Thomas and Mackay take victory in round five of the 2024 Defender Rally Series UK Championship

• Yorkshire Hill Rally: Round five of the 2024 Defender Rally Series UK Championship took place at the Yorkshire Hill Rally, with crews tackling more than 150km of competitive driving
• Fourth win: Driver Mark Thomas and co-driver Phil Mackay finished in first position, achieving first in class and ninth overall in a field of highly specialised vehicles
• Close competition: Nathan Burrell and Mathew Kirby finished in second, with only three minutes separating them from third place finishers Denis Ferry and Barney Gillespie
• Championship lead: Thomas and Mackay remain top of the standings, extending their Championship advantage to 38 points
• Chasing pack: Ferry and Gillespie move into second in the Championship, overtaking Richard Kingsley-Smith and Adel Tyson, who now find themselves in third in the Series standings
• Testing conditions: Drivers and co-drivers faced a drastic shift in driving conditions as dry weather and sunshine made way for torrential downpours on the final day
• Looking ahead: Entries are now open for the 2025 Defender Rally Series UK Championship, with experienced competitors and complete novices welcome
  

Round five of the 2024 Defender Rally Series UK Championship took place on 13 September at the inaugural Yorkshire Hill Rally, with Thomas and co-driver Mackay extending their points advantage in the UK Championship with another victory that saw them finish ninth overall at the event.

With three days of rallying taking in 152km of fierce competition over 16 stages, drivers raced across a brutal ex-military proving ground, traversing terrain spanning everything from farm fields to forest tracks. The flat course offered high-speed competition on Saturday, with drivers being tested on their ability to switch from fast, open terrain to more technical sections. Thomas’ strategy of employing lower tyre pressures and softer damping proved decisive, giving him a winning edge.

Day three repeated the same stages as the previous day in reverse, but any lessons learned were rendered meaningless by a change in the weather. The previous hot and dry conditions gave way to heavy rain providing a fresh challenge and significantly lower grip levels.

At the end of the day, it was Thomas and Mackay who led the Defender Rally Series field, an outstanding 21 minutes ahead of Burrell and Kirby in second, and 24 minutes ahead of Ferry and Gillespie, in third. Justin and Terina Dooling picked up the Spirit of the Rally award for assisting a competitor out on the stages, finishing fourth and missing their first chance at a potential podium to do so, while Kingsley-Smith and Tyson came home fifth, followed by Luke Fairhead and Paul Chambers in the final Defender 90.

A total of eight specially prepared Defender 90s competed in the event, contributing to a total field of 43 vehicles. The Defender 90 of Paul McCallum and Peter King recorded a DNF alongside John Marshall and Dave Hooper.

Mark Thomas, winner of round five, said: “It’s been a good but tough event. I’m very pleased to have been sixth fastest in the last stage and to have finished ninth overall. The contrast between the two days was significant, with the last day being treacherous. My navigator did a great job, and we didn’t pick up any penalties. With no damage to the car and only three punctures, the Defender 90 performed brilliantly. I’m now very much looking forward to Ireland next month!”

The Defender Rally Series is in its third year, with its largest ever field. Limited spots are now available for the 2025 UK Championship ‘Year One’ program. Drivers have joined the 2024 UK Championship from a broad spectrum of motorsport backgrounds and with a mix of driving abilities; some with track racing or rallying experience, others with no competition history at all.

Calum McKechnie, General Manager, Bowler Motors, said: “Mark and co-driver Phil’s ninth place overall finish in a competitive field of specialist vehicles is a testament to the team’s skill and the vehicle’s performance. The event turned out to be more challenging than anticipated, as the rain drastically altered the conditions, demanding exceptional driving and teamwork. Looking forward, we’ve got a gravel rally at Clare Forest in Ireland next, which will continue to challenge the teams.”

Thomas and Mackay lead the UK Championship, followed by Ferry and co-drivers Gillespie and Mills in second and Kingsley-Smith and Tyson in third. The next round of the UK Championship is the Clare Forest Rally in Ireland, from 4-6 October.

Defender Rally Series – UK Championship Round 5 Results

 Defender Rally Series – Provisional** UK Championship Standings