MN Circuit Rally Championship

[andy97]

I'm surprised that this hasnt been mentioned already. I dont know much about rallying these days, but this seems like a good initiative to me? Anyone interested?

The Bolton-Le-Moors Car Club (BLMCC) and MotorSport Vision Racing (MSVR) have teamed up to launch the Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship.
The BLMCC web site gives details:


The all-new championship will run on circuits across the UK, including all four of MotorSport Vision’s venues – Brands Hatch, Oulton Park, Snetterton, and Cadwell Park, which will be visited twice – with three additional UK circuits to be added.

Circuit rallying features up to 100 cars competing against the clock, across a variety of bespoke rally stages incorporating different parts of the race circuit, including paddocks and perimeter roads. Sections of the track are run in both directions and include challenges such as water splashes. The inaugural season will kick off at the BLMCC’s Neil Howard Stage Rally and fireworks event at Oulton Park on Saturday 7 November, before carrying on to a provisional mid-2016 finale. A full calendar of 7 to 8 rounds will be announced soon, with the Championship being subject to MSA approval.

The championship will run under MSVR’s successful banner of championships and series, which includes national and European car racing, and the MCE British Superbike Championship under its two wheel division. In what will be its first venture into stage rallying, MSVR will work on championship regulations, assist with championship promotion and provide administrative support from its base at Brands Hatch. All rally cars will carry MSVR branding, with MSVR also contributing to the Championship prize package, of which further details will be announced at a later date.

The championship has achieved a major coup by securing leading national motor racing publication Motorsport News as a media partner. Motorsport News will provide extensive coverage of the events, including event previews and reviews, offering competitors more exposure than ever before.

Kevin Turner, editor of Motorsport News, commented: "Motorsport News is delighted to be a part of the MN Circuit Rally Championship. MN has a rich history when it comes to covering national rallying within our pages, and we're extremely proud of the much-missed Motoring News Rally Championship. As we celebrate our 60th anniversary this year, we are enjoying spending time reflecting on the history of British motorsport. But we are also keen to look forward. The Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship is something that was missing from the national rally scene and we're excited to be a part of what will grow to be a popular championship."

Darren Spann, Championship Coordinator, enthused: “Bolton-Le-Moors Car Club is delighted to be involved in the resurrection of a name synonymous with rallying. The Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship will hopefully become hugely successful and rekindle the memories of the Motoring News Championships of the past. With the involvement of MSVR allowing the use of the country’s most famous race circuits, this will become a championship for the future of British Rallying. We are immensely proud to be hosting Round one of the Championship - The Neil Howard Stages in association with Graham Coffey & Co Solicitors - at Oulton Park on 7 November 2015.”

David Scott, MSVR Operations Manager, added: “We’re delighted to be involved with this new championship, which further expands and diversifies the roster of championships and series that MSVR has been associated with over the past decade. Darren Spann and the Bolton-Le-Moors Car Club have done a terrific job of growing their annual end-of-season event at Oulton Park, as have all the other car clubs that organise rallies at MSV circuits, and it’s exciting seeing them all come together to form this new series. Being involved with the Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship is a privilege and a new challenge to be relished as it grows over the coming seasons”.

[ScotsBrutesFan]

Knockhill has just run an event such as using it's purpose built rally school stage joined to the circuit proper with sections of it's "perimeter road" rally stage.

They called in the Inaugural McRae Rally Challenge, and marks the 20th anniversary of of Colin's World Rally Championship in 1995.

The 3 mile stage was run twice in each direction, plus a track only stage consisting of a two lap blast. This was run once in each direction (Knockhill is licensed to race in both directions).

As a circuit racing spectator I found it very entertaining, more so than RallyX at Knockhill, when held there...interesting to note that the infield RallyX section wasn't used at all, not even for the final stages of the day, where the could clear up afterwards without delaying the event.

[BertMk2]

We've done the event at Brands Hatch a few times and it's good fun (also allows us to get up at a civilised hour!). Bombing up and down the pitlane is interesting and heading around Paddock the wrong way is fun too As for the circuit championship - not really for us, too much travelling and too many events in a year (much the same reason we don't do any of the other championships). We just pick and choose events that are a reasonable distance from us, at venues we like, when we have money.