Edwards Celebrates First BRC Win

By Paul Evans

Matt Edwards scored his first victory in the Prestone MSA British Rally Championship when he won the Pirelli International Rally in his Swift Rally Team Ford Fiesta R5.

Co-driven by Darren Garrod, the 33-year old driver from Colwyn Bay won the opening round of the series by just 20.5 seconds, after 80 fast and furious gravel miles of flat-out competition through the legendary Kielder forest.

The Welsh duo didn’t have it all their own way, as Rhys Yates and navigator Elliott Edmondson in a Skoda Fabia R5 stormed to their best BRC result with second. Reigning champions Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin made it a three-way fight for victory in a new Hyundai i20 R5, with the Irish crew eventually finishing third.

It was also a great event for Newcastle Emlyn’s James Williams who, together with co-driver Ross Whittock, finished second in the British Junior Championship category in their Vauxhall Adam R2.

Welsh co-driver Peredur Wyn Davies guided Jordan Reynolds to victory in the Cadet Cup for drivers aged 25 and under in their Ford Fiesta R2 – while Dai Roberts navigated Paul Barrett to a magnificent win in the Historic section in their Escort Mk2.

“It’s been a long time coming and I cannot thank everyone at Swift and M-Sport who helped get us to this position,” said Edwards. “I knew we wouldn’t be far away this weekend. The car felt good, I was relaxed, and it did everything I needed it to do. This result sets us up nicely for the rest of the year, but we aren’t going to get too carried way as it’s early days in the championship. I’m quite happy to go away with my first international win –it’s a feeling nobody can take away from me.”

Pirelli International Rally, Top 10
1. Matt Edwards (GBR) / Darren Garrod (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5 – 1:13:53.8
2. Rhys Yates (GBR) / Elliott Edmondson (GBR) Skoda Fabia R5 +20.5s
3. Keith Cronin (IRL) / Mikie Galvin (IRL) Hyundai i20 R5 +21.8s
4. Marty McCormack (GBR) / David Moynihan (IRL) Skoda Fabia R5 +1:02.8s
5. Jonny Greer (GBR) / Kirsty Riddick (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5 +1:29.8s
6. Alex Laffey (GBR) / Patrick Walsh (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5 +5:18.7s
7. Lawrence Whyte (GBR) / Stuart Louden (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5 +5:58.7s
8. Thomas Preston (GBR) / Max Freeman (GBR) Skoda Fabia R5 +6:06.8s
9. Sasha Kakad (GBR) / James Aldridge (GBR) Ford Fiesta R5 +6:12.6s
10. Steve Røkland (NOR) / Tom Woodburn (GBR) Peugeot 208 R2 +8:28.3s