Jason Pritchard hopes that a test drive in Wales this weekend will give him valuable time behind the wheel and therefore an edge when he competes in his first overseas FIA World Rally Championship at the ADAC Rallye Deutschland next week.

The 23-year-old Welshman began his preparations for his trip to Germany yesterday (Wednesday 10th August) as he drove his North Road Garage backed Subaru Impreza for the first time since an accident at the GEKO Ypres in Belgium which resulted in a broken collarbone and a fractured wrist – something he didn’t realise until weeks after the meet – after the shakedown Jason explained his delight at being back behind the wheel:

“It’s been a tough few weeks and it felt fantastic to be in the car again, I span out during the rally in Belgium but managed to get the car back out of a ditch before completing the Rally. I was determined to finish the race and this determination meant I didn’t realise the full extent of my injuries, it was only a couple of weeks later and after consultation at the hospital that I found out I’d fractured my wrist and broken my collarbone!”

Jason, who was extremely pleased with the shakedown and how the car performed, is driving at the Walters Arena in Wales this weekend to get more seat time ahead of his journey out to Germany which begins on Tuesday. He will be making his first appearance overseas at the ADAC Rallye Deutschland which begins on August 18th and preparation is crucial ahead of the rally:

“We had a successful shakedown with the car today, testing some different brake settings so I’m prepared for any situation I might encounter, I’ll be getting some valuable seat time in Wales this weekend and then we start our journey out to Germany on Tuesday, leaving us plenty of time for travel.”

Rallye Deutschland has the honour of being the first world championship event of the 2011 season to take place on asphalt, although it’s an asphalt rally like no other with all three days of the event held on different types of sealed surfaces.

One of the highlights of Rallye Deutschland in recent seasons is the inclusion of the Circus Maximus superspecial stage, which runs through the centre of Trier, Germany’s oldest city and Jason is fully aware of the challenge such a prestigious rally will hold:

“It’s going to be a testing challenge,” he says. “I know there are some very fast sections and as always it will require 100 per cent concentration if I’m to achieve anything from the rally. I can’t wait to get out there and to say I’m excited about the challenge is an understatement, I’m confident of a finish and a clean run.”

Jason Pritchard missed out on the chance to secure his best finish this season and was left feeling that he deserved so much more for a strong showing in Carlisle. The Pirelli International Rally provided both excitement and disappointment for the 22-year old from Builth Wells, who had a potential top 3 finish taken away from him. Jason lost crucial time after rolling his North Road Garage backed Subaru Impreza late on Saturday afternoon. The incident, during stage 8, resulted in Pritchard losing 5-minutes on his rivals and finishing 9th overall in the third rally of this pulsating British Rally Championship.

The prestigious Carlisle racecourse was the venue for round three and David Bogie was victorious for a second time this season; Bogie led from start to finish on Kielder Forest’s demanding gravel roads. Pritchard was on the pace throughout and started extremely well on Friday evening, navigating a number of problems along the way; he was fourth in proceedings after the two seven-mile runs through Newcastleton Forest and was only 0.01 seconds away from third place. Jason had a further 79 competitive miles to deal with on the Saturday and was well placed to challenge the overnight leaders, feeling extremely confident after such a strong showing during the first two stages:

“The roads were what we expected, very dry and dusty from the word go. It’s always a special feature of the rally here in Carlisle, however I felt great over the two stages, even though we had to deal with a bent wheel after the first stage. It was crucial with a new co driver that we clicked and I felt that a top 3 finish was very much in our sights going into the Saturday.”

Pritchard admitted that valuable time was lost early on Saturday after being on the wrong tyres but again the youngster managed a difficult situation with maturity and confidence:

“Once we changed tyres we managed to pick up the pace and I’m disappointed that the incident on stage 8 hampered my final position. Looking at the final times and what we lost, third place would’ve been achievable, so it’s very frustrating. However it’s important that I take the positives away from what was an excellent drive. I would also like to mention the spectators who pulled me out of the car after the roll, the support as always was fantastic and I can’t thank everyone enough.”

Pritchard was third fastest after the incident, showing his desire and ability to deal with any situation and he finished the race impressively, even with a smashed windscreen. The Jim Clark International Rally in Scotland is next up for Jason and if he can avoid similar incidents and any bad luck along the way, we can expect Pritchard to be up there challenging again.

