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.

Matthew Hirst heads a star-studded Nicky Grist Stages entry as six major rally championships arrive in Builth Wells

Matthew Hirst will lead a star-studded field away at the start of the Nicky Grist Stages on Saturday 8 July, as the Doncaster rally ace is seeded at number one in his Delta Salvage/Witham Group Ford Fiesta R5.

Co-driven by Declan Dear, Hirst won the Nicky Grist Stages Interclub event last year and will be looking to close in on the MRF Tyres BTRDA Gold Star Series lead (he currently lies third, just four points behind the leader) and also extend his advantage at the top of the Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship points table.

Nicky Grist says that this year’s eco-friendly Nicky Grist Stages route will be ‘more challenging’ than ever

Nicky Grist says that this year’s Nicky Grist Stages (Saturday 8 July) route will be ‘more challenging’ than ever before – while the stages through Llyn Login, Crychan, Halfway and Monument have passed a significant number of environmental requirements that will make this year’s event more eco-friendly than ever before.

The stages running through the Crychan and Halfway forests and the Military Training Area over Eypnt are classics. An important consideration when planning the route is the environmental impact the rally has on Sites of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI) as these areas are the most important sites for Wales’ natural heritage.

Nicky Grist Stages set to bring a magnificent motorsport festival to Builth Wells on Saturday 8 July

The Nicky Grist Stages returns to Builth Wells on Saturday 8 July, when crews from six major UK rally championships gather for the Quinton Motor Club-organised rally – which will be played out over 44 stage miles in the nearby classic mid-Wales forestry stages of Llyn Login, Monument, Halfway and Crychan.

This year’s event celebrates the 14th consecutive year of title sponsorship from Nicky Grist Motorsports.

Pearson racks up the points with solid Nicky Grist Stages result

Duns rally driver Garry Pearson scored a solid fourth place at the Nicky Grist Stages last weekend [9 July], the third round of the Motorsport UK British Rally Championship.

Pearson guided his Asset Alliance Group and Hankook Tire backed Ford Fiesta Rally2 through the searing heat and gruelling gravel stages in mid-Wales, to finish just outside the podium spots on his loose surface debut in the car and secure valuable points towards his British Championship bid.

Carnival atmosphere comes to Builth Wells, as Nicky Grist Stages hailed enormous success by town, competitors and fans

Carnival atmosphere comes to Builth Wells, as Nicky Grist Stages hailed enormous success by town, competitors and fans.

Osian Pryce celebrates 100th rally with victory on the Nicky Grist Stages – putting his BRC title bid back on track

Osian Pryce celebrates 100th rally with victory on the Nicky Grist Stages – putting his BRC title bid back on track

Osian Pryce celebrated his 100th rally start in style by leading the Nicky Grist Stages from start-to-finish, with victory putting his British Rally Championship title-winning aspirations firmly back on track.

Starting with number 100 on the door of his Volkswagen Polo GTI R5, Osian took the lead on the opening stage of the Builth Wells-based rally and held it until the end of the 8 stage/45 stage mile event – winning by 14.9 seconds.

Nicky Grist Stages Rally

In the midst of the BRC battle the crews descended on mid Wales and it was Osian Pryce & Noel O’Sullivan (Polo R5) who struck first. Keith Cronin & Mikie Galvin (Polo R5) hit back on stage 2. Pryce took the next two stages, taking the lead into service. Cronin took the first stage after service before Pryce hit back with two more stage wins. Pryce managed his pace through the final stage and won by 14.9s from Cronin, a much needed boost after the Jim Clark rally. Jason Pritchard & Phil Clarke (Polo R5) went fastest through the final stage to snatch 3rd place from Tom Llewellin & Ross Whittock (Fiesta Rally2).

Osian Pryce hits a century on the Nicky Grist Stages

Osian Pryce will hit a century on this Saturday’s Nicky Grist Stages, as the Machynlleth-born driver starts the 100th rally of his illustrious career – and to help him celebrate the occasion he will carry number 100 on the side of his Volkswagen Polo GTI R5.

For the first gravel round of the 2022 British Rally Championship, and his first forestry event for over eight months, Osian will be slotted in and start behind the number one seeds.

Osian made his rally competition debut in 2009 when, aged just 16, he contested the Rally Kalnamuiza in Latvia in a Renault Clio.

BRC leader Keith Cronin heads a bumper 160 car entry as the Nicky Grist Stages welcomes six major rally championships to Builth Wells

BRC leader Keith Cronin heads a bumper 160 car entry as the Nicky Grist Stages welcomes six major rally championships to Builth Wells.

A bumper 160 car entry will start this weekend’s Quinton Motor Club-organised Nicky Grist Stages – with competitors from six major rally championships gathering in the historic Welsh market town of Builth Wells on Saturday (9 July) for a fantastic action-packed rally festival.

Four-time British rally champion Keith Cronin is seeded at number one in his Volkswagen Polo GTI R5. He and co-driver Mikie Galvin arrive in Builth Wells leading the British Rally Championship, 10 points ahead of Welsh crew James Williams/Dai Roberts in their Hyundai i20 R5.