Severn Valley Stages - (Sat) 4 Jun 16

Anderson/Whittock dominates Rallynuts Motorsport Severn Valley Stages

Posted: June 24, 2016 4:03 PM

MSA British Rally Championship (BRC) contenders Jamie Anderson and Ross Whittock took a dominant victory at the Rallynuts Motorsport Severn Valley Stages on Saturday (4th June) in their Ford Fiesta R5. Anderson headed to the event as a shakedown to the forthcoming British Championship round which utilises similar forests and his efforts were rewarded with a 14 second victory from nearest rivals Luke Francis and John Roberts in their Mitsubishi E9. Fellow BRC challengers Ollie Mellors and Ian Windress also had the same idea and were also pleased to have taken third overall in their Proton Satria Neo S2000.

With a revised route and a host of top-line championships joining the Midland Manor Motor Club organised event, competitors were treated to 45 stage miles of classic Welsh forests across Powys including a return to the Radnor forest complex after a break of six years, attracting a substantial 120 car entry in the process. Dust would be the talking point of the day as the dry conditions and lack of a breeze meant it was lingering in the trees and creating an issue for much of the field.

Anderson, from Leicestershire took first blood on the opening five mile Gwibedog test with a six second gap from Pirelli MSA Welsh Rally Championship front runner Francis. That lead would never be challenged as Anderson put in a string of fastest stage times to dominate the event and take his first rally win since the Woodpecker in October 2015. Francis would be his closest challenger all day long and despite clawing four seconds back on the fifth stage, could not overhaul the on-form Anderson. Francis from Rhuddlan had complained about the dust issue from the first loop which would scupper any chargeback he may have had on the rally leader. A solid second and maximum Welsh Championship points were his reward.

Ollie Mellors had a trouble free run to third despite suffering from a lack of power on the long straights of Radnor forest. Dylan Davies and Mark Glennerster recovered from a slow start, languishing down at eighth overall on the opening loop to take a well-deserved fourth in their Subaru Impreza and a solid Welsh Championship points haul. Sacha Kakad and James Aldridge also had an impressive comeback from 17th to end the day fifth overall in their Mitsubishi E10.

“It’s been a really perfect day to be honest” commented Anderson at the finish. “We have had no dramas all day long and to have come away with a rally win was a bonus. The stages are fantastic and it’s certainly been different running at first car on the road, I’ve never had that honour before and sweeping the stages is hard work. But we have done what we set out to do and gaining some experience ahead of Julys Nicky Grist was important.”

The battle for Mintex MSA British Historic Championship honors was nowhere near as straight forward as the top three however and there was a shock leader after stage one. Adam Milner and Roy Jarvis stormed to third overall in the event and Historic leader in their Category 2 Ford Escort Mk1, taking many by surprise.

But Milner gradually slipped down the leaderboard before retiring on the penultimate stage of the event. Taking over from top spot on stage two were Joe Price and Chris Brooks who settled in nicely to the head of the pack, picking up nicely where they left off from last month’s Pirelli Rally. Nick Elliott and Dave Price battled long and hard with Paul Barrett and Dai Roberts for second throughout the day after challengers and local stars Jason Pritchard and Phil Clarke rolled out of the event on stage four.

It was far from a done deal for Price, as his Escort MK2 became stuck in gear on the penultimate test to hand the lead to Elliott in his similar machine. That lasted for just one stage however as on the final run Elliott picked up a puncture, dropping behind a chasing Barrett to second. Barrett’s newly inherited win further extends his lead in the series with Rudi Lancaster and George Gwynn taking a well-deserved third.

There was another Ford Escort one, two, three in the HRCR Stage Masters Rally Challenge with Ben Friend and Cliffy Simmons heading the runners after Shaun Rayner and Guy Weaver had an “up and down” day to take second. Stanley Orr and Declan Dear claimed the final podium spot despite a series of punctures throughout the event.

Despite the challenging and unusually dry conditions, 86 of the 120 starters finished the event which took crews through seven forestry stages. Clerk of the Course Chris Ashley believes this has been one of the best Severn Valley Stages for many years.
“The organising team has had to overcome several issues before the event but thanks to the help and support of so many people, we believe we have delivered a first class event in 2016” he says. “Huge thanks must go to our title sponsor Rallynuts Motorsport who has supported the event for the first time this year. We do hope this is just the start of a long and prosperous relationship”.

