Jonathan Stepney is launching his 2022 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship campaign on this weekend’s Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Rally (27/28 May) – and he’s made significant upgrades to his flying 1.9-litre Griffiths/Gavin Griffiths Group-backed Peugeot 205 GTi in a bid to win the class B12 title.
The Perth-based Welshman scored maximum class points on the 2019 Manx National and finished runner-up in B12 at the end of the season. His last event in the Peugeot was on last year’s Mewla Rally, where he was leading his class by over a minute after three stages, before retiring in service with overheating issues.
Since then Jonathan has upgraded the car with uprated suspension and fitted a sequential gearbox.
Despite the Jim Clark being Jonathan’s adopted home event, he has only been there as a spectator.
His co-driving stepfather Aled Davies has competed on the Jim Clark three times, navigating for Damon Harvey in the Mitsubishi Challenge. He was also there as part of the recce crew for SEAT Sport UK during its high-profile British Rally Championship campaign.
A top challenger for the class B12 title, Jonathan plans to contest all the remaining rounds of the 2022 Protyre MSUK Asphalt Rally Championship.