Press release: 5 September 2022
Local Ludlow driver Perry Gardener scored maximum Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol
Welsh Rally Championship points after an outstanding drive on the Phil Price
Memorial Woodpecker Stages (Saturday 3 September) in his Ford Fiesta R5+.
Partnered by Jack Bowen, who continues to lead the Welsh Junior co-drivers'
category, the 2021 event winner was on fine form and took maximum points by 1min
19secs.
Whilst Gardener is not challenging for the title this year - he's 15th in the driver's
points table - he was once again in the fight for victory and was third at the midday
service, 23 seconds behind Matthew Hirst.
Had the situation remained that way, then Hirst and co-driver Declan Dear would
have been crowned Pirelli Ravenol Welsh champions. However, on the first stage of
the afternoon's repeat loop of three stages, Hirst's Pirelli-shod Delta Salvage Ford
Fiesta R5+ broke a rear track control arm and his event was over.
This certainly appears to be Hirst's bogy event, for after winning four Pirelli Ravenol
Welsh rounds in a row he has now retired on his last three Woodpecker Stages
appearances.
With Hirst out, this left Gardener in a comfortable second position overall, where he
was able to enjoy the two remaining stages in the Radnor forest complex and come
home 54 seconds behind the overall winners - the unregistered Callum Black/Jack
Morton (Ford Fiesta Rally2).
The 2019 Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Championship runner-up Russ Thompson, above, enjoyed
his best outing of the year to score second-placed points. Co-driven by Stephen
Link, he put the top speed of his GPM/PD Extinguishers Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 to
good use over the fast and flowing stages.
Likewise, Robert Wilson,above, went one better than the excellent fourth he scored last time
out on the Nicky Grist Stages to celebrate his first overall Pirelli Ravenol Welsh
podium of his young career. Since rolling his Ravenol Mitsubishi Evo 7 at a pre-
season test and putting his entire season in jeopardy, Wilson has excelled and,
together with co-driver Richard Crozier, has also taken a hat-trick of
OnThePaceNote.co.uk supported Welsh Junior victories.
John Caine/Andrew Sankey, above, also celebrated their best result of the season, the pair
taking fourth place points in their Phil Price Rally School Subaru Impreza - finishing
45 seconds ahead of Bob Ceen/Alun Hayward,below, who lost time spinning their Axes
Designs Ford Fiesta R5 at a chicane on SS2.
Simon Rogers/James How, below, had a good run to take home eighth-placed points in their
yellow Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6.
Bob Morgan, below, remains second in the overall driver standings and continues to lead the
Ravenol Welsh Challenge after another strong performance in his Winner Garage
Å koda Fabia R5+. Co-driven this time by Robin Kellard, Morgan secured another
excellent top 10 Pirelli Ravenol Welsh as he heads to his local round of the series.
There wasn't much luck however for Lewers Firth/Shaun Lapper, who crashed their
Firth Construction Subaru Impreza on the opening stage. Benj Ceen/Caron
Tomlinson retired on the next stage with suspension issues in their MSL-prepared
Ford Fiesta R5, while James Giddings/Aled Davies were forced out with brake
problems in their Fordpad Mitsubishi Evo 9 on SS4.
Paul Walker, above, continues to lead class W13 after he and co-driver Geraint Thomas
scored yet another good result in their smart Green Paw Subaru Impreza. It's a tight
fight, with less than a maximum score covering the top five drivers. Wug Utting is
one of those drivers - he finished behind Walker on this occasion, with a spin on
SS2 costing him and co-driver Bob Stokoe time in their Geoff Jones Motorsport-
prepared Subaru Impreza N12b.
Matthew Jackson/Sasha Heriot, above, have won the class W4 title after another brilliant run
in their MJ Rallying Ford Fiesta R2T.
They also maintain their lead in the Welsh 2WD category, having finished second in
class on the day to Boyd Kershaw/Keegan Rees in their Flying Kiwi Escort Mk2.
Ashley Davies/Sam Fordham rolled their Burton Power/G&B Finch/Deranged Trucks
Ford Escort RS on SS2, while Andrew Fox/Jaime-Lee Fox (Xwatch Safety Solutions
BMW 325) and Kevin Metcalfe/Ian Jones (3-litre BMW E30) also failed to finish.
A brilliant drive saw Robert Gough, above, take maximum Historic class W8 points. Co-
driven by Sam Collis, the local driver had a "scrappy' opening loop and survived a
moment at the end of SS3 to claim seventh placed points overall as well in his Ford
Escort RS1800 Mk2.
