JAMES Williams has taken the early lead in the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship after taking maximum points in his new Orange Amplifiers Hyundai i20 N Rally2 on the opening round of the series, the Legend Fires North West Stages (22/23 March).   The Newcastle Emlyn man became the 100th driver to register for the UK’s premier sealed-surface series this year on the eve of the event – before he and co-driver Ross Whittock put in a masterclass performance over the slippery Lancashire closed roads to finish fourth overall and top Protyre Asphalt crew in their Pirelli-shod car.   “We battled the elements and some of the best in the business on the opening round of the series,” said James.    “It was a mission to get here after five thousand kilometres to pick up the car last week, but it was well worth it! It felt great in the car – there are a few things to iron out, so there is more in the tank to come.”   Neil Roskell got his championship campaign off to a great start by taking home second-placed points. There was damage to the front of his ND Civils/Lomand Plant Hire/Hauraton Drainage Products/Witham Motorsport Fiesta Rally2 at the finish, thanks to a mishap at a very tricky end to SS10 – and the strong result puts Dai Roberts at the top of the co-drivers’ standings.   Mark Kelly admitted that it had been a challenging day of learning in his Kelmore Škoda Fabia R5. Partnered by Will Atkins, like many the Bolton pilot had to deal with an awful lot of mud that had been pulled out by the cars ahead cutting corners and the road conditions were made all the more treacherous by the changeable weather which included heavy showers of hail and rain. But Mark survived everything that was thrown at him to secure the final Protyre Asphalt podium position.   Hugh Brunton/Drew Sturrock had a mixed day with some good and some not so good stages. On SS8 they clipped and bent something in their Škoda Fabia Rally2 but got the car to a well-earned fourth-place points finish.   Simon Bowen//Craig Simkiss lost time with a puncture, but still brought their Ford Fiesta S2000T home to a fantastic fifth-placed Protyre Asphalt finish.   Steve Wood’s risk-free approach paid dividends as the 2022 Protyre Asphalt champion, co-driven by Kenny Hull, collected sixth-placed points in his Sligo Pallets Citroën C3 Rally2.   An inspired tyre choice in the afternoon helped William Hill to another giant-killing finish. Co-driven by Peredur Wyn Davies, the Hills Ford Fiesta Rally3 driver took home seventh-placed Protyre Asphalt points and won class B14 in the four-wheel drive 1.5 litre EcoBoost engined M-Sport built car.   Stephen Simpson/Mark Glennerster enjoyed a good run to take home eighth-placed points in their Tudor Glass Fiesta Rally2.   Darren Atkinson/Matty Daniels were on sensational form, and despite the extremely slippery conditions finished as the top 2WD crew in their Haldane Fisher Escort Mk2 – taking home ninth-placed overall points and winning both class B13 and the Escort Challenge category.   Defending Protyre Asphalt champions Callum Black/Jack Morton led after the opening two stages but hit the back of their Pallas Connections Fiesta Rally2 on SS3. The 586 Sports crew thought they were out, but when the following two stages were scrapped, they were able to repair the broken rear suspension and return to the event. Having been given a stage maximum time of nine minutes for SS3, they thundered through the afternoon’s five stages to salvage 10th-placed points.   Hugh Hunter admitted that it hadn’t been the best days for him and co-driver Rob Fagg, as they just missed out on a Protyre Asphalt top 10 result in their Robert Hunter & Son Tarmac/Lewis & Hunter Contracting Fiesta Rally2.   Roger Duckworth lost time on the morning loop with a puncture and his Technia Fiesta R5’s engine cutting out. Co-driven by Alun Cook, the Towcester driver enjoyed a clean afternoon to take home 12th-placed points.   Wayne Sisson/Michael Hendry showed what is possible against an army of R5 and Rally2 cars by collecting 13th-placed points in their AMS Arnside Motorsport Mitsubishi Evo 10 – one place ahead of Joe Mckeand/Charlotte McDowall in their Subaru Impreza, with Wayne Jones/Dafydd Evans next, and second in class B13, in their Darrian T90 GTR.   Mark Holmes/Mark Perryman survived a puncture and a couple of spins to score a solid finish in their Mark Holmes Auto Engineering Fiesta R5, while Richard Slinger (co-driven for the first time by Mark Twiname) finished in style with a very sideways slide in his smart Mitsubishi Evo 6.   