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Hirst edges closer to title after Nicky Grist Stages victory
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
Paul Evans
Press Officer, Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship
Pictures courtesy of Paul Mitchell. Please credit 'Paul Mitchell Photography' if used.
paulmitchellphotography@gmail.
Hirst Targets Four Championship Wins in a Row
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
Paul Evans
Press Officer, Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship
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.
Hirst Seals Hat Trick of Wins with Victory on the Plains
Matthew Hirst has made it three wins from three starts in this year's Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship after scoring victory on the Plains Rally (Saturday 21 May).
Co-driven by the soon to be married Declan Dear, Hirst clinched another impressive victory in his Pirelli-shod Delta Salvage Ford Fiesta R5+, this time winning by 1 minute and 25 seconds.
With Hirst's nearest rivals Dylan Davies/Mark Glennerster retiring their Å koda Fabia R5+ on the opening stage, he has increased his lead at the top of the drivers' standings to 22 points.
"It certainly wasn't an easy day, with three punctures and a few other headaches along the way," admitted Hirst.
"The steering rack locked solid just after the podium ceremony, so we were very lucky for it to happen after we'd reached the finish.
"Next up is one of my favourite events, the Nicky Grist Stages - with just the small matter of Dec and Gemma's wedding in between!"
James Giddings, pictured above, finished second in only his second event in his newly acquired Group N Fordpad Mitsubishi Evo 9. Co-driven by Aled Davies, the former Fiesta ST Trophy and Citroën C2 Challenge champion drove superbly well to eventually get the better of Bob Morgan/Ade Williams - who continue to lead the Ravenol Challenge after an excellent run to the podium in their Winner Garage Škoda Fabia R5+.
Bob Ceen, pictured above, suffered a puncture on the morning loop of stages, but after that the 2001 and 2015 Welsh champion flew in his 'National spec' Ford Fiesta R5. Co-driven by Shaun Layland, a good afternoon's performance netted a very well earned fifth-place Welsh Championship points finish.
Simon Rogers (co-driven this time by Matthew Baddeley) had a much better run this time out in his Mitsubishi Evo 6. A rear right puncture in the afternoon was nothing compared to what he's had to survive in the previous two rounds, and eighth-placed Welsh Championship points was a just reward.
Paul Walker/Geraint Thomas had a great run in their Green Paw Subaru Impreza. A morning puncture didn't prevent them from finishing ahead of Richard Ceen/Alun Hayward in the 4WD section, although the latter suffered launch control issues in their Ford Focus WRC05.
Benj Ceen/Caron Tomlinson lost over five minutes in SS4 in their MSL-prepared Ford Fiesta R5 and finished down the order, while Dave Tomlin/Keith Ashley retired their Axon Ford Fiesta R5 during the morning loop of stages.
Boyd Kershaw/Keegan Rees, above,overcame a few gearbox issues in the morning to score maximum Welsh 2WD class points for the second time this year in their black Flying Kiwi Escort Mk2.
Kevin Metcalfe/Ian Jones picked up a puncture on the opening stage in their 3-litre BMW E30 but recovered to score second place 2WD points - with the Horsham driver now second in the standings, just five points behind Kershaw.
Matthew Jackson remains third in the 2WD class, and leads class W4, after he and co-driver Sasha Heriot put in another great performance in their MJ Rallying Ford Fiesta R2T
Philip Jones/Ryan Griffiths enjoyed a good run in their Ford Escort and are now fourth in the 2WD section. Andrew Fox/Jaime-Lee Fox survived a nervous final road section after their Xwatch Safety Solutions BMW 325 broke a driveshaft on the last stage.
Michael Sawyer/Gareth Price enjoyed a good day in their 2350cc Datsun 1600, Geoffrey Phelps/Colin Jenkins survived a big moment on SS6 which damaged the steering on their Hartpury Farms Escort Mk2, Matthew Honeyborne/James Curtis recorded their first finish of the season in their BMW 328 Coupe, Clive Price/John Fellowes had to nurse their BMW Compact to the finish and Alun Horn/Ian Beamond enjoyed a great day and survived sliding wide on the final stage to reach the finish in their Ford Escort Mk2.