Nick Elliott, above, (co-driven by Dave Price) has taken the class W8 lead after scoring
second-placed points in his Fiat Abarth 131, while Ben Friend/Cliff Simmons finished
third in their Allglass Escort Mk2.
Will Onions/Dave Williams just missed out on a class W8 podium in their Ford Escort
Mk2 but finished ahead of Rudi Lancaster/Guy Weaver in their Woolacombe Holiday
Parks Escort RS1800.
Michael McDaid/Declan Casey were hoping to make it two maximum class W8
points scores in a row but were hindered when they damaged their McDaid
Pharmacy Escort RS1800 Mk2 after putting it off the road on SS3.
Jonathan Brace has moved up to fourth in the W8 standings after he and co-driver
Paul Spooner enjoyed another good run in their Brace's Bakery Escort Mk1 RS1600.
Matt Edwards/Hamish Campbell had led the class coming into the Woodpecker but
have dropped to fourth after retiring their Pirelli-shod RSD-prepared Fiat Abarth 131.
They were tied for the lead entering the final stage, only for a trailing arm to fail and
not even Edwards' legendary emergency mechanical skills could prevent him from
parking the car up this time.
Defending class W8 champions Paul Street/Ian Jones retired their PJS Marine
Escort RS1800 Mk2 after hitting a tree at the end of SS3, while Roger Chilman/Llion
'Tractor' Williams retired their Wales Motorsport-prepared Securcom Escort Mk2
midway through the afternoon loop of stages.
Ben and Steven Smith celebrated their second Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Championship
finish of the season with another class W7 victory in their Amigos Ford Escort
RS2000 Mk1.
Neal James/Kevin Jones still lead the class after finishing second, although the
Escort Mk2 crew were held up on SS1 and 3 when cars ahead had gone off the road
in what they described as a "stop-start" day.
Peter Hinton/Lewis Sim scored third-placed class points, despite rolling their Escort,
while David Lloyd Roberts/Gerallt Wyn Davies ended in a log pile in their similar
Mk2.
Rory and Paul McCann claimed class W6 victory in their Metalways Hillman
Avenger, while Chris Squires/Shaun Hughes finished second and still lead the class,
despite their Trevor Morris Engines Ford Escort Mk2 picking up a puncture on SS2.
Those who finish in the top three of each Historic class (W6,W7 and W8) 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.
Liam Griffiths continues to lead the Welsh Junior category, despite he and co-driver
Daniel James finishing fourth in a very competitive class in their Discover Parks Ford
Fiesta ST.
James Lepley (co-driven by the recently married Simon Jones) survived a couple of
early spins and a very close moment on SS3 to come home second in his Escort
Mk2, ahead of Ben and Steven Smith, Rory and Paul McCann and Callum
Griffiths/William Lewis in their Presteigne Tyre Services Ford Fiesta ST.
Graham Thatcher/Tim Samuel overshot a junction on SS3 in their Pembridge
Vehicle Management Peugeot 206 GTi but still managed to stop Brynli Thomas/Sion
Rowlands run of victories in the Road Rally class - although the Peugeot 306 Rallye
crew still lead the standings.
James Dunkley,above, (co-driven by Jack Morris) had a frustrating morning, with a misfiring
Opel Corsa and an altercation with a chicane on SS1. He is all but assured of the
class W2 title, however.
Dave and Freddy Brick won class W3 in their Vauxhall Corsa, beating Stuart
Spyer/Peter Williams who lost time when they put their similar car off the road on
SS3. Adrian and Matthew Walk still lead the class after finishing third in their
PartBOX Ford Ka.
Martin Walters/Marie Fletcher, above, are the very worthy class W10 champions after
another good run in their high-revving Honda Civic.
Now that Matt Jackson has won the class W4 title, Jonathan Jones/Jez Rogers look
set to claim the runners-up spot. They finished second on the Woodpecker despite a
scare when they carried too much speed into a chicane in their EDSL Sport-run
Ingospec Ford Fiesta.
Unfortunately for Tony Simpson/Ian Bevan, they retired on the penultimate stage
when a driveshaft broke in their Seacon UK/Kielder Tools Ford Fiesta R2T.
The Woodpecker was live-streamed and all the footage, with additional action and
interviews, remains online and can be viewed at:
facebook.com/WELSHRALLYCHAMPIONSHIP.
The next round of the 2022 Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally
Championship is the Winner Garage Å koda Wyedean Rally on Saturday 15 October.