Barrett/Roberts take dramatic BHRC victory

Posted: June 24, 2016 4:01 PM

Paul Barrett and Dai Roberts took a dramatic overall historic victory on the Severn Valley Stages (Saturday 4 June), the fourth round of the 2016 Mintex MSA British Historic Rally Championship.

On a day of ever-changing fortunes in dry and dusty stages in the Epynt region, Barrett and Roberts swept ahead on the final stage of the rally to win in their Pinto-powered Ford Escort Mk2. Rarely has a Pinto-powered car won overall in the BHRC and it was a fantastic performance from both crew members in the RSR Historic Engineering Category 3.

However, for much of the day it was round three winners Joe Price and Chris Brooks who led the field with a mighty charge in their Escort Mk2 as they underlined their arrival among the BHRC elite. They were 26s up after four stages but it all went wrong for them in the penultimate stage when a clutch problem left their Escort Mk2 stuck in gear and they lost over three and a half minutes.

Instead, Nick Elliott and Dave Price took the lead by just five seconds going into the final Cefn stage but as Elliott finished the stage with a puncture Barrett set a searing pace to go five seconds faster than any other historic crew and win by five seconds. Only 23s back in third were Rudi Lancaster and George Gwynn. Despite aggravating a hand injury when the steering wheel kicked back, Lancaster had one of his best BHRC performances to date.

Fourth overall showed that Steve Bennett and Iain Tullie are close to joining the very top historic crews even though they battled brake problems all day and struggled through Radnor with only front brakes on their Escort Mk2.

The battle for the Capital Construction Category 2 was just as intense as the overall contest and finally resulted in a hard-earned victory for Simon Tysoe and Paul Morris (Ford Escort Mk1) after Stanley Orr and Guy Weaver had a torrid day in their Pinto-engined car and suffered three punctures and drove around 12 miles on flat tyres in total.

Ben Friend/Cliffy Simmons, James Potter/Bob Duck and Shawn Rayner/Declan Dear all had strong rallies to take top 10 overall finishes, while the late retirement of Milner left the way open for Chris Skill and Tom Jordan to finish best of the 1600 crews in their Escort Mk2.

Among the other category winners were Bob Bean and Captain Thompson (Lotus Cortina) in the Vintage Car Radiator Company Category 1 as father and son Bob and Dale Gibbons had a catalogue of dramas, notably over a very poorly gearbox. Terry Cree and Richard Shores made a late change of car to their Mini Cooper and won class B2 with second in the category.

Tom Coughtrie and Michael Gilbey won the Holton Homes Category K in their Ford Escort Mk2 to seal the co-driver’s birthday weekend celebrations. However, there was no time for celebration as he headed straight from the finish of the Severn Valley to contest a road rally that night.

Some fine performances went unrewarded on a day when the dust was a major factor. Adam Milner and Roy Jarvis set a stunning pace in their 1600cc cross-flow Escort Mk1 and set overall fastest time on the Gwibedog opener. Sadly, a probable top five finish went awry when the Escort slid off the road on the final stage when they were unsighted in dust.

Jason Pritchard and Phil Clarke, meanwhile, suffered their second character-building rally on the trot. The defending champion went out at the end of the Radnor stage where a notorious downhill right caught them out and the Escort was beached and out of the rally. Already out was the Fiat 131 of Matt Robinson/Sam Collis, which dropped off the road in the dust of Crychan.

Results

Posted: June 24, 2016 3:59 PM

Severn Valley Stages - (Sat) 4 Jun 16 - RESULTS

Results on Line (Severn Valley 2016)
Results by: Tynemouth Computer Services Rally Results

Thumping entry for Rallynuts Motorsport Severn Valley Stages

Posted: June 1, 2016 8:50 AM

Over 120 crews will head away from the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells on Saturday 4th June as they tackle this year’s Rallynuts Motorsport Severn Valley Stages. With a revised route and a host of top-line championships joining the Midland Manor Motor Club organised event, competitors from across the UK will tackle 45 stage miles of classic Welsh forests across Powys this weekend.

The popular event is a round of the Mintex MSA British Historic Rally Championship, Pirelli MSA Welsh Rally Championship, the new HRCR Stage Masters Challenge and a reserve round of the FMP Rally Challenge which will all provide a close fought battle on the stages throughout the day. With stages such as Cefn, Crychan and Gwibedog joining the re-introduced Radnor test, organisers have devised a fresh new route across stages which have been chosen specifically for their prime condition.

