James Ford’s fantastic Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship victory on the Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Rally (24/25 May) has blown the race for the UK’s premier sealed-surface rally title wide open, especially as many of the title favourites failed to finish.
Co-driven by Neil Shanks, James raced to an impressive Protyre Asphalt maximum score on the Scottish Borders event (just as he did last year) in his Citroën C3 Rally2, finishing 17.8 seconds ahead of his nearest rival. The result moved James up from 85th to 21st in the overall drivers’ points table.
Callum Black/Jack Morton needed a top-scoring result in their Pallas Connections Ford Fiesta Rally2 as they attempt to win back-to-back Protyre Asphalt titles, and that’s exactly what they did with a controlled run to second. The 586 Sport crew’s caution over Friday night’s exceptionally tricky six stages paid dividends as they stretched their legs on Saturday’s dry but still slippery eight daytime stages with a textbook performance. The result sees Callum move from 10th to sixth in the points table.
David Henderson/Chris Lees made their first Protyre Asphalt appearance of the year in their Keco/PAR Petroleum Fiesta Rally2 and recovered well from losing time on Leg 1 with transmission and driveshaft issues to take home third-place Protyre Asphalt points.
It was another great performance from Simon Bowen, who equalled his best finish of the season by picking up fourth-place points in his Fiesta S2000T. The Preston driver has scored a top six result in all four rounds so far this year and now leads the overall drivers’ standings, while Craig Simkiss takes over the lead of the co-drivers’ category.
Neil Roskell endured a frantic Jim Clark Rally where things just didn’t click in his ND Civils/Burdens/Witham Motorsport Fiesta Rally2. Leg 1 contained a number of major moments, including one as early as SS2 which took a big chunk out of a Michelin tyre, as he finished Friday night’s stages holding a fighting sixth-place Protyre Asphalt position. Leg 2 was just as dramatic and began by hitting a bail on SS7 which damaged the front of the car and skidding off the road on a patch of mud on SS8. Nothing can beat the determination of Neil and co-driver Dai Roberts however and their perseverance paid off with a fifth-place points finish to keep them in the title hunt.
Sam Touzel has already shown great pace this season and the Jim Clark Rally was the Jersey driver’s best performance yet. Co-driven at short notice by Glyn Thomas, he never put a foot wrong in his Smart Scaffolding/Express Auto Parts Fiesta Rally2 to take home a well-earned sixth-place points finish.
Roger and Tommi Henderson had a good run on their first rally in Scotland, netting their best ever seventh-place Protyre Asphalt finish in their DKMS We Delete Blood Cancer Fiesta Rally2.
Also celebrating a good Protyre Asphalt points finish were Mike English/Simon Hunter (Proact Fiesta Rally2) and Ant Eaton/Ian Jackson (Autotest Fiesta R5).
James Williams started well (3rd overall / 2nd Protyre Asphalt) on the opening stage, but from then on Leg 1 was a bit of a disaster – beginning with a puncture on SS2 and ending with an off on SS6. The Orange Amplifiers Hyundai i20 N Rally2 driver went into the overnight halt 13th overall / 4th Protyre Asphalt, having lost around two and a half minutes in total. Co-driven by Ross Whittock, James was hoping that a new day would witness a fresh start and better luck, but he retired on Leg 2’s opening stage when the power steering failed.
Steve Wood arrived in Duns lying second in the drivers’ standings and his navigator Kenny Hull leading the overall co-drivers’ standings. The 2022 Protyre Asphalt champion was fifth at the overnight halt but crashed his Sligo Pallets Citroën C3 Rally2 out midway through Leg 2.
Mark Kelly lost drive about three miles into the first run of Abbey St Bathans (SS2) when the input shaft in his Kelmore Škoda Fabia R5 worked loose in the gearbox. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the spares to repair the ‘box in service, so it was an early bath for him and co-driver Will Atkins.
