Preview of Round 5 : Nicky Grist Stages (11th July)
For the past three years, the highest-placed BTRDA-registered finishers on the Nicky Grist Stages, the fifth round of the 2026 Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series, have gone on to take the Gold Star crown! Matthew Hirst / Declan Dear (Fabia R2) were victorious last year while Elliot Payne (Fiesta Rally2) won the title in 2024 with Patrick Walsh and Tom Woodburn the previous year. As Hirst / Dear and Payne / Walsh head for Builth Wells, it is the latter who currently hold sway, having taken maximum Fuchs Lubricants Gold Star Championship points on each of the last three events.
                            The featured image (above) is Russ Thompson and Steve Link – Joint leaders of the Kingfisher Insurance Motorsport UK English Rally Championship

With four events – including the Nicky Grist – still to run, there is no call on the ‘fat lady’ to sing just yet but, should Payne / Walsh’s run of success continue, she’d be well advised to start rehearsing!  Hirst has one DNF on his scorecard but, with everyone’s five best scores from seven to count, there’s still time to mount a successful title defence. However, it has to be said that a ‘win’ here would help the job along considerably…
Following a string of good results – including 2nd O/A in Kielder, just three seconds behind the winners – Daniel Sigurðarson and Asta Sigurðadóttir (Fabia RS) currently occupy runners-up spot in the points, marginally ahead of a resurgent Russ Thompson and Steve Link in their Class 2 Fiesta. Alistair Ginley (Skoda RS), Dan O’Brien and Trevor Gamble / Chris Davies (both Fiesta Rally2s) have all seen the finish of each event so far, with their consistency rewarded with 4th, 5th and 6th places respectively.  2022 BTRDA Bronze Star Champions Pete Gorst and Mark Twiname have swopped their all-conquering Nova for a Lancer EVO9 and are Thompson / Link’s closest challengers in Class 2. Fellow Mitsubishi pilots Pat Naylor / Tom Bishop & Geoff Smith / Joe Dunn each have one DNF but, as mentioned before, there’s still plenty of time for them to recoup their losses.

Having led both the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Silver Star® Championship and the BTRDA Historic Cup in the early stages of the season, Baz Jordan and Arwel Jenkins’ (Galant VR4) absence from the Plains Rally allowed Rian Walker / Paul Gribben (Adam R2) and Steve ‘Korky’ Ward / John Millington (Escort Mk2) to overhaul them in the Silver Star table and the latter to assume command of the Historics.

<<<   Rian Walker/Paul Gribben (Adam R2) – BTRDA Silver Star and Rallye R2 Cup Leaders

2015 Silver Star Champion – and runner-up by a single point in 2023! – Boyd Kershaw and co-driver Keegan Rees (Escort Mk2) started their campaign with a retirement on Rally North Wales. Notwithstanding, ‘wins’ on both the subsequent Kielder Forest and Plains Rallies have catapulted the ‘Flying Kiwi’ into 3rd place from only two scores! Meanwhile, long-term absentee Max Utting (Fiesta ST150), who returned for the Plains and came away with 2nd place points, also features in the strong field….
Ben Jemison /  Adam Burkill (Chevette HSR) took top BTRDA Historic Cup honours last time out but a non-finish in Kielder is currently holding them back. Similarly, Bryan Jardine’s Escort – runner-up to Jordan’s Galant on both Rally North Wales and Kielder – spat its dummy out on the Plains and, hence, an element of catching-up is now required…

Rian Walker / Paul Gribben (Adam R2) lead both the BTRDA Rallye R2 & R2 Junior Cups but the similar car of Oliver Phillips / Barry Young, which beat them on Rally North Wales before retiring in Kielder and subsequently missing the Plains, and Michael Jenkins (Fiesta), the ‘winner’ last time out, will both be present in Builth Wells as they all attempt to further their respective claims to the title.
While defending Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Bronze Star® Champions, Dylan Fowler-Bishop and Dan Evans (Micra) missed the Kielder Forest Rally and title winners in 2023/24, Nigel & Kaz Jenkins (Nova), didn’t begin their current campaign until the Plains, Luke Watts / Matt Rogers (MG ZR) have been quietly going about their business. Aided, in no small way, by a maximum score in Kielder, they start the Nicky Grist as Bronze Star leaders and it’s not unreasonable to assume that they’d still like to be in that position at the end of the day. Indeed, as the only crew in the category to have, thus far, maintained a 100% finishing record, another one would virtually guarantee their wish!…

                                             Luke Watts / Matt Rogers (MG ZR) – Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Bronze Star Championship Leaders >>>

Dale Glover / David Smalley (Alfasud TI) opened their scoring on the Plains but, having retired from the same event, Ed James / Kevin Lane (Micra Kit Car) would now like to move forward in similar fashion!

The Kingfisher Insurance Motorsport UK English Rally Championship makes a cross-border sortie on this occasion to include the Nicky Grist Stages and give joint leaders of the drivers table, Russ Thompson (Fiesta) and Elliot Payne (Fiesta Rally2) another chance to assert their authority and claim top spot for themselves. Nevertheless, it’s worth noting once more that, should anything go awry with either of their respective challenges, the scoring is currently so close that maximum points from any of the next 16 drivers in the table would considerably alter the leaderboard’s perspective! This is especially relevant to those at the tail end of the cluster – Baz Jordan (Galant VR4), Dylan Fowler-Bishop (Micra) and Max Utting (Fiesta ST 150) have each registered one maximum score and one ‘did not start’. As they all feature in the Nicky Grist entry list, should any / all of them finish the day with another ‘first in class’, they’ll then have a couple of months to prepare themselves for the second half of the season which culminates on the Grizedale Stages in early December.

