James Williams scored maximum points on the opening round of the 2025 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship after a stunning performance on the East Riding Stages (23 February).
Co-driven by Ross Whittock, the Newcastle Emlyn driver led the BTRDA sealed-surface series event from start to finish, with his only slight hiccup coming on the shortest stage, the 1.63 mile Beverley Westwood superspecial, when he clipped a bale chicane with his Orange Amplification Hyundai i20 N Rally2.
In challenging and changing conditions, which ranged from damp, greasy and slippery in the morning to full rain and wet in the afternoon, James took the BTRDA series win by 15.3 seconds to lead the drivers’ standings after Round 1 – just as he did in 2024.
“After six months out I was a bit rusty on the morning stages, but I’m very happy to start the season by scoring maximum Protyre Asphalt Championship points,” said James.
“We clipped a chicane on the short stage – on an event like this you can’t afford to give away a tenth of a second and have to go for it, but the car turned into a sledge on a slippery section and we were lucky to get away with it. But thankfully we got through the other stages unscathed.”
Callum Black was much more at home in the afternoon, having softened the suspension, changed the anti-roll bars and bolted on wet weather Michelin tyres on his Pallas Connections Ford Fiesta Rally2. Co-driven by Jack Morton, the double and defending Protyre Asphalt champion set some very impressive times but ultimately had to settle for a solid second-placed points finish.
Neil Roskell/Rob Fagg wished they’d taken super-soft Michelins on the morning loop as, like many, they struggled to find grip in their ND Civils/Burdens/Witham Motorsport Fiesta Rally2. They were much happier on the rainy afternoon stages on wet tyres and completed the Protyre Asphalt podium.
Three-time Protyre Asphalt champion Jason Pritchard could not have picked a trickier event to learn a new car but did fantastically well in his first outing in his North Road Garage Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. Co-driven by Phil Clarke, the Builth Wells ace had a big slide on the very first left-hand corner, but after that enjoyed a great run to collect fourth-placed points, just 10.9 seconds off a podium.
Sam Touzel/Max Freeman achieved their goal of getting to the finish with a good result by netting fifth-placed points in their Smart Scaffolding/Express Auto Parts Fiesta Rally2 – while David Wright/Jane Nicol recovered from spinning backwards through a hedge in the morning (and losing more time when the engine stalled and refused to restart) to come home sixth in their GPM/DamperTek/Grove Hill Garage Fiesta R5.
Roger Duckworth/Alun Cook enjoyed a good day to take home seventh-placed points in their Technia Fiesta R5, with only a crumpled front bumper to illustrate what a difficult event it had been.
Steve Wood was less happy, as it was a day to forget as things just didn’t click in his Citroën C3 Rally2. Co-driven by Kenny Hull, the 2022 Protyre Asphalt champion clipped a chicane and was disappointed to only get eighth-placed points.
Brad Cole wanted a trouble-free run and having not finished a rally for ages was pleased to take home ninth-placed points in his Hydroline Solutions Fiesta Rally2. Co-driven by Jamie Vaughan, there is much more to come from the Somerset driver in the Trick Motorsport prepared and East Budleigh Garage run Ford.
Stephen Simpson/Mark Glennerster were pleased to round off the Protyre Asphalt top 10 in their Tudor Glass Fiesta Rally2, the 2007 Protyre Asphalt driver champion getting the better of Chris Ford/Neil Colman, who had a solid run in their Citroën C3 Rally2.
David White was delighted to finish the event in his Whites Bakery/Mirage/Sandwich King Fiesta R5 and praised his co-driver Paula Hannan on a perfect performance on her first pace noted closed road stage event.
Ryan Burns/Harry Walshaw overshot a junction on the opening stage but thereafter enjoyed a good run in their Bat-Sport/Burnley Motors Fiesta Rally2.
Damian Cole was pleased to reach the finish. It’s nine years since the Abergavenny driver last won the title and co-driven for the first time by Rhodri Evans he just wanted to keep his Get Connected Citroën C3 Rally2 on the road and record a finish – which he achieved in style.
Nathan Bolton/Phil Kenny swapped their Mitsubishi for a Monza Installs Ford Fiesta Rally2, which they only acquired the week before the East Riding Stages. A plug lead came off on the opening stage, forcing them to stop and replace it – yet despite the considerable time loss they pressed on to record a finish.
