Osian Pryce leads the Nicky Grist Stages at the end of day one by 19.3 seconds ahead of Fredrik Ahlin and Matt Edwards.
The Prestone MSA British Rally Championship leader has been in control throughout the opening day of his home event and will be hoping to claim his first BRC victory when the rally restarts tomorrow.
Second placed Ahlin has had to settle for second best throughout the days eight gravel stages, however the Swede has been able to trim the Welshman’s lead from 22.9 seconds after the morning loop of stages down to the 19.3 second gap it is overnight.
Lying third with another fine performance this weekend is Matt Edwards in the Swift Group Ford Fiesta R5. The youngster leads the battle for the final podium place with Keith Cronin and Jamie Anderson both following closely behind.
Ypres winner Cronin will be hoping that the tarmac stages that lie ahead for the crews tomorrow will benefit him in the M-Sport Fiesta, while Anderson in fifth overnight will be aiming to continue where he has left off this evening.
Sixth at the end of day one is Rhys Yates, seventh is currently Martin McCormack, eighth overall is BRC debutant Barry McKenna and Alex Laffey and James Slaughter round out the top 10.
The Prestone Motorsport News Junior BRC class sees Cameron Davies lead by a narrow 1.9 second margin ahead of Marty Gallagher with the class having a total of four leaders over the course of the eight stages.
Meirion Evans originally took the lead on his home event, before Oscar Solberg took over and led for the next two stages before hitting turbo issues. Gallagher then stepped in and would lead until the final stage of the day before Davies leapfrogged to the front of the standings.
The Cadet Cup will seemingly have a different winner this weekend after Josh Cornwell was forced to retire from the lead after a gearbox issue in his Ford Fiesta R2. The man who was unbeaten so far this season was aiming to clinch the championship this weekend, but its Tom Williams who leads going into day two ahead of Alex Waterman and Nabila Tejpar.
Finally, both David White in BRC4 and William Hill in the National Rally Cup are still both in the event going into day two and lie 19th and 20th overall respectively.
The Nicky Grist Stages continues tomorrow with twelve tarmac stages based on the Epynt Military Ranges.