<<<  Baz Jordan / Arwel Jenkins (Mitsubishi Galant VR4)

SPECTATORS: The first car leaves the start in Builth Wells at 8.30am on Saturday 11th July and, having completed eight stages totalling 44 miles, is due to return at 3.30pm. Full details can be found at : http://www.nickygriststages.co.uk/spectators/

All photos © Kevin Money / Malcolm Almond
Further information on the 2026 Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series: www.btrdarally.com

AH

Preview of Round 4 : Plains Rally (13th June)
Knutsford & District MC’s Plains Rally – an event steeped in history – returns to both the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series and the Kingfisher Insurance Motorsport UK English Rally Championship this year. Starting out in the early 1960s as a road event and taking crews over the Cheshire Plains – hence the name – it was a qualifying round of the legendary Motoring News Road Rally Championship from 1968 before moving to the forests in 1976. The last time it featured in the BTRDA Rally Series (2019), it was won by Euan Thorburn / Paul Beaton on their way to becoming Gold Star Champions that year.
So, fast forward to 2026 and Elliot Payne and Patrick Walsh (Fiesta Rally2) arrive in Bala for the pre-event formalities as Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Gold Star® Rally Championship leaders. Whether they are still in that hallowed position by the end of the day will be determined by a number of factors and not just purely on their own performance – although it can’t be denied that a good result would put them in the ‘pound seats’!

                                   Featured image above is Elliot Payne / Patrick Walsh (Fiesta Rally2) – Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Gold Star Rally Championship Leaders

Having retired last time out on the Kielder Forest Rally, defending Gold Star Champion Matthew Hirst (Fabia Rally2) is reunited with his winning co-driver from last year, Declan Dear, for the Plains but, as the current Top Six drivers in the points table will all be present, the pair have some catching-up to do!  Daniel Sigurðarson / Asta Sigurðadóttir (Fabia RS) were 2nd in Kielder and hold the same position in the table, one point ahead of Russ Thompson / Steve Link (Fiesta), with Alistair Ginley (Skoda RS), Dan O’Brien (Fiesta Rally2) and Pat Naylor / Tom Bishop (Lancer EVO9) all conveniently placed to push their campaigns forward.
Joining Hirst with just one score to their names so far are Liam Clark / Michael Gilbey (Fiesta Rally2) and Ian Bainbridge / Andrew Roughead (Fabia Rally2). With five out of a possible seven scores to count, these three crews still have some wriggle-room but another DNF would result in a requirement for ‘no-fault’ rallying for the remainder of the season if their campaigns are to be deemed successes….
Baz Jordan / Arwel Jenkins’ perseverance with their Mitsubishi Galant is paying off, both in terms of the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Silver Star Rally Championship and BTRDA Historic Cup. Their nearest challenger in each category is the Escort of Bryan Jardine, while Rian Walker / Paul Gribben (Opel Adam R2) are upholding front-wheel drive honours which also sees them ahead of Michael Jenkins (Fiesta R2) in the race for the BTRDA Rallye R2 Cup.

  <<<<<  Baz Jordan/Arwel Jenkins (Galant) – BTRDA Silver Star & Historic Cup Leaders

Boyd Kershaw and Keegan Rees (Escort Mk2) took top Silver Star honours last time out but that came on top of a DNF on Rally North Wales. Such is the strength of the competition that the top eight cars in the points table have all finished both events so far, leaving the ‘Flying Kiwi’ down in 9th place. Hence, with plenty of scope for improvement and the pair’s proven speed, this must be viewed in terms of a ‘work-in-progress’… Nick Dobson / Phil Sandham’s Escort Mk2 leads Class 6 and is currently just shy of a podium place in Silver Star while Steve ‘Korky’ Ward / John Millington’s Historic spec. version is 5th. Ben Jemison / Adam Burkill started strongly in their quest for BTRDA Historic Cup honours but then their Chevette HSR waited until the final stage in Kielder before throwing its toys out of the pram. So, a reset is now required – not to mention a good result!…

Having opened the season with a ‘win’, defending Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Bronze Star Rally Champions, Dylan Fowler-Bishop / Dan Evans (Micra), missed the last round but now return to an event that they contested last year, even though it wasn’t a Championship qualifier. However, with the benefit of hindsight (which is always 20/20!), they’d probably have been better staying at home as they rolled into retirement on the opening stage!
Moving swiftly on, Luke Watts / Matt Rogers (MG ZR) currently hold sway in the Bronze Star points table but into the mix this time we also find Ed James / Kevin Lane (Micra Kit Car), Dave & Freddy Brick (Nova) and Dale Glover / David Smalley (Alfasud TI). Giles Armitage / Josh Rhodes (Peugeot 205) took a well-deserved maximum in the BTRDA Rally First Cup in Kielder and more of the same would be much appreciated by all concerned.
                                                     Luke Watts/Matt Rogers (MG ZR) – Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Bronze Star Championship Leaders   >>>>>

Following the Kielder Forest Rally, the Kingfisher Insurance Motorsport UK English Rally Championship has three joint leaders, i.e. all those who scored maximum points in their respective classes. So far, so good, then, for Elliot Payne (Fiesta Rally2), Russ Thompson (Fiesta) and Baz Jordan (Galant)…. However, the job gets even tougher now for each of them as repeat performances are required to maintain their positions as ‘Kings of the Castle’!  With the top fifteen drivers currently separated by a mere four points, major changes can be expected in the look of the leaderboard throughout the season. At this stage, it’s still perfectly possible for someone to rise up through the ranks, casting the early runners aside as they do so!

