No pain, no gain – as Elliot Payne spins but wins the Nicky Grist Stages for the first time

Elliot Payne spun backwards into a ditch on stage four of the Nicky Grist Stages (Saturday 8 July) but still went on to win the Quinton Motor Club-organised event for the first time in his Mango Go Ford Fiesta Rally2.

Co-driven by Tom Woodburn, the young Harrogate driver took a jump in the Monument stage flat-out and couldn’t slow down enough for the following corner – but despite the time loss, Payne won the event by 7.9 seconds to extend his lead in the MRF Tyres BTRDA Gold Star Series.

Henderson’s dream comes true as he takes Protyre MSUK Asphalt Rally Championship victory on the East Riding Stages

David Henderson has taken the initial lead of the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship after winning the opening round of the 2023 sealed-surface series, the Reed Group East Riding Stages, in his Keco/PAR Petroleum-backed Ford Fiesta Rally2.

It was a titanic battle for victory, with the top three finishers covered by just 10 seconds.

Co-driven by Chris Lees, Henderson was seeded at number one and ran first on the road – which was a tricky starting position, given the East Yorkshire lanes were damp and extremely slippery in the morning and he had elected to go out on Michelin slick tyres.

Carlisle Stages

Constant drizzle and rain blanketed Kielder forest for the final round of the British Historic and Scottish Rally Championships. In the BHRC it two way battle with Matt Edwards & Hamish Campbell (131 Abarth) needing to win and for Henri Grehan & Dan Petrie (Escort MkII) to finish lower than 4th. Edwards was fastest through the opening 3 stages but Grehan was 2nd overall. It all fell apart for Edwards on SS4 though as he retired and Grehan went on to take the BHRC victory and the 2022 title, in 6th overall. Tom Walster & Glyn Thomas (Escort MkII) were the 2nd 2WD crew home with Adrian Hetherington & Ronan O’Neill (Escort MkII) completing the 2WD podium.

British rally champion crowned in Yorkshire

The North York Moors proved a happy hunting ground for Welsh star Osian Pryce as he clinched the Motorsport UK British Championship with victory on the Trackrod Rally Yorkshire.

The 29-year old from Machynlleth piloted his Volkswagon Polo GTR5 to fastest stage times on the opening four of six timed forest stages to emerge over 20 seconds clear of his main championship rival Keith Cronin, from Bantry in Ireland.

Woodpecker Stages

A bumper entry of 166 cars took the start in Ludlow for what would be a dusty affair in Mortimer & Radnor forests. Callum Black & Jack Morton (Fiesta Rally2) took the opening stage before Matthew Hirst & Declan Dear (Fiesta R5) took the lead with a stage win on SS2. Black regained the lead on SS3 and the pair were locked in battle until SS5 when the control arm broke on Hirst’s Fiesta and he was out. Black went on take victory by 54s. Perry Gardener & Jack Bowen (Fiesta R5) took 2nd on their local event with Elliot Payne & Patrick Walsh (Fiesta Rally2) were just 5s back in 3rd.

Perfect Payne wins Brick & Steel Border Counties Rally

The Tweed Valley and Wauchope Forests echoed to the sound of rally cars for the first time since 2019 on Saturday [14 May] as the Brick and Steel Border Counties Rally blasted back into life with Elliot Payne and Patrick Walsh taking victory in their Ford Fiesta Rally2.

Payne was third after the opening stage of the event but recovered to seal the top spot by 14 seconds from David Henderson and Chris Lees in their Fiesta R5. Number one seeds Stephen Petch and Michael Wilkinson rounded out the podium in third, driving their Fiesta WRC.

Payne proves a point with Rallynuts Stages Rally victory

Eighteen-year-old Elliot Payne stormed to his first-ever overall rally win on Saturday, claiming a start-to-finish victory at the Rallynuts Stages Rally [13 November].

Payne and co-driver Patrick Walsh would open up an impressive ten second lead on the opening stage of the event and enjoyed a start to finish lead, threading their Ford Fiesta Rally2 through the tricky mid-Wales forests tests with ultimate precision.

Rallynuts Stages Rally

The final round of the MRF Tyres BTRDA Championship saw Garry Pearson & Niall Burns (Fabia R5) confirm their 3rd championship title of 2021. They came home 3rd just edging out Ian Bainbridge & Will Atkins (Fabia R5) for the final podium place. At the front it was a battle between Elliott Payne & Patrick Walsh (Fiesta Rally2) and Callum Black & Tom Woodburn (Fiesta R5). Payne took the honours through Myherin to establish an early lead, which he did not lose for the rest of the event. The time ebbed and flowed but he ended up taking his first overall rally win by just 10s from Black.

Payne-perfection for EDSL Sport in Cumbria

Junior F1000 Rally Championship graduate Elliot Payne stamped his mark on the BTRDA Rally Series R2 Cup last weekend, by securing victory in his EDSL Sport MK8 1.0litre EcoBoost Ford Fiesta R2T at the Malcolm Wilson Rally in Cumbria (14th March).

Payne stormed from sixth place in the hotly contested category after the opening stage, to take the win by over ten seconds from his nearest rival on only his second ever “senior” event in the M-Sport machine.

Flynn flys EDSL Sport flag at a tough Cambrian Rally

Reigning British Rally Championship Cadet Cup champion Rupert Flynn upheld EDSL Sport honours at the opening round of the British Rally Championship and BTRDA Rally series last weekend, the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally (8th February).

Making his Junior BRC debut, Flynn co-driver Richard Crozier stayed out of trouble to secure a confidence-boosting fifth spot in the series in the EDSL Sport hire car. Sadly neither team-mate Brian Brady or BTRDA contender Elliot Payne would make it to the Llandudno promenade to cross the ramp on Saturday evening.