14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Tasting Nicky Grist Stages glory a major bonus for me, beams William Creighton
Creighton has made winning the UK competition his No.1 priority in the 2025 season with the help of Liam Regan, the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy and Melvyn Evans Motorsport.
He provisionally leads the standings after three rounds and is hoping to steal a march on his rivals at the Grampian Forest Rally on Saturday, August 8 when the series resumes after a lengthy summer break.
Those hopes have been fuelled following his performance at a hot and dusty Builth Wells-based Nicky Grist Stages, which he triumphed at by less than three seconds.
Creighton shaded the second Castrol MEM Rally Team Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 of team-mate Meirion Evans having run as the first car on the road across all eight special stages.
Sweeping was the main factor 27-year-old Creighton had to contend with on the morning loop of stages before soaring temperatures in the afternoon made tyre wear a problem.
Despite dropping over 10 seconds on the deciding speed test, former Junior World Rally champion Creighton did enough to secure a second win of the campaign with Regan.
'Saturday went really well, and the opportunity to get seat time in the car is beneficial, especially as the next round of the British Championship is on gravel and it isn't too far away,' Creighton told Belfast Telegraph Sport.
'Right now, it is very much a continuous process of learning and trying to identify how and where we can do things much better.
'It was definitely a challenging rally, the conditions with the heat were something you are more likely to experience in the hot summer European events, so it made it a challenge.
'We had to stay hydrated and focused in order to get the most out of the rally so, all in all, it was a very good day.
'I remember doing the Nicky Grist Stages back in 2017; to go back at the weekend with No.1 on the door was a privilege at an event that has iconic stages and is really well-organised. To come away with a win was a real bonus.
'I want to say a big thank you to all the team, to the Motorsport Ireland Academy and everyone who supports us. It is a real privilege to drive the Castrol MEM Toyota GR Yaris, and it was great to start the Nicky Grist Stages as car No.1 and finish as No.1.'
