Matthew Hirst and Declan Dear could win their third Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship title, and their second in a row, on the Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Stages (Saturday 9 September).
The Delta Salvage/Witham Group Ford Fiesta R5 crew have scored maximum points on the first four rounds, and another win would secure them the title.
However, the Ludlow-based rally is something of a bogey event for Hirst, who has retired on his last three Woodpecker appearances – with a broken rear track control arm forcing him out twelve months ago.
The Doncaster driver will certainly have a lot of competition, not least from local driver Perry Gardener. Having won the Woodpecker in 2021, he and co-driver Jack Bowen scored maximum Pirelli Welsh Championship points last year and will be out to repeat that success in their Davanti Tyres-backed Ford Fiesta R5.
Bob Morgan’s 2023 season may have started late, but he and co-driver Ade Williams have been on great form this year in their Winner Garage Škoda Fabia R5. Having taken home fourth placed points last time out of the Nicky Grist Stages, they’ll be looking for a Pirelli Welsh podium finish this time.
Lyn Davies/Aled Richards arrive leading the Restruct Welsh Historic class W9 after four very strong results in their Wales Motorsport-prepared Escort Mk2.
Robert Gough (co-driven by Paul Morris) is only five points behind, having won the class on all three of his starts in his Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2, which include some impressive overall results as well.
The battle for the class W4 title is very much on. Tony Simpson (Seacon UK Ford Fiesta) leads the drivers’ section (and returns with navigator Stefan Arndt), while Alex Cannon (Rallyworld Ford Fiesta R2) will be aiming to close the gap with his first class win of the season.
As Simpson has been partnered by more than one co-driver, Cannon’s navigator Alan Carfree leads that section. Sam Mason/James Seymour won class W4 last time out and remain title contenders in their Samuel Mason Rallysport Fiesta R2T.