Ashley Davies/Sam Fordham had been leading the Welsh 2WD class going into the Bala-based event in their Burton Power/G&B Finch/Deranged Trucks Ford Escort RS, but stopped in SS2 - which drops them down to fifth in the standings.
One of the stars of the Plains Rally was Matt Edwards,pictured above, who scored his third straight victory in the Restruct Welsh Historic class W8 and picked up points for fourth overall in the Welsh Championship drivers' standings. Co-driven by Hamish Campbell, the triple British rally champion was simply outstanding once again in his Fiat Abarth 131, winning the 2WD section of the event by exactly a minute. The result also moves Edwards up to second in the overall Welsh driver standings.
Michael McDaid/Declan Casey, pictured above, had their best run of the season to date, finishing second in class in their McDaid Pharmacy Escort RS1800 Mk2 - and with that getting themselves onto the list for a chance to win the David Stokes Historic Challenge award for drivers and the Guy Weaver award for co-drivers at the end of the season.
Will Onions/Dave Williams (Capital Motorsport Ford Escort Mk2) picked up fifth place Welsh Historic points, ahead of Rudi Lancaster/Guy Weaver (Woolacombe Holiday Parks Escort RS1800), while Jonathan Brace/Jamie Vaughan were the first Escort Mk1 home after a great run in their Brace's Bakery RS1600.
Others collecting a good haul of Welsh Championship points were Pete Littler/Sion Cunniff (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 Andrew Stokes/Jonny Tad Evans in their Ford Escort Mk1.
Owen McMackin/Barry Ferris had a frustrating day, which began when their BJT Hire Centre Escort Mk2 dropped onto three cylinders on SS3 and their attempts to nurse it home for a finish failed. Meanwhile, Nick Elliott/Peredur Davies retired their Fiat Abarth 131 on the road section after SS2 with engine problems.
Neal James/Kevin Jones, above, made it three second place finishes in a row in the Historic W7 class and continue to lead the category in their Cwm Engineering Ford Escort. David Lloyd Roberts/Gerallt Davies have closed the gap after winning W7 - despite a misfire in their Ford Escort Mk2 on SS1, spinning the car on SS2 and going off the road on SS3. Peter Hinton/Lewis Sim came home third in class in their Escort Mk2.
Julian Birley/Emyr Hall have retaken the lead of the Historic W6 class after taking maximum points for the second time this year in their Talbot Sunbeam Ti 1600. Mark Tugwell/Steve Pugh were hoping to close the gap on the leaders but retired their Lotus Twin Cam engines Metalways Ford Escort Mk1, as did Malcolm Bayliss/Siobhan Pugh in their 16BAO Rally Team Ford Escort Mk1.
Liam Griffiths, above, has extended his lead in the OnThePaceNote.co.uk supported Welsh Junior points table to 43.5 points after he and co-driver Andrew Sankey won the category in only the driver's third event in his Discover Parks Ford Fiesta ST. Rory and Paul McCann came home second in their Metalways Hillman Avenger.
A great run on the Plains saw Brynli Thomas, pictured above score back-to-back wins and take the lead in the Road Rally class, the Peugeot 306 Rallye driver loving forestry events after many years in the lanes.
Another W10 victory, to go with their win on the Rallynuts and second on Rally North Wales, has given Martin Walters/Marie Fletcher a healthy class lead in their Honda Civic. David Forrester scored his first points of the season when he and co-driver Ian Nichols finished second in their Peugeot 205GTi.
Action streamed live from the Knutsford & District Motor Club-organised Plains Rally is available to view at facebook.com/
Round 4 of the 2022 Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship is the Builth Wells-based Nicky Grist Stages on Saturday 9 July, with stages in and around the famous Epynt military range, including the classic Crychan and Halfway forests.
