Nick Elliott and Dave Price made it four wins from four rallies in the 2017 Mintex MSA British Historic Rally Championship on Saturday’s Severn Valley Stages (3 June).
The Ford Escort Mk2 crew finished with a winning margin of just five seconds over defending champions Jason Pritchard and Phil Clarke after a fierce battle on dry and fast Welsh forest stages. Once again, other BHRC category wins went to Phil Harris/Richard Suter (Mini Cooper) and Phil Jobson/Arwel Jenkins (Ford Escort Mk1). The event was very well-received by crews with much positive feedback on stage conditions.
Just as on the preceding Pirelli Historic Rally, it was incredibly close between Elliott and Pritchard right from the start. Over the first three stages in Cefn, Crychan and Gwibedog, Pritchard went ahead by just two seconds. Then in Radnor, Elliott made a really big push on the fast and flowing stage to earn an eight-second lead for the second run of Cefn, Crychan and Gwibedog. Pritchard pushed again on the final loop to reduce the gap to only five seconds, but Elliott completed a quartet of 2017 wins.
Steve Bennett and Osian Owen had a good, clear run to take the final step on the podium, while Simon Webster and Jez Rogers scored a fine fourth, but Webster was still gobsmacked by Elliott’s pace in Radnor. Another strong run netted fifth overall for Tim Freeman and Paul Williams, while Ben Friend and Cliffy Simmons were stars with sixth place using only Pinto power as they won Class D3 over an attacking performance by Rex Ireland and Adrian Scadding.
Top points in the Capital Construction Category 2 went to Phil Jobson and Arwel Jenkins but it was a troubled end to the rally for Jobson with a carburettor-induced misfire and a trip into a ditch on the final loop. Class C2 winners were Eliot Retallick and Tim Tugwell with another mighty charge in their Hillman Avenger as Stuart Cariss/Linda Cariss and Mal Bayliss/Siobhan Pugh led the chase. Like several crews, Cariss and Bayliss were held up by an accident in Radnor for one of the modern cars and took a notional time for the stage.
More notable performances inside the overall top 10 included a really good run for Barry Stevenson-Wheeler/John Pickavance, while rallying returnee Roger Chilman showed very good pace on his historic Escort Mk2 debut with Iestyn Williams alongside and but for a one-minute road penalty would have been fifth.
Phil Harris/Richard Suter overcame the loss of first gear and early oil pressure worries to win the Vintage Car Radiator Company Category 1 again in their Mini Cooper, while the unluckiest crew of the day were Aziz Tejpar and Steve Davey who suffered head-gasket failure on their Escort Mk1 on the run out to the first stage.
A top-class entry will head to Builth Wells this weekend as the Mintex MSA British Historic Rally Championship and Pirelli MSA Welsh Rally Championship converge for the Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages (3rd June).
Sponsored once again by established race wear and accessory firm Rallynuts Motorsport, the Midland Manor Motor Club organised event enters its 44th year and around 90 cars will contest the rally.
Based at the Royal Welsh Showground, the event takes place in the Gwibedog, Cefn, Crychan and Radnor forests with 44 miles of special stages lying in wait. With world class stages on offer, the event has attracted the attentions of competitors from across UK and Ireland. Connor McCloskey brings his stunning Ford Fiesta WRC across the Irish Sea with John Rowan alongside.
The 2013 Severn Valley Stages winner heads to the event in a bid to gain more experience of the Welsh forests and to improve on his 14th spot in the Welsh Championship. He will be one to watch for his second outright victory at the weekend.
BTRDA regular Charles Payne will pilot his new Ford Fiesta WRC, co-driven by Carl Williamson. Payne has a proven record in the Welsh forests, taking a podium spot on the event in 2010 and will undoubtedly be embroiled in a battle for the win with McCloskey.
Dylan Davies and Llion Williams will aim to improve on their current Welsh Championship position in their Subaru Impreza. After winning the Red Kite Stages earlier this year, another win has eluded the Welsh pairing and will be hoping to reverse that at the weekend.
