Preview of Round 6: Woodpecker Stages (7th September). In order to secure a more compact route, the Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Stages, Round 6 of the Protyre BTRDA Rally Series and the fourth event in the Reis Motorsport Insurance Motorsport UK English Rally Championship calendar, has upped sticks from its traditional Ludlow Racecourse home and moved to a new base in Newtown. A glance at past results also tells us that, as none of the recent Woodpecker Stages winners will be present, new names will be added to both the Peter Gerbez Trophy (Winning Driver) and Colin Willets Trophy (Winning Co-driver) this time.
As far as the Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Gold Star® Rally Championship is concerned, the ‘Woody’ is one of the ever-decreasing list of events that Elliot Payne has yet to win – so, will 2024 be his year? The defending Gold Star Champion (Fiesta Rally2) and co-driver Patrick Walsh arrive in mid Wales as leaders of their respective categories but, especially as far as rallying is concerned, life is never that simple!
<<< Elliot Payne/Patrick Walsh (Fiesta Rally2) – Protyre BTRDA Rally Series Leaders
The battling Class B13 Lancers of Pat Naylor / Ian Lawrence and Russ Thompson / Steve Link currently occupy the other two Gold Star podium places, the former crew gaining the initiative following Thompson’s DNF in Kielder. We now have an interesting couple of months in prospect as this one is played out to a conclusion…
From the five BTRDA Rally Series rounds to have taken place so far, there have only been two winners – Payne/Walsh (3) and Matthew Hirst / Declan Dear (2). However, a DNF last time out, when Hirst/Dear’s Fiesta R5 suffered a failed throttle sensor, has put them on the back foot and a change of fortune – the records show retirements on both 2022 & 2023 Woodpeckers – is required if the balance is to be redressed.
Liam Clark / Emily Easton-Page (Fiesta Rally2) will be hoping to move on from their torrid day on the Nicky Grist Stages – they were the last registered finishers! – and, having not scored a point since their 5th place finish on the Border Counties in May, Daniel Sigurðarson / Asta Sigurðadóttir return in a VW Polo. Although posing no direct threat to those with Gold Star Championship ambitions, the presence of Perry Gardener / Jack Bowen (Fiesta R5) should liven up proceedings still further. On what was his ‘home’ event, Perry – son of 2006/2008 Woodpecker winner Shaun – lives in Ludlow and finished runner-up in his own right in 2022!
Meanwhile, the Protyre BTRDA Silver Star® Championship battle remains wide open. Steve Ward (Escort Mk2) tops the Silver Star and Historic Cup table (see featured image) with five scores from Lewis Hooper (Fiesta R2) whose co-driver, Rhys Edwards, holds sway in his category from Phil Sandham (Ward).
Andy Davison / Tom Murphy (Sunbeam VXR) have three maximums to their credit but have also registered a DNF and a DNS. However, when dropped scores come into play following the Woodpecker, their past successes should start to pay dividends – as long as they’re able to maintain the momentum. The other Silver Star ‘winners’ so far this season – Rob Dennis / Andy Boswell (Escort Mk2) and Ben Jemison (Chevette HSR) – also take the start and, thus, no-one is going to be handed victory on a plate!
With four maximums to date, Lewis Hooper and Rhys Edwards (Fiesta) lead the BTRDA Rallye R2 Cup but, at the same time, Sam Mason / James Seymour won’t leave them alone! However, such is the points difference that, whatever happens on the Woodpecker, the current order will remain – for the time being, at least!..
.Lewis Hooper / Rhys Edwards (Fiesta) – BTRDA Rallye R2 Cup Leaders >>>
Ward / Sandham lead the Reis Motorsport Insurance BTRDA Historic Cup in their Mk2 Escort from Will Graham’s MkI version. Ben Jemison’s Chevette is just one point adrift in 3rd place, while a good run from Jonathan Brace / Paul Spooner (Escort RS1600) could also see them close in on a podium position.
No two seasons are the same – as defending Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Bronze Star Champions Nigel & Kaz Jenkins (Nova) are finding out! Nevertheless, after five rounds, they are where they need to be, albeit by the narrowest of margins! Ashley Francis-Adams (Micra) is right behind them with Paddy Homan’s Puma a bit too close for comfort as well! Giles Armitage / Josh
Rhodes’ efforts in their Rally First spec. Peugeot 205 have moved them up to 4th place. Dependent, in part, on the fortunes of others, this could well be a podium spot by close of play in October!…
<<< Ashley Francis-Adams (Micra) – 2nd Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Bronze Star Championship
Suffering the highs and lows of a mixed season, Dylan Fowler-Bishop / Dan Evans (Micra) took maximum Bronze Star points on the Kielder Forest Rally but a couple of retirements and a no-show on the Border Counties have not helped and a reset is now required to get their campaign back on track. Having sat out the first half of the season, 2023 Championship regulars Ed James (Nissan Micra Kit Car) and Luke Watts (MG ZR) have both returned. Should their performances on the Nicky Grist be replicated for the remainder of the year, who knows what lies in store for them…
In acting profession parlance, contenders for the Reis Motorsport Insurance Motorsport UK English Rally Championship have been ‘resting between engagements’ since the Kielder Forest Rally in mid-June. However, they are about to be woken from their slumbers by two events in the space of three weeks, beginning with the Woodpecker. Prior to the resumption of competition, Matthew Hirst (Fiesta R5) leads Elliot Payne (Fiesta Rally2) by a solitary point, with Steve Ward (Escort Mk2) a further two adrift in 3rd place. Pat Naylor (Lancer EVO9) and Liam Clark (Fiesta Rally2) are inseparable in joint 4th, with Michael Jenkins (Fiesta) rounding off the Top Six in this ‘class based’ stage rally championship.
The English Championship calendar follows that of the BTRDA Rally Series on eligible events until veering off on its own for the final two rounds of the season. The Woodpecker Rally is the fourth of seven rounds and, thus, there is plenty of time for the look of the leaderboard to alter significantly between now and early December, when the Grizedale Stages takes place, and 2023 Champion Ernie Graham’s successor is revealed!
<<< The 2023 MSUK English Rally Champion Ernie Graham (Escort RS1600)
SPECTATORS : The first car leaves Newtown at 8.30am on Saturday 7th September and full details can be found at www.woodpecker-rally.co.uk
All photos © Kevin Money / Malcolm Almond
Further information on the Protyre BTRDA Rally Series: www.btrdarally.com & Reis Motorsport Insurance English Rally Championship: www.englishrally.co.uk
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