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
Plains Rally - top 10 Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship finishers
1. Matthew Hirst/Declan Dear (Ford Fiesta R5+).......41mins 30secs
2. James Giddings/Aled Davies (Mitsubishi Evo 9).......42mins 55secs
3. Bob Morgan/Ade Williams (Å koda Fabia R5+).......43mins 22secs
4. Matt Edwards/Hamish Campbell (Fiat Abarth 131).......43mins 38secs
5. Bob Ceen/Shaun Layland (Ford Fiesta R5).......43mins 52secs
6. Michael McDaid/Declan Casey (Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2).......44mins 38secs
7. Robert Gough/Jack Bowen (Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2).......44mins 47secs
8. Simon Rogers/Matthew Baddeley (Mitsubishi Evo 6).......44mins 50secs
9. Paul Street/Ian Jones (Ford Escort Mk2).......45mins 16secs
10. Will Onions/Dave Williams (Ford Escort RS).......45mins 18secs
2022 Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship
Overall drivers' points after Round 3
1. Matthew Hirst.......90pts
2. Matt Edwards.......68pts
3. Bob Morgan.......66pts
4. Dylan Davies.......59pts
5. Bob Ceen.......53pts
6. James Giddings.......49pts
For more information please contact:
Dave Evison
Secretary, Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship
Paul Evans
Press Officer, Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship
Pictures courtesy of Paul Mitchell. Please credit 'Paul Mitchell Photography' if used.
paulmitchellphotography@gmail.
Hirst hopes for a Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship hat-trick on the Plains
Press release: 15 May 2022
Matthew Hirst, pictured above, will be targeting an unblemished hat-trick of wins in the 2022 Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship when he contests the Plains Rally on Saturday 21 May.
Hirst and co-driver Declan Dear have made the perfect Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Championship start by winning both the WKD Trained Dogs Rally North Wales and Rallynuts Stages in their Pirelli-shod Delta Salvage Ford Fiesta R5+.
Having conquered the famous Pantperthog, Dyfi, Big Ray, Gartheiniog, Myherin, Sweet Lamb, Hafren and Cwmysgawen forest stages, Hirst hopes his winning streak will continue as he prepares for 44 more stages miles in Aberhirnant, Llangower, Alwen and Clocaenog.
Dylan Davies, pictured below, has been Hirst's nearest rival on both rounds this year and is second in the drivers' standings, six points behind. His Å koda Fabia R5+ hasn't been so sympathetic on tyre wear and a lack of traction has hampered the Llanon driver's progress, but he hopes for improvements as he and co-driver Mark Glennerster aim for their first win of 2022.
Tom Llewellin arrives at the Plains Rally third in the overall drivers' standings. The 2019 Welsh Junior champion's first full season in the Brace's Bakery Mitsubishi Mirage has started well and he's quickly gaining confidence in the car. Dale Bowen, who partnered Tom on the opening round, returns to the co-driver's seat.
James Giddings also had a fantastic result on the Rallynuts in his first appearance in his newly acquired Group N Fordpad Mitsubishi Evo 9. Co-driven by Aled Davies, the former Fiesta ST Trophy and Citroën C2 Challenge champion should go well on the Plains too.
Bob Morgan, pictured below, has made a great start to the 2022 Welsh Championship and currently leads the Ravenol Challenge and is fifth in the overall drivers' standings in his Winner Garage Å koda Fabia R5+.
Benj Ceen has been one of the revelations of the season so far. In only his first year in a four-wheel drive car, the former Renault/Alpine Formula 1 test engineer has scored two fantastic results in his Ford Fiesta R5 and arrives at the Plains Rally sixth in the overall drivers' standings and third in the Ravenol Welsh Challenge. The car is run by MSL (which is owned by Mat Long, who is married to Benj's sister and four-time Welsh Under 25 championship winning co-driver Sarah Ceen) and the results have been achieved despite the car running with an Evo1 spec 32mm restrictor and over 30bhp down on the other Fiesta R5s.
Benj's father Richard Ceen, pictured below, has been troubled by sensor failures and his Ford Focus WRC05 engine stalling at every opportunity this year. With over six minutes lost on the first two events, he hopes that as a former instrumentation engineer he can get the problems fixed to enable him and co-driver Alun Hayward to enjoy a clean run on the Plains.
Richard's slightly younger brother Bob Ceen is having a good season. The 2001 and 2015 Welsh champion has successfully switched from a Subaru Impreza S9 WRC to a right-hand drive 'National spec' Ford Fiesta R5, which has been transformed by MSL and has run faultlessly so far this year.
Simon Rogers/James How will be aiming for a more trouble-free run having driven around several problems so far this year in their Mitsubishi Evo 6, while Dave Tomlin/Keith Ashley will be hoping to bounce back from beaching their Axon Ford Fiesta R5 - a simple case of running a bit wide ruining a good run last time out on the Rallynuts Stages.
