News

Press release: 2 September 2024

 
James Giddings aims to extend his lead at the top of the Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship points standings when he contests this weekend's Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Stages (Saturday 7 September) in his Fordpad/Enva/Sar Metals Mitsubishi Evo 9.
 
Co-driven by Aled Davies, the Swansea driver's consistently high scoring run of third, fourth and second-place finishes on the first three rounds has given him a 10-point lead as he heads into Round 4. James didn't contest the Woodpecker last year and he hasn't finished the event since 2021 (when he finished second in class in a Fiesta R2) - but a new route this year will lessen that disadvantage as he aims for another podium finish. 
 
Matthew Hirst is still on course for a record-breaking fourth Pirelli Welsh title, thanks to victories on the opening two rounds. Retirement on the recent Nicky Grist Stages will merely go down as one of his two dropped scores as he and co-driver Declan Dear aim to slay their Woodpecker demons in their Delta Salvage/Witham Motorsport Ford Fiesta R5. 

2001 Woodpecker winners Perry Gardener/Jack Bowen return in their TNT Tyres Fiesta R5, as do Russ Thompson/Stephen Link who claimed maximum Pirelli Welsh points on this year's Nicky Grist Stages in their Dunnow Plant Mitsubishi Evo 9.

Peter Baylis/Paul Godden are having a great season and arrive at the Woodpecker lying fourth in the standings. The overheating problems that hampered them in 2023 seem to have finally gone and they'll be aiming to beat their season best fifth Pirelli Welsh finish in their Artificial Lawn Company Mitsubishi Evo 9.
 
David Tomlin is also having a great season. The Worcester driver finished a season best fifth on the Nicky Grist Stages and he and co-driver Keith Ashley will be aiming for their first podium finish of 2024 - having missed out on third after a time-consuming off on the opening Get Jerky Rally North Wales.

 

 
Bob Morgan/Ade Williams flew to a fourth-placed Pirelli Welsh points finish in their Winner Garage Å koda Fabia R5 on the Nicky Grist Stages and will be aiming for a podium this time out - having collected third-placed Pirelli Welsh points on the Woodpecker last year, while Steve Hollis/Tim Currie are looking for their first finish of the season in their V6 Jaguar-engined Volkswagen Golf V R32 and hope to avoid rolling out of the Woodpecker like they did last year.

 
Daniel Moss/Hannah McKillop will also be hoping for better luck in their Hurst Haylage Mitsubishi Evo 10 and like Colin Minton/Adam Westerby (Ignition Motorsport-prepared Tutts Clump Fiesta R5) will be aiming for their strongest performance of the season.
 

Having finished runner-up in the overall drivers' category last year, Simon Rogers hasn't had the best of seasons in his MacWhirter Motorsport Mitsubishi Evo 6, with just a seventh-placed Pirelli Welsh points finish on the opening round to shout about. Partnered by James How, the Radlett driver will be hoping to be back battling for maximum points this time.

 

 
Others aiming to make their mark in smart 4WD machinery include Wug Utting/Bob Stokoe (Geoff Jones Motorsport-prepared Subaru Impreza N12b), Paul Lomas/Mark Leader (Plant Speed Subaru Impreza STi), 

 

Rob and Ashley Aslett (Rigfone Electric Contractors Subaru Impreza)

and Geoff Cottrill/Nathan Crewe (Arnside Motorsport Mitsubishi Evo 9).

After two wins from two starts, Lewis Hooper (co-driven by Rhys Edwards) has a great chance to increase his lead in the OnThePaceNote / Restruct Welsh Junior category as he contests the event in his Hooper Sport Fiesta R2.

 

 

He'll have tough U25 opposition from the likes of Sam Mason (co-driven by James Seymour) in his SM Autocare Ford Fiesta,

 

 

Luke Watts/Matt Rogers (Ian Watts & Son/NJ Auto Repairs MG ZR) and Dylan Fowler Bishop/Dan Evans (Restruct Nissan Micra).

