Damian Cole scored a sensational record-equalling sixth Old Forge Garage Mewla Rally victory in his Get Connected/Energizer-backed Ford Fiesta WRC (Sunday 25 August) – setting the scene for a winner takes all title decider on the final round of the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship next month.
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Warm and dry conditions met the crews on the Mewla and Damian Cole & Paul Spooner (Fiesta WRC) set the early pace, setting fastest times across the 3 stages of the first loop, taking a lead of 13s over Bob Fowden & Den Golding (Impreza WRC). Jason Pritchard & Phil Clarke were struggling with their Focus WRC picking up, trailing back in 3rd place, some 23s off the lead. Cole extended his lead to 25s over loop 2 as Fowden drifted back and Pritchard stemmed the time loss. The long stage 7 saw Pritchard climb up in to 2nd place with Alan Kirkaldy & Cameron Fair (Fiesta R5) up to 3rd overall on only their 2nd visit to Epynt. Read More »
The intense battle for the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship title continues on the sixth and penultimate round, the Old Forge Garage Mewla Rally on Sunday 25 August, when the eight time King of Epynt and series leader Damian Cole goes head-to-head with last year’s event winner and defending champion Jason Pritchard.
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John Stone has re-ignited his Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship title challenge by scoring maximum points on the Carryduff Forklift Down Rally in his Legend Fires-backed Ford Fiesta WRC.
Co-driven by Jack Morton, the Blackburn driver was fastest out of the blocks on a very wet and slippery opening stage to open up an immediate advantage – which was the start of a titanic battle between Stone and arch rival Damian Cole, who immediately set about fighting back after an over-cautious start. As Cole began his fight back, Stone lost a slight bit of momentum on SS2 when a software issue with the new boost pack on his ex-Mikko Hirvonen car made it feel down on power, but he’d retained his lead at the end of a tricky opening loop of three stages. Read More »
Over 120 crews took the startline at the Eikon Centre for the Down Rally, in a small window of good weather which surrounded the event. Jonny Greer & Kirsty Riddick (Fiesta R5) were defending their 2018 victory and came out the blocks faster than the opposition to take almost 10 seconds out of the next fastest crew Meirion Evans & Jonathan Jackson (Fabia R5), through the opening stage. By the time the crews had got to the first service Greer was first with just 1s chipped off his advantage but stage 4 would see Evans fall away as he dropped 7 minutes with a puncture. Jon Armstrong & Noel O’Sullivan (Mini WRC) had climbed up to 3rd overall after a fastest time on stage 2 but a puncture cost them 50 seconds on stage 4 so the top 3 was shook up. Daniel Harper & Chris Campbell (Mini WRC) were up to 2nd place with Stephen Wright & Liam Moynihan (Fiesta R5) up to 3rd place. Read More »
It has been more than three months since competitors in the McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship were in action but now they’re revving up to compete in round four of the series at this weekend’s Carryduff Forklift Down Rally!
Headquartered at the Eikon Exhibition Centre in Balmoral Park, near Lisburn, a capacity entry of 130 high-powered rally cars from across the UK and Ireland are set to tackle stages on closed roads in County Down as well as two spectator tests in the grounds of the exhibition centre. Read More »
Damian Cole is looking to extend his lead in the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship when he takes his Get Connected/Energizer-backed Ford Fiesta WRC to the Carryduff Forklift Down Rally (20 July) – but he’ll have plenty of tough opposition aiming to deny him the maximum haul of points he’s searching for, most notably from John Stone (Fiesta WRC) and from an array of top R5-spec cars driven by the likes of Melvyn Evans (ŠKODA Fabia R5), Meirion Evans (Hyundai i20 R5), Alan Kirkaldy (Fiesta R5) and Oli Hopkins (Mitsubishi Mirage).
Six time champion Cole has been super consistent so far this season, with a second placed points finish on the opening Rallynuts National Tour of Epynt Rally and a pair of fifth-placed points scored on the Masterpixel Media Manx National Rally. Read More »
After completing 12 special stages in mixed conditions, Damian Cole / Dale Bowen emerged as leading Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship contenders as they finished eighth overall on the Rally van Wervik, moving into the Championship lead as a result.
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Two of the leading contenders for this year’s Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship title will drive different cars on the next round of the series, the WOODSTOXX – MOTUL Rally van Wervik (Saturday 15 June), with Jason Pritchard electing to use his North Road Garage Ford Fiesta S2000 and Damian Cole switching back to his Get Connected/Energizer-backed Ford Fiesta WRC.
Having scored maximum points on all three rounds so far this year in a Focus WRC05, series leader Pritchard wants to give that car a rest in preparation for later qualifying events, and in a tactical move is aiming for a strong points scoring finish in a Fiesta S2000. Read More »
Jason Pritchard has extended his lead in the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship after taking maximum points on both days of the double-header Masterpixel Media Manx National Rally – with his latest win on the Isle of Man equalling Kenny McKinstry’s five event victories.
The Builth Wells driver had opened up a 57 second lead after a slippery points-scoring first eight stages on Friday, and had to do it all again if he was to score another maximum points haul on eight dry and fast stages on Saturday. Read More »
