Jason Pritchard will return to the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship for the first time since he completed a hat-trick of drivers’ titles – this time driving his brand-new North Road Garage Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
The Builth Wells ace won the title in 2018, ’19 and ’21, driving a Ford Focus WRC05.
He hasn’t rallied a four-wheel drive car since the 2022 Rali Ceredigion (which he contested in a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5) and only started one rally last year – his local North Road Garage Toyota Showground Stages in an Escort RS1800 Mk2.
Jason freely admits that he’ll be feeling a little rusty when he makes his Protyre Asphalt debut on the East Riding Stages (23 February) – in a new car that he’ll have to learn.
One thing will be very familiar, however – co-driver Phil Clark, who guided him to all three titles.
“I’ve always enjoyed doing the Protyre Asphalt Championship because it’s a well organised series, there is great camaraderie amongst the competitors and the events are excellent – there is nothing not to like,” says Jason.
“It’s also been very good for business. When we did the series before it was around the time the Toyota GRs came out and we had a lot of customers come from all over the UK to buy new cars from us at North Road Garage because they’d seen us on rallies and the on-line coverage.
“When I was looking at events I’d like to do this year, a number of them ended up being rounds of the championship – so it made sense to register.
“I’ve only driven the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 at the Welsh Motorsport & Supercar Festival at Pembrey, and that was only a few demo laps on hard slick tyres in the wet.
“We did book a test after that, but it was snow and ice on the day and unless we were planning to do the Monte Carlo Rally there wasn’t much point in going!
“We’ve had the Yaris Rally2 for several months and I see it every day and can’t wait to start my first rally in it.
“They say that good things come to those who wait, and I’ve only got to wait a little longer for the East Riding Stages!”
Picture by Alun Jones.
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