The battle for the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship title will intensify next weekend, when the leading contenders take on the mighty mid-Wales military range roads on the Ynyscynon MOT Centre Tour of Epynt (25-26 July).
Aled Wyn Morgans arrives at Epynt leading the BTRDA sealed surface series in his Aberystwyth Motorsport Ford Fiesta Rally2. It’s been a remarkable first season in the four-wheel drive car for the former Escort Mk2 driver, as he and co-driver Jack Bowen have scored four top-10 finishes from four starts – 9th on the opening East Riding Stages Rally, 5th on the Manx National Rally, 8th on the Borders Competitions Jim Clark Rally and 3rd on the most recent Dunoon Presents Argyll Rally. Aled also leads the race to win a private test in an M-Sport Puma Rally1, which goes to the top-placed Fiesta Rally2 driver at the end of the season.
Epynt might be Aled’s local round of the series, but he’s only contested two rallies there (the 2023 Dixies Challenge Rally and the 2024 Tour of Epynt) and his priority will be to negotiate the range’s daunting jumps and ultra-fast roads while protecting his championship lead.
Brad Cole is Aled’s closest rival for both the title and the Puma test and returns to Epynt in his Trick Motorsport-prepared and East Budleigh Garage-run Hydroline Solutions Fiesta Rally2. He recovered from a slow start last year to come from 11th after Leg 1 to finish sixth. Co-driven this time by Dan Petrie, the Somerton driver will be aiming for his first Protyre Asphalt podium finish of the season, having finished fourth three times.
Defending champions Sam Touzel/Max Freeman take their Michelin-shod Smart Scaffolding/Trade Centre UK Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 to Epynt for the first time. They have scored maximum points on both of their appearances this year (East Riding and Jim Clark), and with two dropped scores the Jersey driver can count every point he gains for the rest of the year – putting him in a very strong position for back-to-back titles.
The same is true of Jason Pritchard. With two scores dropped and a first (Argyll) and second (Manx) score on the board, the three-time champion’s title prospects are considerably stronger than his current sixth place in the standings suggests. He and co-driver Phil Clarke know Epynt well and will be aiming for victory in their North Road Garage/Guttercrest Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
John Stone/Rhys Stoneman will be aiming to bounce back from the engine issue which put them out in Argyll with a strong performance in their Legend Performance Engineering/Legend Fires Volkswagen Polo GTI R5. The last round DNF has been the only blip in an otherwise fantastic season for the Blackburn driver, who’ll no doubt be pleased to see there are no night-time stages on Epynt this year.
Ian Forgan was tied for the Protyre Asphalt lead after two rounds, but two no scores have dropped him to ninth. That could only be temporary, however, for he too is now able to count every point he scores and will be hoping that a good run on Epynt in his Mercury Motorsport Fiesta Rally2 will get his title challenge back on track.
Few arrive at Epynt with more experience than Roger Duckworth/Alun Cook, who contest the event in their Technia Fiesta R5. They certainly know how to extract the best from their older-spec Ford, with the Towcester driver aiming to rocket up the leaderboard from his current 12th position.
After their Class 2 victory in Argyll, John and Ciaran Tear will be aiming for the class lead in their CamperMann/OrmCoAccounts Mitsubishi Evo 9, as the Scottish father and son team make the journey down from Douglas.
They’ll have some stiff competition, not least from Adrian Spencer. The Manchester driver won the class on the Jim Clark and always goes well on Epynt in his RED Industries/Adgespeed Subaru Impreza S11 WRC replica. This time, Adrian will be co-driven by Graham Wild.
Ian Taylor returns to the series after suffering a very big 100mph accident on the Jim Clark. Co-driven by Louise Lewis, the Carmarthen driver will be at the wheel of a Macwhirter Motorsport/ABX Roofing Supplies/Derwydd Garage/CMJ Motors Mitsubishi Evo 9.
Lee Edwards/Sam Spencer return in their Blakemore’s Autos/ Evans Construction Ford Escort G3. They led the series after Round 2 and will be aiming for both another giant-killing overall result and 2WD honours. Despite missing the last round in Argyll, the Oswestry driver leads Class 3, is third in the overall points table and continues to be a very serious title contender.
