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Dunlop / Gambia MSA-British Historic Rally Championship
The MSA British Historic Rally Championship is one of the fastest growing championships in British rallying. It is organised by the HRCR and caters for cars spanning two decades of rallying. Cars from the early 1960's through to 1981 are eligible and entries are regularly in excess of 60 cars on each of the qualifying rounds.
The BHRC has been managed and organised by the Historic Rally Car Register since the start of the millennium and under the wing of the HRCR it has grown and grown in both competitor support and spectator appeal.
From early March to late October, the distinctive engine notes of Minis, Saab 96s, Escort BDAs and Porsches can be heard in the British forests and on the asphalt stages of the Isle of Man, Flanders and Epynt. Among the rally fans, the sight and sound of the historic cars are a big hit, offering a glorious trip down memory lane for the older fans and an insight into how rallying developed for the younger fans.
The competitor appeal is constantly on the rise. Up to 100 crews now compete on the BHRC each season, and the sporting atmosphere and camaraderie is a key factor in the appeal of the championship. Regularly, competitors will lend parts and spares to help rivals stay in events. Recently, a leading class competitor suffered a blown engine and his two leading class rivals both offered the loan of their spare engines for the following event!
In 2007, the HRCR welcomed Dunlop and Gambia as Championship Title Sponsors. Dunlop, through Mr Tyre (Motorsport) Ltd, have supported the Championship for many years and provide bespoke products and tyre support at the events. The Gambia logos have appeared on several leading competitors' cars recently and Kololi Ltd (a Beach Club / Leisure Complex in the all year round holiday destination) came forward to co-sponsor the series for 2007
In 2007, the BHRC grew to a three-category championship, as the cars from the HRCR Classic Stage Rally Challenge become a full part of the BHRC. From the start of 2007, the classic cars from category 3 (1976-1981)were eligible to win the overall BHRC title, just as the existing cars from category 1 (pre '68) and category 2 (1968-1975).
The development of the Classic series over the previous four seasons has brought a new group of cars into the historic rallying movement. By creating and growing the new category, the HRCR has brought Mk2 Escorts, Lotus Sunbeams, Opel Asconas, Triumph TR7 V8s and Vauxhall Chevettes into the limelight, and it has been a hugely popular move with the crews and the fans with the D5 (twin cam multi-valve) class being the strongets supported of all in 2007.
The introduction of the Classic category has also encouraged a growing number of existing competitors to switch to historic rallying from contemporary series. Increasingly, Mk2 Escorts are being rebuilt into historic specification as crews realise that the switch will give them headline status, better quality gravel stages and a real chance of overall victory, rather than struggling along on stages damaged by gaggle of four-wheel drive cars.
But the development of the Classic category should not detract from the other two categories. In category 1, Mini Coopers, Porsche 911s, Sunbeam Tigers, Lotus Cortinas and Saab 96s do battle. These cars run first on the road on all the gravel events to ensure they get the stages in prime condition, before the stages are cut up by more powerful cars. In 2007, six of the top 10 overall positions in the Dunlop / Gambia - MSA BHRC were taken by crews in Category 1 vehicles.
The Mk1 Escort in 1600cc Mexico, 2-litre Pinto and 2-litre BDA engine specifications tops category 2, the post-historic class. But the field also includes more than a dozen Porsche 911s, and with regular drivers like Jimmy McRae, David Stokes, Jeremy Easson and Steven Smith in the field, is one of the most competitive of the three categories.
Of course, this is all-out special stage rallying, and the competition is fierce throughout all the classes, with just about all of the events running on pace notes. From the classic gravel stages of Mid-Wales to the closed public roads of the Isle of Man, the BHRC is a fantastic championship, widely enjoyed and still growing ever stronger.
The HRCR has recently won a new multi-year contract from the MSA to run the MSA British Historic Rally Championship, and is working to ensure that the series continues to go from strength to strength.
Added: 2nd January 2007 [permalink]
MSA-BHRC Contacts
Simon Marks competing on the Epynt Hillclimb on a free weekend. (Photo: Mark Griffin)
MSA British Historic Rally Championship Coordinator
Simon Marks
14 Oxford Road, Farmoor, Oxford OX2 9NN
Tel: 01865 864038 Mob: 07973 412530
E-mail: stage@hrcr.co.uk
Eligibility Scrutineer
Paul Loveridge
157 High Street, Cinderford, Gloucestershire GL14 2TF
Tel: 01594 824747 Fax: 01594 825677
E-mail: paul.rally@btconnect.com
Competitor Liason Officer
David Crawley
Tel: 07710 117045
E-Mail:david@davidcrawley.wanadoo.co.uk
Press and Publicity Officer
Paul Lawrence
Tel: 01952 510382 Fax: 01952 510192
E-Mail: paul@tfmmedia.com
David Crawley, Paul Lawrence (with camera) and Peter Egerton's Porsche on the Isle of Man
Added: 23rd December 2006 [permalink]
Eligibility Updates
Below, available for download, is a flow diagram that outlines the procedures that must be followed before introducing new parts and modifications into British historic rallying.
