compete in the Supercar category. These purpose-built four-wheel drive machines run turbocharged engines that can produce up to eight times the power of the average family saloon enabling them to match a Grand Prix car, accelerating from 0 to 60mph in under 2 seconds

Roger has put together an impressive stable of machines including a Ford Focus, similar to those that competed in the World Rally Championship driven by the likes of former World Champion Colin McRae. Roger also owns an iconic Metro 6R4 and a Fiesta WRC as well as a rare Vauxhall Astra T16 super car.

His latest acquisition is an Audi Quattro S1E1 with the aim of competing in the rapidly developing Retro Rallycross category. The car was originally built to compete on speed hill climbs and is currently undergoing extensive modifications to suit the demands of a rallycross course.

After three rounds of the British Championship, Roger currently lies in fifth place with the four drivers ahead of him all boasting far more experience of the sport. The next round sees the drivers heading to the North East of England and Croft Circuit on July 29^th. Roger will be in action in the Ford Focus there while it’s a race against time to see if the Audi Quattro can be readied for the event.

After Croft they head to the spiritual home of Rallycross, Lydden Hill in Kent on August 27^th before paying their second visit of the year to Pembrey on September 23^rd. They round off the season at Silverstone on November 3^rd.

Roger is hopeful of improving on his current Championship standing in the remaining rounds as well as getting to grips with the Quattro, but he could soon be facing some competition from very close to home. This year has seen son Archie make his debut in the sport, competing on selected rounds of the Junior Rallycross Championship in a Suzuki Swift. Roger may soon need to keep a close eye on the keys to the Supercars!