Fellow Subaru Impreza crew Andy Davies and Max Freeman have showed a fine run of form recently, taking their showroom Group N specification version to second in the Welsh Championship. They will be looking to close in on the gap to first.
Also in action this weekend will be event sponsor Rallynuts co-director Craig Cameron in a Subaru Impreza. Co-driven by Chris Rice, Cameron can often be found in the passenger seat for fellow director Paul Bonas but will be behind the wheel this time around.
The eagerly anticipated Mintex MSA British Historic Rally Championship returns to the event once again and provides rally fans with plenty of action on the stages.
Leading the field away are Nick Elliott and Dave Price in their Ford Escort Mk2. Taking three wins from three so far this season, they will aim to make it four in a row as the series turns to asphalt after the Severn Valley Stages, a surface Elliott has perhaps less of an affinity with.
Local hero Jason Pritchard is Elliott’s closest rival and literally crosses the road from the family car dealership to the Royal Welsh Showground rally base. With Phil Clarke in the co-driver’s seat, Pritchard will use his Ford Escort MK2 in the forest closest to his Builth Wells home and hopes to take his first win of the season.
Rudi Lancaster has returned to the sport in recent years after a several decades away, but now is on the edge of his first historic category win in his Escort Mk2. Guy Weaver co-drives for the Devon man and the duo are third crew away.
Spectators will be given plenty of opportunities to catch the action both on and off the stages. Competitors will be flagged away by the Mayor of Builth Wells Town Council at 8.30am on Saturday from the Royal Welsh Showground before heading out to tackle seven challenging stages. Crews will return for service at 10.50am and 1.00pm with the finish celebrations taking place at around 4pm.
Crychan kicks off the spectator stages with its first run at around 9.30am. The forest can be accessed just north east of Cynghordy and with a second pass at 3.00pm, is a popular spot for rally fans.
Radnor offers another chance to watch the cars in action, with one pass of the stage at around 12.15pm. The stage can be accessed off the A488 near Monaughty.
The popular event is also a round of the West Wales Rally Spares HRCR Stage Masters Challenge, FMP Rally Challenge and Brian Dennis Welsh Historic Rally Championship.
Seeded Entry List
Posted: May 30, 2017 5:38 AM
1 Connor McCloskey/John Rowan (Ford Fiesta WRC) [M5]
2 Charles Payne/Carl Williamson (Ford Fiesta WRC) [M5]
3 Dylan Davies/Llion Williams (Subaru Impreza) [M5]
4 Andy Davies/Max Freeman (Subaru Impreza) [M6]
5 Martyn England/Dawn England (Ford Fiesta R5+) [M5]
6 Sacha Kakad/Jamie Edwards (Mitsubishi EVO X) [M6]
7 David Howells/Robin Hernaman (Subaru Impreza) [M5]
8 Nick Elliott/Dave Price (Ford Escort) [D5]
9 Jason Tauber Pritchard/Phil Clarke (Ford Escort RS1800) [G2]
10 Rudi Lancaster/Guy Weaver (Ford Escort RS1800) [G2]
11 Simon Webster/Jez Rogers (Ford Escort RS 1800) [D5]
12 Steve Bennett/Osian Owen (Ford Escort RS) [D5]
14 Wug Utting/Bob Stokoe (Subaru Impreza N12b) [M6]
