Month: May 2026

One of British rallying’s most legendary specials, Andy Burton’s extraordinary Alfa-Ferrari, claimed its final rally victory 30 years ago on what is now the Nicky Grist Stages.

 

As four-wheel drive machinery began to dominate, the famous Herefordshire farm shed-built Alfa-Ferrari had already been retired from competition and the defending BTRDA champion had switched to a Metro 6R4 for the 1996 season.

 

At the same time, Andy was building his Peugeot 306R4 and, because the new car was designed around the engine, the Metro’s powerplant had to be transferred into the new spaceframe, leaving him without a car for the second half of the season.

 

So the V8-engined Alfa-Ferrari was brought out of retirement for the Nicky Grist Stages – then known as the Quinton Stages Rally.

 

After five stages in Cefn Llwydlo, Caeo, Lady Megan, Trawscoed and Crychan forests, Andy and co-driver Rob Morgan finished 16 seconds clear of Matthew Clark/Robert Dyson in an Escort RS Cosworth, with Adrian Struthers/Graham Hopewell third in an Escort Mk2.

 

Andy drove the Alfa-Ferrari just once more, and the stretch of road where the 3-litre V8 engine expired at 125mph on the Woodpecker Rally has been known as Conrod Straight ever since!

 

And as for the Alfa-Ferrari, that has sat untouched in a barn for the last 30 years.

 

“A friend in a local village had a written off Alfa Romeo Alfasud Sprint and parked next to it was a written off Ferrari 308 GTS. I thought ‘that Ferrari engine in the back of that Alfa would make an amazing rally car,’ and that’s how the Alfa-Ferrari started,” said Andy.

 

“I thought I could make the car look something like a Lancia 037, a car I loved, so we built a spaceframe and put the engine in the back.

 

“The car’s first rally was a local twelve car event. We ended up helping a fellow competitor get to the finish, and he said it was the fastest he’d ever been towed in his life!

 

“We took the car into the forests and found that the V8 wasn’t the fastest engine – until we swapped the carburettors for fuel injection!

 

“Being rear-wheel drive, the car was very hard on tyres. If it was an eight-mile stage, we couldn’t go flat-out for the first three miles otherwise there’d be no rubber left. We were running 16-inch tyres, which were the biggest we could get in diameter.

 

“I remember the 1996 Quinton Stages Rally because we’d moved on to building the Peugeot 306R4 and the Alfa-Ferrari had been retired. Four-wheel drive was taking over, so while we were building the Peugeot we’d started the season in a Metro, which was so quick. But with the Metro’s engine now in the Peugeot, we found ourselves without a car, so we wheeled out the old two-wheel drive Alfa again.

 

“We were just one second ahead of Matthew Clark after three stages but had a good push through the final two stages. Given the age of the car, I was surprised we won.

 

“We did the Woodpecker after that and since then the car has sat untouched in a barn. I took the front suspension off it to use on some farm machinery, but apart from that the Alfa is as it finished the 1996 season. It’s now parked next to the Peugeot 306R4. I’ll never sell the cars, as they’re part of the family and remind me every day of the great times we had rallying.”

 

This year’s Builth Wells-based Nicky Grist Stages takes place on Saturday 11 July and features a challenging 44 stage miles route on gravel roads in Monument, Crychan (named ‘Bowlsey’ in honour of the late Pete Bowles, a long-time Quinton Motor Club committee member, former Nicky Grist Stages winner and Clerk of the Course), Halfway and Route 60.

 

The Quinton Motor Club-organised event celebrates 17 consecutive years of title sponsorship from Nicky Grist Motorsports and in 2026 is a round of six major championships – the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series, Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship, HRCR Rally Master Challenge, Kingfisher Insurance Motorsport English Rally Championship, TCS Plant Rally Challenge and ANWCC Rally Championship.

 

Entries for the 2026 Nicky Grist Stages are now open and available at rallies.info.

 

Seeded Entries Close on Friday 26 June and Final Entries Close on Wednesday 8 July.

 

Event enquiries please contact:
Neil Cross (Clerk of the Course): clerk@nickygriststages.co.uk
Helena Mayall (Secretary of the Meeting): secretary@nickygriststages.co.uk
Claire Cross (Entries Secretary): entries@nickygriststages.co.uk
Tru Concannon (Chief Marshal): marshals@nickygriststages.co.uk

It is with enormous sadness that we have learned of the passing of our dear friend and long-time Chief Marshal, Ian Evans, following a long and incredibly brave battle with cancer.

