2026 Hills Ford Stages Report: Paint it Black!

Words by James Downie, videography by Nikolay D Nedelchev for Rally Media UK. Images supplied courtesy of Jamie Stout/caution.over.crest.

Callum Black and James Aldridge ran out comfortable winners despite being 8th overnight.

After a year away, the Hills Ford Stages Rally returned to the Calendar for 2026 as the deciding round of the MSUK Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship. Following unsuccessful attempts to secure a permit from the relevant Local Authorities last year, the decision was taken to rethink and relocate, and the popular closed road stage rally was back with an all new format, all new stages and an all new base. Moving north to Shrewsbury allowed for an interesting format and more varied, technical and challenging stages in the beautiful Shropshire Hills. Another bonus of the new home was that the much loved and evocative spectator stage in Weston Park was just 25 miles away, and the Estate owners were onboard quickly.

Even so, this year’s rally was not without it’s difficulties, not helped in the build up by some appallingly irresponsible local media sensationalism, which gave a disproportiate amount of coverage to a tiny minority of badly informed anti-rally scaremongers. Despite this, the overwhelming majority of local residents and businesses as well as Shropshire County and Shrewsbury Town Councils recognised the benefits that such an event could bring to their communities, and the rally was granted its permit.

The 2026 Hills Ford Stages had around 70 competitive miles on the menu, spread over 14 stages, and ran over the weekend of the 19th and 20th September. Starting Saturday lunchtime from Shrewsbury Livestock Market, the 149 crews were sent off to Weston Park for 4 runs at an identical stage, with plenty of remote service on offer within the grounds of the Estate, before an overnight halt back in the host town. Sunday was a different ball game, and there were 5 brand new closed public road stages in the Shropshire Hills, all run twice .

Aled Wynn Morgans and Jack Bowen stayed out of trouble and were rewarded with 3rd in the rally and 3rd in the Protyre Championship.

2024 Protyre Champion Callum Black with co-driver James Aldridge led the field away in a Rally2 Fiesta. After a quiet 2026, Callum was unburdened by Championship concerns, and just wanted to pull the pin out and win the Rally. Behind him there was an intriguing 4 way battle for this years Championship. Somerset’s Brad Cole, with Jamie Vaughan alongside, led the Championship, but with dropped scores complicating matters, they knew a win was likely to be needed in their Rally2 Fiesta. Ditto Welshman Aled Wynn Morgans and Jack Bowen in another Rally2 Fiesta. Another crew in with a chance of the title were spectator favourites Lee Edwards and Sam Spencer in the incredible V6 Jaguar-engined Rear Wheel Drive Escort G3. Starting the rally 4th in the championship were three times Protyre Champions Jason Pritchard and Phil Clarke in the Rally2 Toyota Yaris, but in reality they were title favourites as they would not have to drop a score. Another former champion just wanting to win was Mark Kelly, with Will Atkins alongside in the Rally2 Skoda Fabia, as were Steve Simpson and Mark Glennister in a Rally2 Fiesta. Other highly experienced crews in quick cars making the start were John Stone/Rhys Stoneman (R5 Polo), Ian Forgan/Chris Lees (Rally2 Fiesta) and Roger Duckworth/Alun Cook (R5 Fiesta).

The 2.59 mile Weston Park stage used all the locations made famous by the old Lombard RAC Rally, including the Waterspash and the the left and right through gates between the farm buildings, and with 4 passages, the crews would have ample opportunity to get to know it. The weather was good but the surface was tricky and changeable and got worse throughout the day as more mud and water was dragged on. The crowds were huge too, which was fantastic to see and a real credit to the rally organisers. It all felt rather like a Sunday run on the old RAC, albeit on a Saturday. To add to the nostalgic vibe, the rally was timed to the nearest second rather than tenth.

