This summer’s Nicky Grist Stages will now host a total of eight prestigious rally championships – and include a lucrative tyre incentive courtesy of Cooper Tires – when the event comes to Builth Wells on Saturday 10 July.
Continue reading
This summer’s Nicky Grist Stages will now host a total of eight prestigious rally championships – and include a lucrative tyre incentive courtesy of Cooper Tires – when the event comes to Builth Wells on Saturday 10 July.
Continue reading
This year’s Nicky Grist Stages remains on course to host rounds of the British Rally Championship, MRF Tyres BTRDA Rally Series, Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship, Motorsport UK English Rally Championship in association with Seacon UK Ltd and the HRCR Rally Masters Stage Championship – with the event organisers, Quinton Motor Club, fully focused on running the rally on Saturday 10 July as originally planned.
Continue reading
Next year’s Nicky Grist Stages will host no less than six of the UK’s top national rally championships when the Builth Wells-based event takes place on Saturday 10 July 2021, with crews from the prestigious British Rally Championship (BRC) joining the likes of the hugely popular MRF Tyres BTRDA Rally Series and Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship.
Continue reading
Following the enforced curtailment of the MRF Tyres BTRDA Rally Series and Motorsport UK 2020 English Rally Championship in association with Seacon, the BTRDA is looking forward to the 2021 season with renewed vigour and is pleased to announce a well-spaced calendar of events next year that runs from mid-February until the end of September.
Continue reading
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.
Continue reading
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.”
This summer’s Nicky Grist Stages, which was scheduled to take place on Saturday 11 July, has been postponed – owing to a number of key logistical issues directly caused by the coronavirus outbreak. The event organiser, Quinton Motor Club, is hoping to run the 2020 event later in the year, and is working on an alternative date in late November.
This year’s Nicky Grist Stages celebrates the 40th anniversary of the first running of the event as a forestry rally, having been held for the first time in 1980. It is also the 33rd consecutive year that the rally has been a round of a prestigious BTRDA Series – winning the ‘Rally of the Year’ award five times, including last year. It is also the 11th consecutive year of support and title sponsorship from Nicky Grist Motorsports.
Plans for July’s event were at an advanced stage, with a 43 mile route on smooth gravel roads on both Natural Resources Wales and Landmarc Military Of Defence land in and around the Epynt ranges, on the picturesque Carmarthenshire and Powys border region.
With the invaluable support of Builth Wells Town Council and Powys County Council, the event – which hosts a round of the MRF Tyres BTRDA Rally Series, Pirelli Motorsport UK Welsh Forest Rally Championship, MRF Tyres BTRDA Mixed Surface Championship, ANWCC Forest Rally Championship, MRF Tyres Fiesta ST Trophy and the IPS Paint Rally Challenge – would continue to be based in the centre of Builth Wells, with rally headquarters at the stunning Strand Hall.
However, with both central and devolved government COVID-19 guidelines still in place – including the Welsh Government’s Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) regulation keeping hotels, B&Bs, holiday and camping sites closed (until 26 September, although this is reviewed every 21 days) – plus restrictions on non-essential travel and land use, Quinton Motor Club has decided to make this announcement before the event regulations are published and competitors incur unnecessary costs.
Neil Cross, Nicky Grist Stages Clerk of the Course, said: “Like everyone else, we have been monitoring the coronavirus situation very closely and had obviously hoped that the situation would have improved and restrictions lifted to enable us to continue to organise and then run a safe Nicky Grist Stages as planned in July. Given the current circumstances, it is completely understandable that both central and devolved government restrictions remain in place, and that landowners continue to reassess the risks involved with non-essential use. It is disappointing to have to postpone the event, but on today’s assessment, and before event regulations are published and entries open, it is the right thing to do. We have a window of opportunity to run the event in November, and we will be discussing our alternative plans with all the people and organisations involved.”
Nicky Grist said: “Given all the current restrictions, uncertainties and heartache that coronavirus is causing, postponing July’s Nicky Grist Stages is the responsible and correct thing to do. Fingers crossed that motorsport, and indeed life as we used to know it, returns to normality fairly soon and we will be able to run the event later in the year.”
The Builth Wells-based Nicky Grist Stages has won the prestigious BTRDA Rally Series ‘Rally of the Year Award 2019’ – which was presented to the event organisers, Quinton Motor Club, at the recent British Trial & Rally Driver Association’s annual gala awards ceremony.