Further details on the 2022 Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally
Championship, together with registration information, can be found online at:
wnrc.wamc.org.uk
Woodpecker Stages - top 10 Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally
Championship finishers
1. Perry Gardener/Jack Bowen (Ford Fiesta R5+).......42mins 06secs
2. Russ Thompson/Stephen Link (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9).......43mins 19secs
3. Robert Wilson/Richard Crozier (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7).......43mins 45secs
4. John Caine/Andrew Sankey (Subaru Impreza).......43mins 56secs
5. Bob Ceen/Alun Hayward (Ford Fiesta R5).......44mins 41secs
6. Nik Elsmore/Rob Fagg (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9).......44mins 49secs
7. Robert Gough/Sam Collis (Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2).......45mins 02secs
8. Simon Rogers/James How (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6).......45mins 21secs
9. Nick Elliott/Dave Price (Fiat Abarth 131).......45mins 29secs
10. Bob Morgan/Robin Kellard (Å koda Fabia R5+).......45mins 37secs
2022 Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship
Overall drivers' points after Round 5
1. Matthew Hirst.......125pts
2. Bob Morgan.......107pts
3. Bob Ceen.......98pts
4. Dylan Davies.......86pts
5. John Caine.......83pts
6. James Giddings.......74pts
Pictures courtesy of Paul Mitchell. Please credit 'Paul Mitchell Photography' if used.
paulmitchellphotography@gmail.
Matthew Hirst has edged closer to the 2022 Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship title after winning the Nicky Grist Stages - Interclub event for the first time.
Having already won the opening three rounds of the series, Hirst and co-driver Declan Dear were once again on unbeatable form, scoring maximum points on the Builth Wells-based event in their Pirelli-shod Delta Salvage Ford Fiesta R5+.
"This is the first time that we've ever had a clean run on the Nicky Grist Stages and I'm delighted to come home with victory and maximum points. We were even able to ease off on the last stage because by then there was nothing to gain and everything to lose," said Hirst.
"The car has been faultless again, the team has done a great job and Dec has been spot on in the co-driver's seat - everything has been perfect.
"The Welsh Championship is looking good for us now, but it's certainly by no means over. We haven't won the title yet and we must maintain our focus if we want to bring the title home."
Dylan Davies enjoyed his best run of the season, collecting second-placed points in his Å koda Fabia R5+. Co-driven by Mark Glennerster, the 2019 Welsh champion drove well and in very hot conditions came home 1min 20secs behind Hirst.
James Giddings once again finished on the podium after a great run in his Group N Fordpad Mitsubishi Evo 9. Partnered by Lee Taylor, he collected third-placed points in the overall standings and won the Ravenol Welsh Challenge category.
Robert Wilson was a very close fourth in his Ravenol Mitsubishi Evo 7 and for the second time this year won the OnThePaceNote.co.uk supported Welsh Junior category. Co-driven by Richard Crozier, the youngster was delighted with the result - especially as he felt that, for the first time, the car was working perfectly and he felt comfortable and confident behind the wheel.
Bob Morgan/Ade Williams survived intercom failure on the first run through Monument (SS2) and an overshoot up a firebreak in Halfway (SS3) in their Winner Garage Å koda Fabia R5+. They recovered magnificently in the afternoon to score fifth-place points. Morgan moves up to second in the overall drivers' standings and continues to lead the Ravenol Welsh Challenge.
Bob Ceen lost time on the morning loop of stages when cars ahead of him rejoined the road in front of him and kicked up dust. The 2001 and 2015 Welsh champion was on great form and together with co-driver Shaun Layland took sixth-placed points.
Very close behind was his nephew Benj Ceen. He admitted to making a cautious start, but once he'd found his rhythm he and co-driver Caron Tomlinson set some impressive stage times in their MSL-prepared Ford Fiesta R5.
John Caine continues to practice what he teaches as he picked up eighth-place points in his Phil Price Rally School-backed Subaru Impreza, ably guided through the classic mid-Wales forests on and around the Epynt military range by Andrew Sankey.
Wug Utting/Bob Stokoe scored their best result of the season in their Geoff Jones Motorsport-prepared Subaru Impreza N12b, despite the car bottoming out in the morning, while Paul Walker, pictured below, continues to lead class W13 after he and co-driver Geraint Thomas recorded a Welsh top 10 finish in their Green Paw Subaru Impreza.
An off in Monument (SS2) may well have cost Simon Rogers/James How a place in the Welsh top 10, although they did bring their Mitsubishi Evo 6 home for a good result.