Lee and Cole Hastings collected a puncture on the same stage during the recce and the event but reached the finish in their John Gibson & Sons Subaru Impreza. Darrell Taylor/Dylan Thomas finished despite punctures, driveshaft issues and a flashing dash in their Fiesta Rally2, while Ant Eaton/Ian Jackson overcame gearbox problems before the start to record a solid start to the season in their Autotest Fiesta R5.   Sam Touzel/Aaron Nicolle caught several Escorts in their Fiesta Rally2 but were nonetheless happy to finish, as were James Labey/Robbie Hannah (Weaver Motorsport Fiesta Rally2), Roger Moran/Daniel Petrie (Moran Motorhomes Fabia R5), and Roger and Tommi Henderson (DKMS We Delete Blood Cancer Fiesta Rally2).   James Ford/Neil Shanks crashed their Sligo Pallets Citroën C3 Rally2 on the opening stage, while David Wright/Paula Swinscoe crashed their Fix Auto/Grove Hill Garage/Dampertek Ford Fiesta R5 on SS2 – both times temporarily blocking the stage.    North West Stages event sponsor John Stone and co-driver Laura Marshall retired their Legend Fires Volkswagen Polo GTI R5, while Kevin Davies/Owain Davies also failed to finish in their Cobra Hydraulics Volkswagen Polo GTI R5.    Jonathan Mounsey/Richard Wardle retired their JD Mounsey/3 Peaks Cycles/JDM Models Fiesta R5 with a water leak, and when Peter Jackson/Sam Spencer hit a tree head on their Escort Mk2 on SS2 the stage was blocked for a second time.    Despite not being used to 2WD, Gordon Morrison/Ian Parker finished third in class B13, one place ahead of Brad Cole/Jamie Vaughan who had lost time with two punctures, a spin and windscreen wiper issues in their Hydroline Solutions Escort Mk2.   Mathew Dance/Jason Davies regretted going out on full slick tyres in the wet afternoon but survived to bring their Escort Mk2 home fifth in class B13, while Huw James/Lewis Sim survived a heavy landing on SS2 to come home sixth. Dave Willett/John Davies finished just 9.9 seconds behind in their Escort Mk2. Nikki Addison/Iain Thorburn had a great run to class B12 victory in their Honda Civic. The Inverness driver also takes the lead of the new Ladies’ Challenge class.   Former Scottish Ladies’ rally champion Ashleigh Morris was second in the Ladies’ Challenge in her Fiesta R200, while Emma Morrison takes the lead in the co-drivers’ section.   Kalum Graffin won the Protyre Asphalt Junior and class B11 categories. Co-driven by Richard Crozier, the Toomebridge youngster was outstanding in his KG Motorsport/Kilmac Group/Lyons Road Transport/Woodland NI Peugeot 208 Rally4.   Ben Crump/Ian Beamond were first reserve on the eve of the event and rushed to the start when a slot appeared in the starting line up. Running at car number 135, they finished a well-deserved second in class B11 in their Escort Mk2.   Reigning B11 champion Michael Harbour, co-driven by Cameron Dunn, finished third in class in his two-litre Vauxhall engined VS Pro Pressure Washing Services/Miller Waste Water Escort Mk2, one place ahead of Chris Butcher/Jonathan Hawkins, who finished despite late clutch issues with their Severnside Defibs Nissan Sunny GTI F2.    Nick Heard/Oliver Mathison finished fifth in class after a sensor-related misfire in their Ginetta G40, Mal Boyd/Chris Sanderson were sixth in their Winsford MOT Centre Escort Mk2, while Geoff Glover/Keith Barker were seventh in their Vauxhall Astra RWD.   Rory McCann/Paul McCann won class B10 in their Metalways Honda Civic, while Kyle Casement/Liam McCann and Max Murray/Matty Owen were second and third in a pair of Citroën C2s. Despite a day-long misfire, Paul Evans/Callum Young reached the finish – but it was a dramatic ending to the event as they spun within sight of the finish line and were unavoidably hit by Tim Cole/David Sutcliffe, who were out for the first time in their BMW E36 Compact.   Simon Hunter/Howard Pridmore won class B9 in their Kwiktrak Vauxhall Corsa S1400, despite a misfire above 7,000rpm. Will Mains/Tomos Whittle were second in a Vauxhall Nova, while Nicky Cowperthwaite/Helen Hall skidded their Cowperthwaite’s Garage/H&K Travel Opel Corsa off the road and into a ditch.   Geoff Roberts (co-driven by Steve Hallmark) takes the early lead in the BTRDA Historic Asphalt Cup after a great drive in his Escort RS1800 Mk2, while Martin Melling/Neil MacDonald won the Plastics4Performance Mini Challenge.   Reigning R2 class champions Archie Swinscoe/Jane Nicol missed their chance of going top of the category after breaking the suspension in their Rallytech Vauxhall Adam.   Action from the North West Stages, which was broadcast live, is available to view on the Special Stage TV Facebook and YouTube channels, plus specialstage.tv.    Rounds 2 and 3 of the 2023 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship is the double header Manx National Rally on the Isle of Man (10/11 May).