Fastest on all 4 Weston Park stages was Mark Kelly’s Fabia, to lead the rally by 12 seconds overnight from Brad Cole, who had put himself in a strong position for the Protyre title, although he was well aware that another 60 miles of much tougher stages were still ahead. Despite the grip and power disadvantage, Lee Edwards was a remarkable 3rd, only 2 seconds further back. “Forgy”and Mr Legend Fires himself were tied for 4th. After cautious starts, Pritchard was 7th, with Black and Morgans in a three-way tie for 8th with the impressive Darryl Morris and Steve Gully’s Skoda who had a start number of 24. These were stages where the old adage rang true about not being able to win the rally there, but definitely being able to lose it. Most of the top crews were happy to get to the overnight halt and still be in contention. However, there were several retirements lower down the field and 6 crews would re-start under Super-Rally rules.

Overnight Leaderboard:

1 Kelly/Atkins Fabia 10m10s

2 Cole/Vaughan Fiesta +12s

3 Edwards/Spencer Escort +14s

4 Forgan/Lees Fiesta +23s

= Stone/Stoneman Polo +23s

6 Swann/Thomas Fiesta +24s

7 Pritchard/Clarke Yaris +25s

8 Black/Aldridge Fiesta +27s

=Morgans/Bowen Fiesta +27s

=Morris/Gully Fabia +27s

The good weather continued into Sunday. It was another bright and sunny day, and an intriguing and challenging one. The first of the new stages was called Cressage, although it didn’t go through the village itself. It was a 6.73 mile test, very narrow, with mud and gravel in parts, and tall hedges casting shadows for much of the stage, a couple of hairpins, virtual chicanes, and in particular, a watersplash through a ford which brought chaos. First victim was overnight leader Kelly, who’s Fabia drowned out and retired there. He was soon joined by 4th placed Ian Forgan. In fact a total of 6 cars drowned out and retired in the Cressage Ford, and those that got through were delayed trying to get past those that didn’t. The carnage was such that the stage was red flagged after just 25 cars. The upshot was that Brad Cole emerged from the stage in the overall lead by 5 seconds from Pritchard (moving up 5 places in one hit) and Edwards, with Black (going from 8th to 4th) a further 6 seconds back.

The next stage was the 8.23 mile Clee Hill. Although it was also tight and had the high hedges and gravel, it was different in character and much more fast and flowing with uphill and downhill sections. Black was fastest to overhaul Edwards for 3rd and close in on the Championship chasing Cole and Pritchard. Roger Duckworth who had been delayed when Forgan retired, pulled up 4 places to 7th here. Up to a very impressive 8th was the historic spec Escort RS of Stefan Davies and Michael Gilbey, with the similar spec Fiat 131 Abarth of Huw James up to 9th.

Jason Pritchard and Phil Clarke were 2nd overall but clinched a 4th Protyre Asphalt title.

The Lawley was a shorter stage. It started off with more narrow and twisty stuff between the hedges but had a really nice final section, quick and undulating steeply downhill through a wooded section. With another fastest time, Black was now past Pritchard and into 2nd, and was within 5 seconds of leader Cole. Edwards was comfortable in 4th ahead of Stone in 5th and Morgans in 6th.

SS8 was Dorrington, 4.67 miles and was generally similar in character to the others but there was the odd open section near farmland. Black and Pritchard shared joint fastest, and Black was now just a single second down on the leader. Morgans overtook Stone for 5th. The seemingly friendly stages were proving tough on the cars, with 28 already out and another 10 on Super Rally.

The last of the new stages was by far the best and most challenging for both drivers and co-drivers. The 4.87 mile Linley stage was different to the others in character. Although narrow, it was very technical and fast and flowing, with walls, bridges, jumps, gradients, open sections with scenery, a very tight hairpin and a great section through the woods. As expected, the lead changed hands here, but not in the way everyone assumed it would. Black lost time and it was Pritchard and Cole who went into the lunchtime break and service as joint rally leaders, with Black 5 seconds behind. The other title contenders, Edwards and Morgans were 4th and 5th overall and all four of them were still in contention for the 2026 MSUK Protyre Rally Championship at this point.