Perry Gardener/Jack Bowen rolled their Ford Fiesta R5+ out of the event in Halfway (SS3), while Nik Elsmore/Stephen McAuley were forced out with head gasket failure in their Mitsubishi Evo IX
Matthew Jackson/Sasha Heriot look unstoppable in class W4 and have also taken the lead in the Welsh 2WD category in their MJ Rallying Ford Fiesta R2T. After a magnificent morning the car didn't feel right in the afternoon and eventually the turbo pipe clips sheared halfway through the last stage, resulting in a near two-minute time loss. That dropped them to fourth in W4, but after three wins they still lead the class - and after four consistently high scores are ahead of all the non-historic Escorts, BMWs, Peugeots and other Fiestas in the highly competitive 2WD section.
Tony Simpson/Ian Bevan (Seacon UK/Kielder Tools Ford Fiesta R2T) came home second in the 2WD category - and clinched a superb class W4 victory on the Nicky Grist Stages. Jonathan Jones/Jez Rogers (EDSL Sport-run Ingospec Ford Fiesta) were second in W4 and Yaniv Bar, who was co-driven for the first time by Hannah McKillop, was third in his Ptravel Club Ford Fiesta R2.
Ashley Davies/Sam Fordham (Burton Power/G&B Finch/Deranged Trucks Ford Escort RS) scored top Welsh 2WD points and are a close second (behind Jackson) in the standings. They also won class W12 to close the gap on leaders Andrew Fox/Jaime-Lee Fox (Xwatch Safety Solutions BMW 325).
Boyd Kershaw had led the Welsh 2WD class, but his Flying Kiwi Escort Mk2's engine cut out after Llyn Login (SS1) and refused to start - temporarily stranding him and co-driver Keegan Rees up on the Epynt range.
Kevin Metcalfe retired his 3-litre BMW E30 on SS3 when a broken half-shaft stranded him and co-driver Ian Jones, while Lewers Firth/Shaun Lapper swapped their Firth Construction Subaru Impreza for a BMW E36 M3 but failed to complete the morning's loop of stages.
Geoffrey Phelps/Colin Jenkins had a brilliant run to win class W11 in their Hartpury Farms Escort Mk2. With leader Kershaw finishing down the order, Philip Jones/Ryan Griffiths have closed the gap to just three points in their Ford Escort.
Liam Griffiths continues to lead the Welsh Junior category, although he and co-driver Daniel James could only finish fourth in their Discover Parks Ford Fiesta ST. Rob Wilson scored maximum Junior points, followed home by Callum Griffiths/William Lewis, pictured above, who survived a big moment on SS3 in their Presteigne Tyre Services Ford Fiesta ST. Gethin Price/Matthew Baddeley finished third in their Keith Price Haulage Nissan Micra.
Nick Elliott has closed the gap at the top of the Historic class W8 after he and co-driver Dave Price finished second in their Fiat Abarth 131. They lost time when they hit a rock in Halfway (SS3) and bent the rear axle, meaning that the car was crabbing through Crychan (SS4), which was the longest stage of the event.
They were defeated on this occasion by a flying Michael McDaid/Declan Casey who won class W8 in their McDaid Pharmacy Escort RS1800 Mk2.
Robert Gough/Sam Collis feared their rally was over after hitting a rock in Halfway (SS3) but survived to bring their Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2 home third in class W8.
Defending class W8 champions Paul Street/Ian Jones had an eventful rally which began by overshooting a corner on SS2 and heading down an escape road in their PJS Marine Escort RS1800 Mk2. The car got stuck in fourth gear on SS4 and Street had to use both hands to free it - and finished Crychan on the rev-limiter in third gear, rather than risk engaging fourth again. The gearbox was changed in the one-hour midday service and a good points-scoring finish places them third in class.
Owen McMackin/Sean Ferris came home fourth in class W8 in their BJT Hire Centre Escort Mk2, while Jonathan Brace/Paul Spooner were the top Escort Mk1 crew home in their Brace's Bakery RS1600. Meanwhile, Andrew Stokes/Jonny Tad Evans enjoyed another great run in their Ford Escort Mk1.
Neal James/Kevin Jones continue to lead the Historic class W7 class after another great drive in their Cwm Engineering Ford Escort Mk2, while David Lloyd Roberts/Gerallt Davies won the class on the day in their Escort Mk2.