As always there will be a fierce battle for Hockly Motorsport 2WD honours, with Mike Brown Jnr/Nikola Brown (LB Passive Fire BMW Compact M3)


fresh from their class victory last time out and battling against the likes of




Kevin Metcalfe/Ian Jones (BMW E30), Wyn Hughes/David Davies (Escort M2), Dan Chester/Steven Davey (Dan's Action Vehicles BMW E30), Gareth Humphreys/Adam Burkill (BMW Mini Cooper S), David Jones/Glyn Price (Tanners Arms/GJ Price Transport BMW E30)



and defending W12 champions Andrew Fox/Jaime-Lee Fox (Xwatch Safety Solutions BMW 325).

Iwan Roberts Jnr won the 2WD category on the Rallynuts but as that's his only big score of the season so far the Roberts of Ffestiniog Escort G3 driver is no longer in contention for the title. He has to rebuild his Ford's engine this week and hopes to put in a late entry for him and co-driver Daniel Jones.



Martin Walters/Marie Fletcher will be aiming for another class W10 Pirelli Welsh win in their Digger Parts Direct Honda Civic. Michael Jenkins/Jordan Joines, who have scored three podium finishes this year in their Tutts Clump Fiesta R2, will pose tough opposition,

as will Alan Desbois/Lucie Gutteridge, pictured above. The latter finished third in W10 on the Nicky Grist Stages - but they were leading the class when the front right tyre got knocked off the rim halfway through the final stage, losing 90 seconds. The Holcombe driver will be aiming for a class win redemption this time out in his Peugeot 306 RWD.

 

 
In the highly competitive Pirelli Welsh Historic classes, sprint and hillclimb driver Neville Breach (co-driven this time by Martin Corbett) arrives leading W5 in his 1600cc Avenger. 

 

 
Peter Hinton/Lewis Sim lead W7 in their Escort Mk2 and are set to continue their close battle with



Graham Thatcher/Tim Samuel in their Pembridge Vehicle Management TR7 V8, while Neal James (co-driven by Siobhan Pugh) returns in his Mosleys Rolling Road/Eagle Accountancy Escort Mk2.

 

 

 
Having won twice in two rounds, Jonathan Brace/Paul Spooner will be hoping to continue their rise up the W8 (and 57 Tyres Welsh Challenge) leaderboard in their Dave Jenkins Motorsport-prepared Brace's Bakery Ford Escort RS1600 Mk1,




although it's Gary Smith/Clive Jones who leads the class in their Escort RS1600 Mk1.

 

Rudi Lancaster/Guy Weaver arrive leading W9 after two wins and a second-place finish in their Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks Escort RS18000 Mk2.



They'll be pushed hard as always by defending class champions Lyn Davies/Aled Richards in their Jonesport-prepared 57 Tyres Escort RS1800 Mk2 and winners of the class last time out Robert Gough/Jez Rogers (Escort Mk2).

 

 
Peter Jones/Gareth Davies retired early on the Nicky Grist Stages so will be aiming for a better run in their Escort Mk2 this time. Steve Chaplin/Rich Suter, pictured, are never far away from a class win in their Escort Mk2, Jeremy Wells/Martin Saunders return in their Wells Masonry Solutions Escort, Charles Hopkinson/Alan Jones contest only their second event of the year in their RS1800 Escort Mk2, while Tom Llewellin/Sion Williams are more than capable of winning the class in their Escort Mk2.
 
The top three finishers in each Historic class at the end of the season will be put forward for the David Stokes Historic Challenge award for drivers and the Guy Weaver award for co-drivers.
 
Organised by Sixty and Worcestershire MC, this year's Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Rally, which is again supported by Presteigne Tyres and Phil Price Rally School, has moved from its traditional base at Ludlow Racecourse to Newtown, with the service park based at Sweet Lamb. Competition will take place over two loops of stages in Ceri, Cwmbiga (Hafren) and Severn Way (Hafren) forests.
 
