The 2026 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship is set for a thrilling conclusion on this weekend’s Hills Ford Stages (19/20 September), with Brad Cole, Lee Edwards, Aled Wyn Morgans and Jason Pritchard all heading to the seventh and final round with a chance of lifting the prestigious BTRDA trophy.
And with dropped scores coming into play, the championship table doesn’t tell the full story – making the permutations for the title decider particularly intriguing.
Brad arrives in Shropshire as championship leader on 133 points following a superb second-place finish on the recent Down Rally. Co-driven by Jamie Vaughan, the Somerset driver has enjoyed an outstanding season in his Trick Motorsport-prepared and East Budleigh Garage-run Hydroline Solutions Ford Fiesta Rally2 and will be aiming to finish it in style with his first Protyre Asphalt title.
Brad must drop another score after the Hills Ford Stages, and with his lowest discard worth 26 points, even victory would increase his total by only four – giving him a maximum possible final score of 137.
Lee Edwards is just four points behind and has undoubtedly been one of the sensations of the season. Co-driven by Sam Spencer, the Oswestry driver has taken his rear-wheel-drive Blakemore’s Autos/Evans Construction Ford Escort G3 to a string of giant-killing results against much more powerful four-wheel-drive Rally2 machinery.
Lee arrives at the final round second in the standings on 129 points and, with a maximum possible total of 136, remains in contention for what would be a remarkable overall championship victory.
Aled Wyn Morgans is another driver who has enjoyed an exceptional campaign. In his first season in a Rally2 car, the Welshman led the championship for much of the second half of the year and has finished all six rounds in his Aberystwyth Motorsport/OW’s Cabs Fiesta Rally2.
Co-driven by Jack Bowen, Aled is currently third on 126 points and can finish the season on a maximum of 134.
Despite arriving at the final round fourth in the standings, Jason Pritchard is in the strongest position of all.
The three-time Protyre Asphalt champion has hit tremendous form at precisely the right time, scoring maximum points on the Dunoon Presents Argyll Rally, Ynyscynon MOT Centre Tour of Epynt and R Kings Down Rally to complete a hat-trick of victories. His latest success came after an incredibly close battle with Brad in Northern Ireland, where just 3.1 seconds separated the pair at the finish.
Having only started four rounds and with five best scores to count, Jason doesn’t have a score to drop and can keep every point he scores on the Hills Ford Stages. It means that 20 points – the equivalent of 10th among the registered Protyre Asphalt contenders – would take him to 138 points and put the title beyond the reach of his three rivals.
Back alongside regular co-driver Phil Clarke in his Pirelli-shod North Road Garage/Guttercrest Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, Jason will nevertheless be aiming to end the season as he finished the last three rounds – fighting at the very front.
There is another fascinating contest between Brad and Aled, as the two Fiesta Rally2 drivers battle for the end-of-season prize of a private test in an M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1.
While John Stone and Ian Forgan can no longer win the overall drivers’ title, both will be aiming to finish impressive seasons on a high.
Co-driven by Rhys Stoneman, John contests the Hills Ford Stages in his Legend Performance Engineering/Legend Fires Volkswagen Polo GTI R5, while Ian and championship-leading co-driver Chris Lees return in their Mercury Motorsport Fiesta Rally2.
The 2007 Protyre Asphalt champion Stephen Simpson, co-driven by Mark Glennerster in his Tudor Glass Fiesta Rally2, will be aiming to finish the season with a good result – as will Roger Duckworth/Alun Cook in their Technia Fiesta R5.
Rob Swann/Dylan Thomas return to the series in their RA Swann/Blue Sky Luxury Fiesta WRC, as do Mike English/Simon Hunter in their Lumina Fiesta Rally2.
While the overall championship fight will command much of the attention, there will be plenty of title-deciding action throughout the Protyre Asphalt field.
Adrian Spencer has already secured the Class 2 title following a magnificent third class victory of the season on the Down Rally. In his 50th year of rallying, the Manchester driver will be aiming to celebrate another successful campaign with a strong run in his self-built RED Industries/Adgespeed Subaru Impreza S5 WRC lookalike, co-driven by Mark Hewitt.
There is a close battle for the runners-up position, which will be fought out between James Hall/Laura Marshall (Subaru Impreza N11) and Steven Harvey/Daniel Callaghan (Telematic Solutions/Kelmore Subaru Impreza).
Ian Taylor/Louise Lewis return to the series in a newly acquired Macwhirter Motorsport/ABX Roofing Supplies/Derwydd Garage/CMJ Motors Mitsubishi Evo 9, as do Philip Hopkins/Ashley Trimble in their Hopkins Race Transporters Mitsubishi Mirage.
Lee Edwards has also enjoyed a perfect Class 3 campaign, scoring maximum class points on every start to secure the title before the final round. Behind him there is still plenty to play for, with a three-way fight for the runners-up spot.
