Matthew Hirst will be aiming for his third straight 2023 Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship victory on the Plains Rally (Saturday 20 May) – although this time he’ll be without his regular co-driver Declan Dear, who is on his long-awaited honeymoon.
The defending Welsh champion and 2022 Plains Rally winner will be partnered for the first time by Mark Glennerster, who is stepping into Hirst’s Pirelli-shod Delta Salvage-backed Ford Fiesta R5.
The new partnership will face stiff competition, not least from Perry Gardener who returns to the Pirelli Welsh Championship in his Ford Fiesta R5.
The Ludlow driver scored maximum points on last year’s Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Stages and will be aiming to do the same on the Plains. He’s partnered by Jack Bowen, who finished runner-up in last year’s Welsh Junior co-drivers’ category.
Bob Morgan, who finished an impressive third on both the Plains and in the overall Pirelli Welsh drivers’ standings last year, is contesting his first event of 2023. Together with co-driver Ade Williams, the experienced Cinderford pilot will be at the wheel of his Winner Garage Škoda Fabia R5.
Robert Gough has been on inspired form so far this year, winning the highly competitive Historic class W9 twice and taking home second and fifth place overall driver points on Rally North Wales and the Rallynuts respectively. Co-driven by Paul Morris, he’ll be aiming to continue that great run this time in his Ford Escort Mk2.
Richard Jordan is second in class W9 and he and co-driver James Gratton Smith (who heads the class navigators’ standings) will be out to close the 33 point gap to the leader in his Ford Escort RS1800.
Organised by Knutsford & District Motor Club, the Bala-based Plains Rally contains two loops of four stages (Aberhirnant, Llangower, Alwen North and Alwen South) totalling 44 stage miles.
The first car starts at 08:30 and finishes back at Ysgol Y Berwyn at 15:35, while the midday service will be located at the Bala Enterprise Park.
