Preview of Round 7: Trackrod Forest Stages (28th September)
At the age of 21, Elliot Payne is on the verge of becoming the first driver in the BTRDA Gold Star® Rally Championship’s 71-year history to claim the title on three consecutive occasions. The penultimate round of the Protyre BTRDA Rally Series – and Elliot’s next opportunity to put the matter beyond doubt – is the Filey-based Trackrod Forest Stages and, courtesy of his victory on the 2023 event, he and co-driver Patrick Walsh (Fiesta Rally2) will be the first to leave the start on Saturday 28th September.
                                                     The featured image is Elliot Payne / Patrick Walsh (Fiesta Rally2) – Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Gold Star® Championship Leaders
Having already amassed the required six scores, Elliot & Patrick can only improve on their lowest to-date while, should Russ Thompson / Steve Link (Lancer EVO9 pictured right )  finish no lower than 2nd BTRDA crew on both remaining rounds – while the leaders fail to gain any advantage – the title would go to them!..

Although no longer able to challenge for outright Gold Star honours, Matthew Hirst / Declan Dear contested the previous round, the Woodpecker Rally, in a new – to them – Skoda Fabia. Of the eight stages, they were fastest on six but losing six minutes beached at the side of the road on SS2 cost them any chance of a decent result. However, a point had been made and the high-speed nature of the forest tracks of the North York Moors might just suit the new crew/car combination…

The Lancer EVO9 of Pat Naylor / Ian Lawrence is currently ahead of Thompson & Link’s similar car in both the overall Gold Star and Class B13 tables. However, the latter crew have a score in hand over their rivals which – subject to results, obviously! – may play into their hands come the final reckoning.  A heavy points score in Yorkshire from Liam Clark and Emily Easton-Page (Fiesta Rally2) could considerably boost their challenge for a Top Three end-of-year spot and, having posted the best result of their season so far on the Woodpecker Rally in a VW Polo, ( pictured left ) Daniel Sigurðarson / Asta Sigurðadóttir start the Trackrod aboard the Fiesta R5 in which they took Top Ten finishes on each of the first three rounds of the Series, before registering a DNF on the Kielder Forest Rally.

The situation in the Protyre BTRDA Silver Star® Championship bears some similarities to that in Gold Star. Andy Davison / Tom Murphy (Sunbeam VXR) have – like Payne / Walsh – already scored four maximums but, in this instance, their successes are peppered with a DNF and a non-start. So, while currently in 3rd place overall, they have two scores in hand over the leader, Steve Ward (Escort Mk2), and one from the Fiesta R2 of Lewis Hooper.  Nevertheless, Davison and Murphy still have work to do and, as such, their fate is less reliant on the progress of others as is the case with their four-wheel drive counterparts.
.                                          Andy Davison / Tom Murphy (Sunbeam VXR) – Protyre BTRDA Silver Star Championship Front Runners >>>>>>

Ben Jemison (Chevette HSR) took full advantage of Davison’s absence from the Kielder Forest Rally to claim maximum points and then finished less than half-a-minute behind him on the Woodpecker. Such results are paying dividends in the Reis Motorsport Insurance BTRDA Historic Cup as, while once again playing second fiddle to Ward’s Escort, the Chevette has taken three maximums from only four scores, putting it uncomfortably close to the leader! Will Graham (Escort) didn’t see the finish of the Woodpecker and now needs to complete both the Trackrod and the season-ending Cambrian Rallies if he is to feature on the Historic Cup podium this year.
For their part, Lewis Hooper / Rhys Edwards (Fiesta R2) have one hand on the BTRDA Rallye R2 Cup. Having five maximums to their credit, finishing either of the final two rounds will see them crowned as 2024 winners. Sam Mason / James Seymour have been a season-long thorn in their side – and could continue to be so but, with the best will in the world, a seismic reversal of fortunes will be required to alter the current standings!

<<<<<  Lewis Hooper/Rhys Edwards (Fiesta) – BTRDA Rallye R2 Cup Leaders

This time last year, in their quest for Fuchs Lubricants BTRDA Bronze Star Championship glory, Nigel & Kaz Jenkins had accumulated four maximums and one second-place from six events on their way to what eventually turned out to be a ‘full house’. So far this season, their Nova has come up trumps on just two occasions and finished 2nd once, but – and it’s a very big ‘but’! – in spite of all, the husband-and-wife team both lead their respective points tables at this juncture.
Following the Woodpecker, Ashley Francis-Adams (Micra) is equal on points with Nigel Jenkins but, without any maximums, loses out in the tie-break. However, should he and co-driver Mark Ammonds finish ahead of the Nova on the Trackrod, a grandstand finish on the Cambrian Rally in October would be guaranteed!  Meanwhile, already assured of BTRDA Rally First Cup success this season, another good run from Giles Armitage / Josh Rhodes (Peugeot 205) would strengthen their claim to a podium position in the Bronze Star Championship. The same could be said of Paddy Homan (Puma) who is a strong 4th from only four scores and, thus, can count every point he earns on the final two events.

<<<<<  Giles Armitage / Josh Rhodes (Peugeot 205) – 2024 BTRDA Rally First Cup Winners

Having led the Reis Motorsport Insurance Motorsport UK English Rally Championship throughout the summer, Matthew Hirst’s problems on the Woodpecker Rally allowed Elliot Payne to sneak back in front of him once more. Although the margin is a mere six points, the two drivers are not only fighting for overall honours but they are also in the same class, adding further interest to the eventual outcome.
Following the Trackrod, ERC contenders still have the Wyedean & Grizedale Stages Rallies to look forward to as they attempt to assert their superiority over others in their particular classes. Pat Naylor is 3rd but, with only 25 points (one maximum) between 1st & 10th placed drivers, nothing can yet be described as ‘safe’!  One thing that is certain is that there will be a new name on the trophy this year – however, as to exactly whose will remain a closely guarded secret for several weeks yet!…

<<<<<  Matthew Hirst / Declan Dear debuting their Skoda Fabia on the Woodpecker Rally

SPECTATORS: Tickets for the spectator stages in Cropton and Dalby are available on-line at https://www.rallyyorkshire.co.uk/spectator-information/

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

AH