Irish Rallycross - Junior Rallycross Class

[Cryos]

Howdy All,

It is still fresh in everyones mind that Irish Rallycross is to introduce a New Class (Junior Rallycross), Graham and Tom have worked hard over the past months to get everything together to make sure that the rules and regs are both upto date and are of the highest safety standard.

The lads are working as hard as they can to get everything together as fast and as Efficiently as they can do; When everything is official i will post up every ounce of information that i will have (a mirror of all the info i get for the website).

As the lads have said they dont want anyone rushing out and buying a car just yet on "roumers" that you may have heard off someone somewhere as the last thing they want is for someone to buy a car for their Daughter / Son that is not Eligable for the class.

I would secondly like to give the lads a pat on the back; Both Graham and Tom have countless years rallycross experience behind them and have contributed Alot to the Development of the Championship over the Past few years, And are set to do it again!

[bestrep]

Surely it can only make sense to run identical to British and Superseries so that both cars and drivers can do any of (or all three series) also current cars are already available at well below their build cost!!!

[Cryos]

Originally Posted by bestrep

Surely it can only make sense to run identical to British and Superseries so that both cars and drivers can do any of (or all three series) also current cars are already available at well below their build cost!!!

Why follow when you can lead ?

[golfvanman]

personally i think they both have some good idea's. No disrespect to any mini drivers but they are older than the people you want to drive them and surely the sport would benefit from using newer machinery . Lets face it a newer car is not going to cost anymore than some of the figure certain people are spending on these up and coming stars of tommorrow

[Cryos]

Junior Rallycross Cup 2007 - Irish Rallycross
Press Release
Irish Rallycross Championship
Junior Rallycross Cup 2007

1/10/06

The Motorsport Ireland Rallycross Committee are Pleased to announce the launch of the Junior Rallycross Cup For 2007. It is for Competitors Aged 14 to 17 years old. The overall Champion Recieving the Frank Waters Memorial Throphy


Driving Cars up to 1000cc as Per Technical Regulations attached. They will be able to compete at all Irish Championship counting Rounds. The Mini Which currently competes in MSA Championship will be allowed in this new class untill the end of 2008.

They will have to hold a Junior Rallycross Licence and have a parent or guardian hold an entrants Licence both Issued by Motorsport Ireland.

Licence application forms will be available in coming weeks from: Motorsport Ireland, 34 Dawson Street, Dublin 2

There will be Pre Season and on event coatching.

Anyone Interested in competing or require further information or before Starting to build or buy a car please contact Tom Kirwan or Graham Lenehan see Technical Regs for Contact Details.

Robert Moody,
Chairman
Motorsport Ireland
Rallycross Committee

[leonidas]

Good to see new cars being allowed but why are they excluding the mini from 2008? There are always cars on the market and they can be had for well under £5k. Are they afraid that well-prepared minis may embarass some of the more modern machinery...?

Wouldn't it be better to talk with the BRDA (and possibly European organisers) to establish a international junior 1 litre series, allowing old and new models, with weight limits to equalise different car performances?

[Roundy Mooney]

I think the Irish organisers are right to go ahead with this class. They have tried to talk to the BRDA about introducing newer cars to junior RALLYX and noting has been done. I don't see why they should have to wait and see what the BRDA come up with. I think as you say the important thing will be weight limits. I would be disapointed if they didn't take the opportunity to introduce weight limits on each new model as it entered the class and review it on an yearly basis.

[Cryos]

Originally Posted by leonidas

Good to see new cars being allowed but why are they excluding the mini from 2008? There are always cars on the market and they can be had for well under £5k. Are they afraid that well-prepared minis may embarass some of the more modern machinery...?

Wouldn't it be better to talk with the BRDA (and possibly European organisers) to establish a international junior 1 litre series, allowing old and new models, with weight limits to equalise different car performances?

The Junior class comming into effect in ireland is more European Geared than the British... seems we are going to take the lead in this class now.

hmmm Mini quick eh? Might just have to build a lupo and test that theory

[silver bullet]

What's the situation regarding the minimum age for rallycross in Ireland?

In the UK the MSA Blue Book states the min age for rallycross as 16, but the min age for minicross as 14. Is that why the juniors only race Minis?

Have the BRDA had talks with the MSA about introducing other types of car for the juniors?

