Steve Wood begins Protyre MSUK Asphalt Rally Championship title defence on the East Riding Stages

Steve Wood will begin his Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship title defence on the Reed Group East Riding Stages (Sunday 26 February) – and like all the events in last year’s calendar, this year’s opening round will be completely new to him.

The Aberystwyth driver will also start the season without his regular co-driver Dale Bowen, who is contesting another event in Portugal the same weekend – so Wood will be partnered by Mark Glennerster for the first time. His title-winning Ford Fiesta RS WRC will look different too, sporting new sponsorship from Trailhead Get Jerky.

Advertisement

Steve Wood clinches the 2022 Protyre MSUK Asphalt Rally Championship title after a battle royal on the Isle of Man

Steve Wood has clinched the 2022 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship title after a battle royal on the final round of the series, the Best Cars Chris Kelly Memorial Manx Stages.

Co-driven by Dale Bowen, the Aberystwyth driver was lying third after an extremely wet and stormy start, which had seen rivers of water running down some sections of the famous Isle of Man stages on Friday’s opening two legs.

Despite a misfire in his City East Ford Fiesta RS WRC, Wood completed the third and final leg on a much drier Saturday to finish second – which was enough to secure him the UK’s premier sealed-surface title, the Protyre Trophy and prestigious BTRDA Gold Star award.

Chris Kelly Memorial Rally

The conclusion of the Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship saw 3 drivers fighting for the title. It would have been 4 had the Three Shires not been cancelled, as the countback denied Neil Roskell the chance to fight for the title he won in 2021. Mark Kelly & Neil Colman (Fabia R5) were fastest through SS1 and with SS2 cancelled they continued on through the rain soaked and flooded stages to the frist running of the Lhen. They went off in the appauling conditions and handed the lead to Peter Taylor & Jack Morton (Fiesta WRC). Neil Roskell & Andrew Roughead (Fiesta R5) had a point to prove and they went fastest through SS4 to grab the lead from Taylor.

Three amigos battle for the overall Protyre MSUK Asphalt Rally Championship title on the Isle of Man

Steve Wood, John Stone and Mark Kelly will head to the final round of the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship, the Chris Kelly Memorial Manx Stages (30 September/1 October), aiming to become the overall 2022 driver’s champion – and clinch the Protyre Trophy and prestigious BTRDA Gold Star award.

It will be an intriguing battle, as all three drivers have varying degrees of experience on the Isle of Man.

Wood takes Protyre MSUK Asphalt Rally Championship lead while Williams scores maximum points on Rali Ceredigion

Steve Wood has taken the lead of the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship at a crucial time in the 2022 series, after a skilful performance on the Get Connected Rali Ceredigion (3/4 September).

It was James Williams who took maximum points on the Aberystwyth-based closed road event in his Michelin-shod JDS Machinery Hyundai i20N Rally2 – becoming the first driver this year to score top marks more than once. What’s more, the result gives his navigator Dai Roberts the lead in the overall Protyre Asphalt co-drivers’ standings.

Wood becomes fourth Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship event winner this year after Down Rally triumph

Steve Wood has become the fourth different winner in as many rounds of the 2022 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship after scoring maximum points on the Carryduff Forklift Down Rally (Saturday 23 July).

Co-driven by Kenny Hull, the Welshman used all his experience of Irish closed road stage rallying to master the fantastic Bucks Head, Lough Erne, Drumaknocken and Hamilton’s Folly stages – particularly in the morning loop which was damp and incredibly slippery, causing an overshoot on SS2 – to finish 34.5 seconds clear of his nearest sealed-surface series rival. The result moves him up to third in the drivers’ standings.

James Williams closes in on Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship lead after Jim Clark charge

James Williams has closed to just one point behind Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship leader Ruairi Bell after scoring maximum points on Round 2 of the series, the Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Rally (27/28 May).

Co-driven by fellow west Walian Dai Roberts, James set a stunning pace in his Hyundai Power Products-backed Hyundai i20 R5 to score his best result to date in his Michelin-shod car.

Jim Clark Rally

The Jim Clark rally returned to the BRC and following the exclusion of Osian Pryce & Noel O’Sullivan (Polo R5) on the opening night, Keith Cronin & Mikie Galvin (Polo R5) to victory by 36.2s from James Williams & Dai Roberts (i20 R5). Garry Pearson & Dale Furniss (Fiesta Rally2) completed the podium in what proved to be a chaotic event. In the National event Steve Wood & Dale Bowen (Fiesta WRC) won from Mark Kelly & Neil Colman (Fiesta R5) and Steve Simpson & Neil Shanks (Fiesta Rally2) in 3rd.