Jason Pritchard got the defence of his Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship title off to the best possible start by winning the opening round of the 2019 series, the Rallynuts National Tour of Epynt Rally, in his North Road Garage Ford Focus WRC05.

Strong winds sent dark clouds sweeping over the military ranges all day long, with heavy downpours of rain, sleet and hail making driving conditions hazardous and tyre choice almost impossible.

While a high retirement rate decimated the high-quality field, a brilliantly controlled performance by Pritchard made the extremely difficult look easy.

Having not driven his Focus since last October, Pritchard admitted to being a little rusty on the opening stage – but then he and Phil Clarke took the lead of the event on SS2 and never looked back.

On each stage thereafter they stretched their advantage – even when they had to stop for a flock of sheep to cross the road on the penultimate stage.

“We just kept our heads down and drove to the conditions," said Pritchard.

"The car’s ran faultlessly, Phil’s been faultless on the notes and it’s nice when you have a day like this because all the boy’s have done in service is changed the tyres once, slicks on for one loop and then back onto wets, so it’s been a very good and enjoyable day.

"It wasn’t easy, but the only stage we struggled on was the first one because I was a bit rusty and I messed up on the paddle shift going around the hut, because I was in the wrong gear and I don’t know how the car didn’t stall.

"I got my act together after that and it’s been good. A big thank you to the marshals who stood outside all day in torrential weather, and it’s been a good slick event with no major hold ups.”

Their 2 minute 13 second victory margin doesn’t accurately reflect the big battle they had with Damian Cole in his similar Focus WRC05.

The Get Connected/Energizer-backed driver led after SS1, and it was only two disastrous tyre choices on two of the longest stages that prevented Cole pressurising Pritchard more for the win.

Co-driven by Shelley Rogerson, Cole lost 14 seconds on SS4 when the wintry conditions in the service area at the Quarry could not have been more different to the dry and sunny conditions on the other side of the ranges near the Drover’s Arms.

The gap had increased to 57 seconds before the final stage, when Cole’s ice tyres left him with no grip whatsoever – so much so that the car behind overtook him. Not even the sheep could believe what they had just witnessed – yet second and 28 points is still a great start to the six time Asphalt Rally Champion’s campaign.

“We had a good run through the first stage, but I chose completely the wrong tyres for two of the longer stages – my fault, but that’s what did a lot of the damage today," said Cole.

"I think we were lucky in the end to come second, because we went on an ice tyre for the last stage that gave us no grip at all, I might as well have had Plasticine on the rims! It was really nice to be back in the Focus and we’ll use it for the rest of the year.”

John Stone suffered an early misfire in the Fiesta WRC that Mikko Hirvonen had won the 2011 Rally Australia in. New spark plugs and a replacement coil cured the problem, allowing the 2014 Asphalt Rally Championship runner-up to press on.

Co-driven by Jack Morton, there was to be no heroics from the Blackburn driver this time, as he was keen to keep his Legend Fires-backed Ford in one piece ready for another rally in two weeks time.Fourth overall (behind Sebastian Ling/Aled Rees in a Citroën DS3 R5, who are not registered for the Asphalt Rally Championship) gave Stone third placed points – which was exactly what he was aiming for on a rare visit to Epynt.

“I’m not an Epynt expert and the place frightens me to death, but I have to say that it was a great day and the result is exactly what we had targeted," said Stone.

"The conditions were really difficult, especially when we were going over Mabion Way towards the end and there was ice and snow – but it really was a brilliant day. We’ll come back to Epynt – I don’t really know why we’ve stayed away for so long.”2019 Rallynuts National Tour of Epynt

Top 10 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship overall finishers

1. Jason Pritchard/Phil Clarke (Ford Focus WRC05)….58mins 59secs

2. Damian Cole/Shelley Rogerson (Ford Focus WRC05)….1hr 01mins 12secs

3. John Stone/Jack Morton (Ford Fiesta WRC)….1hr 03mins 05secs

4. Alan Kirkaldy/Cameron Fair (Ford Fiesta R5)….1hr 03mins 19secs

5. David Hardie/John McCulloch (Ford Fiesta R5)….1hr 04mins12secs

6. Wayne Sisson/Max Freeman (Mitsubishi Evo 10)….1hr 04mins17secs

7. Oli Hopkins/Ian Taylor (Mitsubishi Mirage)….1hr 04mins 32secs

8. Richard Merriman/Kath Curzon (Darrian T90)….1hr 04mins 43secs

9. Graham Hollis/Ashley Trimble (Ford Escort Mk2)….1hr 05mins 06secs

10. Gary Le Coadou/Carl Sorensen (Hyundai i20 WRC)….1hr 05mins 09secs

2019 Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship

Overall driver points after Round 1:

1. Jason Pritchard….30pts

2. Damian Cole….28pts

3. John Stone….27pts

4. Alan Kirkaldy….26pts

5. David Hardie….25pts

6. Wayne Sisson….24pts

7. Oli Hopkins….23pts

8. Richard Merriman….22pts

9. Graham Hollis….21pts

10. Gary Le Coadou….20pts