The Spring 2009 Edition of the MSA's Motorsports NOW! contains the MSA's list of Non-original parts (Pages 30/32)
Here is a flow diagram that outlines the procedures that must be followed to introduce new parts / modifications.- The above pdf download(s) require Acrobat Reader.
Added: 1st January 1970 [permalink]
Key advantages of the BHRC
» Cars with little or no depreciation year on year
» Running first on the road on all gravel events
» Consistent eligibility scrutineering
» A mix of gravel and asphalt events
» A retained PR and media service
» Tremendous spectator interest
» Consistent technical regulations
» A dedicated organising team
» A fantastic sporting atmosphere on all events
» Classes to suit all sizes and ages of cars
» Filming of events, with DVDs to buy
» MSA British Championship status
Added: 5th January 2007 [permalink]
2008 BHRC - National A Licences Required
In order to compete in a Dunlop / Gambia - MSA British Historic Rally Championship round in 2008, competitors must be in possession of a National A Licence. This requirement had been made known for the last two seasons. Recently, the Committee had proposed a solution to keep the events that wished to National B status (to simplify the events, to cater for occasional competitors and to make championship historic rallying accessible to new starts), but this proposal was firmly rejected by the MSA so each round must also run at National A status.
Therefore, prospective contenders should upgrade their licences to National A if required. You need four signatures from Clerks of the Course of National B rallies confirming that you have finished their event. One signature can be replaced by successfully completing a BARS Advanced course. Clerks of the Course are usually willing to sign licences well after the event (so if you forgot to get a signature, ring the CofC and post off your licence upgrading card).
There are plenty of National B rallies around that you can enter to pick up signatures between now and the start of the 2008 season. Once the season is in progress, I fully expect that most, if not all, of the domestic rallies will run a National B event in parallel with the BHRC round that will accept historic entries.
NOTE: Referring to the 2008 Competitors' and Officials' Yearbook (2008 Blue Book) Section C(a) - Competitors' Licences, it would be possible for a Co-driver to buy a "Non Race National "B" licence (£36.00) which makes you eligible to co-drive on a National "B" stage rally wihout sitting a BARS course. It is then possible to add Rally National "A" Navigator to one of these licenses by paying the difference in the fees (£6.00 - the National "A" Navigator Licence costs £42.00) and adding £26.00 for the Upgrading Fee. This method would mean that a Navigator would be able to buy a National "A" Navigator licence without obtaining any signatures! It is possible to add National "A" Navigator to a National "B" Rally License by simply paying the Upgrading fee (as the National "B" Rally licence is dearer than the National "A" Navigator one. If you have still to renew an existing licence, this can be done at the time of the renewal. Contact the MSA if you are at all unsure and remember the time taken to turn one or two licenses round. The express handling fee is now £42.00!
Drivers need to have four signatures (either four from events they have finished or three event finishes and an advanced BARS course) to upgrade their National "B" Rally Licence. In this case, the fees would be £25.00 for the difference between National "A" and National "B", plus the £26.00 upgrading fee.
Added: 26th November 2007 [permalink]
Championship Door Squares / Silver Jubilee Stickers
The Championship are providing door squares to all contenders for 2008. These squares are illustrated on a variety of cars below (also available as a pdf which you can dowload). Our sponsors' / supporters' logos are all proudly displayed in a more organised way than the previous A4 "patches" and, so far, the proposal has received unanimous support from competitors at the Gaydon Open Day and since.
Our event organisers have been made aware of our decision and have been requested to let the historic cars use "traditional" competition numbers on the championship rounds and not the "WRC style" bands that are a choice for organisers in this year's MSA Blue Book.
COMPETITORS ARE REMINDED OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP REGUALTIONS ARTICLE 7. THIS ARTICLE DEFINES THE DECALS AND THEIR POSITIONS ON THE CARS. SOME COMPETOTRS WERE OBSERVED ON THE ROBIN HOOD FOREST STAGES NOT TO BE COMPLYING WITH THIS ARTICLE SO MUST APPLY TO THE CO-ORDINATOR FOR MORE SUNSTRIPS / DECALS PRIOR TO THE NEXT ROUND OF THE CHAPMIONSHIP. FROM THE PIRELLI RALLY ONWARDS, NON COMPLIANCE WITH ARTICLE 7 WILL MEAN THAT CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS WILL NOT BE ALLOCATED
- Photodisplay of the proposed door squares on various cars
- The above pdf download(s) require Acrobat Reader.
Added: 24th January 2008 [permalink]
Useful Links
Historic Rally Car Technical Information - Anyone building a Historic rally car, for use on events governed by the MSA, should visit this website for guidelines on what can and cannot be done.
Motor Sports Association - Website of the governing body for motor sport in the UK.
OTHER HISTORIC STAGE RALLY CHAMPIONSHIPS
HRCR Historic Stage Rally Challenge
HRCR Northern Historic Rally Championship
CMSG/HRCR Cotswold Clubman Historic Stage Rally Challenge
WAMC Welsh Historic Rally Championship
CHAMPIONSHIP SPONSORS
CHAMPIONSHIP SUPPORTERS
Water End Properties
Added: 5th January 2007 [permalink]
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