Four-time Pirelli Welsh champion Matthew Hirst ready for the challenge of one of his favourite stages – Route 60

The famous Route 60 stage returns to the Nicky Grist Stages (Saturday 12 July) this year after a seven-year break – and it’s a favourite stage for the four-time and reigning Pirelli Welsh Rally champion Matthew Hirst, who says that ‘whoever sets the fastest time through Route 60 will have had to earn it.’

 

The most successful driver in the history of the Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship has contested the Nicky Grist Stages seven times, each time co-driven by Declan Dear. Having made his event debut in 2017, Matthew enjoyed five consecutive finishes – culminating in a career-best second place overall in 2023.

 

The last time that Route 60 was run on the Nicky Grist Stages was in 2018, when Matthew finished 14th overall in a Mitsubishi Evo IX.

 

This year’s stage won’t be exactly the same as it was run then, but the Doncaster ace still plans to study some in-car footage to remind himself of the character of the fast and flowing gravel test, which meanders across the spectacular Mynydd Epynt military range.

 

And having contested the Nicky Grist Stages four times in a Mitsubishi and three times in a Ford Fiesta R5, Matthew will contest this year’s Quinton Motor Club organised event in a Delta Salvage/Witham Motorsport Škoda Fabia R5.

 

“It was a great surprise to see that the organisers have shaken things up again this year by bringing back one of my favourite stages, Route 60,” says Matthew.

 

“I must admit, it’s been a few years since I last drove it, so I’ll revisit some onboard footage to refresh my memory before the event. On that note, I highly recommend searching on YouTube for the 2012 onboard of Craig Breen and Dai Roberts attacking the stage; the mid-stage chatter between them definitely brought a smile to my face.

 

“As for the stage itself, much like the one it’s replacing [Llyn Login], Route 60 is a high-speed, high-commitment challenge. However, it offers a bit more room to play with through the faster sections, thanks to its wider profile. That said, it’s still a stage that demands serious respect. Large boulders line the inside of many corners, and the optimal line often skirts perilously close to them, making precise driving essential.

 

“Watching onboard footage never truly captures the sheer speed and commitment required for this stage – but take my word for it, whoever sets the fastest time through Route 60 will have had to earn it.”

 

Based in Builth Wells – with the start ceremony on Strand Street, the service area on the Builth Wells RFC pitch and the champagne finish on the banks of the River Wye – this year’s Nicky Grist Stages will feature a compact route with minimal road mileage and 45 stage miles in Halfway, Crychan (named Bowlsey, in honour of the late Pete Bowles, a long time Quinton MC committee member, previous Nicky Grist Stages event winner and Clerk of the Course), Monument and Route 60.

 

This will be the 16th consecutive year of title sponsorship from Nicky Grist Motorsport and the event will be a host round of five major championships – the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series, Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship, HRCR Rally Master Challenge, TCS Plant Rally Challenge and ANWCC Rally Championship.

 

The event will also continue its collaboration with Carbon Positive Motorsport, which last year supported the planting of over 1,500 sequioa and 6,000 native broadleaf trees in Abergavenny, as well as GoSafe, the Wales Road Casualty Reduction Partnership, and be part of Motorsport UK’s National Motorsport Week.

 

The seeded entries close on Friday 27 June, with final entries closing on Wednesday 9 July. rallies.info

David Spear Commercial Vehicles becomes Nicky Grist Stages official car supplier – in a deal forged on the golf course!

David Spear Commercial Vehicles will be the official car supplier to the 2025 Nicky Grist Stages (Saturday 12 July) in a deal, like all good deals, that was forged on the golf course!

 

Nicky Grist and David Spear are both members of the Rolls of Monmouth Golf Club, and it was on a stroll down a fairway that the idea was hatched.

 

David Spear Commercial Vehicles will supply the Quinton Motor Club event with two four-wheel drive Ford Rangers, complete with David Spear Black Edition Kits featuring wider arches and off-road tyres, to be used as the official Motorsport UK Safety Delegate and Double Zero vehicles.

 

One of the stages will be named the David Spear Commercial Vehicles Halfway stage.

 

David Spear Commercial Vehicles was established in 1987 and the family-run business has grown into an award-winning commercial vehicle supplier specialising in new and used light commercial vehicles, 4x4s and top of the range vehicles like the three-litre V6-engined MS-RT Ranger.

 

Having started life operating from a small yard, it now has big premises offering a huge range of vehicles from its site in the Crown Business Park in Dukestown, near Tredegar.

 

“We are over the moon to be on board as the official car supplier to the Nicky Grist Stages,” says Elliott Spear, Head of Purchasing at David Spear Commercial Vehicles.

 

“We have traditionally been involved with rugby and football teams and rallying is a completely different area for us to be involved in and we’re very excited about it.

 

“It is an honour to be involved in such an exciting event, and we look forward to showcasing some extra special vehicles on the rally stages.”

