It’s 10 years since Jordan Hone last contested the Nicky Grist Stages, but that didn’t stop him leading this year’s event from start to finish and scoring a magnificent surprise victory in his Premier Car Parts Škoda Fabia RS Rally2.
His stage times were considerably faster this year compared to when Jordan contested the Builth Wells-based event in 2016 in a 1.4-litre Proton Satria. He went on to become BTRDA Bronze Star champion that year and has continued to rise through the rally rankings, returning to the host town of Builth Wells this year as the reigning Northern Ireland Forest Rally Challenge champion.
Having set the fastest time on three of the morning’s four stages, Jordan arrived at the midday service halt after four stages with a 12.4 second lead. He extended his advantage to 14 seconds after SS5 and controlled the pace at the front in his Ap/Art Rally Team-prepared Škoda to win by 7.7 seconds.
The victory also marked the first overall rally win for Welsh co-driver Sion Williams.
“Winning the Nicky Grist Stages is a bit of a shock, to be honest,” said Jordan.
“It’s been ten years since we were last here in the Proton, and the only thing I could remember was the name of the stages, so to come back and win overall is really special. I’m absolutely delighted. I’ve really enjoyed the rally and fair play to everyone involved in organising it.
“A huge thanks to my co-driver Sion [Williams] and everyone at the Ap/Art Rally Team. They’ve done a top job preparing the car for this event and they deserve this result just as much as we do. I couldn’t be happier.”
It was the first time that Meirion Evans had started a gravel rally first on the road and it was his first experience of running on the super loose virgin gravel that goes with the honour of being number one seed. Grip, especially exiting tight corners, was hard to find and he reached the midday service in his Castrol MEM Rally Team Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 in third position.
With the loose gravel swept away by the 133 cars that had already passed through, conditions were much improved for the afternoon loop and it was only an overheating issue, and a subsequent loss of power, on SS7 that prevented Meirion and co-driver Dale Furniss from completing a clean sweep of stage wins. He was, however, happy to come home in second position and top Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship points scoring, and record yet another strong gravel rally performance.
Matthew Hirst made a strong start and was in second position at mid-distance – despite a high-speed “wake up call” on SS4, when his Pirelli-shod Delta Salvage/Witham Motorsport/Speedline Corse Škoda Fabia R5 was pitched off-line after a compression and went in and out of a Route 60 ditch so fast that he didn’t lose any time.
He and co-driver Declan Dear had a bit of a scare when the power steering failed on the road section to service, but it was calmly fixed by the JD Rallysport team to allow him to continue on harder tyres in the afternoon. A mistake on the first junction on SS5 upset his rhythm and on SS6 he was overtaken by Meirion. Matthew eventually finished third overall, keeping his BTRDA and Pirelli Welsh Championship title hopes alive.
Elliot Payne was off colour in more ways than one, thanks to food poisoning the day before the event. He wasn’t feeling at his best come the start either, with he and co-driver Patrick Walsh just missing out on a podium finish in their Alan Causey Autosport-run Ford Fiesta Rally2.
Daniel Sigurdsson/Ásta Sigurdardottir and Vivian Hamill/Paddy Robinson completed the top six in a pair of Škoda Fabia RS Rally2s.
The cars were flagged away from the start outside Strand Hall, and trophy presentations made, by Cllr. Alan Waller, the Mayor of Builth Wells. The Builth Wells RFC pitch once again provided a magnificent service area and the hot and dry stages, held in and around the Mynydd Epynt military range, offered a great challenge to competitors.
“A huge thank you to all the competitors who supported the event this year – the action on the stages was spectacular,” said Neil Cross, Nicky Grist Stages Clerk of the Course.
“I think I speak for everyone when I say a huge thank you to the army of volunteers who ensured the stages ran and everyone was kept safe in the extremely hot conditions. And thank you to all our sponsors, Builth Wells RFC and to the people of Builth Wells, who are so tremendously welcoming.”
The ‘Ian Evans Spirit of the Rally Award’, named in honour of the event’s late friend and colleague, was awarded posthumously to Ian Evans, with his daughter Tru also recognised for courageously stepping into the role of Chief Marshal and continuing her father’s outstanding work.
