Matt Edwards wins Prestone BRC

Matt Edwards clinched the Prestone MSA British Rally Championship finale following his title win, sealed on the penultimate round earlier in the weekend at Dayinsure Wales Rally GB. Llandudno based Edwards led an M Sport one two on the last BRC event of the 2018 campaign as Alex Laffey bought home his Ford Fiesta R5 into his best ever result in Britains top flight with a fine second, a position he would also secure in the championship. Steve Rokland survived the demanding rally to bring his Peugeot 208 R2 into third overall and with it the Junior BRC title.
 
After sealing the crown following the first round of the Dayinsure Wales Rally GB double header, Pirelli backed Edwards was let off the leash and set about climbing the overall WRC leaderboard to end the year on a high with a win.
 
He enjoyed a day long battle with Scotsman David Bogie in a DMACK Skoda Fabia R5 over the fast and flowing mid Wales stages. Coming into the final day of the season, Edwards trailed and had no answer for the Scot until a mistake by Bogie on Stage 20 handed the lead to the Welsh star. Along with fellow countryman Darren Garrod in the co drivers seat, the pair notched up their fourth win of the season to complete a stellar year in the championships 60th anniversary season.
 
Following Edwards home in the rally and in the championship was Alex Laffey. He has made good progress this season, and proved consistency can build a title tilt. Despite not finishing the final round, David Bogie finished third in the series after clinching his first win of the season earlier in the event.
 
In the Prestone MSA Motorsport News Junior BRC, Steve Rokland in his Michelin shod Peugeot 208 R2 battled his way through the elements and rounded out his season in style by taking the final Junior win of the campaign as well as a third overall after the war of attrition in front of him. With his Championship success, Roklands prize is a test with the Hyundai Motorsport team in one of its latest R5 cars.
 
James Williams took the title fight down to the last day, but try as he may, he had no answer for the flying Norwegian. The Vauxhall ADAM R2 driver finished second on the final round to cement the same position in the series. Irishman Kevin Horgan had a torrid first round in Wales but came back fighting in his Kumho shod Skoda Fabia R2 to take his second podium of 2018 and with it, third in the Junior standings.
 
Standout performances in the Welsh forests by Alex Waterman and 2018 BRC Ladies Champion Nabila Tejpar earned them solid results in the Junior BRC and their first overall top ten points.
 Prestone MSA British Rally Championship Driver Standings
 
1. Matt Edwards 120
2. Alex Laffey 64
3. David Bogie 61
4. Rhys Yates 51
5. Steve Rokland 39
6. James Williams 33
7. Keith Cronin 30
8. Kevin Horgan 19
9. Martin McCormack 12
10.  Jonathan Greer 10
 

10th October, 2018