One of the most experienced drivers in the Welsh field will be Wug Utting,pictured below, who contests the Plains Rally for the 17th time! He'll be co-driven by Bob Stokoe in their Subaru Impreza N12b. Also back in his Green Paw Subaru Impreza will be Paul Walker, this time partnered by Geraint Thomas.
Ashley Davies/Sam Fordham, pictured below, arrive in Bala leading the Welsh 2WD class having finished second on Rally North Wales and first on the Rallynuts in their Burton Power/G&B Finch/Deranged Trucks Ford Escort RS. Boyd Kershaw/Keegan Rees have also won their class this year, but fifth on the Rallynuts sees them five points behind in The Flying Kiwi Escort Mk2.
Matthew Jackson, pictured below, is third in the 2WD class after two magnificent results in his MJ Rallying Ford Fiesta R2T. He and co-driver Sasha Heriot also lead class W4 in the flying front-wheel drive car.
Kevin Metcalfe, pictured below. (co-driven by Ian Jones) is the top placed BMW driver and is just one point behind Jackson in his 3-litre BMW E30.
Philip Jones/Ryan Griffiths (Ford Escort), Andrew Fox/Jaime-Lee Fox (Xwatch Safety Solutions BMW 325), Michael Sawyer/Gareth Price (2350cc Datsun 1600) and Geoff Phelps/Colin Jenkins (Hartpury Farms Escort) will also be aiming for strong 2WD results.
The incredibly close Restruct Welsh Historic class battles will resume on the Plains, with the top three registered finishers in each class giving themselves a chance of winning the end of season David Stokes Historic Challenge for drivers and the Guy Weaver Award for co-drivers' awards.
Matt Edwards/Hamish Campbell, pictured below, head the Historic class W8 after two victories in their Pirelli-shod Fiat Abarth 131. The development work done to improve the RSD-prepared car came good in the afternoon of the Rallynuts Stages, and if that pace and reliability continues on the Plains then the three-time British drivers' champion will be hard to beat.
Nick Elliott quickly reacclimatised to his own Fiat Abarth 131 on the Rallynuts, having not driven it in competition for over three and a half years. Now that he's stopped driving it like his Escort RS1800, Nick and co-driver Peredur Davies should be on the pace from the word go this time.
Roger Chilman (Securcom Escort Mk2) lies third in class, just ahead of Rudi Lancaster (co-driven by Guy Weaver in his Woolacombe Holiday Parks Escort RS1800), with Alan Walker (together with John Connor in his JWC Financial Solutions Ford Escort RS1800) fifth. Meirion Evans kick-started his class W8 title challenge when he and co-driver Gwynfor Jones collected third-place points in their Wales Motorsport Escort Mk2 on the Rallynuts.
Other crews aiming for their first class W8 podium finish of the year include Robert Gough/Jack Bowen (Escort RS1600 Mk2), Michael McDaid/Declan Casey (McDaid Pharmacy Escort RS1800 Mk2), Ben Friend/Cliffy Simmons (who were flying in the early part of the Rallynuts in their Allglass Escort Mk2) Will Onions/Dave Williams (who survived a Rallynuts roll in their Capital Motorsport Escort Mk2), Pete Littler/Sion Cunniff (RED Preparation & Fabrication/Select Security Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2), Ron Morgan/Marc Clatworthy (Wales Motorsport-prepared Restruct Escort Mk2), Philip Clarke/Richard Bonner (Escort Mk2), and defending Historic class W8 champions Paul Street/Ian Jones (PJS Marine Escort RS1800 Mk2).
Jonathan Brace (co-driven this time by Jamie Vaughan) heads the RS1600 Mk1 contingent in his Dave Jenkins Motorsport-built Brace's Bakery Escort, with Andrew Stokes/Jonny Tad Evans and David Kirby/Martin Corbett in hot pursuit.
Having finished second in class twice, Neal James/Kevin Jones (Escort Mk2) take a 19 points W7 lead into the Plains Rally. David Roberts/Gerallt Davies won the class on the Rallynuts in their Cwm Engineering Ford Escort Mk2 and Ben and Stephen Smith did likewise on Rally North Wales, while Peter Hinton/Lewis Sim are also capable of winning the class - although head gasket and suspension issues have prevented them scoring a top result this year in their Escort Mk2.
