THE Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship returns this Sunday, March 11th, with a superb entry for the Port Talbot MC-organised Melvyn Evans Motorsport Tour of Epynt.

Having taken a sabbatical in 2017, the last MSA Asphalt Rally Championship round being the Cheviot Stages in October 2016, the BTRDA-run series has had a major overhaul, with a new calendar of events, class structure and points system.

The innovations have met with the approval of competitors from across the classes, with a superb field of cars heading to the famous rollercoaster asphalt roads of the Epynt military ranges for the opening round of the 2018 series.

It is perhaps fitting that the Tour of Epynt should return to the ranges to top championship competition, just as Port Talbot MC was the first to run a ‘closed sprint’ event there, a stage rally in all but name, way back October 24, 1965, and PTMC is honoured to do so!

The event is also a round of the JD Tyres Welsh National Tarmacadam Championship 2018, the Hirefit King of Epynt Challenge, the FMP Rally Challenge, and the ANWCC Stage Rally Championship 2018.

With six Asphalt Rally Championship titles and 18 rally wins on Epynt to his name, number two seed Damian Cole is one of the favourites for victory in his Get Connected Ford Fiesta WRC, partnered by the experienced Jamie Edwards, but if experience on Epynt is the key to success, look no further than Bob Fowden – who is celebrating forty years in rallying this season.

Co-driven by Aled Davies, he’ll be aiming for nothing but a repeat of last years Tour of Epynt victory in his ex-works Comline Auto Parts/NGK-backed Subaru Impreza WRC S11.

Event sponsor Melvyn Evans will start at three in his Subaru Impreza WRC, while the 2007 Asphalt Rally Champion Steve Simpson returns to the series in his Impreza WRC.

Three-time MSA British Historic Rally Champion Jason Pritchard hasn’t as much experience on Epynt, but whether he drives his five-time Manx National Rally winning Focus WRC05, his Fiesta S2000 or his rapid Mk2 Escort, expect the North Road Garage-supported Builth Wells driver to be challenging for the win too.

Double N4 class champion Chris Rice drives a GC8 Subaru, Lee Perry an Escort Cosworth and John Macniven a Subaru Impreza. If conditions are dry, the four-wheel drive cars may be under pressure from a number of powerful rear-wheel drive Darrians. The mid-engined cars, originally built in West Wales by Tim Duffee, are synonymous with asphalt rallying and have twice beaten four-wheel drive cars to the MSA Asphalt Rally Championship title –  Geoff Kitney/Alan McCann champions in 1990 and John Dalton/Alun Davies in 1993.

The Melvyn Evans Motorsport Tour of Epynt is Llandovery based, with 75 miles of stages over the famous Epynt military ranges underway Sunday, March 11 at 08.40.

The finish is back in Llandovery town centre at 16.30, with the prizegiving at 18.00 at the Castle Hotel.