15 Bob Morgan/Adie Williams (Subaru Impreza) [M5]
18 Simon Rogers/Wyn Davies (Mitsubishi Evo 6) [M5]
20 Ernie Graham/Robin Kellard (Ford Escort RS1600) [C5]
21 Roger Chilman/Iestyn Williams (Ford Escort) [D5]
22 Tim Freeman/Paul Williams (Ford Escort RS1800) [D5]
23 Ben Friend/Cliffy Simmons (Ford Escort Mk2) [D3]
24 Terry Brown/Den Golding (Ford Escort) [D5]
25 Simon Dalton/TBC (Subaru Impreza N12B) [M6]
26 David Young/James Young (Ford Escort RS) [M3]
27 Matthew Hirst/Declan Dear (Mitsubishi EVO IX) [M5]
28 James Watkins/Chris Whittall (Subaru Impreza) [M6]
29 Colin Griffiths/Paul Price (BMW Compact) [M4]
30 Barry Stevenson-Wheeler/John Pickavance (Ford Escort RS 1800) [D5]
31 Jonathan Brace/Tim (The Sump) Samuel (Ford Escort RS) [D5]
32 James Potter/Bob Duck (Ford Escort RS) [D5]
33 Paul Street/Ian Jones (Ford Escort Mk2) [D5]
34 Phil Jobson/Arwel Jenkins (Ford Escort) [C5]
35 Phil Squires/Chris Squires (Ford Escort RS1800) [D5]
36 James Slaughter/TBA (Ford Escort Mk2) [G2]
37 Barry Jordan/James Gratton-Smith (Ford Sierra Cosworth) [M4]
38 Jason Gardner/Graham Cox (Ford Escort) [BD2]
39 Rex Ireland/Adrian Scadding (Ford Escort) [D3]
40 Gary Smith/John Connor (Ford Escort) [C5]
41 Andrew Stokes/Adrian McNally (Ford Escort RS1600) [C5]
42 Josh Browne/Jane Edgington (Ford Escort Mk 2) [D3]
43 Eliot Retallick/Tim Tugwell (Hillman Avenger) [C2]
44 Ian Barnes/Rob Gilham (Ford Escort Mk1 RS2000) [BC2]
45 Craig Cameron/Chris Rice (Subaru Impreza) [M5]
46 Andrew Fox/Jaime-Lee Fox (BMW 325) [M4]
47 Duncan Williams/Mark Freeman (Ford Escort Mk2) [M3]
48 Tim Phelps/Elwyn Manuel (Ford Escort MK2) [M4]
49 Vince Davies/Jade Phillips (Ford Escort Mk 2) [BD2]
50 Freddy Brick/Toby Brick (Vauxhall Corsa) [M1]
51 Frazer Martin/Glenn Mercer (Mitsubishi EVO VI) [M5]
52 David Ashburn/Jonny TAD Evans (Mitsubishi EVO X) [M6]
53 Tim Bevan/Richard Felgate (BMW 328i) [M3]
54 John Collins/John Smart (Opel Manta GTE) [M3]
55 Daniel Bedington/Shaun Layland (Ford Escort Mk 2) [M3]
56 Steve Southall/Richard Bestwick (Ford Escort) [M4]
57 David Jones/Glyn Price (BMW E30) [M4]
58 Martyn Andrews/Steve Greenhill (Subaru Impreza) [M5]
61 Rhydian Price/Peredur Wyn Davies (Ford Fiesta) [M3]
62 Jordan Reynolds/Richard Pashley (Ford Fiesta R2) [M2]
63 Geoff Cottrill/Nathan Crewe (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [M5]
64 Alan Desbois/Steve Link (Peugeot 306 RWD) [M2]
65 Garry Mannion/Rhys Stoneman (Subaru Impreza) [M5]
66 Tony Bird/John Flippance (Ford Escort Cosworth) [M5]
67 Colin Treeby/Gareth Price (Ford Fiesta) [M2]
68 Alun Jones/Geraint Mills (Subaru Impreza) [M5]
69 Paul Gunter/Jack Walby (Ford Escort RS) [BD2]
71 Aziz Tejpar/Steve Davey (Ford Escort) [C2]
72 Stuart Cariss/Linda Cariss (Ford Escort Sport) [C2]
73 Stuart Anderson/Dan Nieroda (Vauxhall Chevette GP4) [BD2]
74 Mal Bayliss/Siobhan Pugh (Ford Escort) [C2]
75 Martin Walters/Marie Fletcher (Honda Civic) [M2]
76 Kristien Esser/Mark Casey (Subaru Impreza GC8) [M5]
77 Geoff Phelps/Ian Beamond (Ford Escort) [M3]
78 Mike Simpson/Dale Gibbons (Ford Escort Mk1 RS2000) [BC2]
79 Peter Jones/Graham Joseph (Ford Escort RS1800) [BG2]
80 Stuart Smith/Warren Bryn (Ford Mk2 Escort) [BD2]
