“Just look at the names on this trophy,” says Sam Touzel, who himself joins the prestigious list of winners engraved on the Dunoon Presents Argyll Rally silverware after scoring his maiden Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship event victory.
Before it became a closed road asphalt rally in 2021, the Argyll Rally was originally called the Burmah Rally and has been won by the likes of Roger Clark, Tony Pond, Ari Vatanen and Hannu Mikkola. And in more recent times by double Protyre Asphalt champion Callum Black, plus David Bogie and Meirion Evans.
And having recorded 13 out of 16 fastest stage times, the Jersey driver richly deserves his name on the trophy – in what was an astonishing display of speed and precision.
Co-driven by Max Freeman, Sam led the event from start to finish – winning the event by 58 secs and finishing 1min 26secs ahead of his nearest BTRDA championship rival after a dominant performance in his PB Engineering-prepared Ford Fiesta Rally2.
Having won his home Jersey Rally last year, it was only a matter of time before the 32-year old from St Helier scored his maiden Protyre Asphalt rally victory – a win that puts him second in the overall drivers’ points standings, just one point behind three-time champion Jason Pritchard.
And with Jason driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, Sam is in pole position to win a test in a Ford Puma Rally1 car at the M-Sport Evaluation Centre test track – if he remains the top Ford driver at the end of the season!
“This victory is just special for so many reasons, but it was all built on the foundation of how much work and effort went into it,” says Sam.
“For that to pay off, I can’t find the words to describe how good it feels.”
Sam is supported by Smart Scaffolding, CC Fixings, Treevolution, L&P Mobile Vehicle Repairs, Northern Project, EP Carpentry & Building, BLD Roofing, Chasing Cars CI, Touzel Construction, Germbusters, ACE Engineering, Aal Recycling, Express Auto Parts and Jersey Sport.
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