By Paul Evans
Steve Wood is the 2022 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally champion, having secured the title on the final round of the series on the Isle of Man.
The Aberystwyth driver continues an incredible record of title success by Welsh drivers who have dominated the UK’s premier sealed-surface rally series for over a decade.
Only once since 2009 has a non-Welsh driver lifted the title, with Wood following in the wheel tracks of Melvyn Evans, six-time champion Damian Cole and triple champion Jason Pritchard.
Co-driven by Aberdare’s Dale Bowen, Wood mastered the wet and wild weather conditions to finish third overall on the Chris Kelly Memorial Manx Stages in his City East Ford Fiesta RS WRC – which gave him a four-point championship winning margin.
“I started to look at all the permutations in terms of where we needed to finish, and where others needed to finish, for us to become champions and gave up and just went for it – that seemed to be the best thing to do, and it all came good in the end,” said Wood.
“The only mistake we’ve done all season was on the Argyll Rally.
“There was no need for us to push as hard as we did, and I shouldn’t have done off.
Steve Wood clinches the 2022 Protyre MSUK Asphalt Rally Championship title after a battle royal on the Isle of Man https://t.co/LHACZI1YJc
— Protyre MUK Asphalt Rally Championship (@AsphaltRallying) October 3, 2022
“I’d have been kicking myself now if that had cost us the title – but thankfully it didn’t and I’m delighted.”
Carmarthen’s Dai Roberts clinched the overall co-drivers’ title, having scored three wins and one second place finish with two different drivers.
He’s no mean driver either, and having already secured the title before the final round he swapped seats and drove his own Peugeot 205 GTi on the Isle of Man – retiring with suspected engine failure.
Giant-killing is a phrase often used, but it’s seldom more appropriately placed than when talking about William Mains.
He finished 11th in the overall driver points table, beating much more powerful four-wheel drive machines in his little WCS/Roy Thomas & Son/Speedy Sofas/Mike Scaffolding-sponsored Vauxhall Nova.
Needless to say, the Llandysul pilot also won his class.
Steve Wood becomes fourth Protyre Asphalt event winner this year after Down Rally triumph https://t.co/OedIVFlRqv
— Protyre MUK Asphalt Rally Championship (@AsphaltRallying) July 24, 2022
Jonathan Stepney, who as a teenager represented Wales at Olympic Skeet shooting in Gibraltar, also won a class trophy.
He was co-driven all season by his stepfather Aled Davies in his rapid 1.9-litre engined Griffiths/Gavin Griffiths Group-backed Peugeot 205 GTi.
Stepney beat double Protyre Asphalt class B12 champion Mike Pugsley, who only made two appearances this year in his self-prepared 1974 Ford Escort Mk1 RS2000 – winning both times.