Creighton claims start-to-finish Nicky Grist Stages win

The Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy crew of William Creighton and Liam Regan completed a successful trip to Wales over the weekend, scoring a well-controlled victory on the Nicky Grist Stages.

Creighton started first on the road, setting the early pace with stage wins on all four of Saturday morning’s gravel tests. The British Rally Championship contenders managed their 11.1-second lead over the repeated four stages to take a 2.6-second victory over Toyota Yaris Rally2 team-mates Meirion Evans and Dale Furniss.

The 2023 Junior World Rally Champions were using the Nicky Grist Stages as a warm-up for their next BRC event, Scotland’s notorious gravel challenge, the Grampian Forest Rally. Their second win of the year was their maiden overall victory on a gravel rally and helped secure a 1-2 for Melvyn Evans Motorsport against strong BTRDA competition.

“The opportunity to get to seat time in the car is really beneficial,” the 27-year-old stated. “With the next BRC event coming up on gravel in four weeks’ time, it helps us prepare for that.”

“The Nicky Grist Stages was a really challenging event - the heat was something that you are more likely to see at the hot summer European events. It was definitely warm inside the car. It also impacts the condition of the stages and the tyre wear.”

“There was some dust for the guys behind us on Saturday morning, and the road was very loose for us, being the first car. We adapted our driving to make the most of that before changing our driving style and the Yaris’s set-up when there was a much cleaner line through the second loop.”

“I remember competing on this event back in 2017 when I was starting in Junior BRC, so to come back this weekend with number one in the door is a real privilege. To come away with a win is a huge bonus.”

“A huge thanks to Melvyn Evans Motorsport, it is great to see the two cars on the podium. Thanks to the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy and all my other supporters for sticking behind us.”

“We will keep our heads down and analyse some things from what has been a successful weekend as we prepare for the Grampian.”

Josh McErlean took a brief pause from his WRC campaign to represent M-Sport and demonstrate the Ford Puma Rally1 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Over 200,000 motorsport fans flocked to the four-day spectacle in southern England, where McErlean tackled multiple runs on Goodwood’s iconic rally stage. One of the weekend’s standout moments saw the Irishman guide Formula One driver Liam Lawson through his first-ever experience behind the wheel of a Rally1 car.