The first stage of the afternoon was the repeat of Cressage. Sadly Lee Edwards and Sam Spencer’s chances of the title ended with differential failure and the magnificent Escort G3 retired from 4th overall. The Cressage stage was quickly establishing a reputation as a fairly brutal rally car eater, claiming an incredible 20 victims over the two runs. Black was fastest by 6 seconds to finally force his way into the lead from Pritchard. However, another championship was nigh. Cole clipped a bank in the Fiesta, and the resulting suspension damage put him out. A heartbreaking end to a fantastic season. With Edwards and Cole out Morgans inherited 3rd overall but was too far behind Pritchard to apply any pressure. Baring problems, the man from Builth Wells just had to get the Rally2 Yaris home to claim a 4th Protyre title. There was no point risking a battle with Black at this stage, so the Englishman was also in the clear now for the Rally win.

The extraordinary retirement rate had shaken up the lower part of the top 10. though. John Stone stayed 4th in the Legend Fires R5 Polo, and Duckworth had been promoted to 5th. Ed Fossey and Will Rutherford were up to a fantastic 6th overall in the Millington engined Proton Satria. Steffan Evans was up to an incredible 7th in a Mark 2 Escort and Will Rowlands and Emyr Hall 9th in a similar historic spec Escort, sandwiching 8th placed Bradley Carroll and Antony Stoneman’s Rally2 Fiesta.

Over the remaining stages Black eaked out his lead win by 15 seconds from Pritchard, who duly got the car home to claim that 4th title. Morgans rounded off an impressive first season in a Rally2 car with 3rd in the rally and 3rd in the championship, albeit over 2 and a half minutes adrift of the winner. It had been that type of rally and although Stone held on to 4th and Duckworth 5th, there was still time for another retirement from the leaderboard, as the prop shaft fell out of Fossey’s Satria, promoting Evans and Gilbey to 6th overall in car built to it’s original 51 year old specification.

Of the 149 starters, only 91 made it to the finish, and 5 of those were under Super Rally rules. This had been a tough and unforgiving rally that demanded respect.

It had been a successful one though. Hotels, Pubs, Restaurants, Shops and Petrol Stations in the area had all had big boost from the influx of people to the area, and crucially, the local residents and councils had really taken to it. Perhaps the most telling indicator of the rally’s success though, was the appearance post event of positive reports in a certain section of the local media!

Final Results:

1 Callum Black/James Aldridge Fiesta 1h06m33s

2 Jason Pritchard/Phil Clarke Yaris +15s (2026 MSUK Protyre Asphalt Champion)

3 Aled Wynn Morgans/Jack Bowen Fiesta +2m34s

4 John Stone/Rhys Stoneman Polo +3.05

5 Roger Duckworth/Alun Cook Fiesta +3.38

6 Stefan Davies/Michael Gilbey Escort +4.57

7 Bradley Carroll/Antony Stoneman Fiesta +5.11

8 Will Rowlands/Emyr Hall Escort +5.52

9 James Hall/Laura Marshall Impreza +5.55

10 Gareth Price/Liam Evans BMW +5.59

2026 MSUK Protyre Asphalt Rally Championship Final Standings:

1 Jason Pritchard 148 points

2 Brad Cole 133

3 Aled Wynn Jones 132

4 Lee Edwards 129

5 John Stone 122

6 Ian Forgan 101

Cole versus Pritchard

The championship battle sharpened considerably over the remaining morning stages.

Pritchard and Clarke were now attacking rather than simply driving for the title. A fastest time on SS6 Clee Hill 1 reduced Cole's advantage to only two seconds. [asphaltrallying.com]

Cole remained in front through The Lawley and Dorrington, but Pritchard struck again on SS9 Linley 1. Another fastest time erased the remaining deficit and sent the two title protagonists into midday service tied for the rally lead. [asphaltrallying.com]

Five stages remained.

Behind them, Edwards was producing a remarkable performance in his rear-wheel-drive Ford Escort G3, sitting third among the championship runners and fourth overall, while Morgans remained only four seconds further back. All four drivers who had entered the weekend with mathematical title hopes were therefore still in contention. [asphaltrallying.com]

It was an extraordinary setup for the final loop.

The stage that changed the championship

SS10 Cressage 2 proved decisive.