<<<<<  Russ Thompson/Steve Link (Fiesta) – Joint Leaders of the Kingfisher Insurance English Rally Championship

The Plains Rally features ten special stages, totalling 43 miles, and the first car leaves the start in Bala at 08.00 on Saturday 13th June, returning there for the finish from 16.30.
Full details of the Plains Rally : www.plainsrally.co.uk
All photos © Kevin Money & Malcolm Almond.
Further information on the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series : www.btrdarally.com
& Kingfisher Insurance MSUK English Rally Championship : www.englishrally.co.uk

Missing from the calendar last year, the Kielder Forest Rally returns to both the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series and Kingfisher Insurance Motorsport UK English Rally Championship on 18th April. The event is based at Hexham Auction Mart which hosts the start, finish and service area.

The 2026 Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Gold Star® Rally Championship began on Rally North Wales at the end of March and, as a direct result of their efforts, Elliot Payne and Patrick Walsh (Fiesta Rally2) arrive in the north-east as leaders, followed by defending champion Matthew Hirst, now with Jack Bowen for company in his Fabia R5. The records show that Hirst won the event in 2023/24 while Payne held the upper hand in 2022…

                                    Feature image (above) is Elliot Payne/Patrick Walsh (Fiesta Rally2) – 2026 Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Gold Star Championship Leaders

Also intent on pursuing their Gold Star aspirations which began in North Wales are Alex Vassallo / Chris Lees (Fiesta Rally2) and Daniel Sigurðarson & Asta Sigurðadóttir (Fabia RS), while the newly-formed partnership of Liam Clark / Michael Gilbey (Fiesta Rally2) starts Round 3 on equal points with Russ Thompson / Steve Link who have transferred the running gear from their previously successful Lancer EVO9 into a Fiesta bodyshell. A class win, finishing ahead of those still faithful to the Mitsubishi marque – Geoff Smith / Joe Dunn, Pete Gorst / Mark Twiname and Pat Naylor / Tom Bishop – will have given the 2024 Gold Star runners-up considerable encouragement after the disaster that was last year…

<<< Russ Thompson / Steve Link

Alistair Ginley (Skoda RS) and Dan O’Brien / Niall Burns (Fiesta Rally2), who have already opened their accounts, will be looking for the opportunity to push on while Daniel Hiorns / Rob Fagg (Fiesta S2000T), 2nd Gold Star finishers on last year’s Grizedale Stages, rejoin the race for the first time this season.

As far as the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Silver Star Rally Championship is concerned, Baz Jordan / Arwel Jenkins (Mitsubishi Galant) rule the roost after Rally North Wales, but Bryan Jardine (Escort Mk2), Ben Jemison / Adam Burkill (Chevette HSR) and Oliver Phillips (Opel Adam), who has secured the services of defending Silver Star Champion Co-driver Rhys Edwards, will all be hoping that the leaders’ time in the spotlight is short-lived!

                                                                                                                                             .Oliver Phillips (Opel Adam R2) >>>>>>

Having registered a ‘failure to agree’ on Rally North Wales, Boyd Kershaw / Keegan Rees and their Escort Mk2 will be hoping for better things in Kielder and an opportunity to open their respective accounts. Those in similar cars who have already jumped that hurdle include Steve ‘Korky’ Ward / John Millington and David Dobson / Phil Sandham.

Jordan and Jenkins’ success on the opening round also sees them at the top of the BTRDA Historic Cup charts but, to name a few, Jardine, Jemison and Ward will have the leaders very much in their sights as the season progresses!
Tony Simpson took maximum BTRDA Rallye R2 Cup points in North Wales but his absence from the Kielder Forest Stages line-up opens the way for the Opel Adams of Phillips / Edwards & Rian Walker  / Paul Gribben and Michael Jenkins’ Fiesta to advance their cause.

After the first round of the Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Bronze Star® Rally Championship, the leader board has a familiar look to it in that defending champions Dylan Fowler-Bishop / Dan Evans (Micra) began 2026 where they left off at the end of last season – with a maximum points score. Luke Watts / Matt Rogers (MG ZR) are their nearest rivals, with Geraint Williams / Ifan Rowlands (Nova) in 3rd.

<<<<<<  Dylan Fowler-Bishop/Dan Evans (Micra) – Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Bronze Star Championship Leaders

Rally North Wales wasn’t kind to BTRDA Bronze Star contenders, a number of whom retired during the day. However, it’s good to see that Dave & Freddy Brick (Nova), Dale Glover / David Smalley (Alfasud Ti) and Giles Armitage / Josh Rhodes (Peugeot 205) have all dusted themselves down and are back for more!