Sporting the coveted Number 1 on the doors will be MSA British Rally Championship contenders Jamie Anderson from Leicestershire and Ross Whittock in their Ford Fiesta R5 who are keen to sample the stages ahead of the BRC round in July. Hot on their heels will be Welsh Rally Championship leaders Luke Francis from Rhuddlan and John Roberts in their Mitsubishi E9 at number two seed. Third car on the road falls to Llanon’s Dylan Davies and co-driver Mark Glennerster who bring their familiar Subaru Impreza to the event.

Another British Championship regular Ollie Mellors starts at five in his Proton Satria Neo S2000 with Ian Windress alongside. Tristan Bailey and Jamie Edwards are at six in the popular Mitsubishi WRC 04 but have Northern Irishman Enda McCnulty just behind in seventh, who makes the trip across the Irish Sea in his Subaru Impreza co-driven by Ronan O’Kane. Martyn and Dawn England head a duo of Fiesta R5’s in eighth with Tomas and Eurig Davies joining the BRC regulars in ninth.

British Historic Rally Championship frontrunner Jason Pritchard can claim to be the closest local competitor with the family car dealership a stone’s throw from the Builth Wells Rally HQ. With Phil Clarke alongside, Pritchard will use his Ford Escort RS1800 in a bid to better his second place on last year’s Severn Valley Stages at car 10 and leads the pack of BHRC contenders. Having suffered a sizeable ‘off’ at last month’s Pirelli Carlisle Rally, Nick Elliot and Dave Price start at 11 in their Ford Escort after a hasty rebuild in between events. Winners of that event Joe Price and Chris Brooks are away at 12 in their similar machine. Championship leader Paul Barrett is accompanied by Dai Roberts at car 14 in their Ford Escort.

Andy Davies and Max Freeman head the FMP Rally Challenge crews at 17 with likeable Welsh lady driver Sara Williams and co-driver Patrick Walsh just behind at 25, both in Subaru Impreza’s. In the HRCR Stage Masters Challenge, Stanley Orr and Guy Weaver are out front in their Ford Escort RS2000 at 21 but you’ll need to look someway down the field at 95 to find the next crew of Rikki Proffitt and Graham Wild in their stunning Datsun 240Z.

Spectators are also well catered for this year with several top-class viewing locations along the route to watch the action from. The Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells plays host to the rally and provides an unrivalled venue for Rally HQ, Scrutineering and Documentation during the afternoon of Friday 3rd June.

Crews will be flagged away from the Showground at 8.30am on Saturday 4th by the Lord Mayor of Builth Wells, Councilor Meryl Prynne alongside commentary and interviews before heading towards the first spectator stage at Crychan at 09.30am. The Radnor stage kicks off at around 12.00pm which is then followed by the second run through Crychan at around 2.30pm with the lucky crews returning to the finish at the Showground just after 3.30pm. A table full of glittering glassware awaits the winners at the Awards Ceremony at 6.30pm in Rally HQ.

Seeded Entry List

Posted: June 1, 2016 8:48 AM

Severn Valley Stages - (Sat) 4 Jun 16 - SEEDED ENTRY LIST

Severn Valley next for BHRC battle

Posted: May 26, 2016 3:00 PM

The 2016 Mintex MSA British Historic Rally Championship is finely-balanced heading into round four, the Severn Valley Stages Rally on Saturday 4 June.

After three rounds, Irish ace Paul Barrett heads the overall points’ table after three tremendous rallies in his Pinto-powered Ford Escort Mk2. Barrett jumped ahead when both Jason Pritchard and Nick Elliott fell victim to the notorious Kielder forest on the recent Pirelli Carlisle Rally. Now comes a return to Wales for some classic forest stages at a point in the calendar when there is everything to play for.

The Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club promotes the MSA BHRC under a five-year contract and 2016 is the second year of that agreement. The calendar covers six gravel and two asphalt rallies, with a double-header on the Isle of Man in September to make nine rounds. The team at Special Stage will film all eight events and produce hour-long programmes to give the BHRC some of the best TV exposure in British rallying.

Pritchard and Phil Clarke had a superb start to the season with wins on the two opening rallies, but slid off on an icy patch when they led the field into Kielder five weeks ago. This really is home ground for Jason, who can see the Royal Welsh Showground from his house, and another win on familiar stages would put them right back into the title race. They will head the Holton Homes Category K for cars prepared to FIA Appendix K regulations.