Cole and Vaughan entered the afternoon tied with Pritchard. But Cole clipped a bank and was forced to retire his Fiesta Rally2, ending both his pursuit of the rally victory and his hopes of holding onto the championship lead. [themotorsp...thubni.com], [asphaltrallying.com]

Edwards' challenge also ended on SS10. Having been in contention for the championship throughout the weekend, his Ford Escort G3 retired with a suspected differential failure. [asphaltrallying.com]

The same stage also eliminated Philip Hopkins/Ashley Trimble, whose Mitsubishi Mirage suffered clutch failure, and Alyn Welsby/Dan Parsons. [asphaltrallying.com]

For Pritchard, the equation had suddenly become much simpler. The driver who had started Sunday fighting Cole for both rally position and championship points now simply needed to bring his Toyota home.

Black comes through for victory

While much of the attention surrounded the championship battle, Black and Aldridge were constructing the performance that ultimately delivered outright victory.

Black was not registered for the Protyre Asphalt Championship, meaning his presence did not directly take championship points away from Pritchard. By the finish, the Fiesta Rally2 crew had established a 15-second advantage, stopping the clock at 1:06:33. [rallywire.co.uk], [asphaltrallying.com]

Pritchard therefore finished second outright in 1:06:48, but first among the registered Protyre Asphalt crews. That maximum-points result was enough to make him champion. [rallywire.co.uk], [asphaltrallying.com]

Morgans and Bowen completed the outright podium in their Fiesta Rally2. Their time of 1:09:07 placed them 2m34s behind Black and delivered a career-best second-place finish among the registered Asphalt Championship competitors. [rallywire.co.uk], [asphaltrallying.com]

Stage-by-stage analysis

SS

Stage

Analysis

SS1

Weston Park 1

The short opening test begins the battle among an exceptionally tightly matched Asphalt Championship field. [rally-maps.com], [asphaltrallying.com]

SS2

Weston Park 2

Margins remain tiny as the contenders search for time around the compact estate roads. [asphaltrallying.com]

SS3

Weston Park 3

Cole begins establishing himself as the key championship contender at the head of the registered field. [asphaltrallying.com]

SS4

Weston Park 4

Cole ends Saturday ahead, just two seconds clear of the impressive Edwards. Forgan and Stone are tied immediately behind. [asphaltrallying.com]

SS5

Cressage 1

Chaos at the watersplash. Overnight leaders Kelly/Atkins stop, while several leading championship crews are delayed and numerous competitors retire. [asphaltrallying.com], [asphaltrallying.com]

SS6

Clee Hill 1

Pritchard attacks. Fastest time reduces Cole's advantage to two seconds and turns the championship fight into a direct duel. [asphaltrallying.com]

SS7

The Lawley 1

Cole keeps Pritchard at bay as the morning battle continues across the technical Shropshire lanes. [asphaltrallying.com]

SS8

Dorrington 1

Pritchard remains within striking distance; Edwards and Morgans remain firmly involved behind. [asphaltrallying.com]

SS9

Linley 1

Pritchard draws level. Another fastest time leaves him and Cole tied at the front heading into service. [asphaltrallying.com]

SS10

Cressage 2

The decisive stage. Cole clips a bank and retires; Edwards also retires with suspected differential failure. The championship swings dramatically towards Pritchard. [asphaltrallying.com], [themotorsp...thubni.com]

SS11

Clee Hill 2

With Cole gone, Pritchard switches from outright attack towards securing the maximum championship points available. [asphaltrallying.com]

SS12

The Lawley 2

Black consolidates his pursuit of outright victory while Pritchard remains securely positioned for the championship. [rallywire.co.uk], [asphaltrallying.com]

SS13

Dorrington 2

The leading crews negotiate the penultimate test with Black heading towards victory and Pritchard towards the title. [rallywire.co.uk], [asphaltrallying.com]

SS14

Linley 2

Black completes the rally 15 seconds ahead of Pritchard. Pritchard's second place secures maximum Protyre points and the 2026 championship. [rallywire.co.uk], [asphaltrallying.com]

The three decisive moments

Weston Park put Cole in position. Saturday was separated by seconds rather than tens of seconds, but Cole emerged with the championship initiative and carried that confidence into Sunday. [asphaltrallying.com]

SS6 and SS9 brought Pritchard back. The Toyota driver chipped away at Cole's advantage rather than waiting for championship permutations to decide his approach. Winning SS6 brought him within two seconds; his SS9 performance brought him level. [asphaltrallying.com]

SS10 settled the title fight. Cole's retirement on Cressage 2 removed Pritchard's principal championship rival just as Edwards' Ford Escort also stopped. From there, the task became one of control rather than attack. [asphaltrallying.com], [themotorsp...thubni.com]

Final results

Hills Ford Stages 2026

Pos.

