Championship newsletter: 8/2013 – 22 March 2013

Welcome

Welcome to the eighth championship newsletter for the West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship.

Round two of the championship is Rally North Wales (Saturday 6 April) and we then head for two northern events, the SG Petch Tour of Hamsterley (Sunday 28 April) and the DMACK Carlisle Stages (Saturday 22 June). More details about these two events follow in this newsletter.We also want to let everyone know that for Hamsterley, Carlisle, Neath Valley, the Red Kite and the Trackrod events, the running order will run to the normal format, with Category 1 cars first on the road followed by the rest of the R.A.C. Championship field. It is business as usual.

I am in regular contact with all event organisers and I am delighted to report that all the events are coming together very well. I’d like to thank all the organisers for their efforts in running their events.

In the meantime, there are already nearly 30 entries in for the Tour of Hamsterley, which is still nearly six weeks away and around half of them are R.A.C. contenders. The format is 45 stage miles for £475 and we expect the entry to fill up very quickly to the maximum of 90 cars, so please try and enter early.

I look forward to seeing you on Rally North Wales and hope that you all have a good rally.Best regards

Colin HeppenstallFriday 22 March 2013Championship website: www.racrallychamp.org

**Originaly Issued by Paul Lawrence

• Round2:RallyNorthWales(Saturday6April)A couple of crews have asked about delivery of notes from Pattersons in relation to the Easter weekend. Pattersons have confirmed that they intend to mail out by Monday (25 March) at the latest so that notes will arrive before the Easter weekend.

• Round3:TourofHamsterley(Sunday28April)The organisers report that local hotels have been booked up early and all the signs are that the entry will be full. The organisers of the event have approval from the MSA for the running order, with a first group made up of Category 1 cars and 1400cc cars. Next will be the main R.A.C. field, followed by the modern cars. For more details and to enter, please visit the event website: www.tourofhamsterley.co.ukA message from our championship eligibility scrutineer, John Cooper:“I think it is worth pointing out that, along with everything else this championship has done, it has had the foresight to appoint an eligibility scrutineer who speaks fluent Geordie, having been born and bred for the first 20 years in Whitley Bay. So if an interpreter is needed, just ask. This is yet another one of the duties of the championship scrutineer!”

• Round4:DMACKCarlisleStages(Saturday22June)Colin and Nicola recently did a major route survey for the DMACK Carlisle Stages and came away very pleased with the format, the quality of the stages and a fabulous new rally HQ venue. The rally will be based at the premises of the R J Murray & Sons Haulage Company in Longtown, Carlisle (post code CA6 5TR). The venue will host documentation, scrutineering, service area and overnight secure parking within a warehouse. Scrutineering will be held from afternoon to early evening on Friday, and then the cars will go into the secure overnight park. Saturday’s route will take in 45 stage miles and just 65 road miles. The format will Be four stages (Chamot Hill, Arthur’s Seat, Newcastleton and Kershope), then service and then a re-run of the four stages. The event running order will be the same as for the Tour of Hamsterley, with a first group made up of Category 1 cars and 1400cc cars. Next will be the main R.A.C. field, followed by the modern cars. Event regulations should be available shortly before the Tour of Hamsterley.

• Round5:NeathValleyStages(Saturday10August)Rally HQ will be in Resolven, with scrutineering, documentation, service and finish all taking place at one location. There is plenty of room for overnight camping, motorhomes and caravans. There will be the opportunity for RAC Championship contenders to scrutineer on Friday evening.

They are planning to run a total of 50 stage miles, with around 65 road miles. The event website will shortly be updated at: www.threecountiescarclub.com

• Round6:RedKiteStages(Sunday8September)The organisers of the Red Kite have been working hard to secure a new date for the event after the January date was hit by deep snow. There are many constraints upon them and so Sunday 8 September has come out as the best option for 2013.

We did speak to the organisers about running on Saturday, but unfortunately the service area is only available on Sunday. We will need to get signatures from registered crews regarding the new date and will ask for these at documentation for Rally North Wales and the Tour of Hamsterley.

• Round7:TrackrodRally(Friday/Saturday27/28September)Rod Parkin, head of the Trackrod team, has confirmed that the R.A.C Championship contenders will be first on the road both for the Friday evening leg and for the stages on Saturday. More details at: www.rallyyorkshire.co.uk

• Thenew‘over55’R.A.C.MastersAwardWe are delighted at the number of more mature drivers who have registered for the championship this season and it was suggested that it would be an excellent idea to recognise their support and offer an end of season award.

The award will go to the highest scoring driver who was 55-years-old or over at 1 January 2013. We have a sponsor for the award and are now debating what would be an appropriate end-of-season prize. We’ll add a tick box on the championship signing-on sheet for you to tick if you are eligible.

• Thebestnon-FordawardWe’ve added another end-of-season award for the best performance in a car other than a Ford. Once again, this will go to the highest overall score in a driver using anything other than a Ford.

• Endofseasonawards’nightThe date for the end of season awards celebration is now confirmed as Saturday 12 October at the Casa Hotel in Chesterfield. More details to follow later.

• EligibilityupdatefromJohnCooperSUMPGUARDS:After a recent question asking if composite sump guards will be allowed in series 1, 2, and 3, this topic has been discussed by the championship eligibility group. It is deemed that this would not be in keeping with the ethos of historic rallying so we will not be allowing composite sump guards.

After several years with the BTRDA gravel championship as the eligibility scrutineer I have learnt certain things. For this I thank Steve Gregg, Howard Wilcocks and Norman Robertson, because they have taught me not only is an eligibility scrutineer there to make sure that

the technical and eligibility rules are followed, but also to assist in the passage through scrutineering of our registered competitors. I know all too well the inconsistency of scrutineering from one part of the country to another so I see no need to change that role. With that in mind, please have my mobile number (07702 240970) in your phone because if you have a problem before or during scrutineering then maybe I can help.

-Ends-

• Editor’sNotesMore information can be found at www.racrallychamp.org or Follow the championship on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/RACrallychamp

@RACRallyChamp.

High-resolution images are available on request for editorial use.

DetailsabouttheWWRSR.A.C.RallyChampionshippleasecontact:

Paul Lawrence, tel 01952 510382Email: paul@tfmpr.com)

FormoreinformationonRallyPreppleasecontact:

Neil YatesRally Prep Ltd07907 234787website www.rallyprep.co.uk

www.facebook.com/RACrallychamp

@Rally_Prep

RallyPrepLtd-Rally Prep specialise in the build and preparation of rally, race and high performance vehicles for road and track use. Their services range from full bare shell builds to basic servicing and parts supply. They also are able to supply a range of products which they have developed specifically for rally and race cars, alongside top quality equipment from some of the worlds most respected motorsport parts specialists.

FormoremediainformationorimageryonRallyPreppleasecontact:Steve LysandrouSilverback Media Solutions Ltd07796 23608101327220003rallyprep@silverbackmedia.co.uk