Having won the Historic class W6 on their gravel rally debut, Chris Squires/Shaun Hughes did it again on only their second forestry event in their Trevor Morris Engines Ford Escort Mk2. Julian Birley/Emyr Hall still lead class W6 class, despite retiring their Talbot Sunbeam Ti 1600 after the penultimate stage with a broken strut. Just two points separate the crews at the top of the W6 table.
Andy Fox and Jaime-Lee Fox
The battle is heating up in the David Stokes Historic Challenge award for drivers and the Guy Weaver award for co-drivers. Those who finish in the top three of each historic class (W6,W7 and W8) at the end of the season will be put forward for the prestigious awards.
James Dunkley has taken the class W2 lead after he and co-driver Dan Sayce put in a great performance in their Opel Corsa, while Adrian and Matthew Walk, pictured above, have closed the gap at the top of class W3 after a great victory in their PartBOX Ford Ka, despite an overheating issue on the last stage.
One of the closest battles of the day came in the Road Rally class, where Brynli Thomas/Sion Rowlands (Peugeot 306 Rallye) beat Graham Thatcher/Tim Samuel (Pembridge Vehicle Management Peugeot 206 GTi) by just 1.3 seconds! It was Thomas' third class win in a row, as he extends his lead.
Martin Walters/Marie Fletcher are celebrating their third class W10 win in a row in their Honda Civic, which puts them in prime position for the title.
The Nicky Grist Stages was live-streamed, with action from the stages and driver and co-driver interviews with Howard Davies coming from the service park. All the footage can be viewed at leisure on: facebook.com/
The next round of the 2022 Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship is the Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Stages on Saturday 3 September, which is supported by Presteigne Tyres and the Phil Price Rally School.
Further details on the 2022 Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship, together with registration information, can be found online at: wnrc.wamc.org.uk
Nicky Grist Stages - top 10 Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship finishers
1. Matthew Hirst/Declan Dear (Ford Fiesta R5+).......45mins 45.0secs
2. Dylan Davies/Mark Glennerster (Å koda Fabia R5+).......47mins 05.0secs
3. James Giddings/Lee Taylor (Mitsubishi Evo 9).......48mins 36.7secs
4. Robert Wilson/Richard Crozier (Mitsubishi Evo 7).......48mins 58.2secs
5. Bob Morgan/Ade Williams (Å koda Fabia R5+).......49mins 36.3secs
6. Bob Ceen/Shaun Layland (Ford Fiesta R5).......49mins 37.2secs
7. Benj Ceen/Caron Tomlinson (Ford Fiesta R5).......49mins 51.8secs
8. John Caine/Andrew Sankey (Subaru Impreza).......50mins 39.1secs
9. Wug Utting/Bob Stokoe (Subaru Impreza N12b).......50mins 40.2secs
10. Paul Walker/Geraint Thomas (Subaru Impreza).......50mins 43.9secs
2022 Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship
Overall drivers' points after Round 4
1. Matthew Hirst.......120pts
2. Bob Morgan.......89pts
3. Dylan Davies.......86pts
4. Bob Ceen.......75pts
5. James Giddings.......74pts
6. Matt Edwards.......68pts
For more information please contact:
Dave Evison
Secretary, Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol 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 Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Pictures courtesy of Paul Mitchell. Please credit 'Paul Mitchell Photography' if used.
paulmitchellphotography@gmail.
Matthew Hirst will be targeting his fourth straight 2022 Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship win when he contests the Nicky Grist Stages on Saturday 9 July in his Pirelli-shod Delta Salvage Ford Fiesta R5+.
Co-driven by Declan Dear, Matthew became the first driver since Callum Black in 2017 to win three Welsh Championship rallies in a row when he won the Plains Rally last time out - and if he wins again he will be the first driver to win four in a row since Luke Francis in 2016. Both Callum and Luke went on to win the Welsh title in those years!
"The Nicky Grist Stages is one of the events which we look forward to each year," says Matthew.
"The pace at the front of the field just seems to get quicker every year. I'd put this down to the fact that the route doesn't generally alter dramatically year-on-year, typically with just small changes here and there. That allows you to build confidence with the pace notes and generally gives a good feeling to the pre-event preparations.
"It's also the only time to compare the Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship pace against the BRC which is an interesting opportunity, albeit on the proviso that they have had the opportunity to recce the stages beforehand. It's always good to get the excuses out early!
"This will be the fifth time that we have entered the event and upon reflection we have yet to have a proper clean run. In the last three starts, we have had mechanical problems with a broken driveshaft, broken gear-lever and collapsed steering column.