Elliott and Dave Price looked good to clock up victory in Kielder until they also went off and inflicted considerable damage on their Escort Mk2. A big score on the Severn Valley is vital for their title bid. Right in the mix after winning on the Pirelli are Joe Price and Chris Brooks and they are another crew expected to be strong on these familiar stages. They will battle with Elliott, and a raft of other rapid contenders, in the RSR Historic Engineering Category 3.

Leading the chase of the leading pack should be the Fiat 131 of Matthew Robinson/Sam Collis, which gets quicker with every outing, and the rapid Escort Mk2s of Steve Bennett/Iain Tullie, Rudi Lancaster/George Gwynn and Simon Webster/Jez Rogers.

In class D3, for the Pinto-powered Escort Mk2s, Barrett and Dai Roberts are setting a fearsome pace but Ben Friend and Cliffy Simmons are giving valiant chase. Meanwhile, in class D4, Guy Anderson and Stephen Davey are getting quicker and quicker in their Talbot Sunbeam Lotus. Class D2, for the 1600cc cars, is home to the giant-killing Escort Mk2 of Chris Skill and Tom Jordan.

The Capital Construction Category 2 is being dominated by Stanley Orr and Guy Weaver (Escort Mk1), who have won three times on the trot to be right in the hunt for the overall BHRC title. In class C5, for the BDA-engined Escort Mk1s, the battle is currently between Simon Tysoe/Paul Morris and Warren Philliskirk/Nigel Hutchinson, while Phil Jobson and Arwel Jenkins are closing the gap to the class contenders.

Class C2 is all about the remarkable Adam Milner and co-driver Roy Jarvis in their 1600cc Escort Mk1. Despite minimal experience, Milner has set an incredible pace and recorded top six stage times against the more powerful cars. He has yet to have a clear run this season, but when he does the result will be outstanding.

Back out in the Vintage Car Radiator Company Category 1 are rounds 1 and 2 winners Bob and Dale Gibbons in their Ford Cortina MK2 GT and they will again go up against the Lotus Cortinas of Bob Bean/Captain Thompson and Paul Mankin/Desmond Bell. Meanwhile, in class B2 Phil Harris will try and take his unbroken win sequence into double figures in his Mini Cooper S.

The rally will be based at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells. The first car will start at 8.30am on Saturday and return to the finish at around 3.40pm.

Rallynuts Motorsport Severn Valley Stages is full steam ahead. / New route across classic Welsh Stages and entry fee held for 4th June event

Posted: May 10, 2016 3:18 PM

Organisers of this year's Rallynuts Motorsport Severn Valley Stages are delighted to announce that not only will the event be going ahead as planned on the 4th June, but there will be no increase to the advertised entry fee of ?525.

The popular event offers 44 competitive stage miles in classic Welsh forests such as Cefn, Crychan and Radnor, seeing an exciting new route across stages which have been chosen this year primarily for their prime condition. The organising team has also ensured the event provides maximum value for money for its competitors by providing 64% of single stage usage (36% of repeat usage) with an entry fee of just ?525.

Thanks to the efforts of the Motor Sports Association (MSA), the governing body of UK motor sport was able to reach an agreement with Natural Resources Wales (NRW) late last week to secure an extension to the 2015 road usage fees. This means the Midland Manor organised event can now scrap the surcharge that potentially could have been imposed if an agreement was not reached with NRW and competitors will now be able to sample some of the best stages in the country at a realistic cost.

Joint Clerk of the Course Chris Ashley is confident the route will suit everyone in the field
"We have deliberately chosen the stages this year because we know they are of an excellent surface and stand up very well to?a second pass" says Ashley. "The route was also designed to avoid any roads used previously this year by other events as best we could, meaning the entire field can benefit from smooth roads.?Add to this just 36% of repeat usage and we truly believe we have an excellent format for all. I would encourage everyone to enter as soon as possible to ensure they can sample classic Welsh Stages at this price".?

"It has of course been a tense time for all of the rallying community and whilst the situation after our event has not yet been resolved, this news from the MSA means we can continue to offer some of the best stages in Wales at a cost effective figure" he adds.
"We extend our sincere thanks to the MSA for all their hard work in negotiations with Natural Resources Wales and we can really press ahead with plans to host yet another fantastic event in the Welsh forests."

The Builth Wells based rally is proud to be a round of the Mintex MSA British Historic Rally Championship, Pirelli MSA Welsh Rally Championship, the new HRCR Stage Masters Challenge and a reserve round of the FMP Rally Challenge.

The 2016 Rallynuts Motorsport Severn Valley Stages event regulations and online entry form are available on the brand new event website, link below.

