THE WAIT WILL SOON BE OVER!
There is now less than a month to go until the final round of this year’s REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Championship, the Cheviot Keith Knox Stages Rally, which takes place on 9th November. It’s unfortunate that it’s so late in the season but, as we’re sure you’re aware, any event taking place on military land, such as the Otterburn or Epynt Military Ranges, is subject to approval by the MoD who also govern the available dates. Although some events manage, by and large, to stick to similar weekends each year, others vary quite considerably – for example, we already know that the 2015 Cheviot will take place on 4th October (see below), five weeks earlier and before we alter the clocks!….
Nevertheless, we look forward to 9th November and the opportunity to conclude all the unfinished business of this year’s series – and that includes identifying the overall champions. With the 1.25 coefficient added to all points scored on the final round, Damian Cole/Elliott Edmondson travel to the north-east as leaders. However, should they finish outside the Top Six scorers on the day and Steve Simpson/Patrick Walsh take maximum points, the title will go to the Impreza crew.
Then, of course, 2nd & 3rd places have to be decided, as well as numerous classes…
Entries for the Cheviot Keith Knox Stages close on 24th October – so please get your entry in ASAP.
AWARDS PRESENTATION & DINNER – 29th NOVEMBER
With so much still to be sorted, the late-running of the Cheviot Keith Knox Stages Rally will, inevitably, have an impact on the Awards Presentation & Dinner which takes place at Moor Hall Hotel, Sutton Coldfield, just three weeks later (29th November). We would ask you
therefore, where possible, to plan ahead and, if it looks likely that you’ll have an award to collect, at least book your accommodation – Moor Hall has a habit of filling up! It would also help us in our preparations if you are in a position to order some tickets to give us some idea of numbers.
The relevant booking forms, both for tickets and accommodation, are attached and we hope to see you in the West Midlands at the end of November for the annual end-of-season ‘bash’!
2015 REIS MSA ASPHALT RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
Following the meeting of the MSA Rally Championship Control Panel in September, the BTRDA has permission to go ahead with its plans for the 2015 MSA Asphalt Rally Championship. We are delighted that REIS are committed to remain as headline sponsor (their 8th consecutive year!) and we are actively searching for a suitable partner to join them. Any nominations/suggestions for the vacancy will be welcomed! Through the good offices of REIS, in conjunction with a number of other supporters, the ‘bar has been raised’ in terms of coverage of the Championship with the introduction of TV programmes on Motors TV (now also on Freeview channel 71) on each round and it is now vital that we retain this element for the future. However, there are other expenses involved in the running of a Championship which now need to be covered.
The proposed calendar is set out below :
Event Host Date
Tour of Epynt Llandovery 8th March
Manx National Douglas 8th/9th May
Jim Clark National Kelso 29th/30th May
ALMC Stages Trim 5th July
Tyneside Stages Otterburn 2nd August
Mewla Builth Wells 30th August
Cheviot Keith Knox * Otterburn 4th October
5/7 scores to count
Awards Sutton Coldfield 28th November
*Coefficient of 1.25 to be applied on overall and class points.
BTRDA ‘MIXED-SURFACE’ RALLY CHALLENGE
You will have seen recent press announcements regarding a mixed-surface ‘Rally Challenge’ in 2015, utilising events from both the REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Championship and the REIS BTRDA Rally Gravel Series with the aim of recognising the best crews on gravel and asphalt. The plan is that seven National ‘B’ events will be selected, all based on mainland UK, and a competitor’s best five scores, which must include at least two from each surface, will count towards their final tally.
The BTRDA Mixed-Surface Rally Challenge would be open to all cars complying with 2015 MSA Technical Regulations and, for scoring purposes, it is envisaged that there will be 7 competition classes. The provisional calendar could be:-
18th April – Somerset Stages (Minehead )- Gravel
29/30th May – Jim Clark National (Kelso) – Asphalt
11th July – Nicky Grist Stages (Builth Wells) – Gravel
2nd August – Tyneside Stages (Otterburn) – Asphalt
30th August – Mewla Rally (Builth Wells) – Asphalt
27th September – Trackrod Forest Rally (Pickering) -Gravel
17th October – Cambrian Rally (Llandudno) – Gravel
(Events/dates are subject to change)
This Rally Challenge will be open to any competitor who is registered for either the REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Championship or the REIS BTRDA Rally Series, but it will certainly not replace or dilute either of these two flagship Championships. However, we hope that the BTRDA Rally Challenge will attract other competitors who want to experience both gravel and asphalt events.
We have received considerable competitor interest in this idea and we hope to be able to confirm details of the 2015 BTRDA ‘Mixed-Surface’ Rally Challenge shortly.
For further details of any of the items mentioned above, please contact the REIS MSA Asphalt Rally Championship Coordinator :
Andrew Haill – Tel : 0121 313 1416 / E-mail : andrew.haill@btconnect.com
Andrew Haill