Hills Ford Stages 2026

The championship's review of the title sets out the shape of Pritchard's season: having missed the opening round and the Jim Clark, he was 46 points adrift after three rounds, then took maximum points on the Argyll, the Tour of Epynt and the R Kings Down Rally, where Rog Fagg stood in for his regular co-driver Phil Clarke, who was at a family wedding. He needed only a top-ten finish at the finale and came home second overall. The review records that it is the first time a Toyota has won the Protyre Asphalt title, and the first year since 2015 that a Ford has not taken the championship — only the second time since 2009. Championship season review →

HRCR confirmed the Metric Services (Leicester) Ltd. Asphalt Cup titles from the finale: Clive King took the drivers' award and Kevin Hogan the co-drivers' title, the latter alongside Andrew O'Hanlon through the season. HRCR — Asphalt Cup winners →

The Exol Oil Award on the Hills Ford Stages went to Steve Powell, who campaigned a home-prepared Hillman Avenger in the Historic element; his rally ended when the engine fan cut the bottom hose and he lost all coolant, leaving the car with a cooked engine. HRCR — Exol Oil Award →

HRCR's report on the Historic element records the weekend as the final two scoring rounds of the Metric Services (Leicester) Ltd. Asphalt Cup, run with the Cup's sponsor Baz Wheeler out alongside John Pickavance. Paul Holmes had already claimed the Stage Masters drivers' title, and Liz Beesley cannot add to her score unless two registered D3 cars enter the Wyedean Stages and win the class, so the co-drivers' title stays open with one round left. Clive King and Anton Bird led the Challenge after day one in their Mini and took the B2 class win over Shane Gamble, with Andrew O'Hanlon next in C1. The first Sunday stage's ford caught several crews out: Craig King took a stage maximum and Eric Davis and Russell Joseph lost time on both runs. HRCR — Stage Masters report →

The championship's own report of the finale sets out the shape of Pritchard's title: he was 17th in the standings after round three and then took four consecutive maximum-points finishes, the last of them on this event. The report places him third on the championship's all-time list, behind 11-time champion John Price and six-time champion Damian Cole, and records Jack Bowen as the overall co-drivers' title winner. It also confirms Brad Cole's end-of-season test in a Puma Rally1 at the M-Sport Evaluation Centre as the championship runner-up and the highest-placed Fiesta Rally2 driver. Championship report →

The classification is declared final and signed off: Callum Black and James Aldridge win the Hills Ford Stages by 15 seconds from Jason Pritchard and Phil Clarke, with Aled Wyn Morgans and Jack Bowen a further 2:19 back. The signed document lists 91 crews classified and 59 retirements or non-starters against the 150-car start list, superseding the provider's earlier provisional counts of 94 and 56. Declared final results →

The completed fourteen-stage provisional classification has Callum Black and James Aldridge heading it on 1:06:33, 15 seconds clear of Jason Pritchard, with Aled Wyn Morgans a further 2:19 back. The provider's report lists 94 crew classified and 56 retirements or non-starters against the 150-car start list, and no result is signed off yet. Live timing →

Aled Wyn Morgans ends the season a career-best second in the Protyre Asphalt standings but misses the maximum he needed for the M-Sport test, while John Stone and Rhys Stoneman take the final championship podium place in their Volkswagen Polo GTI R5. Morgans second, Stone third →

Brad Cole, who came into the finale leading the series, drops out after clipping a bank on the second run through Cressage, having led the event for most of Sunday morning. Despite the non-finish he takes the end-of-season prize of a private test in an M-Sport Puma Rally1, as the championship's top-placed Fiesta Rally2 finisher — one point ahead of Aled Wyn Morgans. Cole retires, Puma test →

Jason Pritchard takes the 2026 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship on the final loop of the season, co-driven by Phil Clarke — his fourth British asphalt title after 2018, 2019 and 2021. He finishes the rally second overall, 15 seconds behind the unregistered Callum Black and James Aldridge, taking the points finish that settled the championship. Pritchard champion →

Mike Pugsley's 1974 Ford Escort RS2000 wins the Dynamic Fluids Best Presented Car Award on the Hills Ford Stages, the car selected by championship scrutineer Geoff Doe. The Escort is self-prepared by the double Protyre Asphalt class champion. Best Presented Car Award →

Sunday's first pass over the five South Shropshire stages has Brad Cole and Jason Pritchard exactly level on total time, with Callum Black five seconds back, Lee Edwards 58 seconds behind and Aled Wyn Morgans a further four seconds back. Saturday's leaders Mark Kelly and Will Atkins carry no Sunday times. The classification remains provisional, with the second pass of the five stages still to run. Live timing →