"Hopefully we can get through this year with no dramas!"
James Giddings finished second last time out in his Group N Fordpad Mitsubishi Evo 9 to shoot up the points table and become a real title contender. Co-driven this time by Lee Taylor, the former Fiesta ST Trophy and Citroën C2 Challenge champion has taken very little time to get used to his new car and will be one of many trying to stop Hirst's winning run.
Bob Morgan/Ade Williams are also having a fantastic season in their Winner Garage Å koda Fabia R5+. They lead the Ravenol Challenge and arrive at the Nicky Grist Stages as the top-placed Å koda crew.
We've not seen the best of Dylan Davies yet this year. He's had a troubled start to the season, and that will make the 2019 Welsh champion all the more determined to score maximum points as he and co-driver Mark Glennerster contest the event in their Å koda Fabia R5+.
Another former champion Bob Ceen, who won the title in 2001 and 2015, arrives in Builth Wells on top form having scored a fifth-place Welsh Championship points finish last time out on the Plains. He and co-driver Shaun Layland know the classic mid-Wales forests well and will have their sights set on another strong performance in their 'National spec' Ford Fiesta R5.
Bob's brother Richard Ceen (co-driven by Alun Hayward) hopes to have finally sorted out the sensor gremlins which have ruined many a good stage performance this year in his Ford Focus WRC05.
Meanwhile, Richard's son Benj Ceen will be aiming to return to his fantastic early season form, as the former Renault/Alpine Formula 1 test engineer and co-driver Caron Tomlinson contest the event in their MSL-prepared Ford Fiesta R5.
Perry Gardener/Jack Bowen scored a Welsh podium finish on the Rallynuts Stages and will be challenging for maximum points again in their Ford Fiesta R5+, while Tom Llewellin/Ross Whittock appear in a Brace's Bakery-backed Ford Fiesta R5, having switched from a Mitsubishi Mirage.
Russ Thompson makes his second appearance of the year after recording an excellent fourth-placed points finish on the Rallynuts Stages. Co-driven by Stephen Link, another good result in his Dunnow Plant-backed Mitsubishi Evo 9 could bring the 2019 Welsh Championship runner-up right back into contention for the 2022 title.
Having sorted out a few reliability issues with his Mitsubishi Evo 6, Simon Rogers enjoyed a much better run on the Plains. Co-driven by James How, he'll be hoping that it continues on the Nicky Grist Stages - while Phil Price Rally School owner John Caine returns in his Subaru Impreza and, co-driven by Andrew Sankey, will be aiming for a strong top 10 finish and more Ravenol Welsh Challenge points.
Class 13 leader Paul Walker is enjoying a great season and will be out again with Geraint Thomas in his Green Paw Subaru Impreza, while Wug Utting/Bob Stokoe will also be pushing hard in their Geoff Jones Motorsport-prepared Subaru Impreza N12b.
Last year's Nicky Grist Stages saw the return of Nik Elsmore, who was contesting his first rally for over six years and only his third rally in 12 years. He's done very little since, but it's great to see him and co-driver Craig Drew back in their Mitsubishi Evo IX and preparing to blow the cobwebs away in their characteristic hard-charging style.
Frazer Martin/Dylan Bargate will contest the event in their Mitsubishi Evo 6, Lewers Firth/Shaun Lapper are back in their Firth Construction Subaru Impreza, Rob and Ashley Aslett wheel out their Subaru Impreza, as do Martyn Andrews/Steve Greenhill, Steven Ormond-Smith/Simon Jones and Geoff Cottrill/Nathan Crewe both appear in Mitsubishi Evo 9s, while Dave Tomlin/Keith Ashley will be hoping for a much-needed change of fortune in their Axon Ford Fiesta R5.
Having scored two wins from three starts, Boyd Kershaw/Keegan Rees lead the Welsh 2WD class in their Flying Kiwi Escort Mk2. They really are enjoying a sensational season in the black Ford and will be aiming for a class hat-trick this time out.
Kevin Metcalfe (who also leads class W12) is just five points behind in his 3-litre BMW E30 and together with Ian Jones is always great to watch. And to illustrate how diverse the 2WD category is, Matthew Jackson arrives third in class in his MJ Rallying Ford Fiesta R2T. Partnered by Sasha Heriot (who is second in the co-drivers' standings), Jackson also leads class W4.
Ashley Davies/Sam Fordham remain Welsh 2WD title contenders. Having won the class on the Rallynuts and finished second on Rally North Wales, another strong run in their Burton Power/G&B Finch/Deranged Trucks Ford Escort RS could put them right back into title contention - and with five scores from seven counting towards the end of season points total, they hope to be able to drop the low score they received after retiring on the Plains.
