The Nicky Grist Stages is set to return to the classic mid-Wales forestry stages on Saturday 10 July 2021, following the cancellation of this year’s event. Quinton Motor Club had originally planned to run the event – which is a five time winner of the BTRDA ‘Rally of the Year’ award – on Saturday 11 July, but owing to Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, the event was postponed until Saturday 28 November.
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This weekend won’t be the feast of MRF Tyres BTRDA Rally Series and Pirelli Motorsport UK Welsh Forest Rally Championship competition that we had all been looking forward to – with the previously announced postponement of this Saturday’s Nicky Grist Stages.
As one by one rallies around the UK have sadly fallen victim to the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, Quinton Motor Club still hopes to run its Builth Wells-based event later in the year – on Saturday 28 November.
The route is planned, with 43 stage miles on smooth gravel roads on Natural Resources Wales and Landmarc Military Of Defence land in and around the Epynt ranges.
And 2020 is a special year, as the event celebrates 40 years as a forestry rally – having been given its first forest allocation back in 1980.
This year is also the 33rd consecutive time that the Nicky Grist Stages has hosted a round of the BTRDA Series – winning the ‘Rally of the Year’ award five times, including last year – and the 11th consecutive year of support and title sponsorship from Nicky Grist Motorsports, of which we are tremendously grateful.
“We continue to monitor the effects that the Covid-19 outbreak is having on both rallying and the wider community extremely closely,” says Neil Cross, the Nicky Grist Stages Clerk of the Course.
“We have an organising team that’s raring to go, a smooth and challenging route, a new date in November and competitors who are very keen to get back out on the stages. Like so many other sporting events that are on hold at the moment, we are ready to get on with it.
“However, we are bound by the guidelines set by Motorsport UK and both the central and devolved governments, and these three authorities will ultimately determine whether the Nicky Grist Stages is allowed to take place in November or not.
“As an event organiser, our hands are tied – but these are extraordinary circumstances and all we can do is keep reviewing the official guidelines and act accordingly.”
