REPORT / TOUR OF EPYNT 2025

WORDS BY ANDY COOK | PHOTOGRAPY BY NIGEL PRATT (BLACK MOUNTAINS MEDIA)

The Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship returned to Wales for its final fling of the year  with a two-day affair over the infamous roads of Epynt to close out the season.

Already with the Championship title sewn up, Sam Tourzel, alongside Co-Driver Max Freeman, arrived at the Tour of Epynt with the pressure valve eased off, but they would, however, still be looking to end their Asphalt campaign on a high. Following their back-to-back wins on the Downs Rally and Rali Ceredigion, the pair would be hunting down a hat-trick of wins on the trot at the Tour of Epynt. And as a nice “Brucey Bonus”, Jason Pritchard & Phil Clarke were unable to contest their local event; therefore, their absence would allow Max Freeman to also secure the overall Co-Drivers title in the series.

Elsewhere in the Asphalt Championship, there was still silverware up for grabs; Huw James & Sam Lewis needed a result at Epynt in their Ford Escort MKII to secure the Class-C title. Although the pair would arrive in Wales level on points with Gordon Morrison, Morrison would not be making an appearance at the final round of the season. This left their main concern to come in the form of third-place man, Max Murrey in the Citroën DS3, who could mathematically still steal the show.

Following a troublesome outing the previous month over the very same roads, Class B contender Adrian Spencer was also looking for a result to end his Asphalt Championship campaign, but after drive shaft woes on the Mewla Rally previously, was Epynt about to once again ruin his day?

A field of over eighty competitors would tackle the rally, which was spread over two days. Offering up around seventy-seven miles of Asphalt over eight stages, with four stages a piece over each day.

LEG 1

The short but sharp opening test would see Champ Touzel’s time matched by the Darrian T90 GTR being driven by Wayne Jones, but Touzel and Freeman, in their Ford Fiesta Rally2 were able to eek out a two second lead to the Darrain over the second and longer stage of the day.

PHOTOS: WYANE JONES & RHYS JONES | SAM TOUZEL & MAX FREEMAN

Behind in third, David Wright and Jane Nicol in their Ford Fiesta Rally2, were just a further three seconds off the rear wing of the Darian and some ten seconds down the road from Epynt veteran, Damian Cole in the Citroën C3 Rally2.

PHOTOS: DAVID WRIGHT & JANE NICOL | DAMIAN COLE & PAUL SPOONER

After the opening two stages, Huw James and Lewis Sim were on target early on, lying joint ninth overall. The objective in their MKII Ford Escort for the rally was simply to bring it home.

Over the repeated loop, once again, Touzel and Jones matched each other’s times over the short Llandilo’r Fan stretch of road; however, Jones was able to go one better on the final longer stage of the opening day. The Jones pairing would secure the stage win by 3 seconds over Touzel & Freeman, and with it, the Darian crew would take the overnight lead of the rally.

David Wright & Jame Nicol would continue to hold third in their Ford Fiesta, increasing their gap to Damian Cole & Paul Spooner in the Citroën C3 to nineteen seconds, whilst Asphalt regulars, John Stone & Rhys Stoneman would round out the top 5 in their VW Polo GTi R5, just seven seconds short of Cole/Spooner.

PHOTOS: DAVID WRIGHT & JANE NICOL | DAMIAN COLE & PAUL SPOONER | JOHN STONE & RHYS STONEMAN

Huw James & Lewis Sim continued to hold P9 and were where they needed to be for Class C; the final stage of the day would bring drama for Class B contender, Adrian Spencer. With Co-Driver Mark Hewitt alongside in the Subaru Impreza, the pair were holding P24 heading into the final stage of the opening day. Sadly, the mechanical gremlins would return, forcing the pair to retire with gearbox issues.

PHOTO: HUW JAMES & LEWIS SIM

END OF LEG 1

POS	LEADERBOARD	CAR	TIME (DIF)
1	#89 W.JONES / R.JONES	DARRIAN T90 GTR	19:17
2	#1 S.TOUZEL / M.FREEMAN	FORD FIESTA RALLY2	19:18 (+1)
3	#4 D.WRIGHT / J.NICOL	FORD FIESTA RALLY2	19:28 (+10)
4	#2 D.COLE / P.SPOONER	CITROEN C3 RALLY2	19:47 (+19)
5	#7 J.STONE / R.STONEMAN	VW POLO GTI R5	19:54 (+7)

LEG 2

The following day provided a further four stages and some fifty stage miles for Sam Touzel and Max Freeman to go after the win, starting the day with just a single second deficit to Wayne & Rhys Jones, which wasn’t going to be too much of a concern, and so it was very much GAME ON!