81 Eddie Gale/Rhys Williams (Ford Escort Mk2) [BD2]
82 Jeremy Wells/Martin Saunders (Ford Escort Mk I) [C5]
83 Fred Camp/Roger Gillard (Peugeot 205) [BE2]
84 Gareth Ian Dunstan/Nick Morris (Ford Escort) [BC2]
85 Ron Morgan/TBA (Ford Escort Mk2) [BD2]
86 Kalvin Green/Abigail Haycock (Nissan Micra) [M1]
87 Rob Aslett/Sharon Aslett (Subaru Impreza GC8) [M5]
89 Phil Harris/Richard Suter (Morris Mini Cooper) [B2]
90 Ken Davies/Alan Jones (Volvo Amazon) [B4]
92 John L Williams/Gethin Sollis (Ford Escort Mexico) [C2]
93 Mike Barratt/Mike George (Ford Cortina GT) [B2]
94 Phil Morgan/Peter Littlefield (Ford Escort Mk2) [M3]
95 Mark Cox/Paul Gallagher (VW Lupo) [M1]
Severn Valley next for Mintex MSA BHRC
Posted: May 26, 2017 2:47 AM
The 2017 Mintex MSA British Historic Rally Championship moves back to Wales for for round four, the Severn Valley Stages (Saturday 3 June) with Nick Elliott and Dave Price aiming to make it four wins from four rallies in 2017.
The Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club promotes the MSA BHRC under a five-year contract and 2017 will be the third year of that agreement. The calendar covers five gravel and three 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 to give the BHRC some of the best TV exposure in British rallying.
The season started in mid-February on a damp and foggy Red Kite Stages when three crews marked themselves as the early season pace-setters in Ford Escort Mk2s. Elliott and Price emerged victorious that day over reigning champions Jason Pritchard and Phil Clarke while Joe Price and Chris Brooks showed typically strong pace before being sidelined with a failed diff.
The story was similar a month ago on Rally North Wales when Elliott and Price again set the seal on victory with a storming opening salvo through wet and slippery stages. Pritchard struggled to find his rhythm and was running third until Price went out after an off left his car parked on its side. Pritchard moved up to second but was nearly caught on the final stage by the increasingly rapid Escort Mk2 of Rudi Lancaster/Guy Weaver.
A year after crashing out of the 2016 rally, Elliott and Price continued their impressive form with their third win in a row on the Pirelli Historic Rally at the end of April. They finished with a winning margin of just 6.5 seconds over Pritchard/Clarke after a day-long tussle in dry and dusty conditions in Kielder forest.
Now comes a return to the classic Welsh forests on the Severn Valley Stages and the prospect of another dusty rally. Elliott and Pritchard both know these stages well and this could be a critical point in the championship trail. If Elliott can make it four from four, he will considerably strengthen his hand as the calendar heads into three asphalt events over the summer months. While Elliott has very limited asphalt experience, Pritchard is as accomplished on asphalt as he is on gravel.
Elliott/Price also head Category 3 where Lancaster and Weaver are getting ever closer to the absolute pace. More strong Escort Mk2s in Class D5 include those of Simon Webster/Jez Rogers, Steve Bennett/Osian Owen and Tim Freeman/Paul Williams.