The Woodpecker will be live streamed on the free-to-view Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship's and Special Stage TV's Facebook pages during the event, plus the Special Stage YouTube channel featuring action from all the registered competitors.
 
During the 2024 season, the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship will be raising awareness of its official charity partner The Osborne Trust (theosbornetrust.com).
 
For details about the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship please visit: wnrc.wamc.org.uk.

 

For more information, please contact: 
Dave Evison
Secretary, Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 
Paul Evans
Press Officer, Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


Pictures by Paul Mitchell. Please credit 'Paul Mitchell Photography' if used.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Russ Thompson/Stephen Link claimed maximum Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship points after a superb run on the Nicky Grist Stages, while James Giddings/Aled Davies have taken the lead at the top of the overall drivers' and co-drivers' standings in what was a magnificent event for both Mitsubishi crews.
 
It wasn't without drama for either crew, however, as Round 3 of the series played out over the classic mid-Wales loose surface stages of Llyn Login, Monument, Halfway and Bowlsey (the renamed Crychan stage).
 
Russ pushed a tyre off a rim after a heavy landing on SS2 and then spun and stalled his Dunnow Plant Mitsubishi Evo 9 at a junction on SS4. Another spin on SS6 cost him time in the afternoon, but it didn't stop the Clitheroe driver taking home maximum Pirelli Welsh points - which was richly deserved after a fantastic effort to repair the car in time for the event, having rolled it last time out on the non-championship Kielder Forest Rally.
 
James spun on SS1 and 2 and overshot a junction on SS3, stalling the engine of his Fordpad/Enva/Sar Metals Mitsubishi Evo 9 on all three occasions and losing a total of 40 seconds. Something clearly wasn't right, and when the differential mapping was adjusted and rebooted at midday service the car was transformed. It allowed the Swansea driver to enjoy a much less dramatic afternoon, where he claimed second-place points to take the lead of the Pirelli Welsh series.

 
Dan O'Brien would have finished ahead of James (by eight seconds) had all times for SS2 not been cancelled owing to a timing systems issue - but when his impressive run through Monument 1 was deleted the St. Albans driver dropped to third, 9.1 seconds behind James. It was nevertheless a great run by Dan and co-driver Mark Glennerster in only their second event in their new O'Brien Group/Willow Hire Ford Fiesta Rally2.
 
Matthew Hirst/Declan Dear had been 9.8 seconds quicker than their closet Pirelli Welsh rivals through SS1, but they went no further as a throttle position sensor failed on their Delta Salvage/Witham Motorsport Ford Fiesta R5 on the stop line of the opening stage. 
 
"It's not a part where you can do a makeshift repair to keep the car running unless you carry a spare sensor in the car which we didn't have, so that was that," said Matthew. 
 
That non-finish drops the defending champions from first to third in the overall standings.

 

 
One of the star drives of the event came from Bob Morgan who had worked wonders to repair his Winner Garage Å koda Fabia just in the nick of time after rolling the R5 car on the recent non-championship Sweet Lamb Rally Time Trial. A 180 degree spin on SS2 proved how hard he and co-driver Ade Williams were pushing, and they lost quite a bit of time as the car wouldn't engage in reverse gear, but they flew through the afternoon stages to take home fourth-placed Pirelli Welsh points.

 
David Tomlin's fantastic season continues with a best-ever fifth-place Pirelli Welsh points finish. Co-driven by Keith Ashley, the Worcester driver had to survive brake issues in his Axon Ford Fiesta R5 in the morning, and the great result moves him up to fifth in the overall drivers' standings as he also takes the lead in class W14.

 
Colin Griffiths/Marc Morgan, Pictured below, had to reverse away from a bail they'd just hit on SS1, but otherwise had a great event in their Jamtech Motorsport-prepared Subaru Impreza STi to collect seventh-place points, while Peter Baylis/Paul Godden almost rolled their Artificial Lawn Company Mitsubishi Evo 9 on SS3 and had to drive four miles on a puncture on SS4 but still took home a top 10 Pirelli Welsh finish.