Once again suffering a delayed start due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control, the Kingfisher Insurance Motorsport UK English Rally Championship begins in Kielder. All BTRDA-registered crews are automatically eligible to score points in the class-based series such that, following the opening encounter, there are always several joint leaders, i.e. all those who have scored maximum points in their particular class, of which there are seven! It’s only as the season progresses that further success will begin to separate the men / women from the boys / girls!…
2025 Champion Lewis Hooper (Fiesta R2) is not defending his title and, thus, the way is open for a new name to join, for example, his, Elliot Payne (Fiesta Rally2) in 2024 and Ernie Graham (MkI Escort RS1600) the previous year. At the same time, the brief list graphically illustrates the variety of vehicles in which it’s possible to add a Motorsport UK-titled Championship to your CV!…

                                                                          .Ernie Graham (MkI Escort RS1600) 2023 Motorsport UK English Rally Champion >>>>

The Kielder Forest Rally offers 43 miles of special stages in a total route of under 140. The first car leaves the start at Hexham Auction Mart at 09.00 on Saturday 18th April and is due back at the finish at 16.30.   Full details of the Kielder Forest Rally : www.kielderforestrally.co.uk
All photos © Kevin Money & Malcolm Almond

Further information on the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series : www.btrdarally.com
& Kingfisher Insurance MSUK English Rally Championship : www.englishrally.co.uk

Unfortunately, shortly after the regulations for the 2026 Kingfisher Insurance Motorsport UK English Rally Championship and the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series had been published, it was announced that, due to insurmountable problems with the proposed route, the organisers of the Malcolm Wilson Rally – the opening round of both Championships – had been forced to cancel the upcoming event.

The featured image above is of Lewis Hooper and Rhys Edwards, the 2025 Kingfisher Insurance Motorsport UK English Rallly Champions in action on the Grizedale Stages. 

Since that time discussions had been taking place as to the possibility of adding another qualifying round to the calendar later in the season but, with no positive outcome in sight, the decision was taken to revert to a seven-round BTRDA Rally Series (best five scores to count), while the English Rally Championship will be won and lost over six events – also best five to count.

So, the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series will now start in Welshpool on 28th March with Rally North Wales, while Kingfisher Insurance Motorsport UK English Rally Championship contenders – automatically eligible through their BTRDA membership – set out on the Kielder Forest Rally, based in Hexham, on 18th April. Meanwhile, the remainder of the calendars remain as previously published and, to end the season, a rapid run through the Lake District on the Grizedale Stages (5th December) will provide answers to any remaining questions relating to either Championship at that point!

A Preview of the Wyedean Stages Rally (8th November)
The Motorsport UK English Rally Championship, sponsored by Kingfisher Insurance, moves to the Forest of Dean on 8th November for the penultimate round of this year’s series, the Wyedean Stages Rally. Not only have Matthew Hirst and co-driver Declan Dear (Fabia R5) won the event on the last four occasions it has run but they arrive at the start in Cinderford with the express intention of extending their dominance, having also just been declared 2025 Protyre Autocare BTRDA Gold Star Champions, following victory on the Cambrian Rally in North Wales for the second consecutive time!

The featured image (above) is Matthew Hirst and Declan Dear (Fabia R5) on their way to victory on the 2024 Wyedean Stages

A good result on the Wyedean Stages could significantly impact James Giddings / Aled Davies’ position in the English Rally Championship table. Their Lancer EVO9 came away from the opening round of the season, the Malcolm Wilson Rally, with 2nd in class and then beat all-comers on the Woodpecker Stages. However, a retirement on the recent non-Championship Cambrian Rally will, no doubt, have brought them back down to earth with a resounding thud!

                                                                                                                          James Giddings/Aled Davies (Lancer EVO9) >>>>>

Forest of Dean residents – and regular Wyedean entrants – Nigel & Kaz Jenkins (Nova – below on the 2024 Wyedean) have had mixed fortunes on their ‘home’ event in recent years. They took their 1400cc machine to an amazing 7th overall in 2022 but then suffered a blown engine twelve months later! This time, they are lying just outside the Top Ten in the English Championship points table but, with local knowledge on their side, a good run would be ‘just what the doctor ordered’!

<<<<  Nigel & Kaz Jenkins (Nova) on the 2024 Wyedean

Colin Minton / Jordan Joines (Fiesta R5) will be hoping to get the better of Hirst/Dear on this occasion while the Escort Mk2 will be represented by the likes of Steve Ward / John Millington and Geoff Phelps / Colin Jenkins. Still with Fords, the Fiestas of Ashleigh Morris / Martin Haggett and Riley Chester have both entered while another Dean ‘local’, Luke Watts, will be relying on his MG ZR to come up trumps!