Pacesetters in class D3 for the Pinto-powered Escorts in Category 3 have been Ben Friend and Cliffy Simmons (Ford Escort Mk2) and they’ll be aiming to get well up among the BDG-engined cars. Chasing Friend in class D3 is the Escort Mk2 Pinto of Rex Ireland/Adrian Scadding, while aiming for a BHRC debut on this event is young Josh Browne, son of experienced driver Chris, who has Jane Edgington co-driving.
Stanley Orr and Stephen McAuley have set the early pace in the Capital Construction Category 2 but were not entered at the time of writing. The opposition to Orr is topped by Phil Jobson and Arwel Jenkins in their Escort Mk1, while new to class C5 for this event are Andrew Stokes and Adrian McNally, who step up from their usual Hillman Avenger to a full-spec Escort Mk1.
Class C2, for the 1600cc cars, is the domain of the flying Hillman Avenger of Elliot Retallick and Tim Tugwell and Retallick is unbeaten this year. Meanwhile the class will also feature a three-way contest among the Escort Mk1s of Aziz Tejpar/Steve Davey, husband and wife Stuart and Linda Cariss and local crew Mal Bayliss/Siobhan Pugh.
In the Vintage Car Radiator Company Category 1, the Mini Cooper of Phil Harris and Richard Suter has already taken three wins in 2017 and is rejoined on this event by the Ford Cortina GT of Mike Barratt and Mike George.
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 4pm.
The Severn Valley Stages Rally, which is backed by Rallynuts Motorsport, is organised by the Midland Manor Motor Club. For more details about the event please visit the event website, link below:
2017 Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages is launched
Posted: May 17, 2017 5:37 PM
Regulations for this year's Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages are now available and organisers of the 3rd June event are confident the 44th running of the Midland Manor Motor Club rally will be one of the best yet.
Established racewear and accessory firm, Rallynuts Motorsport will join the event as title sponsor once again in 2017 and the event will contain around 44 competitive miles of prime stages in the Gwibedog, Cefn, Crychan and Radnor forests.
The popular event is once again a round of the Mintex MSA British Historic Rally Championship, Pirelli MSA Welsh Rally Championship and the West Wales Rally Spares HRCR Stage Masters Challenge. The event is also joined in 2017 by the FMP Rally Challenge and Brian Dennis Welsh Historic Rally Championship.
An impressive 30 miles will be first usage in a bid to encourage entries from all ages of vehicle, equating to 68% of the total route across some of the best forest locations that Wales has to offer.
Based in Builth Wells, Powys a compact route and centralised service at the Royal Welsh Showground will keep costs to a minimum. With changes to the arrangements for repairing forests after events, the organising team has worked hard to keep the event fee under £600 and believe the entry fee represents good value for money at £595.
The Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells will once again host the rally and provide an unrivalled venue for Rally HQ, Scrutineering, free attended overnight parking, start/finish, service area and the awards ceremony. Camping and caravanning facilities are available at the Showground from £10 a night.
Competitors will be flagged away by the Mayor of Builth Wells Town Council at 8.30am on Saturday 3rd June, to tackle the seven challenging stages made famous by the World Rally Championship qualifier Wales Rally GB, before returning for a champagne finish just after 4pm.
Having been known for 13 years as the Kerridge Stages Rally followed by the Mutiny Stages Rally, the continued association with Rallynuts Motorsport offers an opportunity for the event to expand with a dynamic route and stages. Joint Clerk of the Course Chris Ashley believes they have the perfect formula for competitors and rally fans alike this year.
"These forests are regarded across the world as some of the best there is and we do have to agree with that sentiment. Add in the fact that we have just a few miles used for a second time, I'm confident that crews in both the modern and historic category's will enjoy every second of the event. It's a great opportunity for those not in a championship to get experience of the Welsh stages too and we always offer a warm welcome to everyone who contests the event".
The Rallynuts Motorsport Severn Valley Stages event regulations and online entry form are available on the event website, at www.severnvalleystages.co.uk
Or follow the event on social media:
www.facebook.com/severnvalleystages
www.twitter.com/svsstages
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