 

Colin Minton/Adam Westerby just missed out on a top 10 Pirelli Welsh result in their Ignition Motorsport-prepared Tutts Clump Fiesta R5, with a spin on SS2 costing a bit of time - while Paul Walker/Geraint Thomas had a good run in their Green Paw Subaru Impreza STI N11 to score their best result of the season.
 
All hopes of a top result vanished when Daniel Moss/Hannah McKillop broke a driveshaft on their Hurst Haylage Mitsubishi Evo 10 leaving the start line of SS3, although they never let that completely ruin their day as they finished 7.9 seconds ahead of the 2023 57 Tyres Welsh Challenge champions Martyn Andrews/Steve Greenhill in their Opie Oils Subaru Impreza STi N12.
 
Rob and Ashley Aslett were making their debut in their very smart new Group A Rigfone Electric Contractors Subaru Impreza and enjoyed a good run to the finish, as did Geoff Cottrill/Nathan Crewe who had made several significant improvements to their immaculate Arnside Motorsport Mitsubishi Evo 9.
 
Problems before the event prevented Steve Hollis/Tim Currie (Volkswagen Golf V R32) from making the start, while Wug Utting/Chris Reeves retired their Geoff Jones Motorsport-prepared Subaru Impreza N12b after the final stage.

 
Lewis Hooper (co-driven by Rhys Edwards) enjoyed a clean run to score his second OnThePaceNote / Restruct Welsh Junior victory of the season and retake the U25 lead in his Hooper Sport Fiesta R2. The Steeton youngster also leads class W4. 
 
Sam Mason (co-driven by James Seymour) grew in confidence as the event progressed to finish second in his SM Autocare Ford Fiesta.
 
Luke Watts was contesting his first rally in his new Ian Watts & Son/NJ Auto Repairs MG ZR, which had more power, a dog 'box and much better suspension than his old car. The Coleford driver had an unusual incident at the arrival control of the last stage when the car ahead moved over to let him take his rightful place in the queue, but Luke hadn't seen a culvert and managed to get the MG temporarily stuck in a ditch! He was pulled out and completed the Pirelli Welsh Junior podium.
 
There was no such rescue for Dylan Fowler Bishop/Dan Evans who retired their Restruct Nissan Micra after SS3.
 
Mike Brown Jnr clinched victory in the Hockly Motorsport 2WD class. The former SEAT Super Six champion was co-driven by his sister Nikola Brown for the first time, and they'd been preparing their route notes via WhatsApp, as Mike lives in London and Nikola in Edinburgh! It certainly paid off, as they enjoyed a great class 12 winning run in their LB Passive Fire BMW Compact M3. 
 
Lewis Hooper and Sam Mason finished second and third in 2WD, while Ashley Francis-Adams/Mark Ammonds, pictured below, were an equally impressive fourth in their class W2 leading T2 Fabrication Nissan Micra.


 
Geoff Phelps/Colin Jenkins have taken the lead of 2WD, despite losing time when they caught another car on SS2 in their Hartpury Farms/Sparkrite Escort Mk2. The Gloucester driver has also taken the lead of the 57 Tyres Welsh Challenge and class W11.
 
Dan Chester/Steven Davey had a good run to second in class W12 in their Dan's Action Vehicles BMW E30, while Brecon's David Jones (co-driven by Glyn Price) head the class in his Tanners Arms/GJ Price Transport BMW E30.
 
Father and daughter crew Jeremy and Alexandra Harris also got to the finish in their Kilcot Garage Escort Mk1, as did Wyn Hughes/David Davies on their first Pirelli Welsh run of the year in their Escort.
 
Defending 2WD champions Iwan Roberts Jnr/Daniel Jones could see the flying finish of SS1 when a front stub axel broke and a wheel flew off their Roberts of Ffestiniog Ford Escort G3. They did get the car fixed at midday service and completed all four afternoon stages.
 
