Jason Pritchard’s Quest For RAC Rally Victory Continues After Another Podium Finish

By Paul Evans

Jason Pritchard’s quest to win the Roger Albert Clark Rally continues after he finished third on Britain’s longest event.

Having led the bi-annual, five day, 350 stage mile event before and having finished second in 2019, the RAC is the one rally that the triple British Historic and Protyre Asphalt rally champion wants to win more than most.

Unfortunately, Pritchard and co-driver Phil Clarke didn’t have the most trouble-free run in his Scott Williams Motorsport-built North Road Garage/Trailhead Get Jerky Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2.

Having been second fastest through the opening stage, a brake issue saw him half spin twice in SS2 and put him into a ditch on SS5 – dropping the Builth Wells man to fifth.

Photo From Roger Albert Clark Rally In Carmarthenhttps://t.co/hT0DKjWHH0

— Carmarthenshire Standard (@CarmsStandard) November 29, 2023

Ryland James co-drove for Chris Cleghorn (who was contesting his first gravel rally) in a Wales Motorsport-built Escort RS1800 and finished 79th overall – just 41 seconds behind Davies/Richards after over two hours of competition.

Osian Pryce led the event after the opening day in Wales, but ominous smoke soon began to appear from his RallyXtreme Ford Escort Mk2.

Oil was leaking onto the exhaust and while the 2022 British rally champion was able to keep the car going until he’d reached the Scottish stages, Pryce and co-driver Rhodri Evans were forced to park up in SS17.

British Historic Rally champions Roger Chilman/Patrick Walsh retired their Escort Mk2 on the opening stage. Gareth James/Daniel Petrie were ninth overall when carburettor problems forced their Escort Mk2 out on day two.

Dai Roberts, who was co-driving for Belgian driver Stefaan Stouf, retired their Escort RS16000 Mk1 on SS10 – while Brynmor Pierce, who was co-driving for Top Gear’s Chris Harris, were forced to park their Tuthill Porsche 911 with mechanical problems three stages later.

https://twitter.com/RallyingUK/status/1729891865376240119?s=20

Neal James/Kevin Jones retired their Escort with engine failure on SS24. The same stage also ended Jamie Edwards’s run.

The Wrexham ace was co-driving for Kevin Procter and they were going well until they crashed their Ford Sapphire Cosworth 4×4 into one of the many unforgiving Kielder forest ditches.

There was heartbreak too for Ieuan Evans/Dafydd Evans. The Spencer Sport crew were eighth overall (on the driver’s second gravel rally) when something broke on SS24, sending their Escort RS1800 Mk2 off the road and into a ditch.

The event was won by Irish crew Marty McCormack/Barney Mitchell in an Escort Mk2.

https://twitter.com/RallyingUK/status/1729594399938465865?s=20