2 weeks Ago By Irishexaminer.com
Monaco based Mancunian Chris Ingram (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) clinched the Probite British Rally Championship with a start to finish victory in the season-ending Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally in the forests of north-Wales. In a thrilling contest, the former European Rally champion was pushed all the way by Irish driver William Creighton in his M-Sport run Ford Fiesta Rally2 and could only afford to ease off ever so slightly on the day’s seventh and final stage to claim his maiden British title. Ingram finished 20.
8s ahead of Creighton with another series contender Welsh ace Osian Pryce (Ford Fiesta Rally2) some 25.2s further behind in third. However, Ballylickey’s Keith Cronin’s bid for a record equalling fifth British title ended on the second stage when his Ford Fiesta Rally2 suffered mechanical failure.
The opening 12.67km stage (Elsi) gave a foretaste of how the event developed with Ingram a mere 0.9s ahead of Creighton with Pryce another 6.
6s behind in third. The fourth title contender, Keith Cronin, who admitted his title bid was a remote prospect, took time to settle and finished the stage in seventh spot 22.2s off the lead.
Top seed and last year’s event winner Tom Cave (VW Polo GTi R5) haemorrhaged time as he had to stop and change a punctured wheel and resorted to using a wheel brace when the wheel gun malfunctioned. Cronin’s title bid evaporated on the iconic 24.8km Clocaenog stage when his Ford Fiesta suffered a broken compression strut.
Ingram was quickest again but both Creighton and Pryce were only fractions of a second behind in terms of stage time - overall, Ingram led Creighton by 1.3s. On the two remaining stages prior to service break, Ingram eked out a 5s advantage although he reckoned he made a few small errors.
Creighton admitted that he struggled through both stages and was unsure why, he did admit to having some understeer, yet, he was equal fastest with Ingram on S.S.4.
Pryce also struggled and couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason; he was 17.4s off top spot. As they headed to service Max McRae (Ford Fiesta Rally2) occupied fourth - 53.
6s behind Ingram. The three afternoon stages were a repeat of S.S.
2, 3 and 4. On Clocaenog (S.S.
5) Ingram only gained 0.3s on his title rival, however, on the penultimate stage Creighton lost 14.1s when he spun, although he retained second, the Moira driver was 19.
4s behind Ingram. In the end and although Creighton made a brave bid, it just fell just short, he finished second in both the event and the BRC standings. “I tried.
” said the outgoing Junior World Rally champion, who added, “It’s been a difficult year, stepping up into the Rally2 car has been amazing and to compete at the top of the British Rally Championship, we are very lucky”. Pryce had to be content with third while Max McRae punched in the best time on the final stage to secure fourth on what was only his third gravel event in a Rally2 car. Meanwhile, sixth spot for Welsh driver Meirion Evans (Toyota Gr Yaris Rally2) was enough to hand the Castrol MEM Rally Team the BRC Teams’ title ahead of the M-Sport Ford Rally Team.
The Junior British Rally Championship was won by Scottish driver Robert Proudlock (Peugeot 208 Rally4) courtesy of his fourth place finish in the category where BRC newcomer Cavan’s Craig Rahill (Ford Fiesta Rally4) stormed to a class victory 48s ahead of the similar car of Donegal’s Ryan MacHugh with Galway’s Aoife Raftery (Peugeot 208 Rally4) third. Welsh driver Ioan Lloyd (Peugeot 208 Rally4) won the Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup IRE & UK that includes a prize drive in the 2025 FIA Junior European Rally Championship. At the finish, new champion Ingram said, “What a relief.
Will (Creighton) has pushed so hard today and we have had to give it everything we had. It's been an amazing season and I've really enjoyed it. It's not been an easy season, but that really adds to the story for us.
It’s been amazing.” Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally (Final round Probite British Rally Championship) Llandudno : 1. C.
Ingram /A. Kihurani (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) 54m. 42.
4s; 2. W. Creighton/L.
Regan (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+20.8s; 3. O.
Pryce/R. Evans (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+ 46.0s; 4.
M. McRae/C. Fair (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+1m.
02.2s; 5. G.
Pearson/D. Barritt (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+1m. 53.
4s; 6. M. Evans/J.
Jackson (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2)+2m. 15.4s; 7.
M. Hirst/D. Dear (Skoda Fabia R5)+2m.
16.8s; 8. E.
Payne/P. Walsh (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+ 3m. 23.
1s; 9. R. Thompson/S.
Link (Mitsubishi Lancer E9)+4m. 09.3s; 10.
L. Clark/E. Easton-Page (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+4m.
10.0s..