Also dropping a Pirelli Welsh score were defending W12 champions Andrew Fox/Jaime-Lee Fox (Xwatch Safety Solutions BMW 325) who stopped on SS3 and early class W11 leader Rob Dennis (co-driven by Andy Boswell) who retired his Escort Mk2 with broken suspension on SS2.
 
Scott Walton/Daniel James ended up at the bottom on a ravine, having gone off the road on SS2 and rolled multiple times ("Scott stopped counting after we'd gone over fifteen times," said Dan) in their Walton Contracting/Elite Signs Escort Mk2. Neither crew member was hurt and the rescue units did a magnificent job to retrieve the car the same day.
 
Robert Gough/Jez Rogers won the highly competitive Pirelli Welsh Historic W9 class, and collected sixth-placed overall points, after a superlative performance in their Escort Mk2.
 
Rudi Lancaster/Guy Weaver were out in a newly acquired Escort Mk2 for the first time, but it was the different handling and braking characteristics that were harder to get used to than the change of colour from their traditional blue to red. The Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks Escort RS18000 Mk2 crew quickly acclimatised to the car and after a few tweaks in midday service flew in the afternoon - with second place on the day maintaining their class W9 championship lead.
 
Steve Chaplin/Rich Suter enjoyed a great run in their Escort Mk2 to complete the W9 podium, finishing ahead of Charles Hopkinson/Alan Jones, pictured below, who successfully finished their first event of the season in their RS1800 Escort Mk2, despite an overshoot on the opening stage.


 
Defending class champions Lyn Davies/Aled Richards came home fifth in their Jonesport-prepared 57 Tyres Escort RS1800 Mk2 to hold on to second in the points table, while Ron Morgan/Sion Jones came home sixth in their Wales Motorsport-prepared Restruct Escort RS1800 Mk2. 
 
Peter Jones/Gareth Davies were the only W9 class casualties, stopping on SS2 in their Escort Mk2.


 
Jonathan Brace/Paul Spooner had to drive around a slipping clutch for most of the morning loop, but Dave Jenkins Motorsport fixed the problem at midday service to allow the Brace's Bakery Ford Escort RS1600 Mk1 crew to fly to class W8 victory. Jonathan once again brought a lorry load of Brace's Welsh Cakes to distribute to all the marshals - the delicious Lemon Curd flavoured delicacies very much appreciated by all the wonderful orange army of volunteers. 
 
Andrew Stokes/Jonny Tad Evans had a great run to second in class in their Stokes Rally Team Ford Escort RS1600 Mk1, while Gary Smith/Clive Jones (Escort RS1600 Mk1) completed the W8 podium and continue to lead the class.
 
Peter Hinton (co-driven by Lewis Sim) won W7 and continues to lead the class in his Escort Mk2 . Graham Thatcher/Tim Samuel remain in hot pursuit despite a heavy landing in their Pembridge Vehicle Management TR7 V8 on SS2. They then had to stop soon after the start of SS3 when a small flock of Epynt sheep jumped off a bank and onto the road straight in front of them.
 
Neal James/Gerallt Davies were hoping for a good run, but alas the recently rebuilt engine in their Mosleys Rolling Road/Eagle Accountancy Escort Mk2 let go halfway through the opening stage.
 
Neville Breach won the Historic class W5 in only his second event in his 1600cc Avenger. The Andover driver is more used to sprints and hillclimbs and is adapting well to gravel. Co-driven by Tony Vart, he overcame smoking brakes early on to score a great result, especially on his visit to the mid-Wales forests.
 
The top three finishers in each Historic class at the end of the season will be put forward for the David Stokes Historic Challenge award for drivers and the Guy Weaver award for co-drivers.
 
Defending W10 champions Martin Walters/Marie Fletcher won the class for a second time this year in their Digger Parts Direct Honda Civic. Michael Jenkins/Jordan Joines yanked the gear lever instead of the handbrake in the morning, which dropped their Tutts Clump Fiesta R2 down a gear and hit the rev-limiter in a slightly less than convincing attempt at a hairpin! They survived a brush with a bank on the penultimate stage to finish strongly and take second in class. Alan Desbois (co-driven by Lucie Gutteridge) completed the podium in his Peugeot 306 RWD.
 