Driver / Co-driver

Car

Time / Gap

1

Callum Black / James Aldridge

Ford Fiesta Rally2

1:06:33 [rallywire.co.uk]

2

Jason Pritchard / Phil Clarke

Toyota GR Yaris Rally2

+15s [rallywire.co.uk]

3

Aled Wyn Morgans / Jack Bowen

Ford Fiesta Rally2

+2:34 [rallywire.co.uk]

4

John Stone / Rhys Stoneman

Volkswagen Polo GTI R5

+3:05 [rallywire.co.uk]

5

Roger Duckworth / Alun Cook

Ford Fiesta Rally2

+3:38 [rallywire.co.uk]

6

Stef Davies / Michael Gilbey

Ford Escort Mk2

+4:57 [rallywire.co.uk]

7

Bradley Carroll / Antony Stoneman

Ford Fiesta Rally2

+5:11 [rallywire.co.uk]

8

Will Rowlands / Emyr Hall

Ford Escort RS1800

+5:52 [rallywire.co.uk]

9

James Hall / Laura Marshall

Subaru Impreza

+5:55 [rallywire.co.uk]

10

Gareth Price / Liam Evans

BMW Compact

+5:59 [rallywire.co.uk]

The historic machinery produced two particularly eye-catching results. Stef Davies and Michael Gilbey took their Ford Escort Mk2 to sixth outright, while Will Rowlands and Emyr Hall finished eighth in another Escort. Shrewsbury driver Gareth Price also delivered a notable home performance, placing his BMW Compact tenth overall and winning his class. [rallywire.co.uk], [hillsfords...ages.co.uk]

Pritchard completes remarkable title comeback

Pritchard's championship success was particularly impressive given the position from which he recovered.

The Builth Wells driver had been only 17th in the championship after round three, but four consecutive maximum-points finishes during the second half of the season carried him all the way to the title. Hills Ford completed that run and gave Pritchard his fourth Protyre Asphalt crown, adding 2026 to his previous championships in 2018, 2019 and 2021. [asphaltrallying.com], [themotorsp...thubni.com]

Cole's retirement was painful, but his season was still rewarded with championship runner-up honours and a test in an M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 as the highest-placed Fiesta Rally2 driver. He finished just one championship point ahead of Morgans. [asphaltrallying.com]

Final championship standings

Pos.

Driver

Points

1

Jason Pritchard

148

2

Brad Cole

133

3

Aled Wyn Morgans

132

4

Lee Edwards

129

5

John Stone

122

6

Ian Forgan

101

The published final standings include the championship's dropped-score calculations where applicable. [asphaltrallying.com]

Interestingly, the co-drivers' championship produced a different winner. Jack Bowen's season alongside Morgans earned him the overall co-drivers' crown on 134 points, three ahead of Chris Lees. [asphaltrallying.com]

Verdict

The first Shropshire edition of the Hills Ford Stages delivered both an absorbing rally and an appropriately dramatic conclusion to the Asphalt Championship.

Black and Aldridge were worthy outright winners, emerging from a rally that punished several established frontrunners to take victory by 15 seconds. [rallywire.co.uk], [hillsfords...ages.co.uk]

Yet the championship story belonged to Pritchard. When Cole led on Saturday, Pritchard remained patient. When the gap needed closing on Sunday morning, he attacked. And when Cole's challenge ended on SS10, Pritchard understood that outright victory mattered less than reaching Shrewsbury with maximum championship points. [asphaltrallying.com], [asphaltrallying.com], [asphaltrallying.com]

It was the sort of measured performance expected from an experienced champion. Black won the Hills Ford Stages, but Pritchard left Shropshire with the bigger prize: his fourth British asphalt title. [rallywire.co.uk], [asphaltrallying.com]