Also ready to score big in the 2WD category are Philip Jones/Ryan Griffiths (Ford Escort), Andrew Fox/Jaime-Lee Fox (Xwatch Safety Solutions BMW 325), Michael Sawyer/Gareth Price (2350cc Datsun 1600) Geoffrey Phelps/Colin Jenkins (Hartpury Farms Escort Mk2), Matthew Honeyborne/James Curtis (BMW 328 Coupe), Tim Jones/Liam Whiteley (Ford Escort Mk2), Clive Price/John Fellowes (BMW Compact), Alun Horn/Ian Beamond (Ford Escort Mk2), Colin Griffiths/Lucy Wilding (BMW Compact), Richard Warne/Chris Deal (Escort Mk2), David Jones/Glyn Price (BMW E30) and Tim Phelps/Elwyn Manuel who return in their Britpart Ford Escort Mk2.
The battle for the OnThePaceNote.co.uk supported Welsh Junior title is hotting up nicely, with seven under 25-year old drivers aiming for the coveted trophy. Two wins and a second sees Liam Griffiths in the lead and the Presteigne youngsters will be hoping to continue that good run when he and co-driver Daniel James take to the mid-Wales forests in their Discover Parks Ford Fiesta ST.
Liam's brother Callum, co-driven by William Lewis, will be a tough competitor in his Presteigne Tyre Services Ford Fiesta ST, as will the rapid James Lepley/Arwel Jenkins in their Escort Mk2.
Robert Wilson won the Junior category on the Rallynuts, which was his first event in his Ravenol Mitsubishi Evo 7 - and he and co-driver Richard Crozier will be aiming for maximum points this time again.
Rudi Lancaster has the opportunity to take the Historic class W8 lead. Co-driven by Guy Weaver, he's already scored three very good results in his Woolacombe Holiday Parks Escort RS1800 Mk2 and a first or second would give him the outright class lead.
However, victory could also give the defending class W8 champions Paul Street/Ian Jones the lead as they aim for top points in their PJS Marine Escort RS1800 Mk2.
Nick Elliott has been super-fast this year, although an engine issue on the Plains Rally has dropped him to fourth in the table. But with it fixed, he and co-driver Dave Price should be right back challenging for class victory in their Fiat Abarth 131.
Jonathan Brace has been the fastest Escort Mk1 driver all season and despite a power disadvantage is fifth in class W8. Reunited with co-driver Paul Spooner, who was away on holiday when the Plains took place, Jonathan will be out to impress in his Brace's Bakery RS1600.
Robert Gough scored his best result of the season last time out and together with Sam Collis will be aiming to keep up that momentum going in their Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2.
Andrew Stokes/Jonny Tad Evans will be aiming for their fourth straight points-finish in their Ford Escort Mk1, as they start the event seventh in class, one point ahead of Roger Chilman/Patrick Walsh (Wales Motorsport-prepared Securcom Escort Mk2) and Michael McDaid/Declan Casey (McDaid Pharmacy Escort RS1800 Mk2).
Also aiming for class W8 points are Ben Friend/Cliffy Simmons (Allglass Escort Mk2), Will Onions/Dave Williams (Capital Motorsport Ford Escort Mk2), Pete Littler/Andy Marchbank (RED Preparation & Fabrication/Select Security Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2), Philip Clarke/Richard Bonner (Escort Mk2), Ron Morgan/Marc Clatworthy (Wales Motorsport-prepared Restruct Escort Mk2) and Owen McMackin/Sean Ferris in their BJT Hire Centre Escort Mk2.
Neal James/Kevin Jones have a healthy lead in the Historic W7 class after three second-place finishes in their Cwm Engineering Ford Escort Mk2. They'll continue to be pushed hard by second-placed David Lloyd Roberts/Gerallt Davies, who have won twice in their Escort Mk2, and Ben Smith/Stephen Smith who took victory on the opening round in their Escort Mk2. Peter Hinton/Lewis Sim (Escort Mk2) and Gareth Lewis/Ryland James (Escort RS2000 Mk1) are also out.
Julian Birley/Emyr Hall lead the Historic W6 class after taking two wins from two starts in their Talbot Sunbeam Ti 1600. Welsh Junior driver Rory McCann, co-driven by his father Paul, is second in class in his Metalways Hillman Avenger.