David Wright had worked wonders to get his self-prepared Grove Hill Garage Fiesta R5 repaired after his Legend Fires North West Stages shunt. Co-driven by Jane Nicol, he had a steady start through SS1 just to check that the car was working okay and was pushing through SS2 when an oil feed pipe burst causing a fire – which he was lucky to extinguish before too much damage was done.
Hugh Brunton/Drew Sturrock were flying in their Škoda Fabia Rally2, especially on the fastest sections where full commitment and bravery was required. They were holding a strong fifth Protyre Asphalt position when they stopped near the end of SS12 when the steering rack broke.
Hugh Hunter survived a tricky Leg 1 unscratched and was looking forward to picking up the pace on the brighter and drier Leg 2, but he and co-driver Rob Fagg retired their Robert Hunter & Son Tarmac/Lewis & Hunter Contracting Fiesta Rally2 when they nudged a bank on Leg 2 and broke a water pipe.
Mark Holmes/Mark Perryman suffered brake problems on Leg 1 and retired their Fiesta R5 on Leg 2 when the rear diff packed in. Stephen Simpson/Dafydd Evans retired their Tudor Glass Fiesta Rally2 on SS10 when the car’s clutch failed, while Jonathan Mounsey/Richard Wardle were going well until they crashed into a stone wall in their JD Mounsey/3 Peaks Cycles/JDM Models Fiesta R5 on SS12.
Chris West/Keith Hounslow were hoping for a good run in their rapid 2.5-litre KGP engined Peugeot 306 Maxi but failed to finish Leg 1, as did Chris Ford/Ian Davies in their Citroën C3 Rally2.
William Hill’s amazing run of magnificent overall results and class B14 victories came to an end after a troubled opening leg in his Hills Ford Fiesta Rally3. Co-driven by Peredur Wyn Davies, leaking brake fluid and a fire saw him run down the order and eventually post a very rare event retirement, although the Worcester driver still leads the class standings.
Dumfries pairing Joe Mckeand/Charlotte McDowall clinched a well-deserved class B14 victory in the Subaru Impreza, finishing ahead of Adrian Spencer/Ashley Trimble (RED Industries/Adgespeed Subaru Impreza S11 WRC replica), Richard Slinger/Mark Twiname (Mitsubishi Evo 6), newcomers Frank Pinder/John Clark (Mitsubishi Lancer E2) and fifth-placed Nathan Bolton/Phil Kenny (Mitsubishi Evo 9).
Lee and Cole Hastings had to switch to an older Subaru that they hadn’t rallied for three years after problems with their newer Impreza on the Manx. They survived a big moment on SS2 to take sixth in class B14, one place ahead of Bobby Macdonald/Martin Maccabe (Subaru).
Darren Atkinson has strengthened his lead in class B13 and the Escort Challenge, although the Lancaster ace didn’t have it all his own way. Co-driven by Chester’s Harry Stubbs, who became the 200th registered competitor in this year’s Protyre Asphalt Championship on the eve of the event, Darren drove with one eye in his mirrors on Friday’s opening loop, ready and waiting to pull over to let the 4WD car behind overtake his Haldane Fisher Escort Mk2.
It was Aled Wyn Morgans/Ian Taylor who led the 2WD category by four seconds at the overnight halt, although the Aberystwyth Motorsport Escort Mk2 crew slipped to fourth by the end of day two.
This allowed Darren to score his fourth class maximum in a row and move up to an astonishing third in the overall drivers’ standings.
Gordon Morrison/Ian Parker drove brilliantly to finish second in class in their Lochwinnoch Motors Heavy Haulage Escort Mk2 – one place ahead of Mathew Dance/Jason Davies, who lost a minute on Friday’s opening loop when the paddle-shift system stopped working and their Escort Mk2’s engine kept cutting out. Both picked up impressive top 10 overall points as well.
Gerry Fitzelle/Phil Sandham went off on SS5, damaging their Escort Mk2 so much that they were unable to start Leg 2.