Round three of the 2011 Dulex Trade MSA British Rally Championship heads to Carlisle this weekend in what promises to be another exhilarating contest as the Pirelli International Rally rally retains the popular Friday night and Saturday format.

The event is returning to the rally base at the prestigious Carlisle racecourse and round three, like the previous two rounds, is expected to be another close battle. After an impressive performance at the Bulldog International Rally North Wales, Jason is confident that he can improve on his fifth-place finish:

“It’s a fantastic format at the Kielder forest and I can’t wait to get to Carlisle. I was under the weather before the Bulldog and it hampered my preparation; I only started to feel myself on the afternoon of the rally and I was pleased to finish where I did.

I’m going into the Pirelli in much better shape, I feel fantastic and the car’s in top condition – this is really when the season can get going for myself and the team.”

Jason will have a new co-driver in his North Road Garage backed Subaru Impreza, Ryland James will join the 22-year old in Carlisle, and everything is in place for a successful weekend:

“It’s great having Ryland on board, he’s a vastly experienced co driver and was a great help when I first started making my own pace notes earlier on in my career. I’ve known Ryland since a young age and he used to navigate for my Dad. He’ll bring experience and professionalism to myself and the team, I have no doubt he will be a great benefit.”

Alongside this change, Jason is also in talks with a number of design companies to change his look away from the car:

“I’m working with a number of people to try and move my image forward, it’s an exciting time and along with a new website, I’ll be introducing a new logo and trying to keep my fans updated throughout the season via Twitter and Facebook. I feel it’s really crucial to keep up-to-speed with how we communicate, keep your eyes out for the new look towards the end of the season.”

The Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship is now entering a crucial stage in the season and Jason knows how important this weekend is. Preparation for the event has gone to plan as he hopes to make a real impression during the third round of the British Isles’ premier rally series.

Jason Pritchard put in an impressive performance at the Bulldog International Rally North Wales this weekend, but the 22-year-old from Builth Wells still left the event based at the Welshpool Livestock Market with a feeling that he could have got more than a top five finish:

“Firstly I’m delighted that I got the car home, the standard of the driving out there was exceptional and I’m proud that I competed in every stage. I got quicker as the day went on and I felt that if I’d been closer in the early stages, then a podium spot was mine for the taking”

After the disappointment of not finishing in round one, Pritchard’s number one aim in North Wales was to finish the race, his hunger now is clear to see and it’s obvious that Jason is right back in this British Rally Championship.

“Everything with the car was fantastic, I just wish I felt the same; I was at the doctors on Thursday with stomach pains and I still didn’t feel right on Saturday morning. I’m already looking forward to Carlisle at the end of this month, I can’t wait to see what I can do when I’m feeling at the top of my game”

Jason doesn’t have long to wait to build on this impressive drive, the Pirelli International Rally is over the last weekend in April. Based in Carlisle using the Kielder forest, the 2011 rally retains the popular Friday night and Saturday format, the 2011 event will see a return to the popular rally base at the prestigious Carlisle Racecourse for the third year.

Jason Pritchard knows all about building on success as he heads into his 5th Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship, the 22 year old from Wales is looking to improve on his 3rd placed finish in last year’s championship as he continues to impress and strive forward as a driver.

Jason and his team at North Road Garage are confident that everything is in place for an electrifying opening weekend at the Rallye Sunseeker International; as he combats eleven tricky stages adjacent to the south of England’s New Forest in Bournemouth this Friday and Saturday.

Even though the build-up to this year’s opener took a slight turn for the worse during a test in his 4 wheel drive Subaru Impreza N16 a few weeks ago, Jason is more than ready for Friday:

“The car took a bit of a battering, I came out unscathed but we’ve had to hire the exact same model from Prodrive for the Rallye Sunseeker International, I’m incredibly grateful to the guys at Prodrive for getting us the replacement car with such short notice”

Anyone else would be sceptical about such luck before the start of what will be an incredibly demanding year, but Jason remains up-beat and is taking the positives from the test:

“I can’t wait for Friday, I felt great up until the incident and what happened in the test has only made me more determined to get behind the wheel and show everyone what I’m made of. There’s nothing better than competing, the whole team is ready for the challenge and I’ve never felt better”

Jason knows what to expect from the British Rally Championship, he’s already won the Citroen Racing Trophy and wants to build on this success along with his 3rd place finish in the 2010 MSA British Rally Championship, which saw him finish behind Keith Cronin and Gwyndaf Evans, two former British Champions. The youngster enjoyed a wonderful Wales Rally GB in November and his North Road Garage backed Subaru Impreza finished inside the top twenty overall and scored fourth place points on his debut in the Production Car World Rally Championship.

