JASON Pritchard arrives at this weekend’s Borders Competitions Jim Clark Rally leading the Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship, and whilst he’ll be one of the favourites to score maximum points in Round 3, the Builth Wells ace has an unusual history on the event.

The triple Protyre Asphalt champion contested the Jim Clark five times between 2007-2011 – three times in a Citroën C2 (finishing second in the R2 class in 2009) and twice in a Subaru Impreza Sti N16 (finishing a career-best fifth overall in 2010).

He didn’t appear again until 2022, when he finished seventh overall in a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5.

This time he’s back in another different car – his new Pirelli-shod North Road Garage/Guttercrest Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 – and as he’ll be partnered by Phil Clarke, it’s the first time that Jason will contest the event twice with the same co-driver!

They’ll have plenty of very strong competition – not least from Neil Roskell.

He is second in the points standings and having finished runner-up in the BTRDA sealed-surface series three times he has no intention of staying in that position.

Maximum points are all he and Rob Fagg will be after, as they launch into the fast and flowing stages in their Michelin-shod ND Civils/Burdens/Witham Motorsport Ford Fiesta Rally2.

Sam Touzel is on the brink of his maiden Protyre Asphalt win in his Smart Scaffolding Fiesta Rally2.

He led the Proflex Manx Rally and has won his home Jersey Rally, so together with co-driver Max Freeman he will be looking for a great result on the mainland this time.

Mark Kelly is quickly getting used to his new Kelmore Volkswagen Polo GTI R5, as witnessed by his incredible pace towards the end of the Manx.

He’s down in 11th position in the Protyre Asphalt drivers’ standings thanks to a DNF on the opening round, but that will merely count as one of his two mandatory dropped scores as he and co-driver Will Atkins look for a strong result on the Jim Clark to maintain their title challenge.

Double champions Callum Black/Jack Morton will be looking to score their first set of maximum Protyre Asphalt points on the Jim Clark having finished fourth and second in their title winning years in 2023 and ’24 respectively.

Despite having much more experience on gravel, the 586 Sport driver is super-quick on asphalt and will be a front runner in his Pallas Connections Fiesta Rally2.

James Williams scored maximum points on the opening round of the 2025 Protyre Asphalt Championship and also on the 2022 Jim Clark Rally and on paper the Newcastle Emlyn driver looks hard to beat.

Reunited with 2022 Protyre Asphalt champion co-driver Dai Roberts, you won’t be able to miss his flying Orange Amplification Hyundai i20 N Rally2, which will be equipped with new upgrades for the event.

David Wright/Jane Nicol are on tremendous form and arrive in Duns lying fourth in the points table.

They’ll be eyeing another big haul of points in their GPM/DamperTek/Grove Hill Garage Fiesta R5.

Six-time Protyre Asphalt champion Damian Cole arrives in Scotland on great form, after winning the Dixies Challenge and extending his record number of rally victories on Epynt to 25.

He’ll be co-driven in Duns by Rhodri Evans in his Get Connected Citroën C3 Rally2.

Steve Wood crashed out of last year’s Jim Clark Rally, but he did collect third-placed Protyre Asphalt points in 2022 which helped him towards the drivers’ title that year.

Co-driven by Kenny Hull, the Aberystwyth driver will be behind the wheel of his Citroën C3 Rally2.

Hugh Brunton/Drew Sturrock have swapped their Škoda Fabia Rally2 for a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5,

2007 champion Stephen Simpson (co-driven this time by Harry Walshaw) is back in his Tudor Glass Fiesta Rally2, Roger Duckworth/Alun Cook will also be looking for a strong finish in their Technia Fiesta R5, while after several years competing in an Escort Mk2,

Brad Cole/Jamie Vaughan will be looking for another confidence-boosting performance in their Trick Motorsport prepared and East Budleigh Garage run Hydroline Solutions Fiesta Rally2.

John Stone/Rhys Stoneman (Legend Performance Engineering Volkswagen Polo GTI R5), Chris Ford/Neil Colman (Citroën C3 Rally2) and Roger and Tommi Henderson (DKMS We Delete Blood Cancer Fiesta Rally2) all enjoyed good runs last time out on the Proflex Manx Rally and will be aiming to keep that momentum going.

Nathan Bolton/Phil Kenny also showed good pace in their Monza Installs/Legend Performance Fiesta Rally2 on the Isle of Man, as did Cristian Davies (who’ll be co-driven this time by Chris Davies) in his Fiesta Proto and Mike English (who will be co-driven by Simon Hunter) in his Lumina Surveillance/Finer Detailers/Kwiktrak Fiesta Rally2.

