WORDS BY ANDY COOK | PHOTOGRAPY JAMIE MOONE & NIGEL PRATT

JIM CLARK RALLY BOUNCES BACK AS MCRAE TAKES VICTORY

A year ago, the British rallying community was left shell-shocked at the loss of one of its own at the Jim Clark Rally, but this year, the event bounced back to deliver a thrilling edition. The Duns-based event hosted Round 2 of the Motorsport UK British Rally Championship and Round 3 of the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship, covering more than 90 competitive miles across two days, more than one hundred crews signed up to compete on the challenging closed roads event.

Welshman Osian Pryce arrived in Duns having scooped the victory at the opening round of the BRC season on the gravel at the Severn Valley Stages in the Castrol-backed MEM Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.

And in the Asphalt Championship, Lee Edwards was to tackle his first-ever Jim Clark in the Ford Escort G3, arriving in Scotland leading the standings following consecutive strong results at the East Riding and Manx Rally.

LEG 1

The opening night of action featured 37 miles across four stages, with the formidable stages of Bothwell and Abbey St Bathans to challenge the competitors on the first leg of the rally. Osian Pryce, with James Mogan alongside, set the benchmark time on the opening 8-mile Bothwell test. Stopping the clocks in their Toyota GR Yaris just 0.6 seconds quicker than Max McRae & Cameron Fair in the Skoda Fabia RS Rally2. But it was on the repeated run through the Bothwell stage later that evening, where McRae lit up the darkness and stole the march.

McRae, son of the 1995 British Champion, Alistair McRae, would set an impressive stage time, which was some seven seconds faster than Meirion Evans. This was immediately followed up in the final stage of the opening night, the longer 10-mile Abbey St Bathans test, which catapulted the young Scot and his Co-Driver Cameron Fair into the lead of the event by more than twelve seconds.

“We had a good feeling in Bothwell, on the first pass so I knew we could push quite hard, we pushed but we didn’t take any risks. The feeling is good, the cars literally on rails so its an absolute pleasure to drive”

MAX MCRAE

Following a few changes to the car in the wrong direction, Price & Morgan would lose some ground ending the opening leg of the rally holding second, with six seconds separating them and Castrol-MEM teammates, Evans & Furniss, in third. In consideration, it was pretty good going for Pryce, taking into account that it was his first real-world taste of using the Yaris on the tar in anger. For Evans, a mistake heading into the darkness where they forgot to plug the lamp pods in would prove to be a costly mistake, one that he would be kicking himself for even at the finish of the rally the next day.

Having dominated the opening round, Ben McFall would once again lead the way for the Junior British Rally Championship contenders. Despite getting caught in the dust of the car in front on the final stage of the evening, he and Co-Driver Damian McAuley would record three out of the four stage wins in their Ford Fiesta Rally4 machine, to lead Luke Constantine & Ifan Devine in the Opel Corsa Rally4 by 19 seconds.

Sam Touzel was leading the way for the Asphalt Championship crews on the opening leg of the rally. Sporting his new Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, he and co-driver Max Freeman would notch up all four fastest stage times out of the Asphalt Championship-registered crews. A lead of 1m44s over Hugh Brunton and Drew Sturrock (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) provided the perfect start to the rally and Touzel’s first event in the new car.

“I’m having fun, the cars unreal. It just a case of learning the car, its not like just jumping into someone else’s road car, you’ve got to trust this thing at 100mph and that its going to stop, how its characteristics move, but bloody hell is strong!”

Sam Touzel

Meanwhile, Lee Edwards, this time with the experienced Will Akins on the notes, was the leading Asphalt Championship two-wheel-drive crew, holding a commanding two-minute lead over their closest rivals, Gareth Price & Lian Evans in the BMW E36 Compact, following the early retirement of Huw James’s Fiat 131 Abarth on only the second stage.

LEG 2

The next morning, the action would resume, with the crews facing a further 55 miles spread over six stages, beginning with the 9-mile Polwarth test. Max McRae & Cameron Fair continued where they left off from the night before, notching up all three stage wins over the morning loop, to increase their overall lead to near on 25 seconds.

Behind the rally leaders, Meirion Evans & Dale Furniss now had the edge over teammates, Osian Pryce & James Morgan. Evans, a former Irish Tarmac regular with more seat time in the Yaris under his belt, proving to be faster than the former BRC champ Pryce on the Scottish lanes.

After the morning loop of three, Sam Touzel & Max Freeman were holding fourth overall and were the leading Asphalt Championship crew, 11.2 seconds down on Pryce and 18.1 in front of local lad, Garry Pearson, in the M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2, they were in a good place as they settled into the new ride.

In the Junior British Rally Championship, Ben McFall & Damian McAuley continued to dominate in their Ford Fiesta Rally4, getting the better of the Opel Corsa Rally4 piloted by Luke Contantine & Ifan Devine on every stage of the morning loop, to further increase the overall JBRC lead of over 19 seconds. Sam Mason & James Seymore would hold P3 in their Peugeot 208 Rally4, but were way off the pace and some 1m48s down.

