BRC | RD5 – RALI CEREDIGION

12/09/2022 Off By admin

Making its debut appearance in the British Rally Championship, The Get Connected Rali Ceredigion based out of the Welsh seaside town of Aberystwyth, played host to the fifth round of the 2022 season. A newcomer to British rallying which took on the mighty challenge of closed road stage rallying for the first time back in 2019, returned to the forefront of British Rallying with its organising team taking the event to another level this time around for only its second edition.

Photos By Xlerate.Media

Once again offering up some pretty epic and challenging Welsh roads whilst passing some picturesque scenery along the way, the two-day event was the ideal challenge for the BRC crews to take on. Crews whom were joined by one particular international star, in Ex World Rally driver and Kiwi Haydon Paddon and the 1996 British Rally Champion, Mr Gwyndaf Evans, who was out for a joy ride in a MK2 Ford Escort.

Last time out on the loose stuff in Scotland at the Grampian, Irelands Kieth Cronin secured his second victory of the year to extend his lead over title challenger Osian Pryce. But Pryce would be somewhat on home turf in Wales heading into this event and the Welshman who won this very event when it first ran in 2019, would be looking for nothing short of maximum points.

Elsewhere in the Junior British Rally Championship, the event offered up Eamonn Kelly a chance to secure the JBRC drivers title, following his closest rival Kyle White’s DNF on the previous event, The Grampian.

The event would get underway on Saturday evening with two runs over a short Super Special Street Stage. More than 100 crews got to sample the buzzing atmosphere in Aberystwyth, where Keith Cronin took first blood on both runs. However, the drama would come later on into the night over the two-night stages to the East of Aberystwyth where the Championship would take a turning point.

Kieth Cronin & Mikie Galvin | Photo By Xlerate.Media

Cronin carried his speed on into the third test of the event (SS3 Glan yr Afon) getting the better of James Williams (who was enjoying a brand new latest spec Hyundai N Rally2, a first appearance on British soil) by 4.4 seconds, with Pryce a further 2.4 off in third. However, Cronin and Co-Driver Mikie Galvin would not emerge from the darkness of SS4 Devils Bridge; the challenging roads under the cover of darkness had bitten already. Cronin had rolled out of the rally with significant damage sustained to his VW Polo GTI R5.

Kieth Cronin & Mikie Galvin | Photo By Black Mountains Media

The Irishman’s early exit from the rally had not only handed the lead over to Williams but had opened things up for Osian Pryce to take advantage of the situation. Williams would head back to service for the overnight halt with a 2.4-second lead over Pryce, who was complaining of a boost issue.

James Williams & Dai Roberts | Photo By Xlerate.Media

Meanwhile, Eamonn Kelly got his pitch for the JBRC title off to the ideal start in his Ford Fiesta Rally4 car on the opening leg. Although Kelly and his rival Kyle White in the Peugeot 208 Rally4 were matching one another’s pace, it was in SS3, the first proper night stage where Kelly picked up a decent chunk of time to take up the position as lead JBRC driver. Kelly clearly on a mission with one eye on the prize right from the get-go would end the evening leg of the rally with more than 7 seconds in hand to White.

Eamonn Kelly & Conor Mohan | Photo By Black Mountains Media

The crews reset the next morning and headed out into the longest test of the rally, Llanfihangel at just over 16 miles in length. The morning start was a damp one with heavy rainfall in the early hours but the sun came out just in time for the off, which made for a difficult tyre choice for all of the crews.

Osian Pryce & Noel O’Sullivan | Photo By Black Mountains Media

In the light of day, Osian Pryce went “a bit ballsy” with full slicks bolted onto his VW Polo GTI R5 for the opener and he was rewarded with a storming stage. Opening up the morning with a time that was more than 31 seconds faster than his closest BRC challenger, Williams (who reported as having a scrappy start to the morning), and with that, Pryce had taken the lead of the BRC right away.

But whilst one of the Melvyn Evans Motorsport run VW Polo’s was on form, the other two driven by Meirion Evans and Jason Pritchard would both come a cropper. Evans breaking the steering on his VW Polo and Pritchard rolling his, this mega stage even in the daylight had bitten once again.

Eamonn Kelly did not have a great start to his day, arriving at the stop line of SS5 looking a bit stressed, the leading JBRC driver reported that he got caught out in a slippy section.

Eamonn Kelly & Conor Mohan | Photo By Xlerate.Media

Catching a curb and side-swiping a wall had caused some damage to the back axle and the Ford Fiesta Rally4 car was left crabbing down the road. It was now a game of survival for the rest of the loop for the young title hopeful.

BRC1 leader Osian Pryce continued on in his quest for maximum points, securing the fastest overall times on two stages and fastest BRC times on all of the morning’s loop of stages. Building up a commanding lead, Pryce was enjoying a lead of well over a minute to second place man Williams in the Hyundai. Bell and Freeman in the Skoda Fabia R5 were rounding off the top three heading into the mid-day service halt after they passed Gary Pearson in SS8 Pendam after the Scotsman picked up a puncture.

Osian Pryce & Noel O’Sullivan | Photo By Xlerate.Media

“We’ve got a minute lead in the BRC, it’s tempting to go for the win (overall) but we should use our heads really. We drove OK, a little bit ragged and a few little moments.”
Osian Pryce

Despite nursing that damaged Ford Fiesta, Kelly was holding off the challenge from White. There was nothing between them in Stages 6 & 7 but Kelly pulled out a decent lead in SS8 after White had technical issues with his car, which was running in road mode through the final stage of the loop. Returning to the mid-day service with a shade over 28 seconds in hand Kelly was on track.