Julian Birley/Emyr Hall (Talbot Sunbeam Ti 1600) have a great opportunity to recapture the lead of the Historic W6 class after missing the Rallynuts.
Rory McCann, co-driven by his father Paul, will also resume their Welsh title battle in their Metalways Hillman Avenger, as will Mark Tugwell/Steve Pugh in their Lotus Twin Cam engines Metalways Ford Escort Mk1 and Malcolm Bayliss/Siobhan Pugh in their 16BAO Rally Team Ford Escort Mk1.
Liam Griffiths, pictured below, (co-drive this time by Andrew Sankey) will be aiming to extend his 24-point lead at the top of the OnThePaceNote.co.uk supported Welsh Junior points table in his Discover Parks Ford Fiesta ST.
This brother Callum Griffiths finished on the Welsh Junior podium last time out in only his second ever rally and he'll be aiming for another good run with co-driver William Lewis in his Discover Parks Ford Fiesta ST.
Gethin Price/Matthew Baddeley lead class W3, although the gap has been closed thanks to a non-finish last time out in their Keith Price Haulage Nissan Micra. Hefin Lloyd-Davies (co-driven by Rich Jones) returns, having won the class on Rally North Wales in his Jones Bros Engineering Vauxhall Corsa. Meanwhile Dave Brick (Vauxhall Nova) and Freddy Brick (Opel Corsa) will be aiming for their first championship finish of the season.
Having scored maximum Road Rally class points last time out, Brynli Thomas/Steve Griffiths will be looking to take the lead of the category in their Peugeot 306 Rallye.
Martin Walters/Marie Fletcher have made a successful return to rallying after spending the past two years rebuilding their Honda Civic and head to the Plains aiming to extend their class W10 lead.
Organised by Knutsford & District Motor Club, the 2022 Plains Rally will see the first car leave the start ramp at 07.01 on Saturday 21 May from the Penllyn Leisure Centre in Bala. The event will contain two high-speed passes of Aberhirnant, Llangower, Alwen South, Alwen North and Clocaenog forests and after all 10 stages/44 stage miles have been completed the finish will be back in Bala from 15.00.
Spectator information is available at plainsrally.co.uk and on the Sportity app (password: PlainsRallySpectators22).
For those unable to make it to the North Wales forests in person but would still like to watch the event, the action will be live streamed on facebook.com/WELSHRALLYCHAMPIONSHIP with commentary from Howard Davies.
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
Pictures courtesy of Paul Mitchell. Please credit 'Paul Mitchell Photography' if used.
paulmitchellphotography@gmail.
2022 Plains Rally: top 10 2WD starters
1. Matt Edwards/Hamish Campbell.......Fiat Abarth 131
2. Nick Elliott/Peredur Davies.......Fiat Abarth 131
3. Matthew Robinson/Sam Collis.......Ford Escort RS
4. Henri Greham/Daniel Petrie.......Ford Escort Mk2
5. Ben Friend/Cliffy Simmons.......Ford Escort Mk2
6. Will Onions/Dave Williams.......Ford Escort Mk2
7. Robert Gough/Jack Bowen.......Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2
8. Sacha Kakad/TBC....... Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2
9. Hugh Hunter/Rob Fagg.......Ford Escort Mk2
10. Simon Webster/Jez Rogers.......Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2
2022 Plains Rally: top 10 4WD starters
401. Matthew Hirst/Declan Dear.......Ford Fiesta R5+
402. Dylan Davies/Mark Glennerster.......Å koda Fabia R5+
403. Tom Llewellin/Dale Bowen.......Mitsubishi Mirage
404. David Henderson/Chris Lee.......Ford Fiesta R5
405. James Giddings/Aled Davies.......Mitsubishi Evo 9
406. Bob Ceen/Shaun Layland.......Ford Fiesta R5
407. Bob Morgan/Ade Williams.......Å koda Fabia R5+
408. Benj Ceen/Caron Tomlinson.......Ford Fiesta R5
409. Paul Walker/Geraint Thomas.......Subaru Impreza
411. Dave Tomlin/Keith Ashley.......Ford Fiesta R5
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