Nicky Grist Stages confirmed as first gravel round of the 2022 British Rally Championship

Next year’s Nicky Grist Stages, which takes place on Saturday 9 July, will host a round of the British Rally Championship for the fourth time in the event’s history.

The Quinton Motor Club organised forestry event, which dates back to 1980, first hosted a round of the BRC in 2016. Elfyn Evans/Craig Parry won the event that year in a Ford Fiesta R5, a result which helped them go on to become British rally champions.

In 2017 Fredrik Åhlin/Torstein Eriksen claimed victory in their Škoda Fabia R5.

Bell rings in the changes with Junior British Rally Championship victory in Wales

London rally driver Ruairi Bell delivered a dominating performance in the Junior British Rally Championship last weekend (10 July) to secure his maiden victory in the series and get his title aspirations back on track at the Nicky Grist Stages.

Bell, 21 from Blackheath led the ultra-competitive Junior challengers for seven out of the eight stages to record his first ever win in the Championship and now lies just eight points shy of the lead of the series with five rounds remaining.

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.

Kelly aims for Junior British Rally Championship points in Wales

Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy member David Kelly will resume his Junior British Rally Championship campaign this weekend as the series makes the switch to gravel for the Nicky Grist Stages in Wales (10th July).

Kelly, 25 from Donegal enjoyed a strong showing at the opening round of the series at Oulton Park in May, setting a string of fastest times in his Glebe Builders backed M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally4 and will aim to continue his impressive run of form across the world-famous Mid-Wales stages.

Osian Pryce boosted by uninterrupted Nicky Grist Stages preparations

Osian Pryce says that a day’s testing on Thursday and the recce on Friday will provide the perfect uninterrupted confidence-building preparation ahead of Saturday’s Nicky Grist Stages, as he gets in full rally mode for round two of the British Rally Championship (BRC).

Creighton ready for back-to-back British and World Championship events

– Moira rally driver William Creighton contests British Rally Championship and World Rally Championship events on successive weekends
– Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy pilot aims to continue Junior BRC winning streak
– Creighton looks to Rally Estonia for further experience of World Championship events