                                                                        Luke Watts (MG ZR) tackling Speech House on the 2024 Wyedean Stages Rally >>>>>

SPECTATORS : The first car leaves Cinderford Rugby Club at 8.00am on Saturday 8th November for the first of seven special stages and full details will be available via the website : https://www.wyedeanstages.co.uk/spectators
All photos © Kevin Money / Malcolm Almond
Further information on the Motorsport UK English Rally Championship, sponsored by Kingfisher Insurance : www.englishrally.co.uk

Preview of Round 5 : Trackrod Forest Stages (27th September).
The Trackrod Forest Stages takes both the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series & the Motorsport UK English Rally Championship, sponsored by Kingfisher Insurance, on to the North York Moors on 27th September. Following the long dry spell and the much-publicised fires, some of the extensive peat bogs are still burning underground and it’ll take some time before they are finally extinguished. Local firefighters, farmers and volunteers have mounted a Herculean effort to contain the fires and Event Clerk of the Course Rod Parkin said : ‘Everyone involved in the rally appreciates the huge effort being made to deal with this disaster. Understandably, permission to use Langdale has been withdrawn which is a decision we wholly support.’

So, with an amended route to look forward to, the Top Three starters on this year’s Trackrod are, coincidentally, the Top Three finishers – and Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Gold Star Championship points scorers – from twelve months ago!  Consequently, as the current series moves into a critical phase, Matthew Hirst / Declan Dear’s Fabia R5 (in typical pose last year…  see featured image above),  Elliot Payne / Patrick Walsh (Fiesta Rally2) & Daniel Sigurðarson & Asta Sigurðadóttir (Skoda RS) will be out to stamp their authority on the event once more.

Current standings, as we approach Round 5, have Payne & Walsh and Hirst & Dear with two maximum scores apiece, with the former in the lead courtesy of their other results. The Icelanders, meanwhile, were in runners-up spot following the Border Counties but a no-show on the Nicky Grist Stages and a non-finish on the Woodpecker leave them with a lot of work to do – there’s still time but no room for error!
Liam Clark (Fiesta Rally2) posted his best result of the season to-date on the Woodpecker but, similar to Daniel and Asta, already has two no-scores and must do well on the three remaining events. In spite of a ‘challenging’ run on the Woody, Alex Vassallo (Fiesta Rally2) remains in 3rd place in the points while co-driver Chris Lees, who missed the opening round of the Series, is still comfortably in the Top Ten.

The Protyre Autocare BTRDA Silver Star® Championship is in a similar situation to Gold Star in that just two drivers have monopolised the winners’ enclosure so far – David Henderson’s Escort Mk2 reigned supreme on the first two events while Osian Pryce’s similar car came up trumps on the next two. However, while the Welshman is not set for an appearance in Yorkshire, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Henderson can pick up where he left off! Lewis Hooper / Rhys Edwards (Fiesta R2 – see photo right >>>>>) lead the table – indeed, Edwards already has four maximums to his credit and, without wishing to tempt fate, another high score could put the 2025 Silver Star Co-drivers’ title out of reach….

Unsurprisingly, Hooper and Edwards also dominate the BTRDA Rallye R2 Cup but, in both categories, Tom Constantine / Tony Walker (Opel Adam R2) are their nearest rivals. Steve Ward / John Millington (Escort Mk2) are in touching distance of a podium spot in Silver Star while also leading the Jordan Road Surfacing BTRDA Historic Cup from Henderson. A good run over the Moors could also do wonders for Barry Jordan, himself, and Arwel Jenkins (Mitsubishi Galant) who finished ahead of Ward / Millington on the Woodpecker.

<<<< Steve Ward (Escort Mk2) – Jordan Road Surfacing BTRDA Historic Cup Leader

As ever, the Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Bronze Star Championship is proving to be an enthralling competition. Winners for the past couple of years, Nigel & Kaz Jenkins (Nova), have had to give best to the Micra of Dylan Fowler-Bishop / Dan Evans on each of the first three rounds but the tables were finally turned on the Woodpecker when the husband-and-wife took their first ‘win’ of the season.
So, Fowler-Bishop / Evans lead from Ed James / Kevin Lane (Micra Kit Car) who have been keeping out of harm’s way and ensuring they’ve finished each event, with the Jenkins 3rd. Nevertheless, with three events to go and a possible 30 points available on each, the end result is about as far from a foregone conclusion as it’s possible to be. Splendid stuff!

                                   Dylan Fowler-Bishop / Dan Evans (Micra) – Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Bronze Star Championship Leaders  >>>>

With three rounds down, the Motorsport UK English Rally Championship, sponsored by Kingfisher Insurance, moves into the second half of its season in Yorkshire. David Henderson had top spot all to himself following the Border Counties Rally but then defending champion Elliot Payne hit back with a maximum score on the Woodpecker Stages to equal his tally. So, not only is there a spot of sorting-out to do there but the next three places – Lewis Hooper, Dylan Fowler-Bishop and Matthew Hirst – have just five points between them, indicating a great deal of shuffling throughout the table!

David Henderson (Escort Mk2)               &                 Elliot Payne (Fiesta Rally2)

Joint English Rally Championship Leaders

SPECTATORS : Tickets for the spectator stages in Cropton and Dalby are only available on-line at https://www.rallyyorkshire.co.uk/spectator-information/
All photos © Kevin Money & Malcolm Almond.
Further information on the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series : www.btrdarally.com & English Rally Championship sponsored by Kingfisher Insurance : www.englishrally.co.uk

-ENDS-

A Preview of the Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Stages (30th August)
The fourth round of the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series and the third event in the Motorsport UK English Rally Championship, sponsored by Kingfisher Insurance, is the ever-popular Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Stages which will see contenders for both series converging on Newtown on 30th August.
Twelve months ago, Elliot Payne / Patrick Walsh (Fiesta Rally2) took maximum Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Gold Star® Rally Championship points on their way to the driver’s record-breaking third consecutive title. With three solid results to date, including a win on the Border Counties in May, the pair arrive in mid Wales as Series leaders once more but will be well aware that there is work to do if their domination is to continue.

