Sworn-in M-Sport driver Jon Armstrong opened up a slender early advantage in the Probite British Rally Championship race on Friday night [5 September] at JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion, setting the benchmark over the short 1.25km Aberystwyth Street Stage.
The Pirelli-shod Ford Fiesta Rally2 ace stole the march over the tricky super-special, but just 0.4s separated him from Championship leader William Creighton in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 as the spectacular promenade test marked the first of 12 stages during the weekend.
Whilst Armstrong professed the super specials not to be his ‘favourite’, it was enough to pip former stablemate Creighton the BRC lead overnight. Creighton’s Michelin-equipped Yaris GR Rally2 finished less than a second ahead of Castrol MEM team mate Meirion Evans.
Max McRae picked up where he left off at the Grampian with the fourth fastest time in his MRF Tyres-supported Citroen C3 Rally2, with Garry Pearson rounding out the top five in his Fiesta.
Kyle McBride holds a small advantage over Joseph Kelly in the Junior BRC fight, with Kalum Graffin giving chase in third.
In traditional style, the opening night short blast around the seafront may not see the event won, but it can certainly be lost, and Alan Carmichael suffered a nightmare start to his Ceredigion bid, losing the left rear suspension just off the start line. Taking the advantage on the National rally was Sam Touzel, who went quickest by 2.2 seconds over Dylan Davies.
Alyn Welsby leads the National from Chris Richmond-Hand overnight.
Seven stages lie in wait on the second day, with the impressive 33km Y Diafol stage considered the jewel in the crown of the weekend, set to test the crews early on Saturday morning.
