Nicky Grist Stages gets tyre prizes
The Nicky Grist Stages will run a split-field format with lower-powered two-wheel-drive cars at the front on July 14, while also unveiling new prizes for those cars.
Last month the Motor Sports Association announced that rallies would be able to split fields into two, and reverse the seeding of the first group if it wanted to.
That allows events to place older historic and two-wheel-drive cars at the front of the order giving them better road conditions. Since 2015, those cars have run at the back in the ruts of more powerful two and four-wheel-drive cars.
For this year’s NG Stages – using stages Crychan, Halfway, Route 60 and tests in the north Epynt forests – tyre distribution firm Mr Tyre will offer two free covers to the winners of the 1400cc class and H1/2 class respectively, and there will also be a draw for another two tyres for Rally First class competitors.
NG Stages clerk of the course Neil Cross said: “Attracting the smaller-capacity cars and crews who have drifted away from the sport due to the seeding rules is very important to us as an event.
“We are therefore delighted that Mr Tyre (Motorsport) has provided these incentives for the lower-powered cars, which will benefit from running at the front of the field, and we hope this will entice some of those crews back out onto the stages.”
The Carlisle Stages on June 9 will be the first BTRDA event to run with a split field, with full MSA approval.