Jason Pritchard scored maximum Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship points on the R Kings Down Rally, after a superb drive in his Pirelli-shod North Road Garage/Guttercrest Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 – while Brad Cole has taken the BTRDA sealed surface series lead after a very close battle in his Hydroline Solutions Ford Fiesta Rally2.
Jason was the third-fastest championship contender after the opening stage and took the lead after SS5 (the repeat run of Hamilton’s Folly) – albeit just 0.1 seconds ahead of Brad.
Co-driven for the first time by Rob Fagg, the three-time champion opened the gap to 3.1 seconds after the penultimate stage. Then, in an exciting showdown, the two title rivals set exactly the same time on the eighth and final stage – 6mins 07secs over the 6.77-mile Tory Brae test – giving the Protyre Asphalt victory (and fourth overall) to Jason. But only just!
It was Jason’s third maximum score in a row and, whilst he remains fourth in the drivers’ standings, the championship’s dropped-score rule puts the Builth Wells ace in a very strong position to claim the Protyre Asphalt title for a fourth time.
This was Brad’s best performance in his Trick Motorsport-prepared and East Budleigh Garage-run Fiesta Rally2 and the closest he’s come to maximum Protyre Asphalt points. Co-driven by Jamie Vaughan, the Somerset driver led the championship field after the opening stage and maintained his strong pace to score a result that gives him the series lead going into the final round.
It was another sensational performance by Lee Edwards, who scored a magnificent overall Protyre Asphalt podium finish, won Class 3, won the Ford Escort Challenge and was the top 2WD finisher in his rear-wheel drive Blakemore’s Autos/Evans Construction Ford Escort G3.
Co-driven by Sam Spencer, the Oswestry pilot was second after the opening stage (just behind Brad and in front of Jason) before establishing himself in third position. Even when the stages were repeated and drivers knew the roads, Lee continued to beat four-wheel-drive machinery as he maintained his overall title challenge. And what a mind-blowing achievement that would be!
The Northern Ireland stages were completely new to Aled Wyn Morgans, so a fast and consistent points-scoring run was the aim. From early on it looked as though fourth-place points would be the reward for Aled and co-driver Jack Bowen, and so it proved after a trouble-free run in his Aberystwyth Motorsport/OW’s Cabs Ford Fiesta Rally2. Aled may have dropped from first to third in the points standings, but he remains firmly in the title fight and is in a close battle with Brad for the prize of a test in an M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 – which is the reward for the top-placed Fiesta Rally2 driver at the end of the season.
There was a tremendous battle behind, with only 6.4 seconds separating Ian Forgan/Chris Lees (Mercury Motorsport Fiesta Rally2), John Stone/Rhys Stoneman (Legend Performance Engineering/Legend Fires Volkswagen Polo GTI R5) and Steve Wood/Kenny Hall (Rachel’s Organic Volkswagen Polo GTI R5) at mid-distance.
It was Ian who eventually took fifth-place points – an enormous leap over the famous Hamilton’s Folly jump confirming the commitment of the former Scottish Tarmack Rally Champion.
John had made the better start and was fourth Protyre Asphalt runner before the handbrake stopped working. Another committed performance saw the Blackburn driver take home sixth-place points to remain a fifth in the standings – but no longer able to win the title.
Steve was making a very welcome return to the series – the 2022 Protyre Asphalt champion appearing for the first time since the Manx National Rally. He put all his closed road rallying experience to good use, finishing just 6.6 seconds behind John and taking seventh-place points back home to Aberystwyth.
Roger Duckworth/Alun Cook took home eighth-place points after a very solid run in their Technia Fiesta R5. They finished just under 30 seconds ahead of the 2007 Protyre Asphalt champion Stephen Simpson, who was partnered by Mark Glennerster in his Tudor Glass Fiesta Rally2.
Adrian Spencer’s magnificent RED Industries/Adgespeed Subaru Impreza S5 WRC lookalike won the Dynamic Fluids Best Presented Car Award before the start of the event – and things only got better from there, as the Manchester driver scored his third Class 2 victory of the season.
Co-driven by Mark Hewitt, Adrian has now opened up an unassailable lead – meaning that he’s now assured of retaining his class title.
John and Ciaran Tear were going well in their CamperMann/OrmCoAccounts Mitsubishi Evo 9, until the Scottish father and son duo stopped on the penultimate stage.