 

Ian was one of the true unsung heroes of the Nicky Grist Stages, working tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure all the stages and every time control were fully marshalled. He refused to let his illness get him down, and he continued to work on the event with unwavering enthusiasm, dedication and good humour.

 

Ian’s legacy will live on, for he had already arranged for his daughter Tru (who has worked on the event for many years) to take over as Chief Marshal. We are extremely grateful and humbled by this incredible family gesture.

 

But that was Ian. A master planner. A person you could 100% rely on.

 

Our thoughts are with Deb, Tru, Ruan and family at this incredibly difficult time.

 

Thank you for everything, Ian. The Nicky Grist Stages will never be the same without you.

 

Nicky Grist believes this year’s Nicky Grist Stages (Saturday 11 July) will deliver one of the event’s best routes yet, with smooth, fast and demanding stages set to provide a great challenge for competitors.

 

And as a rally legend with 21 FIA World Rally Championship event wins – including two RAC Rally victories with Juha Kankkunen (1993) and Colin McRae (1997) and three Safari Rally wins (all with McRae) – there is no questioning Nicky’s knowledge and experience when it comes to evaluating special stages!

 

This year’s Quinton Motor Club-organised event celebrates 17 consecutive years of title sponsorship from Nicky Grist Motorsports.

 

Nicky founded the company in 1995 (whilst he was still co-driving for Kankkunen in the Toyota Castrol Team Celica GT-Four) and within 10 years Nicky Grist Motorsports had become the place to go in the UK for Stilo helmets and intercoms and other top-level motorsport safety equipment such as tailor-made and off-the-peg race suits, HANS/FHR devices, fireproof underwear, co-driver equipment, Lazer LED lights, race and rally seats, awnings, garage accessories and much more. It now also has its own exclusive NG branded products.

 

Each year Nicky offers Nicky Grist Stages entered competitors a discount on selected items, delivered free of charge to the event’s service area on the eve of the event.

 

This year’s Builth Wells-based Nicky Grist Stages will be a round of six major championships – the Protyre Autocare BTRDA Rally Series, Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship, HRCR Rally Master Challenge, Kingfisher Insurance Motorsport English Rally Championship, TCS Plant Rally Challenge and ANWCC Rally Championship.

 

There will be around 44 stage miles in Monument, Crychan (named ‘Bowlsey’ in honour of the late Pete Bowles, a long-time Quinton Motor Club committee member, former Nicky Grist Stages winner and Clerk of the Course), Halfway and Route 60 – with crews tackling the four stages in the morning, before repeating the loop in the afternoon following a midday service halt on the Builth Wells RFC pitch.

 

As usual, road mileage will be kept to a minimum, guaranteeing an action-packed day for competitors, marshals and spectators.

 

“Neil Cross and his team have put together a fantastic route for this year’s Nicky Grist Stages – it will be another great challenge for all the crews, and a route that everyone will enjoy,” says Nicky Grist.

 

“We have the four favourite stages of the rally, with most of it run in different directions. At least 50% of the route is run on roads not used last year, and there is a new finish to Route 60 – so there will be a lot to look forward to.

 

“The road conditions are really smooth, so a fast rally is in store.

 

“It promises to be another fantastic event, and I’m looking forward to seeing you all in Builth Wells in July.”

 

“Working with Nicky, with his wealth of rallying experience, ensures that we can configure the very best stages on the gravel roads on the Mynydd Epynt military range and Crychan forest complex,” says Neil Cross, Nicky Grist Stages Clerk of the Course.

 

“Keeping the Nicky Grist Stages route fresh also guarantees we can offer an exciting new challenge each year.”

 

2026 Nicky Grist Stages – Important Dates and Times
Sunday 17 May, 18:00 – Regulations Published
Monday 18 May, 18:00 – Entries Open
Friday 26 June – Seeded Entries Close
Monday 29 June – Final Instructions and Route Details Announced
Wednesday 8 July – Final Entries Close
Friday 10 July, 15:00-20:30 – Scrutineering, Groe Park (Service Area)
Saturday 11 July, 08.31 – First car starts
Saturday 11 July, 15:30 – First car finishes