Voted for by competitors, the Nicky Grist Stages was praised for the smooth running of the event and the quality of the stages, which last year saw 43 stage miles run in the classic mid-Wales forests of Crychan, Halfway, Monument and Llyn Login. It was a tremendous sporting event, on which the overall winners Euan Thorburn/Paul Beaton (Ford Focus WRC) clinched the 2019 BTRDA Rally Series Gold Star title.
There was also high praise from competitors for the innovations which made last year’s Nicky Grist Stages such a huge success – in particular the move into the centre of Builth Wells, which saw the start and finish in Groe Park and the Service Area located on the Builth Wells RFC pitch, in a stunning setting on the banks of the River Wye, just a stone’s throw away from the town’s main high street and its wonderful array of independent shops, cafes and hardware stores. Rally Headquarters was in Strand Hall on Strand Street for the first time, next to the Service Area, and scrutineering had a new venue too, moving to the superb modern workshop facilities at North Road Garage.
With continued support from Builth Wells Town Council, Powys County Council, Builth Wells RFC, North Road Garage and the people and businesses of Builth Wells, this year’s Nicky Grist Stages on Saturday 11 July will continue to use all of these facilities. With the rally attracting around 1,000 visitors into Builth Wells for the weekend, the Nicky Grist Stages is rapidly developing into one of the town’s biggest events and a major economic boost to the picturesque market town.
Planning is well underway for the 2020 Nicky Grist Stages, which will once again form part of the MRF Tyres BTRDA Rally Series, Pirelli Motorsport UK Welsh Forest Rally Championship, the new MRF Tyres BTRDA Mixed Surface Championship, the ANWCC Forest Rally Championship, the MRF Tyres Fiesta ST Trophy and FMP Rally Challenge.
Neil Cross, Nicky Grist Stages Clerk of the Course, said: “As Clerk of the Course I am immensely proud that the work of our fantastic team has been recognised by the BTRDA. It’s always an achievement to be in the running for the Rally of the Year Award, and to win it means that the competitors liked what we did!”
Jeremy Pugh, Powys County Council Councillor and Chairman of Builth Wells RFC, said: “This is fantastic news that the Nicky Grist Stages has won such a prestigious award and it’s great that the town of Builth has been an integral part of that. This was the first time that we had hosted the Nicky Grist Stages in the town centre and it has been a huge success in supporting the local economy and the high street and we look forward to working together for many years to come.”
Gwyn Davies, Builth Wells Mayor, said: “What an amazing turnout Builth had for the Nicky Grist Stages event. It brought a lot of trade and visitors into the town and it was an honour for me as the Mayor to start the rally off and to present the awards at the end of the event. I would also like to congratulate Quinton Motor Club on winning the BTRDA Rally of the Year Award 2019 and we are looking forward to welcoming the them back for this year’s rally.”
Nicky Grist said: “I am delighted for Neil Cross and the whole Quinton Motor Club team on this award and I am proud to be associated with them all. Year in and year out the effort that goes into the event is nothing short of staggering. Rest assured that their efforts will not diminish, and in 2020 and beyond they will make the event even better in the years to come.”
The move into the centre of Builth Wells proved a huge success, as the Quinton MC-organised Nicky Grist Stages produced a carnival atmosphere, a great sporting spectacle for the town and a significant increase in footfall and trade on the high street – which had welcomed the event with open arms. On the stages, Euan Thorburn/Paul Beaton won the event in their Ford Focus WRC to clinch the 2019 Jordan Road Surfacing BTRDA Rally Series title.
The Scottish duo, who had won the previous four rounds of the BTRDA Series, lost their initial Nicky Grist Stages lead on SS2 after losing time with a gearbox problem that affected the launch control and handbrake. However, a good time on SS3 saw them retake the lead from Stephen Petch/Michael Wilkinson (Ford Fiesta WRC), who were themselves slowed by a wrong tyre choice and hanging patches of dust.
After the first 21.5 mile four-stage loop of Crychan, Halfway, Monument and Llyn Login forests had been completed, Thorburn led Petch by 21 seconds entering the mid-day service in Builth Wells (located on the town’s famous rugby pitch), with Brendan Cumiskey/Liam Moynihan (Ford Fiesta WRC) and Pat Naylor/Ian Lawrence (Mitsubishi Evo 9) tied for third.
A faultless Thorburn increased his lead to score an impressive 1 minute 02 seconds victory after the four fast and smooth stages on and around the Epynt military range were repeated in the afternoon. It’s the second time the Duns driver has won the event, after victory in 2013. While Petch held onto a strong second, there was a fantastic battle for third – with Sam Bilham/Patrick Walsh (Ford Fiesta R5) setting the fastest time on the final stage to clinch the final podium spot, finishing just three seconds ahead of Cumiskey after all 43 stage miles had been completed. Former BTRDA Cup champion Naylor finished fifth, with Russ Thompson/Andy Murphy (Mitsubishi Evo 9) finishing sixth overall and top-placed Pirelli Motorsport UK Welsh Forest Rally Championship crew.