Mark Kelly/Will Atkins were third in the Protyre Asphalt standings after the opening stage but spun their Kelmore Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 on the next – ending up stuck against a fence and unable to move. Last year’s East Riding Stages winners collected a 30 minute stage maximum time, which dropped them to the back of the field. They did return in the afternoon to claim some valuable stage miles and set fastest time overall on the two Beverley Westwood superspecial stages.
Hugh Brunton/Drew Sturrock got their afternoon loop off to a magnificent start by being faster through the wet Wawne 2 stage (SS7) than they had been when it was run in the drier morning conditions – although it sadly didn’t last, as they crashed their Škoda Fabia Rally2 soon after.
James Ford/Neil Shanks hit mechanical problems with their Citroën C3 Rally2 on SS1 and were forced to pull off the road, while Roger and Tommi Henderson (DKMS We Delete Blood Cancer Fiesta Rally2) and Barry Renwick/Paul Hughes (Fiesta R5) also suffered an early bath.
Adrian Spencer/Mark Hewitt revelled in the tricky conditions and enjoyed a trouble-free and fast run to Class B victory in their RED Industries/Adgespeed Subaru Impreza S11 WRC replica.
Paul Murphy/Richard Robinson finished their first closed road stage rally together with second in class in their RAC Consultants Mitsubishi Evo 9.
Huw James/Lewis Sim slammed their A&D Tyres Escort Mk2 into a bale chicane on SS8, causing body damage and putting a hole in the radiator. They took it easy through the final two stages and still came away with a well-deserved Class C victory.
Mark Jasper/Don Whyatt were pleased to get to the finish in their Jaspers Bakeries Escort Mk2, with second in class a just reward for a great drive.
Chris Thompson/Richard Mason finished third in class – the 2.5-litre Escort driver’s front tooth coming out on the final stage being the only drama of the day!
Max Murray/Matty Owen drove to the conditions on what they found was a challenging day, finishing fourth in class in their BVS Vehicles Citroën DS3 R3T – which is a relatively new car that they’re still getting used to.
John Cartwright/Richard Armstrong went off halfway through the final stage, but luckily didn’t lose much time and still enjoyed the event in their 2.5-litre engined Cartwrights Escort Mk2 to complete the Class C top five.
Alyn Welsby won Class E in his Escort Mk2. Co-driven by Dan Parsons, the Carmarthen driver beat Ant Allery/Richard Bonner to the top spot, although they too were happy to finish in what they hope will be the start of a good run in their C Salter Demolitions Escort Mk2.
Martin Rossiter/Robbie Sandford snatched the final class podium after a great run in their West Wales Tuning/Scott Williams Motorsport Escort Mk2.
When it started to rain, Paul Robins/Jordan Wilkinson decided to reduce the heroics and drive for a finish, which rewarded them with fourth in class in their Escort Mk2.
Nathan Evans/Rhys Williams Edwards suffered early clutch problems in their 911 Sport/JD Tyres/The Kitchen Installers Renault Clio 3 RS but took home fifth-place class points.
George Heighway/Tim Currie started the event by making a wrong tyre choice and were soon forced to retire their Heighway Ltd/ASM Developments Toyota Corolla AE86 with a bad misfire.
Oliver Mathison started the event with a big moment on SS1 and ended it with a quick off on SS10 – despite living in the house by the stage start! It was nevertheless a very accomplished performance by the local youngster and co-driver Ryan Witty, as they won Class F in their Blue + Orange Motorsport Citroën Saxo VTS. Oliver also leads the Protyre Asphalt Junior section.
Thomas Graham/Mark Pickering had an eventful time out in their R/S Motors Leyburn Escort Mk1. They had to use a rag to stop gearbox oil coming into the cockpit and then finished the event without working windscreen wipers – but despite all of this they still finished second in class in what was their first event in the car.
Morning intercom problems hampered Jonathan Elliot Jones/Ben Duke, but they achieved what they set out to do with a finish and a class podium in their Jones Carpentry & Tiling Vauxhall Corsa S1600.
Michael Jenkins/Jordan Joines finished fourth in class in his Ignition Motorsport Rally Team Fiesta R2, finishing ahead of Anthony Jevons/ Margaret Kelly, who had a great first run in their Fiesta R2, and Mark Turner/Yvonne Walton in their Mini Cooper R50.