The featured image above is Matthew Hirst / Declan Dear (Skoda Fabia R5) – Top BTRDA Gold Star crew on the Malcolm Wilson & Nicky Grist Stages

The 2024 ‘Woody’ also marked the debut of a Skoda Fabia R5 in the hands of Matthew Hirst / Declan Dear which – barring a few hiccups – has given the crew fresh impetus and results to match! They have already accrued two maximums and, despite a problematic run on the Border Counties, Hirst is currently 3rd, just one point behind Alexander Vassallo (Fiesta Rally2). Runners-up following the first two rounds, Daniel Sigurðarson / Asta Sigurðadóttir (Fabia R5) were absent from the Nicky Grist Stages line-up but return for the Woodpecker in an attempt to improve on their 3rd place points score last year.
Pat Naylor / Ian Lawrence are leading the traditional battle of the Lancer EVOs which has been joined – very successfully! – by James Giddings / Aled Davies, while 2024 overall Gold Star runners-up and B13 Champions the previous year, Russ Thompson / Steve Link, are enduring a torrid time with consecutive retirements from the last two events.

David Henderson’s seemingly vice-like grip on both the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Silver Star® Championship and the Jordan Road Surfacing BTRDA Historic Cup loosened somewhat when his Escort Mk2 was forced to retire from the Nicky Grist Stages. This allowed Lewis Hooper / Rhys Edwards (Fiesta R2) to assume control of Silver Star – and further their ambition to successfully defend their 2024 BTRDA Rallye R2 Cup win – while Steve ‘Korky’ Ward and John Millington (Escort Mk2) move into the ascendancy in Historic Cup terms. Maximum points scorer in both categories last time out, Osian Pryce (Escort Mk2) returns, prompting a requirement for everyone to remain very firmly on their toes!

<<<   Lewis Hooper / Rhys Edwards (Fiesta R2) – Leaders of BTRDA Silver Star & Rallye R2 Cup

As stated above, Lewis Hooper / Rhys Edwards remain in charge of the BTRDA Rallye R2 Cup but Tom Constantine / Tony Walker (Adam) won’t leave them alone! Although retiring last time out, Riley Chester (Fiesta) still has plenty of time to upset the applecart – and a good run on the Woodpecker would serve notice of his intentions!…

Having won the Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Bronze Star Championship for the past two years, it’s not rocket science to guess what Nigel & Kaz Jenkins’ (Nova) grand plan is!  However, their efforts thus far are being usurped by those of Dylan Fowler-Bishop / Dan Evans whose Micra has brought home the bacon on all three occasions to-date. OK – a retirement on the Border Counties didn’t help the husband-and-wife’s cause, but the records show that the Micra was ahead of them before their off.

                                                                           .Dylan Fowler-Bishop / Dan Evans (Micra) – BTRDA Bronze Star Championship Leaders  >>>

Ed James / Kevin Lane (Micra Kit Car) are 2nd while Dale Glover / David Smalley (Alfasud Ti) could considerably improve on their current 4th place in the table. Having scored ‘nil points’ on the Nicky Grist – the driver through not finishing and the co-driver from not starting! – Rob Evett / Richard Wise (Nova) will be out to reignite their push for BTRDA Rally Start Class RS-B which had proved successful up to that point. Meanwhile, spare a thought for Giles Armitage & Josh Rhodes – in pursuit of points in BTRDA Rally Start Class RS-A, their Peugeot 205 has, thus far, registered two DNFs and a DNS!

Meanwhile, the Motorsport UK English Rally Championship, sponsored by Kingfisher Insurance, takes to the stages once more on the Woodpecker. David Henderson (Escort Mk2) has had top spot all to himself for four months but now has to apply himself to the task of keeping the would-be ‘pretenders to the crown’ at bay.

<<<< David Henderson (Escort Mk2) – MSUK English Rally Championship Leader

Nearest of these is defending champion Elliot Payne (Fiesta Rally2) who is in joint 2nd place with Dylan Fowler-Bishop (Micra) but, with just 25 points (a maximum) separating the Top Twenty drivers, Henderson will need x-ray vision to keep tabs on them all !…

SPECTATORS: Full details can be found at www.woodpecker-rally.co.uk
All photos © Kevin Money / Malcolm Almond
Further information on the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series : www.btrdarally.com
&
English Rally Championship sponsored by Kingfisher Insurance : www.englishrally.co.uk

Preview of Round 2 : Border Counties Rally (10th May)
A quality entry of 90 cars – a 30% increase on 2024! – will take the start of the Border Counties Rally and, following the problems encountered in the Welsh forests since the start of the year, the event will bring to a close an enforced period of inaction for Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series contenders.
Elliot Payne / Patrick Walsh (Fiesta Rally2) were victorious in the Borders last year, arriving back at the Jedburgh finish half-a-minute ahead of Matthew Hirst / Declan Dear. However, due to the latter crew’s maximum points score on the Malcolm Wilson Rally in March, it is their Fabia Rally2 that tops the Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Gold Star® Rally Championship points table at this early stage of the season.