[Roundy Mooney]

Have just had a look at the regs on RIXE's site and no sign of weight limits. The other intresting item is that they will only be allowed to use koni sport shocks. Now I know this is with the aim to keep cost down but koni sport are basically fast road shocks and I don't think they'll last very long on a rally cross track which could mean them being changed often. I think Bilstien sports (also a sealed unit) would have been a better option not much more expensive but I think would lasted a whole heap longer. I suppose it is better than lads forking out for rieger and proflex aka stock hatch. Anyway don't want to seem like I'm knocking before it starts I think its a great idea and hopefully things can be fined tuned as they go along.

[Cryos]

Originally Posted by silver bullet

What's the situation regarding the minimum age for rallycross in Ireland?

In the UK the MSA Blue Book states the min age for rallycross as 16, but the min age for minicross as 14. Is that why the juniors only race Minis?

Have the BRDA had talks with the MSA about introducing other types of car for the juniors?

Minimum age for rallycross in ireland is now 14 for the Junior class.

Im not aware of the brda doing such a deal, but as has been said the Mini's arnt as easy come by over here which is one of the reasons why they are only in untill end 2008.

As RM said the regs are on the site, direct link here as its too big to past into the forums
http://www.rallycross.ie/main.php?su...t_from=&ucat=1&

[bigted]

so if im reading it right, i could theoritacly run a 700cc turbocharged engine in class C

[leonidas]

Originally Posted by rxie

Im not aware of the brda doing such a deal, but as has been said the Mini's arnt as easy come by over here which is one of the reasons why they are only in untill end 2008.

Fair enough, but I'm not sure that's a good enough reason to BAN them. There always seems to be junior minis for sale on the GB rallycross websites and at cheaper prices than building a new model car. Good to see Irish rallycross taking a lead but I can't help thinking that by also allowing older models like the mini you'd end up with more competitors.

[Cryos]

Originally Posted by leonidas

Fair enough, but I'm not sure that's a good enough reason to BAN them. There always seems to be junior minis for sale on the GB rallycross websites and at cheaper prices than building a new model car. Good to see Irish rallycross taking a lead but I can't help thinking that by also allowing older models like the mini you'd end up with more competitors.

As i said realistically the only way for us to get a 1000cc mini, would be to buy one in the UK, which isnt that economical for us for a car that will be phased out end 2008.

Well at this moment in time i can buy, prepair and have a VW Lupo ready for 2007 for 5000 Euro... your talking about that or if not more for a mini. I personally think its a great idea to let the mini's run for 2 years and then ban them; They are at some stage going to have to be outlawed anyway as they do not meet modern safety standards.

When the FIA has its review on Safety Standards for Younger drivers (aimed at junior series's) its expected that they will wipe off any car that does not meet the standard. National Governing bodys will have to move this cars to Historic's only.

I think its better to do this than wait for something to happen to a young driver somewhere; its better to be safe than sorry.

[leonidas]

Originally Posted by rxie

When the FIA has its review on Safety Standards for Younger drivers (aimed at junior series's) its expected that they will wipe off any car that does not meet the standard. National Governing bodys will have to move this cars to Historic's only.

You're right rxie but I think it'll be a sad day when they do this. Unsafe? Minis were homologated for WRC events until about three years ago! If they ban them all that is likely to happen is that costs will rise and kids on a tight budget will race minis in non-FIA/MSA regulated events (like Autograss).

Forgive my ravings on this - as a mini fan I guess I'm a bit biased...! Minis ARE rallycross for me - and I guess for a lot of kids who grew up in the 70s watching them on saturday afternoon tv.

[Cryos]

Originally Posted by leonidas

You're right rxie but I think it'll be a sad day when they do this. Unsafe? Minis were homologated for WRC events until about three years ago! If they ban them all that is likely to happen is that costs will rise and kids on a tight budget will race minis in non-FIA/MSA regulated events (like Autograss).

Forgive my ravings on this - as a mini fan I guess I'm a bit biased...! Minis ARE rallycross for me - and I guess for a lot of kids who grew up in the 70s watching them on saturday afternoon tv.

Yeh i know where your comming from, i grew up looking at 205's and nova's out on the track, in saying that i do think that Frank o'Connell's (Now Ian his sons car) mini is a sight to behold when its flicked through rallycross 1 in mondello.

At the same time tho i would like to see more modern machinery in irish and british rallycross like europe.

[EVO1X]

I think that the new class for 1 litres car is excellant idea the minis are out dated with no power steering and no suspenion a 1000cc japananese car will last for ever, instead off building engines and gearboxes ever other race in a mini. I also agree that they should keep the rules in line with MSA formula 1000 rally class so that cars will be usable not only for rallycross but other forms off motorsport