Paddy Homan (co-driven by Tom Homan) lost a lot of time stuck in a ditch on SS3 but scored enough points to remain second in class W2 in his Gallant Building Services Ford Puma.
 
Such is her commitment to rallying that the 2023 Welsh Junior and class B14 co-driving champion Bonnie Papper took the unusual step of entering the Nicky Grist Stages without a driver! It wasn't long before Scott Renshaw snapped up the Isle of Man navigator's talent in what would be his fourth rally in a Citroën DS3 R5 and after a great run Bonnie finished fourth in W14 to keep her class title hopes alive.
 
The live streaming coverage from the Nicky Grist Stages remains available to view on the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship and Special Stage TV Facebook pages, as well as YouTube and specialstage.tv.
 
During the 2024 season, the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship will be raising awareness of its official charity partner The Osborne Trust.
 
The Nicky Grist Stages was part of Motorsport UK's National Motorsport Week and more information on that can be found at motorsportweek.org.
 
Round 4 of the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship is the Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Stages (Saturday 7 September).
 
For details about the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship please visit: wnrc.wamc.org.uk.

 
 
2024 Nicky Grist Stages - top 10 Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship finishers:
1. Russ Thompson/Stephen Link (Mitsubishi Evo 9).......40mins 29.4secs
2. James Giddings/Aled Davies (Mitsubishi Evo 9).......41mins 20.3secs 
3. Dan O'Brien/Mark Glennerster (Ford Fiesta Rally2).......41mins 29.4secs
4. Bob Morgan/Ade Williams (Å koda Fabia R5).......41mins 54.1secs
5. David Tomlin/Keith Ashley (Ford Fiesta R5).......42mins 41.6secs
6. Robert Gough/Jez Rogers (Ford Escort Mk2)....... 42mins 44.1secs
7. Colin Griffiths/Marc Morgan (Subaru Impreza STi)....... 43mins 18.9secs
8. Rudi Lancaster/Guy Weaver (Ford Escort Mk2).......43mins 20.6secs
8. Mike Brown Jnr/Nikola Brown (BMW Compact M3).......43mins 33.2secs
10. Peter Baylis/Paul Godden (Mitsubishi Evo 9).......43mins 36.1secs


2024 Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship
Overall drivers' points after Round 3:
1. James Giddings.......76pts
2. Rudi Lancaster.......66pts
3. Matthew Hirst.......65pts
4. Peter Baylis.......61pts
5. David Tomlin.......59pts
6. Dan O'Brien.......57pts


 

For more information, please contact: 
Paul Evans
Press Officer, Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Pictures by Paul Mitchell. Please credit 'Paul Mitchell Photography' if used.
paulmitchellphotography@gmail.com

Press release: 5 July 2024

 
Matthew Hirst/Declan Dear will be aiming for a hat-trick of maximum Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship points in their Delta Salvage/Witham Motorsport Ford Fiesta R5 when the series continues with the Nicky Grist Stages (Saturday 13 July).
 
After an unscheduled 13 week break in proceedings following the cancellation of the Plain Rally (18 May), the best four scores from six events will now count towards the Pirelli Welsh overall and class titles. It also means that the Nicky Grist Stages is even more critical in the destiny of the end of season trophies, and it is no surprise to see a very strong entry for what has become the midway round of the all-gravel series.
 
Dan O'Brien has swapped his O'Brien Group Ford Fiesta RS WRC for a Fiesta Rally2 and, co-driven by Mark Glennerster, he'll contest his second gravel rally in the car on the Nicky Grist Stages.
 
James Giddings/Aled Davies are second in the standings and will aim to continue their good run in their Fordpad/Enva/Sar Metals Mitsubishi Evo 9.
 

Russ Thompson/Stephen Link are in a strong position with a third-place finish and a dropped score already in the can, so expect them to rocket up the leaderboard in their Dunnow Plant Mitsubishi Evo 9.