Gareth ‘Gaz’ Price was on spectacular form in his CR M-Tech Motorsport/EDJ Agri/E&M Motor Factors BMW Compact, and his hard-charging commitment was rewarded with second in Class 3 (behind Lee Edwards), runner-up spot in the Protyre Asphalt 2WD category and a top 10 overall championship finish. The result moves the Welshman up to second in class.
Russell Addyman/Kev Wilson enjoyed another good run in their hard-charging Escort Mk2 – the Harrogate pair finishing third in class.
Alistair Crawford/Josh Davidson retired their 2.5-litre H&R Contracts Escort Mk2 after clipping some rocks on a particularly narrow section on SS5.
It had been six months since Huw James/Lewis Sim last contested an event in their A&D Tyres/Maxxis Escort Mk2, but their bad luck struck again on SS6 when a stone got caught between the cambelt and the cam pulley, which pulled the belt off.
A high-flying Kyle Adam/Steven Brown also failed to finish in their Pinnacle/Foz Sports Escort Mk2.
Pink wheels might have been the deciding factor in Class 6, as Ben Hardy/David Radcliffe took victory in their Northern Autocare Escort Mk2.
Neil Jones/Alan Thomas have secured the Protyre Asphalt Class 6 title, after finishing second in their #TeamPitStop/West Wales Rally Spares Escort Mk2. A little ‘tap’ on SS2 knocked the tracking out, but apart from that another superb performance gives them an uncatchable class points advantage.
Double Protyre Asphalt class champions Mike Pugsley/Marc Clatworthy scored their second Class 6 podium finish on the bounce in their 1974 Escort Mk1 RS2000.
Anthony Jevons/Margaret Kelly (AMJ Coatings Fiesta R2) hold on to their Class 7 lead, despite having to settle for second this time, finishing behind a flying Charlie Wright/Adam Westerby (Harper Adams University Fiesta R2T).
Peter Harrison/Nigel Morris finished third, albeit with part of the front of his Peugeot 106 GTi missing!
Andrew O’Hanlon/Kevin Hogan won Class H1 and the Mini Challenge, and move into the lead of the BTRDA Historic Asphalt Cup, after a great run in their Mini Cooper S.
John Adams/Sean Topping won Class H6 in their glorious Adams Transport Escort RS1800. The Armoy driver also scored maximum points in the new Protyre Asphalt Seniors category.
Andrew Bushe/Geraldine McBride made a flying start and were the leading historic crew on the event – before a misfire on the road section after SS2 stopped their RallyRetro/Carryduff Tyre Centre/Adams Transport/McMurray Tractors/GSM-Sport/Superdrive Motor Sports Centre Vauxhall Chevette HSR.
Action from the Down Rally, which was broadcast live, is available to view for free on the Special Stage TV Facebook and YouTube channels, plus specialstage.tv.
The seventh and final round of the 2026 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship is the Hills Ford Stages (19/20 September).
Down Rally – top 10 registered 2026 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship finishers:
1. Jason Pritchard/Rob Fagg (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2)….48mins 12.4secs
2. Brad Cole/Jamie Vaughan (Ford Fiesta Rally2)….48mins 15.5secs
3. Lee Edwards/Sam Spencer (Ford Escort G3)….48mins 58.3secs
4. Aled Wyn Morgans/Jack Bowen (Ford Fiesta Rally2)….49mins 16.2secs
5. Ian Forgan/Chris Lees (Ford Fiesta Rally2)….49mins 18.1secs
6. John Stone/Rhys Stoneman (Volkswagen Polo GTI R5)….49mins 22.2secs
7. Steve Wood/Kenny Hall (Volkswagen Polo GTI R5)….49mins 28.8secs
8. Roger Duckworth/Alun Cook (Ford Fiesta R5)….50mins 20.5secs
9. Stephen Simpson/Mark Glennerster (Ford Fiesta Rally2)….50mins 58.4secs
10. Gareth ‘Gaz’ Price/Liam Evans (BMW Compact)….53mins 03.3secs
2026 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship – top 6 Drivers’ overall after Round 6:
1. Brad Cole….133pts*
2. Lee Edwards….129pts
3. Aled Wyn Morgans….126pts*
4. Jason Pritchard….118pts
5. John Stone….106pts*
6. Ian Forgan….101pts*
* includes a dropped score
Be the first to comment