Michael Harbour/Cameron Dunn still lead class B11 despite only finishing third after an eventful Jim Clark in their VS Pro Pressure Washing Services/Miller Waste Water Escort Mk2, which included sliding wide on SS8 and luckily onto one of the few areas where there was a large grass verge before a stone wall. Michael also remains second in the Escort Challenge.
Protyre Asphalt Junior leader Kalum Graffin (co-driven this time by Mark McGeeham) won class B11 after a trouble-free drive in his KG Motorsport/Kilmac Group/Lyons Road Transport/Woodland NI Peugeot 208 Rally4.
Chris Butcher/Jonathan Hawkins had a Friday night to forget with a misfire on the first loop and a problem at the Langton Mill watersplash on SS4, when he ended up in a fence. They later retired their Severnside Defibs Nissan Sunny GTI F2 with head gasket failure.
Paul Evans had made a lot of gearing and suspension changes to his Electric Bike Supermarket Escort Mk2 since the Manx and it has obviously improved the car as the Mold driver, together with co-driver Callum Young, has taken the lead in class B10. They had to give second best on the Jim Clark to a flying Rory and Paul McCann, who won the class in their Metalways Honda Civic, while Willie and Craig Nelson came home third in an Escort Mk2 to maintain their class title challenge.
Will Mains (co-driven by Tomos Whittle) admitted to being too cautious on the Friday night stages but flew on Saturday to win B9 and take the class lead in his WSC/Mike’s Scaffolding Vauxhall Nova. Defending class champions Nicky Cowperthwaite/Helen Hall pushed the Llandysul driver hard and finished second in their Cowperthwaites Garage/H&K Travel Opel Corsa.
Nikki Addison has retaken the lead in the Ladies’ Challenge after a magnificent run in her Electric Center Honda Civic Type-R. The Inverness driver said that the Friday night stages were “skitie” (and she wasn’t wrong) and together with co-driver Iain Thorburn Nikki pushed hard on Saturday to score an excellent result.
Geoff Roberts (co-driven by Graham Wild) has retaken the class H3b and the BTRDA Historic Asphalt Cup lead after a polished performance in his Escort RS1800 Mk2.
Action from the Jim Clark Rally is available to view on the Special Stage TV Facebook and YouTube channels, plus specialstage.tv.
Round 5 of the 2024 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship is the Dunoon Presents Argyll Rally (21/22 June).
Jim Clark Rally – top 10 registered 2024 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship finishers:
1. James Ford/Neil Shanks (Citroën C3 Rally2)….1hr 15mins 30.0secs
2. Callum Black/Jack Morton (Ford Fiesta Rally2)….1hr 15mins 47.7secs
3. David Henderson/Chris Lees (Ford Fiesta Rally2)….1hr 17mins 53.8secs
4. Simon Bowen/Craig Simkiss (Fiesta S2000T)….1hr 19mins 39.8secs
5. Neil Roskell/Dai Roberts (Ford Fiesta Rally2)….1hr 20mins 06.8secs
6. Sam Touzel/Glyn Thomas (Ford Fiesta Rally2)….1hr 22mins 56.8secs
7. Roger Henderson/Tommi Henderson (Ford Fiesta Rally2)….1hr 22mins 59.7secs
8. Darren Atkinson/Harry Stubbs (Ford Escort Mk2)….1hr 23mins 30.8secs
9. Gordon Morrison/Ian Parker (Ford Escort Mk2)….1hr 24mins 48.0secs
10. Mathew Dance/Jason Davies (Escort Mk2)….1hr 24mins 52.3secs
2024 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship – top 6 drivers’ overall after Round 4:
1. Simon Bowen….101pts
2. James Williams….91pts
3. Darren Atkinson….90pts
4. Neil Roskell….81pts
5. Steve Wood….78pts
6. Callum Black….77pts
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