Payne picks up Reis English Rally Championship title

| REIS Motorsport Insurance
st BTRDA Elliot Payne Patrick Walsh2 - REIS Motorsport Insurance

The 2024 Reis Motorsport Insurance Motorsport UK English Rally Championship has crowned its winner, with Elliot Payne securing the title in a season of fierce competition. The final round of the championship, the Grizedale Stages Rally, was unfortunately cancelled due to the extreme weather conditions caused by Storm Darragh, leaving the points from the penultimate round, the Wyedean Stages Rally, to determine the final standings.

At just 21 years old, the talented Elliot Payne, driving a Fiesta Rally2, claimed the championship in style, cementing his place in rallying history. This victory is added to his third consecutive BTRDA Gold Star® Championship title, a feat that had never been achieved in the championship’s 71-year history. However, despite his dominant performance, the championship race was incredibly tight, with Matthew Hirst (Fabia Rally2) finishing just one point behind Payne, and Nigel Jenkins (Nova) a further three points adrift.

Dan Evans Claims Champion Co-driver Title

In another closely contested category, Dan Evans, who partnered with multiple drivers throughout the season, was crowned Champion Co-driver. Evans edged out Declan Dear (Hirst) by a single point, with Patrick Walsh (Payne) finishing just two points behind. It was a testament to Evans’ consistency and skill, playing a key role in his partners’ successes throughout the season.

Class Victories and Standout Performances

The 2024 season saw several memorable performances across the various classes:

  • Pat Naylor/Ian Lawrence were the dominant force in Class E6, piloting their Lancer EVO9 to victory.
  • The duo of Andy Davison/Tom Murphy, already Protyre BTRDA Silver Star Champions, added Class E5 to their collection with a series of impressive performances in their Sunbeam VXR.
  • In Class E4, Steve Ward/Phil Sandham’s consistent finishes in their Escort MkII saw them secure 4th place overall and a class victory, despite strong competition from Ben Jemison (Chevette HSR).
  • Michael Jenkins/Jordan Joines emerged victorious in Class E3, fending off a determined challenge from Lewis Hooper/Rhys Edwards, who posted four maximum scores during the season in their Fiesta R2.
  • In Class E2, Ashley Francis-Adams, with Dan Evans as his co-driver for much of the year, triumphed in what was another hard-fought battle.
  • Class E1 (Rally First Cars) was completely dominated by Giles Armitage/Josh Rhodes in their Peugeot 205, who sealed the class win with four maximum scores, well ahead of the competition.

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