In what will only be his second appearance in Bournemouth, Jason knows the importance of a good start:

“I will be pushing myself all the way over the weekend, I need to be right up there from the word go. I will be doing the Shakedown on Thursday as there are some differences in the set up of the car. This will give me the opportunity to familiarise myself with the car. Robbie and I can’t wait.”

Showing inspired confidence and maturity that goes well beyond his 22 years of age, Jason feels he’s on the verge of something special and one thing’s for sure, 2011 is going to be a year to remember.

Wales Rally GB 11th – 14th November 2010

Builth Wells based Jason Pritchard enjoyed a highly successful Wales Rally GB when the 22 year old rally driver brought his North Road Garage backed Subaru Impreza home inside the top twenty overall and scored fourth place points on his debut in the Production car World Rally Championship!

Jason, who finished third overall in the 2010 MSA British Rally Championship, was contesting his home round of the World Rally Championship in a four wheel drive car for the first time. A time consuming spin and stall on the very first forest stage on the rally was a reminder that this would be a very tricky event. As the former double British two wheel drive champion adjusted to the WRC specification Scorpion tyres so his confidence grew and Jason, along with co-driver Robbie Durant, ended the opening day sixth in class, despite some problems with the power steering.

Day two was the longest of the rally but at the end of the nine high speed and technical stages the young pairing had overcome a small problem with a front driveshaft and a damper to climb the leaderboard to lie fifth in class with just four more tests to tackle on Sunday. Such was Jason’s confidence in the car that, despite focusing on a finish and treating the stages with caution, the young pairing returned to Cardiff for the ceremonial finish on Sunday afternoon a very impressive twentieth overall and fourth in class – collecting 12 championship points on his debut in the series as an added bonus!

“This weekend has exceeded my wildest expectations. We decided to tackle my home rally for experience as we are undecided on our plans for next season. I was targeting a top ten in Group N result and so to trade times with the top drivers in the category is incredible! I have so many people to thank; Prodrive, Geoff Jones, North Road Garage and my family – a season like this year would be impossible without such support! “

Jason and Robbie cap off a very successful debut year in a four wheel drive with a 100% finish record in the Subaru Impreza N2010. The year included two outright wins and a further two podium finishes since the pair first drove the car in March. Jason is currently evaluating options for 2011 but any program will be dependant on sourcing additional budget.

22 year old Jason finished a strong second overall on the recent JLT Tempest Rally, an event which the Builth Wells based rally driver was using as a pre Wales Rally GB test, and very nearly ended up winning! Jason was co-driven by Dai Roberts in his North Road Garage backed Subaru Impreza N2010.

Jason and Dai began the day by winning the opening stage, a feat made all the more impressive considering that they had a high speed overshoot and dropped ten seconds turning the car around on the narrow gravel road. By lunch time the characteristics of the stages were beginning to suit the more powerful World Rally Cars and despite trying as hard as he could Jason was powerless to stop eventual winner John Lloyd from gradually clawing back time. A broken rear link arm on the final stage settled the fight as Jason backed off and consolidated his second overall.

“Today was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed the battle with John Lloyd. It has been good to have some seat time in the car so close to Wales Rally GB and fortunately the link arm broke here and not half way through the first stage next weekend!“

Jason will begin preparing for Wales Rally GB almost immediately. With the pre event reconnaissance beginning on Tuesday the former double two wheel drive champion has little time to reflect on last weekend. Whilst Jason might have contested this, his home round of the FIA World Rally Championship before, this will be his first ever WRC start in a four wheel drive!  He will be re-joined by Robbie Durant for the event.

Check out our videos page to see a You Tube video from the Tempest Rally.

22 year old Builth Wells resident Jason Pritchard has finished third overall in the 2010 Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship after a strong result on the recent International Rally of Yorkshire. Jason, the outgoing two wheel drive champion, has enjoyed a sensational first season in the North Road Garage supported Subaru Impreza N2010 and clinched the Privateers Award as an added bonus.

For 2010 the British championship season finale had a new headquarters in the seaside town of Scarborough and also featured a testing 16 mile stage in the darkness of Friday night before the bulk of the action took place on Saturday. Overnight rain made conditions treacherous and Pritchard, co-driven as usual by Robbie Durant, admitted to a cautious approach as he took time to re-adapt to gravel after spending the past five months rallying on tarmac.

