Nicky Grist Stages wins BTRDA ‘Rally of the Year Award 2019’

The Builth Wells-based Nicky Grist Stages has won the prestigious BTRDA Rally Series ‘Rally of the Year Award 2019’ – which was presented to the event organisers, Quinton Motor Club, at the recent British Trial & Rally Driver Association’s annual gala awards ceremony.

Voted for by competitors, the Nicky Grist Stages was praised for the smooth running of the event and the quality of the stages, which last year saw 43 stage miles run in the classic mid-Wales forests of Crychan, Halfway, Monument and Llyn Login.

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.

Nicky Grist Stages

Grey clouds hung over the Epynt military ranges for the Nicky Grist Stages. Euan Thorburn & Paul Beaton (Focus WRC) were on the cusp of taking the championship with a perfect score, but they had 8 tricky stages to complete. The first stage went to plan but stage 2 saw Stephen Petch & Michael Wilkinson (Fiesta WRC) go fastest to close in on Thorburn. Stage 3 saw Thorburn attack and he took 14 seconds out of Petch and by the service break he held a 21s lead with another fastest stage time. 3 more fastest stage times across stages 5-7 saw Thorburn extend his lead to over a minute and a 3rd fastest time saw Thorburn & Beaton home to victory and a perfect score to confirm the 2019 championship title.

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.

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!

Nicky Grist gives a personal insight into this year’s ‘super-smooth’ Nicky Grist Stages forest rally route

This year’s Nicky Grist Stages (Saturday 13 July) is celebrating the 10th Anniversary of title sponsorship support from Nicky Grist Motorsports – and the man himself has been a vital component in the event’s success over the years, both in terms of backing and his invaluable guidance on planning the route and timetable from a competitor’s point of view.

And Nicky says that this year’s Quinton MC-organised event, which contains eight stages (four repeated) totalling 43 stage miles in the classic Mid-Wales forest stages in the Carmarthenshire-Powys border area, will be one of the best – as the stages are in super-smooth condition.

North Road Garage provides state-of-the-art scrutineering facilities for the Nicky Grist Stages

North Road Garage, a company synonymous with both the motor industry in Mid-Wales and with national rallying, will provide state-of-the-art scrutineering facilities for this year’s Nicky Grist Stages – which takes place on Saturday 13 July.

The Toyota dealership, which is situated in a prime position on the A470/A483 roundabout on the outskirts of Builth Wells, has very kindly offered its pristine workshop for the event’s technical and safety checks, which will be carried out on the eve of the rally (on the afternoon of Friday 12 July).

Nicky Grist Stages entries open, as 43 stage mile BTRDA and Welsh Championship event route is revealed

Entries are now open for the Nicky Grist Stages (Saturday 13 July) – with the official event Regulations and Entry Forms published on-line at nickygriststages.co.uk