        The featured image above is the Skoda Fabia of Mathew Hirst & Decal Dear on their way to winning the 2025 Malcolm Wilson Rally.

Payne / Walsh are in joint second place with Russ Thompson / Steve Link (Lancer EVO9), while Daniel Sigurðarson and Asta Sigurðadóttir (in the white Fabia RS), who had a trouble-free run in the Lake District, (photo on right >>>) are far too close for comfort to all of them! The Fiesta Rally2’s of both Alexander Vassallo and Liam Clark / Carl Williamson can also be expected to keep the leaders honest during the day!

David Henderson (Escort Mk2) leads both the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Silver Star® Championship and the Jordan Road Surfacing BTRDA Historic Cup following the Malcolm Wilson Rally and it goes without saying (but we will anyway!) that he’ll relish the opportunity to consolidate his advantage in each category. 2024 BTRDA Rallye R2 Cup Champions Lewis Hooper and Rhys Edwards (Fiesta) began the defence of their title in the best possible way with maximum points and 2nd place, behind Henderson, in Silver Star.

<<<<<< David Henderson (Escort Mk2) – BTRDA Silver Star & Historic Cup Leader

Defending ‘two-wheel drive’ champions Andy Davison & Tom Murphy (Sunbeam VXR) will be making their first foray into this year’s Series at the weekend and, having recovered from their inversion on the Malcolm Wilson Rally, 2022 winners Rob Wright / Mark Fisher (Escort Mk2) also need a good result to set their campaign on its way. Baz Jordan / Arwel Jenkins (Mitsubishi Galant) won their class (HD) from the Subaru Legacy of Steve Ward / Mike Crawford and are line-astern behind Henderson in the Historic Cup. Meanwhile, Steve ‘Korky’ Ward / John Millington (Escort Mk2) are also in close contention in Class HB.

Although, as mentioned above, Hooper / Edwards currently hold sway in the BTRDA Rallye R2 Cup, at this stage of the season, the presence of Tom Constantine / Tony Walker (Opel Adam) and the Fiestas of Riley Chester and Ashleigh Morris / Matt Baddeley will serve to keep them on their toes!

In a very close-run finish to the opening round of the Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Bronze Star Championship, Dylan Fowler-Bishop / Dan Evans (Micra) stopped the clocks two seconds quicker than Nigel & Kaz Jenkins (Nova) and, thus, arrive in the Borders as Series leaders. You can take it as read that the double-defending champions, who won their class with ease on the event last year, will be out to reassert their dominance….

                                                             .Dylan Fowler-Bishop/Dan Evans (Micra) – BTRDA Bronze Star Championship Leaders >>>>>

Having opened their accounts in Cumbria, Dale Glover / David Smalley (Alfasud TI) and Ed James / Kevin Lane (Micra Kit Car) will be hoping to move their campaigns forward while, after non-finishes on Round 1, Chris Bush / Robert Bryn Jones (Corsa) and Giles Armitage / Josh Rhodes (Peugeot 205) need to start theirs! Rob Evett leads BTRDA Rally Start but needs to ensure his Nova gets to the rally finish in order to maintain that status!

The Reis Motorsport Insurance Motorsport UK English Rally Championship has several joint leaders – i.e. all those who scored maximum points in their particular classes on the Malcolm Wilson Rally. Now the process of whittling that number down begins in earnest! Matthew Hirst (Fabia Rally2), Dylan Fowler-Bishop (Micra), David Henderson (Escort Mk2) and Russ Thompson (Lancer EVO9) will each be looking over their shoulders as there are another four drivers – including 2024 Champion Elliot Payne (Fiesta Rally2) – tied a mere two points behind them! A second maximum will go a long way to ensuring that one (or more!) of the current top seeds maintains their elevated status but, at this early stage of the season, there is almost unlimited scope for changes to the leaderboard!

<<<<<<<< 2024 English Rally Champion Elliot Payne going about his business on the Malcolm Wilson Rally

The Border Counties Rally takes in five special stages and the first car leaves the Jedburgh start at 8.00am on Saturday 10th May. Prospective spectators should consult www.bordercountiesrally.co.uk/spectators/
All photos © Kevin Money and Malcolm Almond

Further information on the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series: www.btrdarally.com & Reis Motorsport Insurance English Rally Championship: www.englishrally.co.uk
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Preview of Round 1 : Malcolm Wilson Rally (8th March).
Having won the Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Gold Star® Rally Championship for a record breaking third consecutive time last year, Elliot Payne, accompanied once again by co-driver Patrick Walsh, has entered the first round of the 2025 Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series, the Malcolm Wilson Rally, as he sets his sights on a possible further extension of his dominance! Payne/Walsh won the 2024 event, which is also the opening encounter in the Reis Motorsport Insurance Motorsport UK English Rally Championship – which Payne also won! – and, consequently, they’ll start their campaign with number 1 on the doors of their Fiesta Rally2.

The feature image above is Elliot Payne who won his third BTRDA Gold Star Championship and the English Rally Championship in 2024. 