Peter Baylis has enjoyed a great start to the season, despite a few overheating niggles returning to his Artificial Lawn Company Mitsubishi Evo 9. Co-driven by Paul Godden, the Gravesend man arrives in Builth Wells tied for fourth in the overall Pirelli Welsh points table and keen to continue his run of success.
 
Wug Utting is equal fourth after a magnificent start to the season in his Geoff Jones Motorsport-prepared Subaru Impreza N12b. Co-driven this time by Chris Reeves, Wug knows the Nicky Grist Stages well, and will once again put his vast experience to good use - especially when tyre management comes into play.
 
David Tomlin has also enjoyed a great start and has been challenging for podium finishes in his Axon Ford Fiesta R5. The Worcester driver will be reunited with co-driver Keith Ashley as they tackle the classic mid-Wales forest stages.
 
Colin Minton had a good points scoring run on Rally North Wales and will be hoping the problems he suffered on the Rallynuts will merely go down as a dropped score. Co-driven this time by Adam Westerby, the Swindon driver will be looking for his first top 10 finish of 2024 in his Ignition Motorsport-prepared Tutts Clump Fiesta R5.
 
Bob Morgan finished third in the overall standings in 2022, but he and co-driver Ade Williams are in a race against time to repair their Winner Garage Å koda Fabia R5 after rolling the car on the recent non-championship Sweet Lamb Rally Time Trial.
 
Daniel Moss hopes to kick start his season after picking up just five points in the first two rounds. The Gloucester driver can pretty much score every point be wins from now on, and together with co-driver Hannah McKillop he'll be looking for a trouble-free run in his Hurst Haylage Mitsubishi Evo 10.
 
Steve Hollis/Tim Currie are always on the cusp of a top result and just need a good clean run to show the true potential of their V6 Jaguar-engined Volkswagen Golf V R32. 
 
Paul Walker/Geraint Thomas were the top Quinton Motor Club crew home last year and will be looking for another good Pirelli Welsh top 10 in their Green Paw Subaru Impreza STI N11, while also returning are the 2023 57 Tyres Welsh Challenge champions Martyn Andrews/Steve Greenhill in their Opie Oils Subaru Impreza STi N12.

 

Also aiming to show what 4WD power can do will be Rob and Ashley Aslett in their Rigfone Electric Contractors Subaru Impreza, Geoff Cottrill/Nathan Crewe in their Arnside Motorsport Mitsubishi Evo 9 and Colin Griffiths/Marc Morgan, pictured above, in their Jamtech Motorsport-prepared Subaru Impreza STi.

 

 
 
Rudi Lancaster/Guy Weaver arrive leading the highly competitive Pirelli Welsh Historic W9 class in their Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks Escort RS18000 Mk2. They'll resume their battle with reigning class champions Lyn Davies/Aled Richards, pictured below, in their Jonesport-prepared 57 Tyres Escort RS1800 Mk2, Peter Jones/Gareth Davies, Charles Hopkinson/Alan Jones, Robert Gough/Jez Rogers and Steve Chaplin/Rich Suter (all Escort Mk2s).

 

 

 

 
Ron Morgan contests his first event of the season in his gorgeous Wales Motorsport-prepared Escort RS1800 Mk2. The Restruct driver finished second in class on last year's Nicky Grist Stages and will be partnered once again by Sion Jones.

 
There is an equally close battle in the Historic W8 class, which is currently being led by Gary Smith/Clive Jones in their Escort RS1600 Mk1. They are just four points ahead of defending class champions Andrew Stokes/Jonny Tad Evans (Stokes Rally Team Ford Escort RS1600 Mk1), while Jonathan Brace/Paul Spooner have already dropped a score and remain in title contention in their Dave Jenkins Motorsport-run Brace's Bakery Ford Escort RS1600 Mk1. Jeremy Wells (partnered this time by Paul Rumary) switches back to his Wells Masonry Solutions Escort Mk1.