Gareth ‘Gaz’ Price has had a sensational season so far in his CR M-Tech Motorsport/EDJ Agri/E&M Motor Factors BMW Compact, and heads to the final round lying second in class. Co-driven by Liam Evans, the Shrewsbury driver will want to finish the season on a high at his local event.
Russell Addyman is third. Partnered by Kev Wilson, the Harrogate driver is just three points behind Gaz after a strong season in his Escort Mk2
Huw James would need both Gaz and Russell to fail to finish to snatch the runners-up position, so his focus will instead be on a strong and trouble-free run in his A&D Tyres/Maxxis Fiat 131 Mirafiori. Another class win would be just reward for the effort he and co-driver Lewis Sim have put in with their new car.
Gareth Humphreys/Aaron Mallin will be aiming for their first Class 3 podium finish of the season in their Mini Cooper S R53, while some powerful rear-wheel drive action will be supplied by the returning Andy Brinkley/Helena Mayall (M-Tech Motorsport/AB Bodyworks BMW E38 M3), Mark Jasper/Don Whyatt (Jaspers Bakeries Escort Mk2) and Rhys and Matthew Williams (BMW E36 Compact).
Neil Jones/Alan Thomas have already secured the Class 6 title after a tremendous season in their #TeamPitStop/West Wales Rally Spares Escort Mk2 and will be looking to end their championship-winning campaign with another strong result.
Victory would see Alyn Welsby/Dan Parsons snatch the runners-up spot in their Cobra Hydraulics/CSA Recruitment Escort Mk2.
Also aiming for a strong finish to the season will be Gary Yeomans/Karl Edwards (Yeomans Plumbing/Coltech Rally Services/Cartwrights Escort Mk2), Tim Phelps/Elwyn Manuel (Escort Mk2), Steve Lawrence/Terry Martin (Red Square Garage Renault Clio), Bryn Jones/Richard Brian Jones (Escort Mk2) and Kev Bolver/Julia Perry(Talbot Sunbeam).
One of the closest remaining battles is in Class 7. Anthony Jevons leads on 60 points in his AMJ Coatings Fiesta R2, but Peter Harrison and Charlie Wright remain in pursuit on 50 and 45 respectively. All three are entered for the Hills Ford Stages, with Margaret Kelly co-driving Anthony, Nigel Morris alongside Peter in his Peugeot 106 GTi and Adam Westerby partnering Charlie in the Harper Adams University Fiesta R2T.
Out of contention for the title, but not for the Class 7 win, are Endaf Makepeace/Robert Wheeler in their rapid DP Building Supplies Escort Mk2. Jack and Helen Hall have swapped their Proton Compact for a Fiesta R2 supported by H&K Travel, Hall Bros Plant and Halls Mechanical Services, while George Thomas/Mark Ammonds have switched their Citroën C2 R2 for a Thomas Panels and Profiles Peugeot 208. Colin Davies/Chris Evans also start in their 1.6-litre Escort Mk2.
Andrew O’Hanlon/Kevin Hogan (Mini Cooper S) and Shane Gamble (co-driven by Mark Gamble in his South Staffordshire R3 Race & Rally Repairs Mini Cooper S) will be fighting it out for the Class H1 and Mini Challenge titles. Both drivers are in contention for the BTRDA Historic Asphalt Cup trophy too.
There is a three-way fight for the latter, however, with Stef Davies very much involved. He has already clinched the Class H6 title after a magnificent season in his Shell Oils Escort Mk2, which included a top 10 overall Protyre Asphalt finish on the Manx National. Co-driven by Michael Gilbey, the Carmarthen driver will be out for another giant-killing result this time as well.
Hywel Davies/Dorian Evans will be aiming to secure the runners-up spot in their Escort Mk2 – and will be fighting for that position with Will Rowlands/Emyr Hall (Escort RS1800 Mk2) and David Iwan Jones/Nigel Roberts (Wales Motorsport-run HIJ Electrical Contractors/Mill Farm Eggs/JD Tyres/GNJ Construction Escort Mk2).
A good result would rocket Ilan Pritchard up the Class H6 leaderboard and consolidate his second place in the Protyre Asphalt Junior standings. The Bala driver will be partnered by Dylan Sion Richards in his gorgeous white Henblas Garage Escort Mk2.
Also on the entry list is Mark Holmes/Graham Wild in their ND Civils/Mark Holmes Auto Engineering Escort Mk1.
Action from the Hills Ford Stages will be streamed live and free to view on the Special Stage TV Facebook and YouTube channels.
Organised by Cheltenham Motor Club, the 2026 Hills Ford Stages marks an exciting new chapter for the event as it moves to Shropshire for the first time. Following a ceremonial start in Shrewsbury, Saturday afternoon will feature stages within the historic Weston Park estate – a famous former RAC Rally venue – before Sunday’s main event takes crews onto closed public roads through the Shropshire Hills. Five different stages will each be tackled twice on Sunday, providing a challenging finale to the 2026 Protyre Asphalt season.
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