Will the Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship honeymoon continue for Hirst on the Plains?

Matthew Hirst will be aiming for his third straight 2023 Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship victory on the Plains Rally (Saturday 20 May) – although this time he’ll be without his regular co-driver Declan Dear, who is on his long-awaited honeymoon.

The defending Welsh champion and 2022 Plains Rally winner will be partnered for the first time by Mark Glennerster, who is stepping into Hirst’s Pirelli-shod Delta Salvage-backed Ford Fiesta R5.

The new partnership will face stiff competition, not least from Perry Gardener who returns to the Pirelli Welsh Championship in his Ford Fiesta R5. The Ludlow driver scored maximum points on last year’s Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Stages and will be aiming to do the same on the Plains. He’s partnered by Jack Bowen, who finished runner-up in last year’s Welsh Junior co-drivers’ category.

Bob Morgan, who finished an impressive third on both the Plains and in the overall Pirelli Welsh drivers’ standings last year, is contesting his first event of 2023. Together with co-driver Ade Williams, the experienced Cinderford pilot will be at the wheel of his Winner Garage Škoda Fabia R5.

Simon Rogers had a good top 10 result on the Plains last year and has started this season even better as he arrives in Bala leading class W13 and lying third in the overall drivers’ standings. The Hertfordshire driver will be co-driver by James How in his MacWhirter Motorsport-prepared Mitsubishi Evo 6.

Rogers beat Martyn Andrews by 15 seconds on the opening Get Jerky Rally North Wales and by four seconds on the recent Rallynuts Stages. The two will resume their close battle for overall and class W13 points when Steve Greenhill co-drivers for Andrews (who leads the Welsh Challenge category) in his Opie Oils Subaru Impreza.

Wug Utting has had two strong showings so far this year and hopes to continue that good run when he and co-driver Bob Stokoe pair up in their Subaru Impreza N12b. Likewise, Daniel Moss/Samuel Davies will be aiming for a third good result in a row in their Hurst Haylage Mitsubishi Evo 10.

Colin Minton/Bonnie Papper may have suffered from overheating brakes last time out in their Ignition Motorsport Ford Fiesta R5, but they were pleased to get through their first event of 2023 without any clutch problems. Given a clean run this time, they have every chance of an extremely good result on the Plains.

Richard Ceen found his MSL Motorsport-prepared Fiesta R5 “chalk and cheese” compared to the Focus WRC he’s more accustomed to driving, having done very few events in the newer car since the 2016 Wales Rally GB National. With the Rallynuts Stages proving a good test, he and co-driver Alun Hayward will be more on the pace this time.

Others aiming for a podium finish include Peter Baylis (co-driven by Paul Godden), who is seventh in the overall drivers’ standings after two excellent results in his Artificial Lawn Company Mitsubishi Evo 9. Paul Walker/Geraint Thomas will be hoping that their recent gearbox issues have been solved in their Green Paw Subaru Impreza. Steve Hollis/Tim Currie return after suffering an early retirement on Rally North Wales in their Volkswagen Golf R, Tom McKeown/Neil Thomas wheel out their Subaru Impreza, as do Charles Campbell (partnered this time by John Hawkins) in the ex-John Caine machine, while Colin Griffiths/Sion Rowlands will be hoping for better luck in their ex-Mikko Hirvonen/Alister McRae Subaru Impreza STI.

The hotly contested battles in the Restruct Welsh Historic classes are set to continue, and as well as the category trophies the registered crews that finish in the top three of each Historic class at the end of the season will be put forward for the David Stokes Historic Challenge award for drivers and the Guy Weaver award for co-drivers.

Ian Beveridge/Paul Price lead class W5 in their Toyota Corolla TE27 and will be up against Bala’s Julian Birley, who, co-driven by Emyr Hall, is contesting his home event in his Talbot Sunbeam Ti.

Gareth Lewis will be aiming to take the lead in class W6. He is partnered by up-and-coming co-driver Ryland James in his Ford Escort RS2000 Mk1.

