Exciting new 2020 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship calendar includes five closed road stage events

The Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship will include four new events in its exciting 2020 calendar, with the majority of rallies being closed road stage events and the series growing to eight qualifying rounds, with the best six scores to count.

Jason Pritchard celebrates back-to-back Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship titles as Alan Kirkaldy wins on Otterburn

Jason Pritchard secured back-to-back Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship titles by the smallest of margins, beating arch rival Damian Cole to the trophy by just one point after a thrilling final round on the Ford Parts Cheviot Stages Rally on Otterburn.

Cheviot Stages Rally

The finale of the Asphalt Championship was billed as a winner takes all rally between Damian Cole and Jason Pritchard, but it didn’t prove to be that simple (or correct). The 1st stage was key as in the event of a tie break it could all come back to who went fastest on this stage. Cole, co-driven by Andrew Roughead (Fiesta WRC), was quickest from Pritchard by 2 seconds, who was co-driven by Phil Clarke in his Focus WRC. By the end of the first loop Alan Kirkaldy & Cameron Fair (Fiesta R5) had set two fastest times to be lying joint first with Cole, with Pritchard 10s back. The 2nd loop went the way of Kirkaldy who was upsetting the WRC machinery in his R5 car. After stage 9 Kirkaldy had grown his lead to 11s going fastest once more and it was followed up on loop 4 with another fastest time on SS10 before Cole pegged the lead back to 10s with a fastest time on SS11.

Winner takes all, as Cole and Pritchard head to Otterburn for the Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship finale

The destiny of the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship title will be decided on the final round of the series, as six time champion Damian Cole and reigning champion Jason Pritchard go head-to-head in a winner takes all shootout on the Ford Parts Cheviot Stages Rally on Sunday 22 September.

Cole’s record-equalling Epynt victory makes it winner takes all on Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship finale

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.

Mewla Rally

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.

Everything to play for, as Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship title contenders return to Epynt for the Mewla Rally

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.

Stone relights his Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship title fire with maximum points in Northern Ireland

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.

Down Rally

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.

Competitors Rev Up for the Carryduff Forklift Down Rally

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.