Reigning Northern Ireland Forest Rally Challenge champion Jordan Hone and North Wales co-driver Sion Williams took a well-deserved victory on last weekend’s Nicky Grist Stages Rally, writes Mark Griffin.

Jordan Hone gave co-driver Sion Williams his first overall event win in the Skoda Fabia RS Rally2
Jordan Hone gave co-driver Sion Williams his first overall event win in the Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 (Mark Griffin)
Left to right: Sion Williams, Cllr Alan Waller and Jordan Hone
Left to right: Sion Williams, Cllr Alan Waller and Jordan Hone (Mark Griffin)

Sticking to a well-worked formula, Quinton Motor Club, in association with its partners and enthusiastic event sponsor, former World Rally Championship co-driver Nicky Grist, kept the ingredients of the event similar to previous years, serving up a compact route and bringing the event to the public by taking over the centre of Builth Wells, including the service area, which utilised the Builth Wells Rugby ground on the Groe.

Eight forest stages on loose gravel roads around Cefn Gorwydd, Tirabad and Epynt lay ahead of the 133 crews, who were flagged away from outside the Strand Hall by Builth Wells Mayor, Cllr Alan Waller.

Meirion Evans had the honour of being the number one seed. This provided a great advantage by giving him a dust-free run in the forests, but as the first of the more powerful four-wheel-drive cars, grip, especially when exiting tight corners, was hard to find. He and co-driver Dale Furniss reached the midday service in their Castrol MEM Rally Team Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 in third position.

Runners-up Meirion Evans and Dale Furniss kick up dust above Tirabad in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally2
Runners-up Meirion Evans and Dale Furniss kick up dust above Tirabad in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 (Mark Griffin)

Welsh Championship contender Matthew Hirst and co-driver Declan Dear had a positive rally after some recent indifferent results and eventually finished in third position. After running second for a number of stages, a podium finish re-ignites their aspirations for another Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series/Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship title in the Škoda Fabia R5.

Abergavenny businessman Damian Cole and Ian Allsop had an all-too-rare outing on loose gravel forest stages in the Ford Escort Mk2, finishing fifth in Class 6.

Brecon Motor Club member Colin Evans and John Evans enjoyed an outing by taking their usual enthusiastic approach in the BMW 318Ti, securing class silverware.

Brecon Motor Club members Colin Evans and co-driver John Evans finished second in Class 10
Brecon Motor Club members Colin Evans and co-driver John Evans finished second in Class 10 (Mark Griffin)
Matthew Hirst and Delcan Dear push the Skoda Fabia R5 through Halfway Forest on their way to third
Matthew Hirst and Delcan Dear push the Skoda Fabia R5 through Halfway Forest on their way to third (Mark Griffin)

Both Brecon and Epynt motor clubs provided volunteer marshals, allowing the event to run smoothly and safely.

The rally attracted hundreds of visitors to Builth Wells and the surrounding Powys and Carmarthenshire region, and the event is indebted to the wonderful support received from Builth Wells Town Council, Builth Wells RFC, the businesses and residents of Builth Wells, Dyfed-Powys Police, and the landowners, Natural Resources Wales and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation Wales (on whose land the stages ran), in making the event such a huge success.

Rally action continues in the area in two weeks' time with the two-day Tour of Epynt Rally. Action starts on Saturday afternoon and continues on Sunday.

Having completed a long and dusty day of rallying, the top three crews receive their trophies from event sponsor Nicky Grist and Builth Wells Mayor Cllr Alan Waller
Having completed a long and dusty day of rallying, the top three crews receive their trophies from event sponsor Nicky Grist and Builth Wells Mayor Cllr Alan Waller (Mark Griffin)

2026 Nicky Grist Stages – Top 10 finishers:

1. Jordan Hone/Sion Williams (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) – 41mins 24.4secs

2. Meirion Evans/Dale Furniss (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) – 41mins 32.1secs

3. Matthew Hirst/Declan Dear (Škoda Fabia R5) – 41mins 34.3secs