Local hero Jason Pritchard made a wrong tyre choice for the first loop and suffered a half spin on SS2 and then went off backwards and into a ditch on SS4. But after that the triple British Historic Rally Champion flew in his North Road Garage-backed Ford Escort RS1800, setting some great times with co-driver Steve McPhee to finish first Historic crew home in 15th place overall.
Tom Llewellin/Russ Whittock were delayed behind a car that had rolled and then had come back on to the stage just ahead of them, but they still scored a very good result to keep their overall, junior and two-wheel drive Welsh Forest Rally Championship, as well as the RAVENOL Welsh and FMP Rally Challenge, title aspirations very much alive.
Bobby Mitchell/Shannon Turnbull scored victory in the MRF Fiesta ST Trophy category, after series leaders Zak Hughes/Tom Wood broke the bottom arm on their Fiesta ST on SS6.
Tommi Meadows/Osian Owen won the R2 class and finished an excellent 20th overall in their Fiesta R2, Ireland’s Ruairi Maguire/Grace O’Brien won the B10 class in their Vauxhall Corsa and finished an impressive 30th overall, while other class winners included Andy Davison/Tom Murphy (B11 – Talbot Sunbeam VXR), Owen McMackin/Lee Taylor (B12 – Ford Escort), Matthew Hirst/Declan Dear (B13 – Mitsubishi Evo IX), Hywel Davies/Simon Jones (H1/2 – Ford Escort), George Lepley/Tom Woodburn (H3 – Hillman Avenger) and Tom Coughtrie/Baz Green (H4 – Mitsubishi Galant VR4). Jayne Auden-Row (MG ZR) was the highest placed lady driver in 87th position, Dawn England (Fiesta R5) was the highest placed lady co-driver in 11th, and Steve Deeley/Alan Proudman were the highest placed Quinton MC crew home, finishing 88th overall in their Peugeot 205 1.6 GTi.
There were 101 finishers, and those that didn’t make it to the end included Scott Faulkner/Gareth Parry (Mitsubishi Evo – rear differential at TC6), Theo Bengry/Les Forsbrook (Proton Iriz R5 – retired after SS1), Damian Pratts/Jonny Tad Evans (Ford Escort – clutch after SS5), Richard Hill/Steffan Evans (Subaru Impreza – differential before SS5), Ian Bainbridge/Jamie Edwards (Subaru Impreza STi – broken propshaft in SS1) and Steve and Martyn Loomes who stopped their Escort Mk1 with clutch failure just 200 yards from the finish of the last stage!
Neil Cross, Nicky Grist Stages Clerk of the Course, said: “This year’s Nicky Grist Stages ran to time throughout, the competitors enjoyed the stages and I have to give a very special thanks to the marshals, who have all been fantastic in the hot and dusty conditions. The town of Builth Wells have welcomed us with open arms and we hope we have repaid them by bringing a lot of business onto the high street. The new Service Area on the Builth Wells rugby pitch worked well – all the competitors servicing together created a great atmosphere, and there were a lot of people, many of whom were enjoying their first experience of rallying, walking around and enjoying seeing the cars and meeting the drivers and co-drivers. I’m delighted that all our innovations for 2019 worked so well and that we delivered a very successful event for the competitors and the town of Builth Wells.”
Nicky Grist said: “We implemented a lot of changes for this year’s event, the biggest one being moving the home of the event into Builth Wells town centre, and it’s been a great success. The aim was to introduce rallying to a new audience and to bring trade into Builth and it seems to have done the trick. There was a great atmosphere in the Service Park and all the competitors and spectators that I spoke to really enjoyed it. The event itself ran to time and everything ran very smoothly, so full marks to Quinton Motor Club for putting on another fantastic event. We are looking forward to doing more of the same in 2020.”
Euan Thorburn said: “We did the Nicky Grist a few years ago and the stages are always amazing down here – really smooth, really fast, and it’s just been another great day. We had a small issue with the gearbox on stage two, which affected the handbrake and the launch of the car, but apart from that everything has been perfect. To win five out of five BTRDA rounds hasn’t been done before and I certainly wasn’t expecting to achieve it at the start of the year, but it’s a great feeling.”
Next year’s Nicky Grist Stages will take place on Saturday 11 July.
