Callum Black/Jack Morton have stormed into a big lead on the JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion National after a faultless performance on Leg 1 of the event.
The defending Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt rally champions clipped the scenery on both passes of the Nany y Moch stage, denting a wheel on one and taking a slice out of a rear wing of their Pallas Connections Ford Fiesta Rally2 on the other, but apart from that it was a super-fast copybook performance by the 586 Sport crew.
Neil Roskell is second overnight. He’s been struggling with a long ratio gearbox in his ND Civils/Burdens/Witham Motorsport Fiesta Rally2 and had a drama in midday service when a bolt sheared on a rear hub and they had to replace the entire unit in rapid time. He and Rob Fagg clipped a bail on the day’s final Aberystwyth town stage and finished Leg 1 2mins 34.9secs behind Callum.
Sam Touzel led after the opening two Aberystwyth town stages on Friday night and went into the first overnight halt with a 2.3 second lead. He slowed to make sure another crew were okay on SS4 when they came across a car that had just rolled, and then had a huge moment himself when the Jersey driver overshot a hairpin on SS6 and flew up a bank, losing 90 seconds. He and co-driver Max Freeman are third in the Protyre Asphalt standings after Leg 1 in their Smart Scaffolding/Express Auto Parts Fiesta Rally2.
Huw James/Lewis Sims are the leading two-wheel drive crew after a magnificent morning in their A&D Tyres Escort Mk2. The afternoon loop was a little more fraught, thanks to an alternator cable coming off twice. They are an astonishing fourth Protyre Asphalt crew overall and lead class B13.
Darren Atkinson had to replace the alternator in his Haldane Fisher Escort Mk2 in midday service. Co-driven by Phil Sandham, the Lancaster driver is fifth in the overall Protyre Asphalt standings and focused on scoring big class points.
On his first rally in Wales, Scotsman Gordon Morrison is flying in his Lochwinnoch Motors Heavy Haulage Escort Mk2. Together with Ian Parker, he completed a long day of competition sixth in the overall Protyre Asphalt standings.
Nathan Evans/Rhys Williams Edwards have also enjoyed a good day and are miles ahead in their class in The Kitchen Installers/911 Sport Renault Clio 3 RS.
Rory and Paul McCann were also flying in their class B10 leading Metalways Honda Civic – the Isle of Man crew raving about how fantastic the Welsh stages are.
Nikki Addison is moving ever closer to the Protyre Asphalt Ladies’ Challenge title. Co-driven by Iain Thorburn, the Inverness driver enjoyed a great day in her Robertsons Electrical Controllers/Electric Center Honda Civic Type-R.
Aled Wyn Morgans/Ian Taylor are also going well, despite a last minute change of car. They’ve borrowed Lee Edwards’ famous Jaguar V6 engined Escort G3 after crashing their normal Aberystwyth Motorsport Escort Mk2 the week before Rali Ceredigion and were quickly getting used to it in impressive style.
Tim Cole has been slowed with a cracked rear diff mount on his Manx Automobile Assistance/MAA Logistics/SOM BMW E36 Compact, meaning that he and David Sutcliffe have to be very careful on jumps and compressions – which is something they’ll have to live with until the end of the event on Sunday afternoon.
Michael Harbour/Cameron Dunn have been slowed too – the leading class B11 crew had to stop and change a puncture in the morning and had to complete the afternoon loop with front brake caliper issues in their Aldosport/Hamilton Haulage/VS Pro Pressure Washing Services Escort Mk2.
Adrian Spencer/Richard Sutcliffe had a frustrating day in their Subaru Impreza S11 WRC replica, with a puncture in the morning and electrical problems in the afternoon.
William Hill/Richard Crozier suffered brake failure at the end of a long straight on SS3 and flew into a ditch. They were lucky not to roll their Hills Ford Fiesta Rally3 and got the car back to service in the hopes of returning on Sunday.
Kevin Davies/Owain Davies retired on Saturday’s morning loop after suffered two punctures and broken suspension in their Melvyn Evans Motorsport-run Cobra Hydraulics Volkswagen Polo GTI R5.
Ben Crump/Ian Beamond went off in their Coltech Escort Mk2, snapping a bottom arm and compression strut.
Wayne Jones/Dafydd Evans were unable to start the event, having crashed their Darrian T90 GTR on the non-championship Mewla Rally the weekend before.
Mark Holmes was making his debut in a gorgeous Historic-spec Escort Mk1 that he’d built during Covid and had only previously driven to work! Co-driven by Bonnie Papper, he returned to service on a trailer after breaking a halfshaft after hitting a compression hard on SS7.
Will Rowlands/Emyr Hall put their BTRDA Historic Asphalt Cup class Escort RS1800 Mk2 off the road on Nany y Moch 1.
Leg 2 takes place tomorrow (Sunday 1 September), with two runs over the Bethania and Hafod stages (equalling 34.81 miles) before the finish on Aberystwyth Promenade.
Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship provisional top six after Leg 1
1. Callum Black/Jack Morton (Ford Fiesta Rally2)….1hr 10mins 20.3secs
2. Neil Roskell/Rob Fagg (Ford Fiesta Rally2)….1hr 12mins 55.2secs
3. Sam Touzel/Max Freeman (Ford Fiesta Rally2)….1hr 14mins 18.5secs
4. Huw James/Lewis Sim (Ford Escort Mk2)….1hr 17mins 06.2secs
5. Darren Atkinson/Phil Sandham (Ford Escort Mk2)….1hr 18mins 32.9secs
6. Gordon Morrison/Ian Parker (Ford Escort Mk2)….1hr 19mins 31.1secs
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