The 2024 Nigel Ferguson Fabricators Tour of Epynt introduced an exciting new two-day format, covering over 80 competitive stage miles across the legendary Epynt military ranges. The event, held on Saturday 20th July and Sunday 21st July, was round six of both the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship and the British Historic Rally Championship. Also serving as a qualifier for several other championships. With a high-quality entry list, the stage was set for some thrilling battles throughout the weekend. The weather leading up to the event had been glorious, with clear blue skies and temperatures climbing into the mid-20s. However, as the crews gathered at the start line, heavy, dark clouds amassed above, and a torrential downpour began, adding an unexpected layer of challenge to the day’s rallying. The tricky conditions quickly made their mark, catching out even the most experienced crews. Welsh legend Melvyn Evans rolled his VW Polo GTi R5 on the opening stage, leading to his immediate retirement from the event.
Despite the challenging conditions, Mark Kelly & Will Atkins, last year’s winners, demonstrated their prowess by winning both stages of Saturday's opening loop in their Skoda Fabia R5.
They established a narrow lead of 3 seconds over Callum Black & Jack Morton, with Kevin Davies & Owain Davies holding third position, just 5 seconds further back.
In the British Historic Rally Championship (BHRC), Mark Higgins & Carl Williamson dominated the opening stages in their Triumph TR7 V8.
They bested Nick Elliott & Dave Price by a significant 12 seconds, with Seb Perez & Dale Bowen trailing in third place by an additional 8 seconds.
The second loop of stages on Saturday saw a repeat of the morning’s stages, and the battle at the front of the Protyre championship intensified. Callum Black equaled the stage-winning times of Mark Kelly on both SS3 and SS4, concluding the day just 3 seconds behind the leader.
Kevin Davies continued to impress and retained third place going into Sunday.
In the BHRC, Neil Williams & Eurig Davies shone through the continuing rain, climbing from fourth to second place and surpassing Nick Elliott by two seconds at the end of the day.
Out front, Mark Higgins maintained his dominant performance, closing out Saturday with a commanding 23-second lead.
Sunday welcomed a return to the warm, dry weather that preceded the event. Although foreboding clouds lingered, they threatened but did not disrupt the day’s proceedings. The day’s competition consisted of four trips across Epynt using a 13.5-mile stage, with the afternoon’s two stages running in reverse. Kelly & Atkins quickly found their pace again in their Fabia R5, taking victory on SS5, the opening stage of the day. However, a spin on stage 6 caused minor cosmetic damage to the front of the car, forcing them to adopt a more cautious driving style to protect the exposed radiator and pipework.
This incident cost them 16 seconds and allowed the charging Fiesta Rally2 of Black & Morton to take the lead. Davies & Davies held a secure third place in their Polo GTi R5.
In the Historic field, Seb Perez made a strong comeback, moving up to second position after Sunday morning’s stages, taking advantage of Nick Elliott’s slower performance in SS5 and subsequent retirement in stage 6.
Neil Williams & Eurig Davies trailed 17 seconds behind in third place, while Higgins & Williamson extended their lead to an unassailable 43 seconds after the morning loop.
As the rally progressed to its final two stages, the competition at the front of the Protyre Championship intensified. Callum Black, Mark Kelly, and Kevin Davies all set identical times through stage 7. In stage 8, Kelly and Davies were equally matched again, showcasing an impressive display of speed and skill. In the end it was Callum Black & Jack Morton who secured overall victory in their Pallas Connections Ford Fiesta Rally2. Despite facing adversity with a loose turbo pipe on Saturday and a cracked exhaust manifold in the final stage on Sunday. Thier perseverance paid off, propelling them into the lead of the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship with only two rounds remaining.
Mark Kelly & Will Atkins managed to nurse their Skoda Fabia R5 to a well-deserved second place, while Kevin Davies & Owain Davies rounded out the podium in their VW Polo GTi R5.
In the British Historic Rally Championship, Mark Higgins & Carl Williamson took a dominant victory in their Triumph TR7 V8.
They finished a massive minute and twenty seconds ahead of the Porsche 911 of Perez & Bowen. Neil Williams & Eurig Davies completed the podium, trailing a further minute behind.
The 2024 Nigel Ferguson Fabricators Tour of Epynt provided an exhilarating weekend of rallying, with dramatic weather conditions and fierce competition across both the Protyre and BHRC fields. The event highlighted the skills and determination of all the participants, setting the stage for the remaining rounds of the championships.
The penultimate round of the Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship is set to take place at Rali Ceredigion on August 31st and September 1st. Meanwhile, the BHRC will return to gravel for its next round at the Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Rally on Saturday 7th September. With the championship standings tightening, the upcoming events promise even more thrilling action and intense battles for the top spots.
