Victory in the Valleys

Osian Pryce and Rhodri Evans clinched a commanding victory at the Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages, navigating their Ford Fiesta Rally2 through challenging terrains to secure a notable 20-second lead over their closest rivals, William Creighton and Liam Regan. Chris Ingram and Alex Kihurani rounded out the podium positions in a fiercely contested event that marked the rally's 50th anniversary.

The Llandrindod Wells-based event celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, leading organisers Midland Manor Motor Club to pull out all the stops to offer one of the best gravel rallies in the UK for a generation. The rally offered 62 miles of iconic stages set amidst picturesque forests like Myherin, Sweet Lamb, Hafren, and Sarnau. With a stellar field of 180 cars, including former Formula 1 driver Jos Verstappen. 

Legions of fans got the chance to meet their heroes at an autograph signing session as the Welsh sun set over them on Friday evening, and then flocked to the stages in their droves to witness a spectacular sporting contest unfold.

Pryce and Evans showcased their expertise, quickly bouncing back from an initial lead by Ingram to dominate key stages like Myherin and Hafren Sweet Lamb, ultimately sealing victory in impressive fashion. Their success not only highlighted Pryce's driving expertise but also marked a significant milestone for co-driver Evans, who celebrated his first win in just his second rally alongside Pryce.

In his debut gravel rally in the UK, Jos Verstappen, father of three-time Formula 1 world champion Max, achieved an impressive 11th place overall alongside co-driver Renaud Jamoul in their Skoda Fabia RS Rally2. Despite unexpectedly slippery conditions, Verstappen steadily improved his performance, showcasing growing confidence and skill. His progress culminated in the 11th fastest time on the challenging Myherin Main stage.

“It was good but it was tough,” Verstappen admitted. “Even when you have good pacenotes, with so much fog it’s so difficult – especially competing on gravel for the first time. But we are happy to have finished.

We still have a lot to learn on gravel, but I really enjoyed my time on such amazing stages.”
 

Sponsoring the event makes it extra special for us at team Rallynuts and we were over the moon to see the boss man, Paul Bonas, finishing the event. Paul and co-driver Glenn Mercer guided their Subaru Impreza through seven demanding stages in one piece to take a top-10 finish in their class!

We would like to thank everyone involved in organising the Rallynuts stages Rally, all the competitors and all the marshals. Your collective efforts made the weekend an unforgettable experience for all involved, and we look forward to many more successful events in the future!

 Dan Knight - Insta @danknightautomotive

​ Rallynuts Severn Stages Rally - www.rallynutsrally.co.uk