Entries open for Trackrod Rally Yorkshire

Entries have opened for the Trackrod Rally Yorkshire (September 27/28) and more than 30 entries have been placed in little more than a week following the publication of the event regulations.

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Pearson puts brakes on Scottish Rally Championship campaign

Leading Scottish Rally Championship (SRC) contender Garry Pearson has called `time` on his assault on the 2019 series and will sit out the final two rounds, effectively ending his title hopes.

Pearson, 27 years old from Duns has enjoyed a prosperous season behind the wheel of his Asset Alliance Group, RAVENOL and George Anderson Builders backed Ford Fiesta R5, but with his chances of taking the coveted Scottish Championship title diminished, he has now elected to concentrate on his 2020 campaign.

Proton Iriz R5 dominates coveted Goodwood Forest Rally Stage

The new Proton Iriz R5 stormed to its first victory since being fully homologated by the FIA, winning the coveted Forest Rally Stage shootout at the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed (4-7 July).

Despite making an appearance at the world-famous event in 2017 and 2018, the Mellors Elliot Motorsport built machine was still in its development phase and at the time, was not ratified by the sport’s governing body.

McCormack maps out Roger Albert Clark hopes with Nicky Grist podium

British Rally Championship front-runner Marty McCormack made his Roger Albert Clark Rally (RAC) intentions clear, by taking third place in the Historic category at last weekends Nicky Grist Stages (Saturday 13^th July).

Using his TigerRisk Partners and McCormack Drilling backed Ford Escort Mk2, McCormack and co-driver Barney Mitchell powered their way to a podium spot in readiness for the five-day gruelling event in November. The duo have entered the unique event in a bid to retain their title after winning the rally when it last ran in 2017.

Builth Wells celebrates successful Nicky Grist Stages as Euan Thorburn claims BTRDA Rally Series title

The move into the centre of Builth Wells proved a huge success, as the Quinton MC-organised Nicky Grist Stages produced a carnival atmosphere, a great sporting spectacle for the town and a significant increase in footfall and trade on the high street – which had welcomed the event with open arms. On the stages, Euan Thorburn/Paul Beaton won the event in their Ford Focus WRC to clinch the 2019 Jordan Road Surfacing BTRDA Rally Series title.

The Scottish duo, who had won the previous four rounds of the BTRDA Series, lost their initial Nicky Grist Stages lead on SS2 after losing time with a gearbox problem that affected the launch control and handbrake.

Bilham: “I’m out to enjoy myself” at the Nicky Grist Stages

Bingley rally driver Sam Bilham is determined to “enjoy” himself next weekend as he contests the fifth round of the BTRDA Rally Series, the Nicky Grist Stages Rally (13th July).

Bilham will once again be behind the wheel of the Greenlight Sports and Entertainment Ford Fiesta R5 and has cited a more relaxed approach to the Builth Wells based event, which takes in classic Welsh Stages made famous by the FIA World Rally Championship qualifier, Wales Rally GB in the past.

Thorburn aims to clinch BTRDA title on the bumper 130 car Nicky Grist Stages

The forthcoming Nicky Grist Stages (Saturday 13 July) has received a bumper 130 car entry, with top seeds Euan Thorburn/Paul Beaton hoping that a good result on the eight stage Mid-Wales forestry event will clinch them the prestigious 2019 Jordan Road Surfacing BTRDA Rally Series title.

Puncture dashes Pearson’s Argyll Rally victory hopes

Front-running KNC Groundworks Scottish Rally Championship (SRC) contender Garry Pearson narrowly missed out on victory at last weekend’s Dunoon Presents Argyll Rally, after suffering a puncture which knocked him off the top step of the podium to finish second.

The 27-year-old Duns driver had a dream start to the event in his Asset Alliance Group, RAVENOL and George Anderson Builders backed Ford Fiesta R5, leading the rally at the halfway point, only to lose over 50 seconds with a deflated tyre on the sixth test, demoting him to the runners up spot in the closing stages.

Webster tops BHRC on Red Kite Stages

Simon Webster and Jez Rogers scored their first championship win on round four of the FUCHS LUBRICANTS Motorsport UK British Historic Rally Championship, Sunday’s Red Kite Stages (23 June).

The very popular win came at the end of a wonderful day-long contest with Steve Bennett and Osian Owen in the forests of South Wales. As thick dust in the morning was replaced by heavy rain, the Red Kite Stages drew widespread acclaim from competitors for the quality of stages in the Margam and Rheola complexes.

Local rally champion Jason Pritchard to contest Builth Wells-based Nicky Grist Stages in Historic Ford Escort Mk2

Builth Wells champion rally driver Jason Pritchard will contest his home forestry event, the Nicky Grist Stages, for the first time on Saturday 13 July in his North Road Garage-backed Ford Escort RS1800.

Having won the MSA British Historic Rally Championship title for a record three times in a row (2015, ’16 and ’17), this will be the first time that Pritchard has competed against the Historic crews in the Jordan Road Surfacing BTRDA Rally Series. So competitive is the Historic section this year that class leader George Lepley (Hillman Avenger) is also lying third in the overall BTRDA Series drivers’ points table!