 

“As well as being my Vice-Captain at the Rolls of Monmouth Golf Club, David runs a very successful commercial vehicle operation and the company is very proactive in doing events and sports sponsorship,” says Nicky Grist.

 

“I’m delighted to have them on board as the official vehicle supplier to the Nicky Grist Stages as it will be a great partnership.”

 

Based in Builth Wells – with the start ceremony on Strand Street, the service area on the Builth Wells RFC pitch and the champagne finish on the banks of the River Wye – this year’s Nicky Grist Stages will feature a compact route with minimal road mileage and 45 stage miles in Halfway, Crychan (named Bowlsey, in honour of the late Pete Bowles, a long time Quinton MC committee member, previous Nicky Grist Stages event winner and Clerk of the Course), Monument and Route 60.

 

This will be the 16th consecutive year of title sponsorship from Nicky Grist Motorsport and the event will be a host round of five major championships – the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series, Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship, HRCR Rally Master Challenge, TCS Plant Rally Challenge and ANWCC Rally Championship.

 

The event will also continue its collaboration with Carbon Positive Motorsport, which last year supported the planting of over 1,500 sequioa and 6,000 native broadleaf trees in Abergavenny, as well as GoSafe, the Wales Road Casualty Reduction Partnership, and be a key part of Motorsport UK’s National Motorsport Week.

 

Regulations for the event can be found on nickygriststages.co.uk and competitors can enter the event at rallies.info.

Malcolm Wilson’s first Metro 6R4 win – 40 years ago on what now is the Nicky Grist Stages!

The Nicky Grist Stages has had several very famous winners since it was first run as a forestry event in 1980 – but none more so than Malcolm Wilson OBE, who secured victory exactly 40 years ago!


And it’s a victory that remains dear to the M-Sport boss’ heart, as it was his first public outing in a Metro 6R4.


Back in 1985, the Quinton Motor Club stage rally was very different to what it is now. Called the Nicolet Stages Rally, it ran in November, was based in Betws-y-Coed and had 34 miles of stages in Penmachno and Clocaenog forests.


For the works Austin Rover team, the event was a full-blown dress rehearsal for the Lombard RAC Rally, and it was the first public outing for Malcolm and co-driver Nigel Harris in the Computervision Metro 6R4.


The appearance of the new Metro 6R4 attracted a huge number of spectators to the Welsh forests, as Malcolm beat Richard Gough/Mel Lewis (Ford Escort) to win the event by just over three minutes.


“I think I was probably quite nervous with it being my first event in a Metro 6R4,” recalls Malcolm.


“It was a totally new team. Most of my career I had been in Fords or with my own car like the Audi Quattro, so I was quite apprehensive before the start as everything was so new and so different.


“There weren’t any other four-wheel drive cars on the event, so it would have been a bad job if we hadn’t done the business, but it was still a great way for me to get a chance to drive the car, apart from testing, in an event before the RAC Rally.


“We had a good run, but better still it gave us a better understanding of the car – and there is nothing better than winning to give you a confidence boost.”


And 19 years later, Malcolm’s son Matthew Wilson (co-driven by Scott Martin) won the 2004 Nicky Grist Stages, driving an M-Sport Ford Focus WRC 02 in front of the whole family.


“The 2004 Nicky Grist Stages was another great day,” adds Malcolm.


“We didn’t really expect Matthew to win if I’m honest, but he did a really polished job with no drama and no stress.


“We were all there as a family. I think both Elaine’s [Malcolm’s wife] parents and my parents were there, as well as all the guys that had worked for M-Sport for a very long time, so it was a real family affair and it was great to see Matthew win.”


Other famous winners of the Nicky Grist Stages include Allan Edwards (1980), Chris Mellors (1986), Andrew Burton (1996, ’98, ‘00, ’05 and ‘07), Andreas Mikkelsen (2006), Elfyn Evans (2016), Matt Edwards (2018 and ’21), Osian Pryce (2022), Elliot Payne (2023) and Chris Ingram (2024).


Based in Builth Wells – with the start ceremony on Strand Street, the service area on the Builth Wells RFC pitch and the champagne finish on the banks of the River Wye – this year’s Nicky Grist Stages will feature a compact route with minimal road mileage and 45 stage miles in Halfway, Crychan (named Bowlsey, in honour of the late Pete Bowles, a long time Quinton MC committee member, previous Nicky Grist Stages event winner and Clerk of the Course), Monument and Route 60.


This will be the 16th consecutive year of title sponsorship from Nicky Grist Motorsport and the event will be a host round of five major championships – the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series, Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship, HRCR Rally Master Challenge, TCS Plant Rally Challenge and ANWCC Rally Championship.


And M-Sport continues to play a significant role in this year’s Nicky Grist Stages, as the top-placed Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship Under 25 Junior driver and co-driver at the end of the event be invited to gain invaluable FIA World Rally Championship team experience working as a weather crew for M-Sport on Rally Japan later this year.


Competitors can enter the event here.


Many thanks to Steve Pugh for the picture.