MACHYNLLETH driver Osian Pryce stole second place in a dramatic final stage thriller at the Grampian Forest Rally to leave him in a strong position after four round of the British Rally Championship.

It was Keith Cronin who underlined his credentials as a four-time BRC champion, setting fastest time on all but one stage of the rally on Saturday to secure his second win of the season.

The Irishman, along with co-driver Mikie Galvin returned an impeccable performance over the event’s six stages in the searing summer heat, battling low-hanging dust to take his Pirelli-shod Volkswagen Polo to his first BRC win on gravel since 2012.

Cronin was fastest out of the blocks by three seconds from Bell on the opener and would never look back.

Racking up the stage wins with apparent ease, Cronin had amassed a ten-second lead by the first service of the day, increasing that to 13 by the second, despite a joint scratch time on the fourth test from both Pryce and Bell.

But he wouldn’t rest on his laurels, banging in a further two dazzling times to seal a valuable victory in his ‘Drive for Five’ BRC title chase.

Whilst Cronin’s win was arguably straightforward, behind him a battle between Pryce and Ruari Bell unfurled in fantastic fashion.

Pryce’s Nicky Grist win last time out meant he was arguably the favourite but found himself down in third and four seconds shy on the opening Durries test.

That gap did nothing but open up during the day as he and Noel O’Sullivan couldn’t quite find the pace required to close in on the leader.

Heading into the last stage, Pryce was almost resigned to come away with third and salvage what points he could from a difficult day. But emerging from the final test, he did just enough to vault from third to second and grab more crucial points for his title campaign.

That place was at the expense of Bell and Max Freeman who have been searching for some luck all season long.

It almost looked like it had arrived in Banchory just in time for his season to take an upturn, sitting in an impressive second overall for much of the event, only to take a trip into the Scottish ditches and trees on the final stage, just managing to emerge with third.

James Williams and Dai Roberts have shown a positive turn of pace in 2022 but have not been able to repeat their opening round podium in their Hyundai i20.

A second fastest time on the Drumtochty test showed the capability, but another tough day in the office and the return of the niggles that have plagued him for the last few events, saw Williams take fourth and left ruing what could have been.

Taking his first BRC podium last month in Wales, Jason Pritchard has confessed to feeling more confident about his Polo on the gravel. With Phil Clarke alongside, Pritchard struggled in the Scottish tests with confidence and like many others, dust to round out to the top five. Andy Davies and Michael Gilbey took sixth in their Fiesta as they continue to adapt to their new machine and Davies’ debut BRC campaign.

It was a bitter end to Garry Pearson’s Grampian, sitting in fourth and within sight of the podium positions, the Scot got caught out on the penultimate stage of the event, sliding wide in his Hankook-equipped Fiesta Rally2 and ending his rally in a ditch. Elliot Payne’s BRC return would also be one to forget. Throttle issues in his Fiesta in the opener forced him off the road but it would be a severe oil leak that eventually ended his day prematurely.

The British Rally Championship switches back to asphalt in just three weeks for a local affair for Pryce.

The Get Connected Rali Ceredigion will host round five on 3 and 4 September.