Callum Black produced a super-fast masterclass performance to win the JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion National and extend his lead in the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship as the series heads to the final round in two weeks’ time.
The 586 Sport driver set 11 fastest times over the 14 stage event, which included an incredible time on SS13 that beat all the FIA European and British Rally Championship competitors contesting the international section.
The defending Protyre Asphalt rally champion clipped the scenery on both passes of the Nany y Moch stage on Saturday, but apart from that it was a copybook performance by Callum in his Pallas Connections Ford Fiesta Rally2, with the result giving Jack Morton the co-drivers’ title for a third time.
An inspired tyre choice on Sunday saw Neil put spare Michelin wets on the front as the heavens opened on SS12 and with a large gap to first and third he eased off to cruise to a very well-deserved runners-up spot, 3mins 55.8secs behind Callum. This keeps Neil second in the points table, with it all to play for on the final Hills Ford Stages.
Sam Touzel led the Rali Ceredigion National by 2.3 seconds after the opening two Aberystwyth town stages on Friday night and continued that impressive run over the entire weekend.
The Jersey driver had to slow to make sure another crew were okay on SS4 when he came across a car that had just rolled, and then had a huge moment himself when he overshot a hairpin on SS6 and flew up a bank, losing 90 seconds.
He and co-driver Max Freeman were third in the Protyre Asphalt standings after Leg 1 and maintained that position throughout a tricky Leg 2 to score a magnificent first Protyre Asphalt podium finish in their Smart Scaffolding/Express Auto Parts Fiesta Rally2.
Mike English/Simon Hunter scored a top 10 overall and class B15 podium Protyre Asphalt finish after a great run in their Proact Fiesta Rally2. It was the Altrincham driver’s first rally since the Beatson’s Building Supplies Jim Clark Rally in May, and he bettered that fine points score with his best result of 2024 so far.
Darren Atkinson has retained his class B13 title for a third consecutive year, and retakes the lead of the Escort Challenge, after another magnificent drive in his Haldane Fisher Escort Mk2.