The championship's own report on day one has Brad Cole in charge of the Protyre Asphalt title race after the four Weston Park stages, with Lee Edwards two seconds behind, Ian Forgan and John Stone tied for third, and Rob Swann fifth. Jason Pritchard ended the day sixth, needing only a top-ten finish on Sunday to seal a fourth title; Aled Wyn Morgans, two seconds behind him, is the only other driver who can still take it. Day-one report →

The second day gets under way over the five closed-road stages at Cressage, Clee Hill, Lawley, Dorrington and Linley, each run twice, with eight crews listed as restarting under time penalties from Saturday. Timing stays live through the organisers' own service, and the classification remains provisional — no result is signed off yet. Live timing →

Saturday's four Weston Park stages are run, and the live classification puts Mark Kelly and Will Atkins first in a Fabia RS, with Brad Cole and Jamie Vaughan 12 seconds back and Lee Edwards and Sam Spencer a further two seconds behind. The timing service carries the full 150-crew field, and five crews are already out: four with mechanical failures and one that does not start. The standings are published as provisional. Live timing →

Two clerk-of-the-course bulletins are issued. The first adds a mid-point self-refuel area within the second leg, open on Sunday from 09:15 to 17:00. The second amends the road book: two Weston Park chicanes change their entry direction, a virtual chicane is added after the Cressage junction, and six bogey times are published. The route card and timetable are updated on Sportity. Sportity — HFS26Comp bulletins →

The organiser's competitor page confirms final instructions were published on 14 September, with seeding closed on 7 September and the entry window ending at 23:59 on 15 September. Event documents are issued through the competitors' Sportity channel HFS26Comp. Final instructions published →

The Protyre Asphalt championship previews its title decider: four drivers can still win. Brad Cole leads on 133 points, four clear of Lee Edwards, with Aled Wyn Morgans a further three back; Jason Pritchard, who has no score to drop, could take the title with 20 points. Cole and Morgans also contest an end-of-season prize of a private test in an M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1. Protyre title preview →

Baz Wheeler, the reigning Stage Masters champion and headline sponsor of the Asphalt Cup, returns for his first event of the year alongside John Pickavance. His domestic season was put on hold while he contested the Silver Fern Rally in New Zealand. HRCR — Wheeler returns →

HRCR previews the Historic element of the weekend: the Hills Ford Stages counts as a double-header round of the West Wales Rally Spares Stage Masters Challenge, with points available on both days, and also forms part of the Metric Services (Leicester) Ltd. Asphalt Cup. Saturday's four Weston Park stages are described as slippery, with a water splash; Sunday's closed-road stages include roads never used before. Newly crowned Stage Masters champion Paul Holmes is entered in his RS2000, while the co-drivers' title stays open. HRCR preview →

Shropshire Council confirms that Sunday's five closed-road stages — Cressage, Clee Hill, Lawley, Dorrington and Linley — will each run twice. Temporary closures apply to all traffic, pedestrians, horses and riders, cycles and e-scooters/e-bikes; spectators must use only the organiser's designated viewing areas and published approaches. Shropshire Council guidance →

Two weeks out, the Special Stage Rally Video channel points potential spectators to the spectator information the organiser has published for the 19–20 September stages (including QR codes with the event details). The channel also confirms it will be live on the event and cover the full entry for the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship season finale in the days leading up to the rally. Special Stage spectator post →

Abdon and Heath Parish Council has published a notice for Sunday 20 September covering the South Shropshire stages: closed roads from 06:00 to 22:00, with access restrictions for residents. The rallies.info entry system shows the 150-car field full since 20 July with a reserve list in operation. Saturday's four Weston Park stages and Sunday's five closed-road stages, each run twice, are unchanged. Parish council notice →

The Weston Park venue page confirms spectator ticket prices for Saturday: £10 in advance or £15 on the gate, with under-16s admitted free and a £5 official programme available. Tickets are sold online via SeeTickets, and the venue operates a cashless-only policy. No separate pricing or access details for Sunday's stages have been published yet. Weston Park spectator page →

The organiser reveals the five closed-road stages for Sunday's route: Cressage, Clee Hill, The Lawley, Dorrington and Linley, each run twice. This confirms the South Shropshire route months after the event moved there from Herefordshire following 2025's cancellation. Saturday's Weston Park stages were already known; this announcement completes the picture for the full weekend. Stage locations post →

Organisers confirm the eight championships counting toward Hills Ford Stages in 2026, with the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship holding its season finale here. The announcement comes well ahead of any route or venue details for the year. It sets expectations for a high-entry finale months in advance. Championships confirmed →