However, in an entry that runs to 123 cars, there are also a number of crews who, as past BTRDA Rally Series event winners, have already proved their worth at this level, while several others have been knocking on the door in recent times. In the former category we have Matthew Hirst / Declan Dear whose move to a Fabia Rally2 mid-season last year brought with it a dramatic change of fortune while, having won the Cambrian Rally outright at the end of the 2023 season, Russ Thompson / Steve Link (Lancer EVO9) are still proving to be a potent force at the sharp end of BTRDA Series events! Although it’s been a while since he last contested a full BTRDA season, 2008 Gold Star Champion Hugh Hunter (Fiesta Rally2) is also a past Malcolm Wilson Rally winner (2012).

Liam Clark (Fiesta Rally2) spent last year acclimatising himself to his car and the events in the BTRDA Series, eventually finishing 5th overall. Now partnered by Carl Williamson, who won the 2016 Malcolm Wilson Rally with Charlie Payne (Elliot’s dad!) on their way to claiming the Gold Star title for themselves, great things are expected! Daniel Sigurðarson / Asta Sigurðadóttir (Fabia RS) ended 2024 just one point behind Clark while Vivian Hamill (Fiesta Rally2) took 2nd place points on each of the three events he finished. Possible ‘dark horses’ on the event could be double Protyre Asphalt Rally Champions Callum Black / Jack Morton (Fiesta Rally2). They won the BTRDA Bronze Star category on last year’s rally in a Suzuki Swift but, last time Callum had a serious tilt at the full Championship in 2021, he finished 3rd, just five points behind the overall winner…

                                                                                                                           Callum Black /Jack Morton (Fiesta Rally2) back in 2022 >>>>

As far as the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Silver Star® Championship is concerned, although the 2024 winners, Andy Davison / Tom Murphy, are not defending their title, the category is in safe hands!  Runners-up last year, Lewis Hooper / Rhys Edwards (Fiesta R2), will not only be hoping to go one better this time but also to retain the BTRDA Rallye R2 Cup trophy for a second year in succession. Early season leader, and BTRDA Historic Cup winner, Steve ‘Korky’ Ward (Escort Mk2) returns, with the vastly experienced John Millington in the co-driver’s seat, as does Ben Jemison (Chevette HSR). 2022 Silver Star Champions Rob Wright / Mark Fisher (Escort MkII) are back for another crack at the title, while the similar 2.0 litre version of David Henderson / Will Atkins certainly cannot be ignored!

The BTRDA is delighted to welcome long-time supporter Barry Jordan back into the fold by putting his name to the Jordan Road Surfacing BTRDA Historic Cup and, taking advantage of the new MSUK rules concerning the category, the man himself returns, along with Arwel Jenkins, in a Mitsubishi Galant. Joining them are Steve Ward (no, not that one!)/ Mike Crawford in a Subaru Legacy, while the two-wheel drive contingent includes the ‘other’ Steve Ward, Jemison, Henderson/Atkins and Ernie & Patricia Lee (BMW 325i).

For the past couple of seasons, the Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Bronze Star Rally Championship has been the preserve of Nigel & Kaz Jenkins in their rapid green Nova. They’ve not had things all their own way but, in the end, perseverance has won the day. The husband-and-wife team is back and, with Elliot Payne having accumulated a hat-trick of Gold Star victories and Matthew Robinson making Silver Star all his own between 2012-2014, you wouldn’t bet against the Jenkins joining them! However, there are a considerable number of hurdles to jump before they’ll know if it’s mission accomplished!

<<<  Nigel & Kaz Jenkins (Nova) – Defending Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Bronze Star Champions

For a start, as is usually the case in the Bronze Star, the opposition is formidable. Ashley Francis-Adams / Mark Ammonds (Micra), who were a thorn in the Jenkins’ side for much of 2024, are also back, as are Dylan Fowler-Bishop / Dan Evans (Micra) who didn’t contest too many events last year but took two maximums from those on which they were present. 2021 Bronze Star Champion Steve Black is out in the Suzuki Swift in which Callum won the category on last year’s Malcolm Wilson Rally and Dave Brick returns in his Nova which is a sight to behold when being driven to the max!

All BTRDA-registered drivers and co-drivers are automatically eligible to score points in the Reis Motorsport Insurance MSUK English Rally Championship which also sets sail on the Malcolm Wilson Rally. In line with the revised class structure introduced by Motorsport UK, there are some alterations to the class-based Series. However, suffice it to say that most of the 2024 winners have indicated their intention to return. Such was the intensity of the competition that we had to wait until the final round, in December, before Elliot Payne (Fiesta Rally2) was confirmed as champion by one point from Matthew Hirst (Fabia Rally2), with Nigel Jenkins (Nova) just three points adrift in 3rd place. Bring it on!…

The first car leaves M-Sport’s premises at the start of the Malcolm Wilson Rally at 7.00am on 8th March and, eight special stages later, is due at the Penrith finish around 2.45pm.
Full details of the Malcolm Wilson Rally : www.malcolmwilson.co.uk
All photos © Kevin Money Malcolm Almond
Further information on the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series : www.btrdarally.com & Reis Motorsport Insurance Motorsport UK English Rally Championship : www.englishrally.co.uk
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