Protyre News

Still numb from the tragic events which claimed the life of the 2022 co-driver champion Dai Roberts and injured top driver James Williams, a heartbroken Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship will assemble this weekend for Round 4 of the series, the Dunoon Presents Argyll Rally (20/21 June).

As the BTRDA series reaches its halfway mark, the Argyll Rally is an important event in the potential outcome of the overall and class titles. It’s also the last time for crews to register for points.
 
Although this will only be Jason Pritchard’s fourth rally in his North Road Garage/Guttercrest Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, the Builth Wells driver has settled into his new Pirelli-shod car exceptionally well and returns to Scotland on great form. The three-time Protyre Asphalt champion has never contested Argyll before, but he has a deft touch when it comes to quickly getting up to speed on unfamiliar stages – helped of course by the co-driving mastery of Phil Clarke.

Could this be the event where Sam Touzel records his maiden Protyre Asphalt win? The Jersey driver has also been on sensational form this year and led the Proflex Manx Rally early on. He and co-driver Max Freeman would certainly be popular winners if they could pull it off in their Smart Scaffolding Ford Fiesta Rally2.
 
Hugh Brunton/Drew Sturrock showed great pace last time out in their Volkswagen Polo GTI R5. Having dialled back a bit of their early season exuberance, a good result this time is surely on the cards – especially having finished sixth overall in Argyll last year.
 
Brad Cole/Jamie Vaughan are getting to grips extremely well with their Trick Motorsport prepared and East Budleigh Garage run Hydroline Solutions Fiesta Rally2. They had a brilliant run in Argyll in 2023, missing out on the top 2WD spot in their Escort Mk2 by just one second and collecting fifth-place Protyre Asphalt overall points.
 
John Stone won’t be looking forward to the night-time stages, but come daylight he’ll be flying in his immaculate Legend Performance Engineering Volkswagen Polo GTI R5. He’ll be co-driven on this occasion by Keir Beaton.
 
Nathan Bolton/Phil Kenny are on a learning curve with their new Monza Installs/Legend Performance Fiesta Rally2, having campaigned a Mitsubishi Evo 9 for many years. They’ll be keen to continue to increase their pace with every stage mile – as will former Escort class B11 champions Michael Harbour/Cameron Dunn, who start only their third event in their Hamilton Haulage/VS Pro Fiesta R5.
 
Argyll also represents a great opportunity for the likes of Roger and Tommi Henderson (DKMS We Delete Blood Cancer Fiesta Rally2) and Darrell Taylor/Cat Lund (Dom Buckley Motorsport-prepared Fiesta Rally2) to score their best overall results of the season.
 
Mark Holmes, who had originally entered in his historic-spec ND Civils/Mark Holmes Auto Engineering Escort Mk1, will contest the event in a Fiesta R5. The Poulton-le-Fylde driver will be partnered on this occasion by Bonnie Papper

Huw James/Lewis Sim ended the Borders Competitions Jim Clark Rally off the road, after sliding wide on some loose gravel and beaching their A&D Tyres Ford Escort Mk2 on a rotten chunk of wood. They’ll be aiming to get back to Class C and Escort Challenge winning form this time.
 
The flamboyant Mark Jasper/Don Whyatt will be a close rival in their rapid Jaspers Bakeries Escort Mk2, as will Andy Scott/Ian Robertson, who swap seats and cars (having contested the Manx in a Connaught Competition Engines/PACE IOM Hillman Avenger with Ian driving) and return in an Escort Mk2.
 
Jake Smith/Dave Tortoishell will be aiming for their fourth good finish this season in their Escort Mk2, while Neil Jones/Alan Thomas (Team Pit Stop Escort Mk2), Chris Thompson/Mark Mason (Motoscope Escort Mk2) and Bryn and Brian Jones (W Jones & Son Escort Mk2) will also be targeting a good haul of points.
 
Also gunning for class glory will be Max Murray/Matty Owen (BVS Vehicles Citroën DS3 R3T), Anthony Jevons/Margaret Kelly (Fiesta Rally2), Tommy Graham/Mark Pickering (R/S Motors Leyburn Escort Mk1), Alex Kirk-Willey/Steve Harris (AKW Installations Vauxhall Corsa S1600), Jack Edwards/Adam Burkill (Mold Tyres/Porthmadog Holiday Let Vauxhall Nova), Nathan Evans/Rhys Edwards (911 Sport/JD Tyres/The Kitchen Installers Renault Clio 3 RS) and Edward Luke Collins/Mark Broadbent (Honda Civic).
 
Luke Constantine will be aiming to strengthen his challenge for both the Class F and Protyre Asphalt Junior driver titles when he and co-driver Ifan Devine team up in their Constantine Motorsport Opel Adam. They were very unlucky last time out, for after overtaking a car they were catching another when their R2 pocket rocket snapped sideways, clipped the grass and rolled.
 
Shane Gamble/Julie Perry will be battling for BTRDA Historic Asphalt Cup honours in their Mini Cooper, as well as Mini Challenge points against Andrew O’Hanlon/Kevin Hogan (Mini Cooper S).
 
Action from the Argyll Rally will be streamed live and free-to-view on the Special Stage TV Facebook and YouTube channels.
 
Organised by Mull Car Club, this year’s Argyll Rally contains two legs, 16 stages and 67.5 stage miles, spread over two days in and around the stunning Cowal Peninsula. The now famous Dunoon town centre stage will open the action on Friday 20 June, followed by five demanding countryside tests including the 7.8-mile Oyster Catcher stage run in the dark. Saturday 21 June has a further nine stages and features the fan-favourite Bealach Maim stage and the all-new Millhouses test.
 
For more information on the Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship, please go to asphaltrallying.com.
 
Dunoon Presents Argyll Rally – top 10 seeds
1. Euan Thorburn/Paul Beaton (Volkswagen Polo GTI R5)
2. Jason Pritchard/Phil Clarke (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2)
3. Sam Touzel/Max Freeman (Ford Fiesta Rally2)
4. Hugh Hunter/Rob Fagg (Ford Fiesta Rally2)
5. Rory Young/Jamie Edwards (Volkswagen Polo GTI R5)
6. Hugh Brunton/Drew Sturrock (Volkswagen Polo GTI R5)
7. Mark McCulloch/Michael Hendry (Proton Satria Evo)
8. Brad Cole/Jamie Vaughan (Ford Fiesta Rally2)
9. Ian Forgan/Chris Lees (Ford Fiesta Rally2)
10. Huw James/Lewis Sim (Ford Escort Mk2)