Former Escort class B11 champion Michael Harbour makes his second start in his Hamilton Haulage/VS Pro Fiesta R5.

Co-driven by Cameron Dunn, the Ayr driver failed to finish the Manx thanks to power steering failure, so will be aiming for a strong finish on home soil this time.

Also looking for a good finish will be Darrell Taylor/Cat Lund, who crashed their Dom Buckley Motorsport-prepared Fiesta Rally2 on the Manx after setting some impressive early stage times.

Barry Renwick picked up a Protyre Asphalt point on the opening East Riding Stages.

The Jim Clark will be the Consett driver’s second rally of the season as Paul Hughes partners him in his smart white Fiesta R5.

Just a finish is likely to give Adrian Spencer the Class B lead in his RED Industries/Adgespeed Subaru Impreza S11 WRC replica.

Co-driven by Graham Wild, the Manchester driver will be up against the likes of Tony Davies/Garth Short in their rapid Mitsubishi Evo 9.

Huw James/Lewis Sim arrive leading Class C and the Escort Challenge after two excellent performances in their A&D Tyres Escort Mk2.

They’ll be in for another close battle for 2WD supremacy with the likes of Gordon Montana Morrison/Michael Hendry (Lochwinnoch Motors Heavy Haulage Escort Mk2), Mark Jasper/Don Whyatt (Jaspers Bakeries Escort Mk2), Richard Poole/Jim Clarke (BMW E36 M3), Max Murray/Matty Owen (BVS Vehicles Citroën DS3 R3T), Gareth Humphreys/Aaron Mallin (Stratos Motorsport Cooper S R53), Chris Thompson/Mark Mason (Escort Mk2) and Jake Smith/Dave Tortoishell (Escort Mk2).

Alyn Welsby will be aiming for a hat-trick of Class E victories as he and co-driver Robert Rhys Jones contest the event in their Cymru Camper Furniture/CP Developments Escort Mk2.

They’ll be pushed hard by Neil Jones/Alan Thomas (Team Pit Stop Escort Mk2), Ryan Burns/Richard Jones (Escort Mk2) and George Heighway/Tim Currie in the glorious Heighway Ltd/ASM Developments Toyota Corolla AE86.

Leading Protyre Asphalt Junior driver Luke Constantine will be hoping to extend his Class F lead when he teams up with Ifan Devine in his Constantine Motorsport Opel Adam R2.

They’ll be battling with the likes of Anthony Jevons/Margaret Kelly (Fiesta Rally2), Michael Jenkins/Jordan Joines (Fiesta R2T) and Jonathan Jones/Owen Rowcliffe – the Cardigan carpenter contesting the event for the first time in his Carpentry & Tiling/Ffostrasol Garage Vauxhall Corsa S1600.

Alex Kirk-Willey had a great run on the Manx, until engine failure stopped his AKW Installations Vauxhall Corsa S1600 just 3.5 miles from the end of the final stage.

Since then he has finished a test event at Fulbeck, albeit after rolling the car on the opening stage – leaving him and co-driver Sasha Heriot hopeful that they’re due a clean and trouble-free run.

Thomas Graham/Mark Pickering also had an eventful debut in their new R/S Motors Leyburn Escort Mk1 on the Manx and will be hoping for no gearbox leak or windscreen wiper issues this time.

William Mains won his class on the East Riding Stages and remains in the lead of Class G. Co-driven by Emma Clarke, the triple Protyre Asphalt 1400cc champion has been seeded at number 82 (as opposed to number 162 which he had on the opening round) meaning that the Llandysul driver will do a lot more stages in daylight on Friday in his Speedy Sofas/Mike’s Scaffolding Vauxhall Nova.

There will be an intriguing battle in the battle for the BTRDA Historic Asphalt Cup, with the likes of Mark Holmes/Jonathan Cragg (ND Civils/Mark Holmes Auto Engineering Escort Mk1) and Graham Mutter/Russell Joseph (Escort RS2000) going for glory.

Action from the Jim Clark Rally will be streamed live and free-to-view on the Special Stage TV Facebook and YouTube channels.

Organised by the Jim Clark Memorial Motor Club, this year’s Borders Competitions Jim Clark Rally features a longer 100 stage mile route spread over two days and 14 stages.

The event will begin with a ceremonial start in Duns Square early on Friday (23 May) evening, followed by two loops of three stages totalling 46.5 stage miles.

Saturday (24 May) features two loops of four stages totalling 54.4 stage miles, before the champagne spraying finish celebrations back in Duns Square at 2:40pm.