Eamonn Kelly & Conor Mohan | Photo By Xlerate.Media

“It’s pretty hard to drive, to be honest, any bumps and it’s just all over the place. It’s so hard to try and stay committed without going off the road; we survived anyway but will get it sorted in service and try and push in the next loop.”
Eamonn Kelly

On the National front, Championship leaders Alan Carmicheal and Co-Driver Arthur Kierans had built up a solid lead in their Hyundai i20 R5 over Craig Jones’s Ford Fiesta.

Alan Carmichael & Arthur Kierans | Photo By Xlerate.Media

Leading the category from the opening Street stages where they delivered a stonkingly good time; the pair arrived back at the mid-day service with 1 minute 43 seconds in hand. William Mains in the plucky little Vauxhall Nova was understandably a good few minutes off the pace in third.

Osian Pryce & Noel O’Sullivan | Photo By Xlerate.Media

Back out after service and despite fighting with his head to chase down the overall rally leader (Haydon Paddon); Osian Pryce once again blitzed James Williams through this repeat of the longer stage (Llanfihangel); adding nearly 25 seconds onto his buffer heading into the final stretch of the rally.

James Williams & Dai Roberts | Photo By Xlerate.Media

After this, Williams was looking to consolidate his position for the runner-up spot; seen as third place man Ruairi Bell was more than a minute off the back of him, steady was the order of the afternoon.

Eamonn Kelly’s game plan for the afternoon was to drive to the notes and keep it clean, whilst staying committed but with no risk. Now with a straight car, Kelly pushed on in the repeated run over the long Llanfihangel test.

Kyle White & Sean Topping | Photo By Xlerate.Media

However Kyle White, after his car suddenly fixed itself halfway through SS9, bit back at Kelly in the next one over Nant Y Moch, taking his first JBRC fastest time since the opening street stages the previous evening.

Heading into the penultimate stage, Osian Pryce finally put those pesky devils in his head that were telling him to go for the overall win to one side and backed off. Pryce alongside Co-Driver Noel O’Sullivan entered the final stage of this epic closed road stage rally with more than 1 minute 55 seconds in their back pockets.

Osian Pryce & Noel O’Sullivan | Photo By Black Mountains Media

The pair emerged from the final Pendam stage to secure the BRC win, crossing the finish line with more than 38 seconds in hand to runners-up James Wiliams and Dai Roberts.

“I’m really impressed with how everything has gone and super happy with the car. You’ve only got to look at the calibre of the guys who haven’t made it to the end, it’s no mean feat to finish this rally with a car that’s pretty much unmarked. Over the moon and pleased for the team.”
Osian Pryce

Osian Pryce & Noel O’Sullivan | Photo By Black Mountains Media

On their home rally and being their first time out in the brand new Hyundai i20 N Rally2 car, Williams and Roberts were happy with their result. Securing the second spot on the BRC podium and finishing the rally with a decent gap to third place Ruairi Bell made for a strong performance.

James Williams & Dai Roberts | Photo By Xlerate.Media

“That’s a fantastic result given the effort that’s gone into this, I’m over the moon really. It’s a little bit bittersweet, I know I could do better, I’d love to have got the better of Osian this weekend, it’s a Welsh battle through and through so let’s see on the next one”
James Williams

Despite picking up a puncture on the final stage of the rally, bell alongside Co-Driver Max Freeman brought their Skoda Fabia R5 car home to secure the third spot on the BRC podium. Ever the optimist, Bell was relieved to be at the end of this very tough rally. Even with the absence of lady luck over the past two events, Bell recognised the fantastic effort by the team and would use this event as a huge learning experience.

Ruairi Bell & Max Freeman | Photo By Xlerate.Media

Irish lad Eamonn Kelly with the help of his Co-Driver Conor Mohan was able to overcome the challenges of this tough rally to secure the 2022 Junior Drivers British Rally Championships title. Crossing the finish line for maximum points for the third time and with almost 50 seconds in hand over runner-up, Kyle White. Kelly, the 2021 JBRC runner up was delighted to secure the title with two events still remaining.

Eamonn Kelly & Conor Mohan | Photo By Black Mountains Media

“Its feels class! I don’t believe it…. lost for words. It’s been such a dramatic day, so just to be here so early on in the Championships to …. I would never have thought it. We’ve put in so much work into it, it was such a team effort. I am so so grateful and so delighted.”
Eamonn Kelly

Alan Cramicheal in the Hyundai i20 acknowledged that it wasn’t easy to secure maximum National points at this event. But guided by his Co-Driver Arther Keirans, they had added this one to their list of National BRC wins (their fourth of the year) thanks to their top 10 overall finish following their impressive performance on the opening night of the rally.

Alan Carmichael & Arthur Kierans | Photo By Xlerate.Media

Osian Pryce now re-takes up the lead of the Championship with a seven-point lead over Keith Cronin. James Williams in third closes in a bit on Cronin but things are still looking like a two-horse race this year in the BRC1.

NEXT TIME

The British Rally Championship heads north to Yorkshire for the TrackRod Rally (23rd & 24th Sept) out of Pickering; where some classic Yorkshire gravel tests await the crews in the legendary stages like Crompton, Gale Rigg and Dalby Forest.