Jason Pritchard arrives at this weekend’s Borders Competitions Jim Clark Rally leading the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship, and whilst he’ll be one of the favourites to score maximum points in Round 3, the Builth Wells ace has an unusual history on the event.
The triple Protyre Asphalt champion contested the Jim Clark five times between 2007-2011 – three times in a Citroën C2 (finishing second in the R2 class in 2009) and twice in a Subaru Impreza Sti N16 (finishing a career-best fifth overall in 2010). He didn’t appear again until 2022, when he finished seventh overall in a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5.
They’ll have plenty of very strong competition – not least from Neil Roskell. He is second in the points standings and having finished runner-up in the BTRDA sealed-surface series three times he has no intention of staying in that position.
Sam Touzel is on the brink of his maiden Protyre Asphalt win in his Smart Scaffolding Fiesta Rally2. He led the Proflex Manx Rally and has won his home Jersey Rally, so together with co-driver Max Freeman he will be looking for a great result on the mainland this time.
Mark Kelly is quickly getting used to his new Kelmore Volkswagen Polo GTI R5, as witnessed by his incredible pace towards the end of the Manx. He’s down in 11th position in the Protyre Asphalt drivers’ standings thanks to a DNF on the opening round.
Double champions Callum Black/Jack Morton will be looking to score their first set of maximum Protyre Asphalt points on the Jim Clark having finished fourth and second in their title winning years in 2023 and ’24 respectively.
