July 16, 2024
The Nicky Grist Stages reached new heights by offsetting 46,000kg CO2e from this year’s event.
Chris Ingram added his name to the prestigious list of Nicky Grist Stages winners, giving the new Castrol MEM Rally Team Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 its first victory in the UK. Co-driven by Alex Kihurani, the 2019 FIA European rally champion finished just 14.7 seconds ahead of Keith Cronin/Shane Buckley (Ford Fiesta Rally2), while Meirion Evans/Jonathan Jackson (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) completed the podium.
“I’m so happy to win the Nicky Grist Stages,” said Chris Ingram. “It’s been a really fantastic event. I’ve had a great battle with Keith Cronin, and we came away with the win in the end after a strong afternoon. We got some good miles in the new Toyota and it’s great to get the Yaris Rally2’s first win on UK soil.
“A big thank you to the rally organisers, to Nicky Grist and to all the volunteers for an amazing event.”
The Nicky Grist Stages teamed up with Carbon Positive Motorsport to help mitigate the event's unavoidable carbon emissions and supports the planting of over 1,500 sequioa and 6,000 native broadleaf trees in Abergavenny.
Carbon Positive Motorsport's Enviro Ambassadors Matthew Hirst & Declan Dear did not have the result they expected with a retirement after SS1. However, they set an impressive third fastest stage time – showing what could have been. The pair will continue as ambassadors for Carbon Positive Motorsport for the remainder of this year. The rally attracted several thousand visitors to Builth Wells and the surrounding Powys and Carmarthenshire region. Builth Wells Mayor Cllr. Gwyn Davies flagged the cars away from the start outside Strand Hall, as 118 crews headed out for the morning loop of four stages.
There were tremendous battles right through the field, with Elliot Payne/Tom Woodburn (Amigos Ford Fiesta Rally2) claiming victory in the Protyre BTRDA Series section, Russ Thompson/Stephen Link (Dunnow Plant Mitsubishi Evo 9) taking home maximum points in the Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship and Mark Thomas/Philip Mackay coming out on top in the Defender Rally Series UK Championship.
Russell Thompson and Nick Dobson (Ford Escort Mk2) were joint winners of the ‘Spirit of the Rally - The Autosport Trophy Award’ for their dedication in making the start after separate accidents on their previous events.
BRC contenders competing on the Nicky Grist Stages were taking the opporunity to use the event as preparatoin for the Grampian Rally, which like the Nicky Grist Stages will be working with Carbon Positive Motorsport for the third year in a row.
Triple British Rally Champion and Carbon Positive Motorsport Ambassador, Matt Edwards, who is contesting this year's Irish Rally Championship, made a return to the Welsh stages in co driver coaching role.
Almost 300 volunteer marshals made sure that the event ran smoothly, on time and kept competitors and spectators safe. It was a magnificent advert for Motorsport UK’s National Motorsport Week, and anyone who would like to get involved with rallying is encouraged to look at motorsportweek.org.
“The Quinton Motor Club team, under the direction of Clerk of the Course Neil Cross, have pulled off another brilliant rally with everything running beautifully,” said Nicky Grist.
“All the crews competing said how much they loved the event, and we are so lucky to be able to use such classic Welsh stages which everyone enjoys driving on. The Nicky Grist Stages seems to be appearing in a lot of people’s calendar year-on-year as a must do rally and everyone who puts a lot of hard work in behind the scenes to create such a good event is very grateful for that."
“The team from Quinton Motor Club would like to thank the competitors, volunteers and residents along the route for their fantastic support,” addded Neil Cross, Nicky Grist Stages Clerk of the Course.
“The event was another huge success, and we’re already working on the 2025 event, which will take place on Saturday 12 July.
Regular competitor and Carbon Positive Motorsport Ambassador, Matthew Jackson, was driving this year's 0 car on the event: 'It's fantastic to see Carbon Positive Motorsport supporting projects in Wales. Wales is an incredible place to go rallying with the amazing forestry roads and scenery it has to offer. It is critical therefore we do everything we can to ensure we not only conserve the environment in which we use for our great sport, but to improve it.
"Having projects based in Wales will now help the long term supporters of events in Wales as they can now see the positive impact we can make on the environment as well as the financial benefits these large events bring to the localities. We are here for the long term of the sport and environment and this is a huge step forwards towards that.'
Action from the 2024 Nicky Grist Stages is available to view on the Special Stage TV Facebook and YouTube channels, plus specialstage.tv.
2024 Nicky Grist Stages – Top 10 Results
1. Chris Ingram/Alex Kihurani Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 37mins 41.0secs
2. Keith Cronin/Shane Buckley Ford Fiesta Rally2 37mins 55.7secs
3. Meirion Evans/Jonathan Jackson Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 38mins 34.4secs
4. Elliot Payne/Patrick Walsh Ford Fiesta Rally2 38mins 35.8secs
5. Kyle White/Peredur Davies Hyundai i20 R5 39mins 01.9secs
6. Vivian Hamill/Lorcan Moore Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 39mins 12.0secs
7. Russ Thompson/Stephen Link Mitsubishi Evo 9 40mins 29.4secs
8. Brendan Cumiskey/Martin Connolly Ford Fiesta Rally3 41mins 11.3secs
9. James Giddings/Aled Davies Mitsubishi Evo 9 41mins 20.3secs
10. Dan O'Brien/Mark Glennerster Ford Fiesta Rally2 41mins 29.4secs
The full set of results can be found here.
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