Huw James/Lewis Sim had a sensational run last time out in their A&D Tyres/Maxxis Fiat 131 Sport, taking home fifth-place Protyre Asphalt overall points and winning the 2WD battle on an often wet and slippery Argyll. The car’s first ever appearance on Epynt is eagerly anticipated and if conditions stay dry, the Welsh crew could be capable of another giant-killing result.
Russell Addyman is second in Class 3, after four consistently strong results. Co-driven by Kev Wilson, there is no better sight on Epynt than a flat-out Escort Mk2 – and expect the Harrogate driver to provide the goods.
Darrian has always enjoyed a close association with Epynt, and carrying the Lampeter manufacturer’s hopes will be Chris Simmons/Frazer Moss in their SRT Motorsport-run T90 GTR.
Kyle Adam/Steven Brown will be looking for their second Class 3 podium finish of the season, having finished an impressive third on the Manx in their Pinnacle Re-Tec/Foz Sports Bodyshop Escort Mk2.
Also aiming to strengthen their Class 3 title chances are Gareth Humphreys/Aaron Mallin (Mini Cooper S R53), Gareth ‘Gaz’ Price/Liam Evans in their CR M-Tech Motorsport/EDJ Agri/E&M Motor Factors BMW Compact and Alistair Crawford/Ian Beamond in their rapid 2.5-litre H&R Contracts Escort Mk2
Also making a return to the series are Andy Brinkley/Helena Mayall in their M-Tech Motorsport/AB Bodyworks BMW E38 M3 – a car affectionately known as ‘Herman’.
Neil Jones/Alan Thomas arrive leading Class 6 after magnificent back-to-back wins in their #TeamPitStop/West Wales Rally Spares Escort Mk2.
The Blackwood driver is in a close title battle with Alyn Welsby who, co-driven by Dan Parsons, contests the event in his Cobra Hydraulics/CSA Recruitment Escort Mk2.
Also returning to one of their favourite hunting grounds are double Protyre Asphalt class champions Mike Pugsley/Marc Clatworthy in their fabulous 1974 Escort Mk1 RS2000.
Jack Ives/Louis Baines will be aiming for a good Class 6 run in their Causeway Garage Escort Mk2, as will Phil Turner/Harvey Roberts in their two-litre Escort Mk2.
Anthony Jevons takes a Class 7 lead to Epynt, and for once the Milford Haven driver doesn’t have a long journey to an event. Co-driven by the defending Protyre Asphalt Ladies Challenge champion Margaret Kelly, he’ll be looking to extend his lead in his AMJ Coatings Fiesta R2.
Manxman Peter Harrison won Class 7 in his Peugeot 106 GTi on the East Riding Stages, which was his first event outside the Isle of Man. He followed that up with second on his home rally and, together with Nigel Morris, is looking forward to his Epynt debut.
Conversely, having made his Manx debut this year, Endaf Makepeace is back on home soil this time – and partnered by Robert Wheeler will be looking for a good result in his DP Building Supplies Escort Mk2.
Shane Gamble/Julie Perry lead Class H1 after two wins and a second in their South Staffordshire R3 Race & Rally Repairs Mini Cooper S and will be aiming to continue that run of great form on Epynt.
Defending BTRDA Historic Asphalt Cup and Mini Challenge champions Andrew O’Hanlon/Kevin Hogan will be out to give their great rivals a good run for their money in their Mini Cooper S, while Ian Clare/Alex Crow contest the event in their J&S Handling/DT Training/Melia Accounting Wolseley Hornet.
Hywel Davies/Dorian Evans scored a Class H6 podium on the opening round and will be aiming for victory this time in their Escort Mk2.
Cardigan’s Gareth Thomas will be hoping to score his first championship points of the season when he and co-driver Ryan Thomas-Hands tackle the event in their Spencer Motorsport Escort Mk2.
Action from the Tour of Epynt will be streamed live and free to view on the Special Stage TV Facebook and YouTube channels.
Organised by Port Talbot Motor Club, the two-day Ynyscynon MOT Centre Tour of Epynt will start in Llandovery on Saturday (25 July) afternoon and go straight into four special stages covering approximately 32 competitive miles – including the use of Mynydd Epynt’s iconic Centre Road, which hasn’t been used on the event since 2012.
Sunday (26 July) features a further four stages totalling 57 competitive miles, before the finish ceremony on the ranges.
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