PHOTO: WAYNE JONES & RHYS JONES

Although both crews stopped the clocks on identical times on the first stage of the day, Touzel & Freeman would make their move on Stage 6, taking some eleven seconds out of Jones to take over the lead of the rally. In the very next stage, it would soon be clear that something clearly wasn’t right with that Darian on the previous stage, as the Joneses would retire from the rally on this penultimate stage with mechanical issues. The unfortunate demise of the Darian was rather disappointing, as up until then, it was a good tit for tat battle for the win.

Heading into the final stage of the rally, and indeed the Championship, the pressure was now well and truly off. Sam Tousel and Max Freeman could enjoy the final stage, cruise home to secure the win. The final winning margin was four seconds over one minute, and with six out of eight stage wins on their scorecard, it was a great way to end their Championship-winning season.

PHOTO: SAM TOUZEL & MAX FREEMAN

Also to benefit from Jones’ retirement, and promoted into the second place on the podium, David Wright and Jane Nicol would bring their Ford Fiesta Rally2 home with a decent gap of some forty-six seconds to Damian Cole & Paul Spooner in the Citroën C3 Rally2. John Stone & Rhys Stoneman (VW Polo GTi R5) & Roger Duckworth & Alun Cook (Ford Fiesta R5) were to round out the top five, respectively.

PHOTOS: DAMIAN COLE & PAUL SPOONER | JONE STONE & RHYS STONEMAN | ROGER DUCKWORTH & ALUN COOK

Focusing elsewhere in the Asphalt Championship, Huw James & Lewis Sim did exactly what was needed over Epynt, and the pair would indeed take home the Class C win in their MKII Ford Escort, which would in turn seal them the Class C title.

PHOTO: HUW JAMES & LEWIS SIM

Andrew Brinkly with Helena Mayall would bring their BMW M3 home for the Class B rally win; however, despite retiring from the event the previous day, taking into account previous results already scored in the Championship, Adrian Spencer was still able to pick up the Class B title, which no doubt more than made up for his retirement from the event.

PHOTOS: ANDREW BRINKLEY & HELENA MAYALL | ADRIAN SPENCER & MARK HEWITT

Neil Jones & Alan Thomas (MKII Ford Escort) would take the Class E rally win, but the Class E title would go to Alyn Welsby (MKII Escort) after he and Co-Driver Daniel Parsons recorded a P16 overall finish and second in class.

PHOTOS: NEIL JONES & ALAN THOMAS | ALYN WELSBY & DANIEL PARSONS

Charlie Wright & Margaret Kelly would pick up the Class F rally win, and William Mains the Class G rally win, which would also hand Mains the Class G title.

PHOTOS: CHARLIE WRIGHT & MARGARET KELLY | WILLIAM MAINS & VINCE MOSLEY

Shane Gamble & Danielle Cooper would win Class H & the Historic Cup on the day, but it would be Andrew O’Hanlon & Kevin Hogan who would be leaving Epynt with the overall Historic Cup & Mini Challenge Championship titles to their CVs.

PHOTOS: SHANE GAMBLE & DANIELLE COOPER | ANDREW O’HANLON & KEVIN HOGAN

FINAL RESULTS

POS	LEADERBOARD	CAR	TIME
1	#1 S.TOUZEL / M.FREEMAN	FORD FIESTA RALLY2	1:02:23
2	#4 D.WRIGHT / J.NICOL	FORD FIESTA RALLY2	1:03:27 (+1:04)
3	#2 D.COLE / P.SPOONER	CITROEN C3 RALLY2	1:04:13 (+46)
4	#7 J.STONE / A.STONE	VW POLO GTI R5	1:04:22 (+9)
5	#9 R.DUCKWORTH / A.COOK	FORD FIESTA R5	1:04:28 (+6)