Colin Minton/Rob Bryn ‘Chicken’ Jones had an early misfire in their Ignition Motorsport Rally Team Fiesta R2T which left them searching for a set of spart plugs in service and a lot of time lost.
Luke Constantine/Ifan Devine were stranded a mile and a half into the opening stage when a driveshaft snapped in their Constantine Motorsport Opel Adam R2. Undeterred, they rejoined and completed all the afternoon stages to give themselves valuable closed road stage seat time.
It was dark by the time Will Mains reached the end of SS10. Co-driven for the first time by Emma Clarke, the three-time 1400cc champion pressed on regardless of his number 162 seeding and with every stage attempted in the very worst of the conditions he still won Class F in his Speedy Sofas/Mike’s Scaffolding Vauxhall Nova.
Philip Rogers/Jordan Jones were the top 2WD crew home in their Class H-A winning historic-spec Escort Mk2. The Milford Haven driver also won the coveted BTRDA Historic Asphalt Cup and Escort Challenge categories.
Mark Holmes/Jonathan Cragg selected wet tyres for the opening loop of stages, which wasn’t a bad idea considering how damp and greasy the conditions were. The ND Civils/Mark Holmes Auto Engineering Escort Mk1 crew were on great form and eventually won Class H-C.
Andrew O’Hanlon/Kevin Hogan won the Mini Challenge in their Mini Cooper S.
Jake Smith/Dave Tortoishell’s Escort Mk2 won the Dynamic Fluids Best Presented Car Award, as selected by championship scruntineer Geoff Doe.
Kyle Casement/Liam McCann, who had been going well despite spinning their BVS Vehicles/FRM Rally Management Citroën C2 on the opening stage and dislodging the front bumper, failed to reach the finish.
Tim Phelps/Peter Wilson (Britpart Escort Mk2) and Mike Simpson/Dale Gibbons (H Stowable/Physio Joint Escort RS1800 Mk2) retired with engine problems.
Alex Kirk-Willey/Sasha Heriot were a bit too hot entering a chicane on the opening stage, and although they missed the bales their AKW Installations/Weaver Motorsport Vauxhall Corsa S1600’s engine stalled and they lost a lot of timing trying to coax it back into life. They later retired with a broken driveshaft.
Gareth Humphreys/Aaron Mallin (Stratos Motorsport Mini Cooper S), Christian Davies/Chris Davies (Fiesta Proto), Gareth Bevan/Dafydd Evans (Freemans Bodyshop Escort) all retired early, while Jonathan Davies/Owen Rowcliffe had been going well, but retired their Cribyn Garage/Nant y Caws Commercials Peugeot 207 near the finish.
Action from the East Riding Stages, which was broadcast live, is available to view for free on the Special Stage TV Facebook and YouTube channels, plus specialstage.tv.
Rounds 2 of the 2025 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship is the Manx Rally on the Isle of Man (11/12 April).
East Riding Stages– top 10 registered 2025 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship finishers:
1. James Williams/Ross Whittock (Hyundai i20 N Rally2)….47mins 46.5secs
2. Callum Black/Jack Morton (Ford Fiesta Rally2)….48mins 01.8secs
3. Neil Roskell/Rob Fagg (Ford Fiesta Rally2)….48mins 53.4secs
4. Jason Pritchard/Phil Clark (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2)….49mins 04.3secs
5. Sam Touzel/Max Freeman (Ford Fiesta Rally2)….49mins 29.3secs
6. David Wright/Jane Nicol (Ford Fiesta R5)….49mins 41.3secs
7. Roger Duckworth/Alun Cook (Ford Fiesta R5)….50mins 06.5secs
8. Steve Wood/Kenny Hull (Citroën C3 Rally2)….50mins 19.3secs
9. Brad Cole/Jamie Vaughan (Ford Fiesta Rally2)….51mins 32.0secs
10. Stephen Simpson/Mark Glennerster (Ford Fiesta Rally2)….51mins 57.3secs
2025 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship – top 6 drivers’ overall after Round 1:
1. James Williams….30pts
2. Callum Black….28pts
3. Neil Roskell….27pts
4. Jason Pritchard….26pts
5. Sam Touzel….25pts
6. David Wright….24pts
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