Jonathan Brace/Paul Spooner are targeting a straight hat-trick of class W8 victories in their Brace’s Bakery Ford Escort RS1600 Mk1. They go into the event six points clear of Andrew Stokes/Jonny Tad Evans (Ford Escort Mk1), with Lyn Davies/Aled Richards third in their Wales Motorsport-prepared Ford Escort Mk2.

It took Jeremy Wells over four years to rebuild his Wells Masonry Solutions Escort Mk1 and, together with co-driver Martin Saunders, the Withington driver finished third in class and won the Witham Group Historic class reward first time out in the car on the previous round. He’ll be looking for another good run this time, while Peter Jones/Gareth Davies (Escort Mk2) will be aiming to add to their class W8 points too.

Robert Gough has been on inspired form so far this year, winning the highly competitive Historic class W9 twice and taking home second and fifth place overall driver points on Rally North Wales and the Rallynuts respectively. Co-driven by Paul Morris, he’ll be aiming to continue that great run this time in his Ford Escort Mk2.

Richard Jordan is second in class W9 and he and co-driver James Gratton Smith (who heads the class navigators’ standings) will be out to close the 33 point gap to the leader in his Ford Escort RS1800.

Rudi Lancaster/Guy Weaver finished third in class W9 on Rally North Wales, despite a puncture in their Woolacombe Holiday Parks Escort RS1800 Mk2, and will be out to net their first class win of the season.

They’ll be joined for the first time this year by the reigning Historic class champions Michael McDaid/Declan Casey, who contest the Plains in their rapid McDaid Pharmacy Escort RS1800 Mk2.

Two victories from two starts sees Boyd Kershaw/Keegan Rees lead the Hockly Motorsport-supported Welsh 2WD section in their Flying Kiwi Ford Escort Mk2. The defending 2WD champions will be chased hard by the likes of Kevin Metcalfe/Ian Jones (BMW E30), Dan Chester/Paul Barbet (BMW E30), Tim Phelps/Elwyn Manuel (Britpart Escort Mk2), Geoff Phelps/Colin Jenkins (Hartpury Farms Escort Mk2), David Jones/Glyn Price (BMW E30), Tim Green/Jordan Davies (Mini Cooper S) and defending class W12 champions Andrew Fox/Jaime-Lee Fox (Xwatch Safety Solutions BMW 325).

Ricky Crone was slowed by electrical issues in his MS Textiles Ford Escort Mk2 on the opening round. Together with co-driver Ifan Devine, given a clean run the Montgomery driver will be another one to watch in the 2WD section.

Iwan Roberts Jnr/Daniel Jones are second behind Kershaw/Rees in class W11 and will be looking to close the eight point gap in their Roberts of Ffestiniog Ford Escort G3

With several of the OnThePaceNote-supported Welsh Junior Championship crews electing to miss the Plains and use it as one of their dropped scores, it gives Sam Mason/James Seymour a great opportunity to get off the mark and score some big points in their Woodhouse Brother’s Fiesta. All being well, they could move up from 10th to joint fourth in the standings!

Tony Simpson will be aiming to extend his class W4 lead in his Seacon UK Ford Fiesta R2T. He’ll be chased hard by Alex Cannon who finished second in class on Rally North Wales, which was his first gravel rally for over 10 years. Co-driven by Alan Carfree, Cannon will be at the wheel of his Rallyworld-backed Ford Fiesta R2.

Gethin Price leads the Hockly Motorsport-supported 1400cc class W2 and, co-driven by Steven Brown, starts in his RKP Haulage Nissan Micra. They’ll be up against the likes of Chris Bush/Kev Papper (Bushtec Recycling Vauxhall Corsa) and Kelvin Evans/Ifan Rowlands (Nissan Micra).

Defending champions Martin Walters/Marie Fletcher lead class W10 in their Digger Parts Direct Honda Civic and will resume their battle with Wrexham’s Dan and Cyril Jones (Jones Brothers/North Wales Joinery Vauxhall Nova) and Alan Desbois/Peter Littlefield (Demon Tweeks-backed Peugeot 306 RWD).

Coverage from the Plains Rally will be live streamed on the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship and Special Stage TV’s Facebook pages during the event, featuring action from all the registered competitors.

We are proud to support this championship and its great to see our Witham brand on Matthew Hirst’s car!