Severn Valley Stages to go ahead as planned

Posted: May 10, 2016 3:04 PM

The Motor Sports Association (MSA) and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) have reached a temporary agreement allowing the Severn Valley Stages to proceed as planned on 4 June, and the MSA is encouraging crews to submit their entries as soon as possible.

The Severn Valley Stages is based in Builth Wells and organised by Midland Manor Motor Club. It is a round of the MSA British Historic Rally Championship and the MSA Welsh Rally Championship.

Rob Jones, MSA Chief Executive, said:
"This is excellent news for the dedicated organising team behind the Severn Valley Stages, who have continued to work hard on their pre-event preparation despite the current uncertainty. What Midland Manor Motor Club need now is for the rallying community to turn out in force on 4 June, so we would please encourage all crews considering competing to get their entries in now. The MSA appreciates the fact that NRW has worked closely with us to achieve this accommodation for the Severn Valley Stages."

Keith Ashley, Clerk of the Course for the Severn Valley Stages, said:
"Going ahead as planned is absolutely brilliant news after the uncertainty of the last few weeks. It is also good for both the sport and the volunteers who have spent 12 months organising the rally. We're extremely grateful to senior management at both the MSA and NRW for their positive approach and willingness to bring forward solutions to a difficult problem. Extending the previous cut-off date for the 2015 fees as a one-off measure will enable the 43rd running of the Severn Valley Stages to go ahead."

The MSA and NRW continue to work together to negotiate a wider agreement for forest stage rallying in Wales.

Entries Received / Regulations / On Line Entries Open

Posted: April 15, 2016 10:00 AM

Rallynuts Stages (Severn Valley)

The 2016 Rallynuts Motorsport Severn Valley Stages is launched

Posted: March 24, 2016 11:33 AM

New partnership forged with racewear and accessories supplier Rallynuts Motorsport & Severn Valley Stages.

Popular Welsh stage rally, The Severn Valley Stages has announced a new sponsorship agreement with established racewear and accessory firm, Rallynuts Motorsport. The 4th June event will be known as the Rallynuts Motorsport Severn Valley Stages Rally and the new collaboration will bring a fresh new-look to the all-gravel event.

2016 will see the 43rd running of the Midland Manor Motor Club organised event and has been widely recognised as a key event in the British rallying calendar over the years. Having been known for 13 years as the Kerridge Stages Rally followed by the Mutiny Stages Rally, the new association with Rallynuts Motorsport offers an opportunity for the event to expand with the promise of a new route and stages.

Based at the Builth Wells Showground, the rally will once again be a round of the Mintex MSA British Historic Rally Championship, Pirelli MSA Welsh Rally Championship; the new HRCR Stage Masters Challenge and the FMP Rally Challenge. It will offer over 40 miles of action through some of the most challenging stages in Wales, made famous by the final round of the World Rally Championship finale, Wales Rally GB in recent years.

Event organisers are delighted at the new partnership with Rallynuts Motorsport and believe it will help them to offer an even better rally than the success of 2015. "It really is an honour to have Rallynuts Motorsport on board with us this year and we hope this is just the start of a long and prosperous relationship" said joint Clerk of the Course Keith Ashley.
"The rally has a fantastic heritage and we had some very positive feedback after last year so we are hoping to build on that for 2016 and having Rallynuts on board will certainly help with that".

Paul Bonas and Craig Cameron, Managing Directors of Rallynuts Motorsport Ltd are equally enthusiastic with the news.
"We are delighted to be part of the 2016 Severn Valley Stages Rally and look forward to seeing everyone there" they said. "This event is already set to be a huge success and one to remember, so come along and be sure to be a part of it too."

"Work is well underway behind the scenes to further develop many aspects of this exciting rally" they added. "We are thrilled to be providing support to the organisers, who are all volunteers, whom we acknowledge devote a vast amount of man hours to organise and ensure that competitors and spectators enjoy a safe and enjoyable day's motorsport. We are grateful to have this opportunity to give back to the sport, as competitors ourselves, and are proud in the knowledge that we will be part of making this a thoroughly enjoyable event for all."

The 2016 Rallynuts Motorsport Severn Valley Stages event regulations and a brand new event website will be available in early April. For more information, visit www.severnvalleystages.co.uk or follow the event on social media:
www.facebook.com/severnvalleystages
www.twitter.com/svsstages

Event Website

Posted: March 24, 2016 7:20 AM

Rallynuts Stages (Severn Valley)