Just a maximum haul of points in the final leg of the JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion stands in the way of Chris Ingram and the 2024 Probite British Rally Championship title.
The 2019 European Rally Champion ended Saturday in second overall, which handed him the top score for the first of two points scoring opportunities, and now heads into the final day with a chance of securing the BRC crown.
After Friday’s blast through the streets of Aberystwyth, Ingram and co-driver Alex Kihurani opened up a 2.2s advantage, and despite only securing one stage win the following day, did all he needed to conquer the spectacular Welsh moorland roads and take the round five win by 11 seconds from Keith Cronin and Mike Galvin in their Fiesta Rally2.
The opening Brechfa test saw James Williams record a breathtaking time not only setting the scratch BRC time, but also the fastest time overall, his maiden European stage win. Sadly that would be all undone on the very next test when his Hyundai left the road.
Punctures for William Creighton and Jon Armstrong over the opening loop of the day threw the leaderboard into chaos with positions changing with every passing stage, and heading into the mid-point service it was Ingram out front, Cronin second and Osian Pryce in third.
Armstrong would be the man of the moment over the repeat loop, setting the fastest BRC time over each one of the afternoon’s five tests but his earlier puncture meant fourth would be some consolation.
With the weekend being split up into two points scoring opportunities, Ingram’s maximum score now means he edges ever closer to the title. Essentially, if Ingram wins again on Sunday, Cronin must finish second place to take the fight to the Cambrian.
Eamonn Kelly and Rory Kennedy secured the BRC3 spoils whilst James Lightfoot and Ula Budzynska not only took the top score in BRC4 but also sealed the title to boot.
Ioan Lloyd was unstoppable in the Junior BRC, taking five stage wins to take the round five win with Sion Williams alongside. Lloyd was 1m 17s up the road from Ryan McHugh at the close of play dominating proceedings on home soil and taking his first Junior win of the season.
Series leader Robert Proudlock is another to have a mathematical chance of sealing the title, although nothing short of a win will do.
In the Open Rally Title, Callum Black stormed to a second category win of the year, adding to his Jim Clark Rally victory. Black and co-driver Jack Morton were another crew to largely dominate the top of the timesheets in their Fiesta Rally2, beating Neil Roskell and Dylan Davies who rounded out the podium.
The chance of the National Rally Title swung the way of Darren Atkinson once again with a top score, and could well seal the crown, depending on how rival William Mains scores as he returns under Super Rally in the Nova.
Just four stages and 57km remain over the closing day, but the demanding tests are still likely to provide the ultimate test of the BRC challenger’s mettle.
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