Callum Black celebrated back-to-back Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship titles by winning the final round of the series, the Hills Ford Stages (14-15 September), at his first attempt in his 586 Sport-preparedPallas Connections Ford Fiesta Rally2.
Co-driven by three-time champion Jack Morton, the Brackley driver lost 37 seconds on Saturday when an engine mapping issue saw the car trip into limp mode on both SS1 and 2, but he quickly regained that time and more as he took the lead on SS5.
As well as the title, Callum wins a private test in a Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1 at the M-Sport Evaluation Centre track located at the team’s headquarters in Cockermouth, Cumbria – while his car will have a full systems check and shakedown by the M-Sport Rally2 support team.
Neil Roskell arrived at the Hills Ford Stages knowing that he could tie on points with Callum but would lose the title on a tiebreak. That didn’t lessen his commitment or determination to end the Protyre Asphalt season on a high and he attacked the stages with characteristic gusto.
He lost time with a big overshoot on SS7 and lost even more time after collecting a rear left puncture half way through SS9. This meant that he and co-driver Dai Roberts went into the final stage just one second ahead of Steve Wood/Kenny Hull in an epic battle for second.
In a fantastic finale, Neil was 11 seconds fastest through the concluding 8.51-mile Marcle Hill stage the second time than he’d been the first to secure second place on the event (and in the championship) in his ND Civils/Burdens/Witham Motorsport Fiesta Rally2.
Steve finished third, a mere three seconds behind, after a gutsy performance in his Sligo Pallets Citroën C3 Rally2. The 2022 Protyre Asphalt champion admitted to lacking confidence after an accident in Galway but was back to his best by Sunday afternoon.
Stephen Simpson never put a foot wrong in his CA1 Sport-prepared Tudor Glass Fiesta Rally2 as he, co-driven by Mark Glennerster, took home seventh-placed Protyre Asphalt points to move him from 12th to eighth in the overall drivers’ standings.
Having won the class B14 title in a Hills Ford Fiesta Rally3, Will Hill contested the event in a Dom Buckley RSC Fiesta Rally2. Unfortunately, he locked up under braking on a bumpy section in SS3 and put the car off the road.
One of the drives of the season has come from Darren Atkinson – who took home sixth-placed Protyre Asphalt points on the day to finish an incredible third in the overall drivers’ championship (for the second year running) in his Haldane Fisher Escort Mk2.
2024 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship
Final overall driver points (after Round 8):
1. Callum Black….176pts
2. Neil Roskell….164pts
3. Darren Atkinson….142pts
4. Simon Bowen….127pts
5. Sam Touzel….123pts
6. William Hill….114pts
Final overall co-driver points:
1. Jack Morton….178pts
2. Dai Roberts….162pts
3. Craig Simkiss…131pts
4. Rob Fagg…129pts
5. Ian Parker….125pts
6. Ian Taylor…119pts
Final class winning positions:
B9
Driver: Simon Hunter
Co-driver: Howard Pridmore
B10
Driver: Rory McCann
Co-driver: Paul McCann
B11
Driver: Ben Crump
Co-driver: Cameron Dunn
B12
Driver: Philip Jones
B13
Driver: Darren Atkinson
Co-driver: Ian Parker
B14
Driver: William Hill
Co-driver: Richard Crozier
B15
Driver: Callum Black
Co-driver: Jack Morton
R5
Driver: James Williams
Co-driver: Alan Thomas
H2b
Driver: Matthew Honeyborne
H3b
Driver: Geoff Roberts
Co-driver: Emyr Hall
BTRDA Historic Asphalt Cup
Driver: Geoff Roberts
Co-driver: Emyr Hall
Escort Challenge
Driver: Darren Atkinson
Co-driver: Cameron Dunn
Plastics4Performance Mini Challenge
Driver: Martin Melling
Co-driver: Neil MacDonald
Juniors
Driver: James Labey
Co-driver: Ifan Devine
Ladies Challenge
Driver: Nikki Addison
Co-driver: Emma Morrison
