BRITISH HISTORIC RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
The classic Fords were flying high — literally — on the opening road of the this year’s championship.
All the action from Round One — the Epynt-based Red Kite Stages.
Round 1: Red Kite Stages, February 19
Nick Elliott and Dave Price (above) opened their bid for the 2017 Mintex MSA British Historic Rally Championship in the best possible style on the opening round, the Red Kite Stages.
The Cheltenham Mk2 Escort crew finished the day with a winning margin of 35 seconds over defending champions, Jason Pritchard and Phil Clarke after 45-miles of classic Welsh stages on the Llandovery-based event.
As the BHRC started its third season under the management of the Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club, a top-quality entry delivered a tremendous spectacle over six stages, five on the gravel roads in the Epynt region and one in Caeo forest.
Elliott/Price won Category 3 while Pritchard/Clarke headed Category K at the start of what is likely to a fierce championship battle. Joe Price/Chris Brooks should have made it a three-way lead contest, but were forced out by diff failure in the second stage. Other Category 3 class winners were Ben Friend/Cliffy Simmons (Mk2 Escort) in D3 and David Hopkins/Tony Vart (Sunbeam Talbot) in D2.
Stanley Orr/Stephen McAuley set the early pace in the Capital Construction Category 2 as Orr stepped up to BDA power in his Mk1 Escort, but rear suspension problems that had dogged their progress finally put them out in Crychan. Instead, the category was a battle of the Hillman Avengers as Elliot Retallick/Tim Tugwell headed Andrew Stokes/Adrian McNally after a day-long contest. Simon Pickering and Paul Barbet (Mk1 Escort) were third and claimed class C3.
In the Vintage Car Radiator Company Category 1, the Mini Cooper of Phil Harris/ Richard Suter saw off the Cortina GT of Mike Barratt/Emily Retallick.
The Red Kite Stages was organised by the Amman and District Motor Club, www.redkitestages.co.uk