Creighton Stands The Heat!
Words by James Downie.
Photography by Alex Stefan, Amber Laybourne, James Downie for Rally Media UK,
William Creighton/Liam Regan won the Nicky Grist Stages
Round 3 of the BTRDA rally championship, the Nicky Grist Stages, is one of the most popular rallies in the British calendar, loved by drivers, fans and photographers alike for its sweeping and challenging gravel stages in magnificent Welsh scenery in and around the Epynt Military Ranges.
The 2025 edition followed the usual format, with a start/finish point in Builth Wells on the second Saturday in July, 2 loops of 4 stages split by midway service and run in the midst of a summer heatwave which would see to it that conditions would be extremely hot and dusty.
A high quality 142 car entry started the rally, bolstered by top BRC contenders, Will Creighton/Liam Regan, Meirion Evans/Dale Furness (MEM Yaris’s) and Callum Black/Jack Morton (Fiesta). They joined the BTRDA and Welsh championship regulars, with Matt Hirst/Declan Dear out to bounce back from their controversial Border Counties heartbreak which had handed the win and maximum Gold Star points to Yorkshire rival Elliot Payne last time out. Hirst has been consistently getting better of Payne’s Fiesta since switching to the Fabia towards the end of 2024, so that must have hurt.
Making a welcome return to the British rally scene was Osian Pryce who, with Phil Pugh on the notes, and on home soil, started as obvious favourite in the 2wd category in a Mark 2 Escort, although opposition was sure to be strong from Silver Star leading contenders David Henderson/Will Atkinson and Ben Friend/Cliffy Simmons in similar machinery. Nigel and Kaz Jenkins and Dylan Fowler-Bishop/Dan Evans headed the 1400cc bronze star category…
SS1 was Monument - a stunning stage on the north western edge of the ranges with steep climbs and drops, hairpins, jumps, and some spectacular views at the top. With temperatures already hitting 30 degrees C, Creighton took advantage of running with a dust free view and slotted into the overall lead from Hirst, Payne and Evans, (the Welshman 4th fastest in spite of a costly spin), with Ireland’s Jason Mitchell 5th, 12 seconds down on Creighton. Fastest 2wd was indeed Pryce, but surprisingly, his nearest pursuers were the Escorts of Robert Gough and Dafryg James, with Henderson and Friend 4th and 5th. Henderson headed the times for the Silver Star runners, with the Jenkins’s as expected fastest bronze star crew from Fowler-Bishop.
Callum Black/Jack Morton reached the finish in 5th
SS2 was the famous Route 60, last used on this very rally in 2018. Starting just east of Dixies, heading along the top, then sweeping down onto the valley floor and climbing again through a technical section before flattening out and snaking south on the ranges towards Llywel. Creighton was fastest again, narrowly beating team mate Evans and Hirst, with Mitchell a further 3 seconds back and Black 5th fastest. Pryce, James, Henderson, Gough and Friend were covered by 11 seconds and Fowler-Bishop snatched the bronze star lead from Jenkins.
Elliott Payne sideways on Route 60
SS3 Halfway started on MOD land near Dixies and then took a left into the woods, climbing to a high point mid stage with some epic views then dropping down into the southern part of the forest for the second half, finishing out towards the A40. Creighton was narrowly fastest from Evans, Black, Hirst and Payne… with Scotsman Alex Vassallo an impressive 6th fastest in the Fiesta. Pryce continued to dominate the 2wd field, but Henderson’s run ended here, as did that of Bob Morris and rising star Charlie Tuthill. Fowler - Bishop extended his bronze star lead over Jenkins by a further 4 seconds.
Meirion Evans/Dale Furniss were a fine 2nd overall
Last stage before service was the classic Crychan (named Bowlsey for this occasion), which was a typically twisty and challenging run through the forest, with hanging dust proving hazardous. Creighton completed a full house of morning stage wins, taking a lead of just over 11 seconds at the midway point of the rally from Hirst, with Evans fighting his way back into contention. 3rd at service, 5 seconds down on Hirst. Pryce’s classy drive continued and he now led the 2wd category by almost half a minute and was up to an impressive 15th overall. Dylan Fowler-Bishop was over 11 seconds clear of the bronze star field… James Giddings led the welsh championship crews and held 9th overall in the trusty old evo.
At service back in Builth the leading positions were:
Creighton/Regan 22.18.0
Hirst/Dear +11.1
Evans/Furniss +16.6
Black/Morton +35.4
Payne/Walsh +36.2
Osian Pryce was in a class of his own on his return to the UK rally scene
Into the afternoon, and temperatures were to soar into the mid 30s and conditions were more in tune with an Acropolis or a Sardinia than what we’ve come to associate with a typical rally in Wales. The hanging dust had become such an issue that the organisers allowed the top 30 crews to enter the stages at 2 minute intervals, and with the surfaces much rougher after the first passage, tyre preservation became a major factor for the crews.
Matthew Hirst and Declan Dear put their Border Counties disappointment behind them with a superb 3rd overall and maximum Gold Star points
The return run of Monument saw Meirion Evans end Creighton’s monopoly of stage wins…and a quick time from Elliott Payne allowed the young Yorkshireman to leapfrog Black into 4th, albeit a long way behind fellow Yorkshireman Hirst in the quest for maximum gold star points but it was the end of the road for another Yorkshire front runner, Liam Clark.
Creighton restored order with another fastest time on Route 60. Tyre issues for Payne put him back down to 6th but the rest were bunched closely together on this stage.
The final two stages were repeats of Halfway and Bowlsey, and with Creighton well ahead he backed off a little to save tyre wear, and focus switched to the tight battle for second between Hirst and Evans. They set joint fastest time in Halfway but a puncture on the final stage for Hirst allowed Evans to sweep through with another stage win, in the process closing to within 3 seconds of Creighton by the finish. Hirst nevertheless was delighted to take a fine 3rd overall and maximum BTRDA Gold Star points from Payne.
Pryce was in a class of his own in 2wd, finishing a superb 12th overall, well over a minute clear of Gough and getting some valuable miles under his belt in the new Escort, as he prepares for a full assault on November’s Roger Albert Clark Rally. Meanwhile, Fowler-Bishop held off an afternoon fightback from the Jenkins’s to claim a great win in the bronze star category. The demise of Henderson earlier in the day had allowed Lewis Hooper and Rhys Edwards to take an unchallenged Silver Star win in the stylishly driven R2 Fiesta.
Mitchell, Black, Payne, Vasello and Giddings rounded out the top 8 places on what had been an extremely tough day in unprecedentedly hot conditions for a UK rally. Challenging for the crews of course but a big shout out to the organisers, Marshall’s, media and spectators who made it through the day.
James Giddings and Aled Davies took victory at a canter in the Pirelli Welsh Championship…
See you next time out at the Woodpecker, when it should hopefully have cooled down a bit..
Conditions took their toll…
Final Positions:
Creighton/Regan 44m11.9s
Evans/Furniss +2.6s
Hirst/Dear +9.6s (1st BTRDA gold star)
Mitchell/McRudden +44.9s
Black/Morton +1m1.9s
Payne/Walsh +1m15.6s
Vassallo//Lees +1m50.1s
Giddings/Davies+2m52.7s (1st Welsh Championship)
Hammill/Moore +3m17s
O’Brien/Burns+3m24.2s
12. Pryce/Pugh +3m55.4s
23. Hooper/Edwards +7m00.4 (1st BTRDA Silver star)
30. Fowler-Bishop/Evans +7.51.2 (1st BTRDA bronze star)
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