 
The top three finishers in each Historic class at the end of the season will be put forward for the David Stokes Historic Challenge award for drivers and the Guy Weaver award for co-drivers.

 
Peter Hinton (co-driven by Lewis Sim) leads the Historic class W7 in his Escort Mk2 and resumes his fight with Graham Thatcher/Tim Samuel in their Pembridge Vehicle Management TR7 V8. 
 
Defending 2WD champions Iwan Roberts Jnr/Daniel Jones broke the steering on their Roberts of Ffestiniog Ford Escort G3 after a heaving landing on last year's Nicky Grist Stages and will be hoping for a good finish this time after winning the class last time out.
 
They'll have a big fight on their hands in the Hockly Motorsport-supported 2WD category against the likes of defending W12 champions Andrew Fox/Jaime-Lee Fox (Xwatch Safety Solutions BMW 325), class W11 leader Rob Dennis (co-driven by Andy Boswell in his Team Dennis Escort Mk2), Geoff Phelps/Colin Jenkins (Hartpury Farms Escort Mk2), Dan Chester/Steven Davey (Dan's Action Vehicles BMW E30), and Scott Walton/Daniel James (Escort Mk2).
 
Mike Brown Jnr will also contest the event in his LB Passive Fire BMW Compact M3. The former SEAT Super Six champion has been rallying for nearly 30 years, and this will be the first time that Mike has been co-driven by his sister Nikola Brown.
 
Defending W10 champions Martin Walters/Marie Fletcher lead the class in their Digger Parts Direct Honda Civic, albeit just five points ahead of Michael Jenkins/Jordan Joines who have had to overcome power steering and vibration issues in their Tutts Clump Fiesta R2 to still be in second place. Alan Desbois (co-driven by Lucie Gutteridge) won the class last time in his Peugeot 306 RWD, while Greg Mills/ Andrew Sankey will be hoping to score their first finish of the season in their 1.6-litre Toyota-engined Escort Mk2.

 
The fight for the OnThePaceNote / Restruct Welsh Junior title is wide open. Lewis Hooper (co-driven by Rhys Edwards) won the class (and W4) last time out in his Hooper Sport Fiesta R2 and he'll be battling for top position against the likes of Luke Watts/Sarah James (MG ZR), Dylan Fowler Bishop/Dan Evans (Restruct Nissan Micra) and Sam Mason/James Seymour in their class W4 SM Autocare Ford Fiesta.
 
Dylan and Luke are also in a W2 battle, with the Hockly Motorsport-supported class being led by Ashley Francis-Adams/Mark Ammonds in their T2 Fabrication Nissan Micra. Having already netted a second in class finish, Paddy Homan (co-driven this time by Tom Homan) will be aiming to go one better in his Gallant Building Services Ford Puma.
 
This year's Nicky Grist Stages contains a compact route bordering the counties of Powys and Carmarthenshire and will feature two loops of four classic mid-Wales forest stages totalling 44.48 stage miles. Llyn Login will host the opening morning and afternoon stages, followed by Monument (run in the reverse direction to last year), Halfway (also run in the reverse direction and with a twist towards the end) and a new configuration through Bowlsey (the renamed Crychan stage). The start, midday service and finish will be held in the centre of Builth Wells.
 
The Nicky Grist Stages will be free-to-view live streamed on the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship's and Special Stage TV's Facebook pages during the event, featuring action from all the registered competitors.
 
The event is also part of the Motorsport UK's National Motorsport Week, and more information can be found at motorsportweek.org.
 
During the 2024 season, the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship will be raising awareness of its official charity partner The Osborne Trust (theosbornetrust.com).
 
For details about the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship and how to register visit: wnrc.wamc.org.uk.

 

For more information, please contact: 
Dave Evison
Secretary, Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship
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Paul Evans
Press Officer, Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship
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Pictures by Paul Mitchell. Please credit 'Paul Mitchell Photography' if used.
paulmitchellphotography@gmail.com