Trackrod Rally

After retirement on the previous BRC round, Matt Edwards & Darren Garrod (Polo R5) struck back in the finest way, setting fastest time on all but one stage and leading from start to finish on the 2021 Trackrod Rally Yorkshire. Osian Pryce & Noel O’Sullivan (Polo R5) consolidated their BRC championship lead with 2^nd overall. They took it by 0.8s from Matthew Wilson & Stuart Loudon (Fiesta Rally2) who had an overshoot on the final stage, in Dalby, although this balanced out with Pryce dropping time on the same stage, ran on the Friday night as stage 1. William Creighton & Liam Regan (Fiesta Rally4) were the class of the 2WD field, taking victory by over 1m 20s.

Osian Pryce strengthens British Rally Championship challenge after scoring season’s best result on the Grampian Rally

Osian Pryce has strengthened his challenge for the British Rally Championship title after scoring his best result of the season so far in his Melvyn Evans Motorsport-prepared Volkswagen Polo GTI R5.

Having finished third on both the Neil Howard Stages and the Nicky Grist Stages, the 28-year old Welshman’s speed and determination paid dividends as he finished second on the Grampian Rally (Saturday 14 August).

Engine misfire denies Matt Edwards chance of Grampian Rally win, although British Rally Championship title hopes remain on song

Matt Edwards’ hopes of challenging for victory on the Grampian Rally (Saturday 14 August) came to an end when an engine misfire halted his Yuasa Rally Team Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 whilst he was in a closing second position with two stages remaining – although his British Rally Championship title aspirations remain very much on song.

The double British Rally champion arrived at the event leading the drivers’ standings and was thus seeded at number one. Running first on the road was a distinct disadvantage, as the ferociously fast Durris, Fetteresso and Drumtochty forest roads near Aberdeen were covered in loose stones – meaning that Matt had to change his driving style to suit the conditions.

Despite this, he and co-driver Darren Garrod were third after the opening two stages, 13 seconds off leaders Matthew Wilson/Elliot Edmondson (Ford Fiesta Rally2), who were running a more favourable seventh on the road.

Double podium finisher Osian Pryce aims for British Rally Championship win on the Grampian Rally

Osian Pryce is the only driver to finish both rounds of the British Rally Championship (BRC) on the podium this year, putting himself in a very strong position in the drivers’ standings. However, the 28-year old Machynlleth born driver doesn’t want to make a habit of finishing third, and is out to win this weekend’s Grampian Rally (Saturday 14 August) in his Melvyn Evans Motorsport-prepared Volkswagen Polo GTI R5.

Matt Edwards fully focused on extending British Rally Championship lead as series heads to ultra-fast Grampian Rally

Matt Edwards is fully focused on extending his lead in the British Rally Championship, when he takes his Yuasa Rally Team Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 to the ultra-fast Grampian Rally (Saturday 14 August).

Retson goes up a gear on the Grist

Scottish rally driver Finlay Retson secured a confidence-boosting second place at last weekend’s Nicky Grist Stages (10th July), to close in on the lead of the Motorsport UK Junior British Rally Championship.

The 21-year-old ace from Blairgowrie and Welsh co-driver Rhys Stoneman steered his Ford Fiesta Rally4 across the world-class Welsh forest stages to grab a last-stage move up the leaderboard, meaning he now lies just three points shy of the lead of the prestigious British series after two rounds.

Another British Rally Championship podium for Pryce, as Osian finishes third on the Nicky Grist Stages

Osian Pryce took his new Michelin-shod Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 to its second British Rally Championship podium finish in as many events, when he finished a very close third on the Nicky Grist Stages.

He and Irish co-driver Noel O’Sullivan made a great start to their first gravel event in the Melvyn Evans Motorsport-prepared car, and led after the opening flat-out blast through Llyn Login 1.

Matt Edwards takes British Rally Championship lead after stunning victory on the Nicky Grist Stages

Matt Edwards has taken the lead in the British Rally Championship after winning the Nicky Grist Stages in sensational style in his Yuasa Rally Team Volkswagen Polo GTI R5.

The double British rally champion considers this to be his best performance on gravel to date, given the intensity of competition and a new car for 2021. It is also the first time that a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 has won a round of the BRC, and it’s first victory on a UK forest rally.

Welsh rallying successfully returns to the forests, with Matt Edwards scoring a sensational victory on the 2021 Nicky Grist Stages

Matt Edwards and Darren Garrod took their Yuasa Rally Team Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 to a hard fought victory on the 2021 Nicky Grist Stages, and in doing so take the lead of the British Rally Championship.

They were fourth after the opening stage, and overcame a morning misfire and brake bias issues to finish five seconds ahead of Tom Cave/Dale Furness (Ford Fiesta Rally2) after two loops through Llyn Login, Monument, Halfway and Crychan forests and all 44 stage miles had been completed.

Osian Pryce/Noel O’Sullivan (Volkswagen Polo GTI R5) finished just a further seven seconds behind in third, as the top three pulled away from the rest of the field.

Indeed, Edwards, Cave and Pryce each led the event at some stage, and were separated by only a second or two on most of the stages – with Edwards and Pryce tied for the lead after SS2, and Cave and Edwards tied for the lead after SS3.

Nicky Grist Stages Rally

Round 2 of the BRC saw the crews return to gravel and a more familiar feel of a multi venue stage rally. Matt Edwards & Darren Garrod (Polo R5) took victory and moved in to the BRC lead, as a result. Tom Cave & Dale Furniss (Fiesta Rally 2) missed the opening round but took 2nd place, just 5s behind Edwards with Osian Pryce & Noel O’Sullivan (Polo R5) completing an all Welsh (drivers only) podium. Rhys Yates & James Morgan were 4th overall whilst BRC returnee, after a number of years away, Matthew Wilson & Stuart Loudon completing the top 5, both in Fiesta Rally 2’s.