The Bont Stages

Kinzuru presents A Weekend in Wales 

Every once in a while, the rain stops and the sun comes out, unfortunately it didn’t look like this was going to be one of those weekends.

 We all like new experiences, like the sun coming out in the summer or driving across the country for the first Kinzuru event at The Bont stages at Pontrydfendigaid.

 Both experiences stick in the memory but after making the journey, I know which one I will remember and can’t wait to experience again.

For those of you that call yourselves drivers if you have never heard of this place then shame on you, especially if you already live in Wales, it has to be one of the country’s best kept secrets. Imagine driving along a narrow tarmac road rounding a corner, to be faced with a ribbon of grey tarmac snaking away in front of you (like in the French car ad) up and around a mountain, fantastic.

 One glance over the paddock and the draw of this place becomes clear, Subaru’s, Evos, Gti-r’s and a few GT4’s seem to be the weapons of choice, that’s not say there aren’t some brave souls in there rear wheel drive monsters, most of them with bonnets raised checking levels and tyre pressures ready for the inevitable drivers briefing then the off.

 Blah blah blah, not too fast first time, blah,blah for over three years and still came off, blah blah seat belts and helmets must be worn, blah, blah have fun and follow the course car on the convoy sighting lap. I was listening honest but with the track positioned just over the head marshals shoulder it is hard to concentrate.

 So here we go the numbers issued on a first come first served basis, I find myself in tenth position on the sighting lap, the course car leads off (a rather nice Evo IV ralliart replica supplied by 16s17s18s for the event) as we climb the hill for the first time I have a nervousness in my stomach like you get when you go on a rollercoaster, you know you will be ok at the end of it, but you have to get to the end first.

 There is a tight hairpin at the top of the hill climb once you have rounded this all hell breaks loose, fast straights, blind crests and more tight but fast corners and you begin to come back down the mountain through the ruins and out onto the fast finishing straight via a very tight little quarry, over the hump and through the line, my god it is just like a rollercoaster.

 Back in the pits the atmosphere is great everyone talking about there respective lap times, and where they think they can save precious time on the way round the next time.

 Petrochem carless are in attendance in the paddock area selling some seriously high octane fuel as well as a more sedate 102 RON version, but no one can resist the pull of a109 RON racing fuel to gain a few more horses to pull them up the hill.

 The morning passes in a blur of buttock clenching moments and elation as we make it around again and again keeping ourselves and cars safe, after a traditional track day lunch of bacon butties and cups of tea the sun decides to put in an appearance and as the track dries the lap times begin to tumble, a particularly fast blue spec C impreza puts in a time of 5.01 and blows us out of the water by about 30 seconds then a few minutes later a very well sorted 2.2 catalunya puts in a matching time (does anyone else think they have been here before?)

 By around 6pm most people seem to have come to the conclusion that there cars may need to rest so the track is closed and the bar is opened (not a moment to soon to be honest) A trip over to the barn reveals that the DJ’s are about to start and DJ Wozza treats us to fantastic set of old school hip hop and breaks while we all discuss those lap times and how no one came off the track.

 Sunday morning brings more sunshine and a bit of a headache to be honest, but once the track is opened this is soon forgotten and the day passes with only one incident, the catalunya pushing a bit hard over a blind crest skids off down a bank after going straight on at the next corner, the marshals )who did a great job over the weekend) are quickly on the scene, but not quickly enough, by the time they get there he has reversed up the bank and is changing his flat tyre for the spare in the boot, what a star.

 So that was my weekend in Wales and I won’t forget it in a hurry, I also will not be missing the next Kinzuru event up there.

 Big thanks to all at Kinzuru, The MidWales activity centre, Petrochemcarless for there great fuels, DJ Wozza, Gary the PA man and to all the Marshalls for keeping us all safe.