Lee Edwards continued to lead the Asphalt Championship, two-wheel-drive contenders. Now that the pressure was off, following the early retirement of Huw James the night before, he and Co-driver Will Atkins could be more than satisfied with their huge class lead over Ross Brusby & Sam Collis in the MKII Ford Escort, which was up to well over three & half minutes.

Max McRae & Cameron Fair added a further two-stage wins to their tally over the final loop, making it a total of seven out of ten to secure their second career British Rally Championship victory. In what was an impressive performance from the pair, who led the rally from the third stage of the event, their final winning margin was 30 seconds over Meirion Evans & Dale Furniss.

“This one feels pretty good, it came to us, not easier but I think we did a really good rally this time compared to the Cambrian (2025) where the last stage was a bit less stressful. Thanks to the team and it was great to have Dad over for this one. Obviously compared to a year ago we have to say that this ones for Dai and the family”

MAX MCRAE

For Evans & Furniss, bringing their Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 home second on the podium at the Jim Clark ahead of their Castrol-MEM teammates was a solid result to add to their P2 at Round 1. Alas, Evans appeared a little disappointed, having been strong at this rally in the past, deep down there was hope that the win was possible this time around, and although the Welshman recognized that it was a good result, he admitted that he “just has to start winning now!”

Osian Pryce & James Morgan, who rounded out the podium, would, however, still be leaving Scotland leading the overall BRC standings (40 points), three points ahead of Max McRae & Cameron Fair (37). Pryce was another to have had hoped for more at the Jim Clark, and acknowledged “that sometimes you have to make the most of what you can and try to consolidate“. Pryce would be leaving Duns with some positives, he had learnt a lot with the car and vowed to come back fighting at the Grampian Rally in August.

For the final loop of three stages, Ben McFall & Damain McAuley (Ford Fiesta Rally4) were able to ease off the throttle a bit and take a sensible drive to the finish for their second Junior British Rally Championship victory (+BRC4). From the get-go, the pair were on the money, leading from the opening stage of the event through to the chequered flag. With six out of the ten stage wins to their names, the pair’s final winning margin was 16.9 seconds over runners-up Luke Constantine & Ifan Devince (Opel Corsa Rally4).

“Very tricky stages, it’s probably the most difficult rally that I’ve done, because of how fast it is and how much speed you have to carry though the corners. Everything worked well, the car, the tyres, Damian, he was alright. It was very enjoyable”

Ben McFall

Luke and Ifan managed to pick up the four stage wins themselves and would claw back some of the time to the winners over the final loop of three stages. Heading into the final stage, the discussion in the cockpit of the Opel Corsa was “Trophies or Tress” and the pair would choose wisely to secure a second-place finish in the JBRC (plus Stelantis win). This result was a big improvement on their fifth-place result at the opening round, the Severn Valley Stages the previous month and Luke was “chuffed” with the result.

Rounding out the JBRC podium, Sam Mason & James Seymour were in a bit of a no-man’s land in their Peugeot 208 Rally4, with more than two minutes and twenty adrift from Constantine & Davine.

Reigning Asphalt Rally Champs, Sam Touzel & Max Freeman, would bring their shiny new Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 home in fourth overall to also secure the top step on the Asphalt Championship podium. The pair had delivered a strong result in Scotland for their maiden outing in the new car. Crossing the finish line a little over 22 seconds sooner than local Scotsman Garry Pearson, with Hannah McKillop alongside, who would round out the overall top five.

“I’m over the moon, we’ve had a great craic learning this car, it’s unique shall we say. What if I had started earlier or had a bit more testing? This car is solid, I just need to drive it harder. Congratulations to Max, that is where the sights are and where we wanna be”

Sam Touzel

The Asphalt Championship podium would be completed by Hugh Brunton & Drew Sturrock- P2 (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) and Alexander Vassallo & Chris Lees – P3 (Ford Fiesta Rally2).

Although Touzel secured his second Protyre Asphalt Championship win of the season at the Jim Clark to add to his victory at the opening round – The East Riding Stages, because of his no-show at the Manx Rally, he currently sits in P3 behind Aled Morgans. Having finished sixteenth overall and seventh on the Asphalt Championship results sheet, Lee Edwards, who again secured the two-wheel drives honours in his Ford Escort G3, continues to lead the overall standings.

Elsewhere, a late BRC National registration from Owen Patterson & Catrin Price would prove to be a good decision, and it was all smiles in their Subaru Impreza as they secured the BRC National award. Sadly, their competition fell away on the opening night of the rally, where Alfie Hammond & Christian Brown (Subaru Impreza) super rallied from the third stage onwards, and John Clayton & Elgan Davies retired the Nissan Micra Kit Car soon after in stage four. Aoife Raftery & Kyle McDaid also picked up the BRC3 honours.

FINAL RESULTS

NEXT TIME

Following the cancellation of the Carlisle Stages, the British Rally Championship heads further north to the Scottish Forests and will now resume on the gravel at the Grampian Rally (7–8 August). The Asphalt Championship will also remain in Scotland for Round 4, heading west to Dunoon on the Cowal peninsula for the Dunoon Presents Argyll Rally in June (19-20).