Nicky Grist Stages combines competitive edge with climate action

Cat Lund
Jul 14
3 min read

This year's Nicky Grist Stages once again combined high-level competition with a clear focus on environmental responsibility, through its ongoing partnership with Carbon Positive Motorsport.

William Creighton claimed his maiden Nicky Grist Stages victory in scorching conditions, steering the Castrol MEM Rally Team Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 to the top of the leaderboard after 45 miles of fast, dusty and technical Welsh gravel.

Co-driven by Liam Regan, he took full advantage of running first on the road, setting a clean sweep of fastest stage times in the morning and arriving at service with an 11.1 second lead. In the afternoon he delivered a confident performance, managing tyre wear to finish just 2.6 seconds ahead of teammate Meirion Evans. Their one-two result capped off a fiercely competitive day and provided a fitting headline for a rally that not only showcased world-class driving talent, but also continued to raise the bar for sustainability in the sport.

Carbon Positive Motorsport ambassador Matthew Hirst delivered another strong performance on gravel, finishing third overall alongside co-driver Declan Dear in their Škoda Fabia R5. Hirst, returning to the stages for the first time since the Border Counties Rally in March, looked comfortable throughout the day and maintained a consistent pace to round off the podium.

Organised by Quinton Motor Club and held on Saturday 12 July, the event once again partnered with Carbon Positive Motorsport to offset all competition vehicle emissions. This long-standing partnership reflects the organisers’ commitment to running an environmentally responsible rally while continuing to deliver a challenging and high-profile event for competitors.

The Builth Wells-based Nicky Grist Stages rally attracted 142 entries, with Mayor Cllr. Mark Hammond officially flagging the cars away from outside Strand Hall.

The Builth Wells-based rally attracted 142 entries, with Mayor Cllr. Mark Hammond officially flagging the cars away from outside Strand Hall. Crews tackled a fast and focused route comprising four of Wales’ most iconic gravel stages – Monument, Route 60, Halfway and Bowlsey (Crychan) – each run twice.

The rally got underway in dry and dusty conditions, with top seed William Creighton making the most of his road position to dominate the morning loop and establish a commanding lead of over 11 seconds by the mid-day service halt at Builth Wells RFC. With the surface becoming increasingly abrasive in the afternoon, tyre choice and car management became critical across the second pass of the stages. Creighton kept his momentum to secure the overall win.

Carbon Positive Motosport ambassador Ashleigh Morris, co-driven by Jamie McTear, completed a successful run in their Ford Fiesta Rally4. Tackling the event as part of her continued gravel development programme, Ashleigh brought the car home safely while gaining valuable mileage on some of the most demanding forest stages in Wales.

The rally's carbon emissions are 100% offset with immediate carbon reduction units from verified overseas reforestation projects, and the same amount will be additionally offset in the future through a project located in the Brecon Beacons near Abergavenny, which is transforming a former monoculture plantation into a thriving mosaic of native broadleaf trees, sequoias and species-rich habitats. The rewilding work is certified under the Sequoia Carbon Standard and delivers measurable benefits for biodiversity and long-term climate resilience.

By combining immediate carbon reduction units from verified overseas reforestation projects with future offsets from UK-based projects, Carbon Positive Motorsport ensure that carbon emissions are offset now, and again as UK projects mature and become fully verified, doubling the positive impact.

This year’s carbon offsetting was delivered in partnership with Highland Carbon, through a project located in the Brecon Beacons near Abergavenny.

Full carbon offsetting figures for the 2025 event are being finalised, but the rally is expected to have offset 58 tonnes of CO₂ from competition-based fuel usage. Through its ongoing partnership with Carbon Positive Motorsport, the Nicky Grist Stages continues to lead the way in sustainable UK rallying – setting a positive example for other events to follow.

With solutions created specifically for motorsport, Carbon Positive Motorsport enables the sport to take credible climate action. It only costs a little to make a big difference for the sport, so whether you're a competitor or spectator, why not join with us to help make motorsport sustainable.

For a simple and effective way to reduce your impact, you can choose to Offset Your Season – and make your commitment count.

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