With his championship hopes not looking good on Saturday morning Pritchard really upped his game and, apart from a confidence denting 100 mph spin on one test, set a number of good stage times. After making some setup changes to the Prodrive sourced car during the mid day service Jason found his confidence restored and was able to push harder in the afternoon. The highlight of his day was going second fastest on the second run through the Housedale Stage! This was good enough to ensure that he would end his maiden season in a four wheel drive third overall in the title chase and behind only two multiple British champions!

“I couldn’t have asked for more than third overall in the championship in my first year in the car. This season has been great and I feel that I have developed a lot as a driver. I cannot thank all of those who have supported me enough, without their efforts this result would never have been possible.

We are not really sure of our plans for next year yet and right now I am just concentrating on raising the budget to contest Wales Rally GB. The stages are all local to me and it would be good to compare times with the PWRC regulars.”

2010 has been a fairytale year for Jason. Strong results on each round of the British Rally Championship, including a fine third overall on the notoriously difficult Isle of Man International Rally in May, set him up for a great end to the season. And with outright wins on both the Red Kite Stages and the Mini Epynt Rally, Jason has proved that he is equally at home on tarmac and gravel.

Builth Wells based Jason Pritchard and co-driver Robbie Durant survived a drama filled International Rally of Northern Ireland to record their fourth top six result of the 2010 Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship. The pair overcame a high speed moment and a time consuming puncture to finish the two day event 16 seconds ahead of arch rival, and championship leader, Jonnie Greer.

22 year old Jason, in only his first season of four wheel drive rallying, has balanced consistency with raw pace and after fine tuning the setup on his North Road Garage backed Subaru Impreza N2010, the youngster gained the confidence to really push, culminating in a second fastest overall stage time on the final test! Before that Jason had lost time with a punctured front left wheel which he was forced to drive on for five miles on Friday night. If you remove the time loss from this incident it is possible that a second consecutive top three finish might have been on the cards!

“The pace this weekend was unreal and I am very happy with how we have performed. We are learning things on every rally and to set the times we are producing is a great feeling. I know that there is plenty more to come and am now really looking forward to the International Rally of Yorkshire.“

After five rounds of the prestigious Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship, Jason and Robbie find themselves third overall in the standings which is extremely impressive considering their relative lack of experience of this class of machinery. The final round of the series is based in Scarborough and takes place on Friday 24th and Saturday 25 September.

Jason enjoyed his best ever finish in the Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship when the 22 year old survived treacherous weather conditions during the recent International Rally Isle of Man to bring his North Road Garage, FCS Lasermail and Total Impreza Magazine supported Subaru Impreza N2010 home third overall and first privateer.

Jason, who has enjoyed success in a two wheel drive Citroen on the island before, arrived in the host city of Douglas on the back of his first ever outright tarmac victory on the non championship Mini Epynt Stages but was conscious that the unique nature of the Manx lanes would test his ability to the maximum. And, with changeable weather added to the mix, the 2010 event would be the most difficult challenge yet for the reigning R2 British Rally Champion.

A strong but clean run on the Friday stages saw Jason and co-driver Robbie Durant settle into a comfortable pace and as the day progressed the pair rapidly moved up the leaderboard and consolidated themselves in third position overall. By the end of the opening leg, consisting of 13 high speed tests around the island, the young duo held a narrow 16 second advantage over current championship leader Jonny Greer. Saturday morning would prove the most tricky of Jason’s career as torrential rain and heavy fog made every decision all the more crucial. Jason revelled in these conditions and quickly pulled away from his rival to return to the ceremonial finish fifty seconds ahead and a fantastic third overall on his first ever Rally Isle of Man in a four wheel drive!

“This is a really big moment for me. Out of all of the BRC events this is the one where everyone especially wants to go well and so to finish on the podium is amazing. The weather conditions were so changeable, the trickiest I’ve ever driven in, but the car was faultless. Robbie was perfect on the notes and the guys in service did a top job on the car!”

The next round of the 2010 Dulux Trade MSA British Rally Championship is the Rally Northern Ireland which takes place on the bumpy lanes around Antrim over the weekend of 20 and 21 August. This event is the penultimate rally in the 2010 series and whilst Jason currently lies fourth in the overall standings Robbie is actually second, a mere point off the top spot, in the co-drivers championship!

A short highlights video is available on our videos page.