Chris Squires/Shaun Hughes, who celebrated contesting their first gravel rally with class W6 victory on the Rallynuts, are back in their Trevor Morris Engines Ford Escort Mk2, while Mark Tugwell/Steve Pugh (Lotus Twin Cam engines Metalways Ford Escort Mk1) and Malcolm Bayliss/Siobhan Pugh (16BAO Rally Team Ford Escort Mk1) will be aiming for top points as well.
In addition to valuable points, the top three finishes in each historic class will automatically be put forward for the end-of-season David Stokes Historic Challenge award for drivers and the Guy Weaver award for co-drivers.
James Dunkley has a great opportunity to take the class W2 lead when he and co-driver Dan Sayce contest the event in their Opel Corsa.
Gethin Price will be aiming to make a dent in Hefin Lloyd-Davies's class W3 lead as he and co-driver Matthew Baddeley contest the event in their Keith Price Haulage Nissan Micra. They'll be battling for maximum class points with Adrian and Matthew Walk (PartBOX Ford Ka) and brothers Freddy and Toby Brick (Opel Corsa).
Matthew Jackson may have a good lead in class W4, but he'll have to be on his best again as Jonathan Jones/Jez Rogers (EDSL Sport-run Ingospec Ford Fiesta), Tony Simpson/Ian Bevan (Seacon UK/Kielder Tools Ford Fiesta R2T) and Yaniv Bar/Osian Owen (Ptravel Club Ford Fiesta R2) challenge for maximum points.
Brynli Thomas leads the Road Rally class and together with co-driver Sion Rowlands will be aiming to extend his lead in his Peugeot 306 Rallye. Aiming to stop them will be the earlier leaders of the W5 class, Graham Thatcher/Tim Samuel in their Pembridge Vehicle Management Peugeot 206 GTi.
Martin Walters/Marie Fletcher aim to strengthen their healthy class W10 lead in their high-revving yellow Honda Civic. Dan Jones led the class after the opening round and will want to return to the top step on the class W10 podium when he and Cyril Jones tackle the event in their Jones Brothers/Bradley Motorsport Vauxhall Nova. Aiming for their first finish of the season will Alan Desbois/Peter Littlefield (Peugeot 306 RWD) and Michael Jenkins/Scott Dance (Peugeot 205).
The Welsh Championship's live streaming service will be even bigger and better on the Nicky Grist Stages, with even more action and interviews. Howard Davies will commentate on the live stage action and will also roam with a camera and microphone around midday service, interviewing Welsh Championship drivers and co-drivers. Everything will be broadcast live on: facebook.com/
Organised by Quinton Motor Club, the 2022 Nicky Grist Stages will start from Strand Street in the centre of Builth Wells at 08.31. After a loop of stages through Llyn Login, Monument, Halfway and Crychan forests, cars will return for a midday service on the Builth Wells RFC pitch before a repeat run over the stages. After all eight stages and 45 stage miles have been completed, the podium ceremony will take place in Groe Park at 15.30, with the River Wye and the landmark 18th Century bridge in the background.
Further details on the 2022 Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship, together with registration information, can be found online at: wnrc.wamc.org.uk
For more information please contact:
Dave Evison
Secretary, Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol 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 Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship
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Picture captions - top left to bottom right
Matthew Hirst/Declan Dear (Ford Fiesta R5+)
Bob Ceen/Shaun Layland (Ford Fiesta R5)
Bob Morgan/Ade Williams (Å koda Fabia R5+)
Paul Walker/Geraint Thomas (Subaru Impreza)
Nick Elliott/Peredur Davies (Fiat Abarth 131)
Rudi Lancester/Guy Weaver (Ford Escort Mk2)
Peter Hinton/Lewis Sim (Escort Mk2)
Ashley Davies/Sam Fordham (Ford Escort Mk2)
Ron Morgan/Marc Clatworthy (Ford Escort Mk2)
Matthew Jackson/Sasha Heriot (Ford Fiesta R2T)
Boyd Kershaw/Keegan Rees (Ford Escort)
Freddy Brick/Toby Brick (Opel Corsa)
Paul Street/Ian Jones (Ford Escort Mk2)
Neal James/Kevin Jones (Ford Escort Mk2)
Rob Wilson/Richard Crozier (Mitsubishi Evo 7)
Brynli Thomas/Steve Griffiths (Peugeot 306 Rallye)
Pictures courtesy of Paul Mitchell. Please credit 'Paul Mitchell Photography' if used.
paulmitchellphotography@gmail.
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