MSA CHAMPIONSHIPS UPDATE VOL 2: ISSUE 2 - February 2007
DUNLOP MSA BRITISH TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
Reigning Renault Clio Cup champion Tom Onslow-Cole (right)
will get his big BTCC break as team-mate to Colin Turkington
in front-running squad Team RAC’s line-up. The Dick
Bennetts-run outfit has also confirmed that after almost six
years fielding MG ZSs it will switch to new, latest-spec BMW
320is E90s to comply with the BTCC’s new Super 2000
technical regulations.
Darren Turner has been confirmed as Jason Plato’s team-mate
in BTCC champion manufacturer SEAT’s line-up for 2007.
The team’s pre-season testing programme with its Leon
– winner of 11 races in 2006 – recently got under
way at the Valencia circuit in Spain. Also in Spain and shrouded
in secrecy, rival Vauxhall has begun testing its all-new S2000-spec
challenger, the Vectra, with driver Fabrizio Giovanardi.
After two years acting as a ‘super sub’ for reigning
champion squad Team Halfords, Gareth Howell has found himself
a full-time BTCC drive for 2007, with the Motorbase Performance
outfit which this year will field a pair of ex-factory SEAT
Cupra Toledos.
The championship’s annual Media Day will take place
at Rockingham on Tuesday 13 March. Media wishing to attend
should contact BTCC Media Officer Carl McKellar by email:
carl.mckellar@fingal.co.uk or telephone: 020 7384 8737. Meanwhile,
the Northants circuit that returns to the BTCC calendar in
2007 after a four-year lay-off has confirmed it will allow
free public admission into its grandstands and paddock at
the event from lunchtime onwards.
LLOYDS TSB INSURANCE BRITISH F3 INTERNATIONAL
Lloyds TSB Insurance, one of the UK’s largest providers
of general insurance, has confirmed its commitment to Britain’s
top single-seater race series for a second season by continuing
as title sponsor in 2007. The company provides an array of
financial protection products to more than five million customers.
“We are extremely pleased that Lloyds TSB Insurance
has decided to renew its title sponsorship of the British
Formula 3 International Series; the prospects for year two
of this partnership are very exciting,” said championship
promoter SRO chairman Stephane Ratel. “After a successful
2006, we are looking forward to building upon the proven marketing
and promotional strength of the British F3 International Series
and Lloyds TSB Insurance relationship."
AVON TYRES BRITISH GT CHAMPIONSHIP
The GT3 formula that proved such a success as a new stand-alone
FIA European series in 2006 will this year become the Avon
Tyres British GT championship’s premier category. Teams
and drivers contesting it will be eligible to win the outright
title while there will also be a second division class for
teams using GTC machinery.
TESCO 99 OCTANE MSA BRITISH RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
It was all smiles for championship organiser UK Rally Ltd
at the 2007 Autosport International Show when its stand, promoting
the Tesco 99 Octane British Rally Championship, won an award.
Show promoters Haymarket and Autosport judged the display
to be the best stand in the National Motorsport category –
a great reward for the teams’ efforts.
NICHOLSON McLAREN MSA BRITISH HILL CLIMB CHAMPIONSHIP
Some 180 guests recently attended hill climbing’s annual
‘big night’ awards ceremony and enjoyed wonderful
hospitality courtesy of Droitwich’s Chateau Impney.
Present from the MSA were head of external affairs Allan
Dean-Lewis, race, kart and speed executive Cheryl Lynch and
director John Wood, who said: “When the MSA Board and
Council came to Shelsley Walsh last September they were clearly
most impressed and saw that hill climbing is a vibrant, successful
and well-run division of motor sport in the UK.”
Nicholson McLaren Engines’ Mike Pearson confirmed the
company will continue as title sponsor in 2007, but this time
through its rapidly expanding Nicholson McLaren Aviation division.
Leaders title-winner Tom New collected his silverware, while
for the second consecutive year Martin Groves received the
MSA British Hill Climb Champion’s trophy. Martin told
guests: “I had a long and considered speech prepared,
but left it at home on the advice of my long-suffering wife
and children.” He added: “Twenty-one wins for
me versus nine for Scott Moran does not reflect just how close
the championship was and there were at least six other competitors
in with a shout at every venue, often as close as hundredths
of a second.”
LEGEND FIRES MOTORSPORT MSA ASPHALT RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
As part of a considerable revamp, the MSA Asphalt Rally Championship
has announced that Blackburn-based Legend Fires will be its
headline sponsor in 2007.
The challenging calendar of six events – with each
competitor’s four best scores count towards his or her
final tally – begins on the Epynt Military Ranges in
the Brecon Beacons during the first weekend of March.
Calendar:
4 March: Tour of Epynt (Llandovery)
11/12 May: Manx National (Douglas)
25/26 May: Jim Clark National (Kelso)
8 July: Sligo Stages (Sligo)
31 August/1 September: Ulster National Rally (Armagh)
21 October: Cheviot National Rally (Otterburn)
SBD MOTORSPORT MSA BRITISH SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP
The SBD Motorsport MSA British Sprint Championship has revealed
its 2007 calendar:
9 April: Croft
15 April: Cadwell
19 May: Knockhill
2/3 June: Pembrey
9/10 June: Anglesey
16 June: Lydden
1 July Snetterton
21 July: Llandow
3 August: Kirkistown
5 August: Kirkistown
27 August: Colerne
8 September: Aintree
The championship has also announced a new venture –
The Junior Challenge. Entrants will only pay one third of
the full registration fee (£30), contesting four nominated
fixtures that become their points-scoring events.
MSA GRAVEL RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
The UK’s leading gravel rally championship – the
2007 Hankook MSA Gravel Rally Championship – will spread
its wings this year with rounds in England, Scotland, Wales,
the Isle of Man and Ireland.
News of an Irish round to compliment the six British-based
rallies creates a new level of interest for competitors and
brings together Hankook’s key rally series – the
Hankook Gravel Rally Championship and the Hankook National
Forestry Championship in Ireland.
Calendar:
23/24 February: Rally Sunseeker (Bournemouth)
24 March: Brick and Steel Border Counties Rally (Jedburgh)
11/12 May: RBS International Manx Rally (Douglas)
2 June: Severn Valley Stages Rally (Builth Wells)
21 July: Swansea Bay National Rally (Swansea)
2 September: Killarney Forest Stages Rally (Killarney)
20 October: Bulldog Rally (Oswestry)
DUNLOP/GAMBIA MSA BRITISH HISTORIC RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
This year’s championship looks set to become arguably
the healthiest on record as competitor take-up continues to
run at a very high level with more than a month still to go
before the opening event.
Already some 60 historic cars have entered the Robin Hood
Forest Stages in Nottinghamshire on 10/11 March and championship
organiser, the Historic Rally Car Register, hopes the event
will attract a record entry for a round of the BHRC. The current
record stands at 91 cars for the 2006 Robin Hood, but with
interest in the BHRC booming there is a chance that a new
standard could be set when the leading cars head into Clipstone
Forest on 10 March.
Of particular significance is the strong growth in category
three (1975-1981), which becomes a full part of the MSA championship
for the first time this season. Importantly, support for the
older cars in category one (pre-1968) also remains strong.
Of the first 60 entries, the field was split well across the
three categories at the time of going to press.
Calendar:
10/11 March: Robin Hood Historic Rally (Sherwood Forest)
31 March: North Humberside Stages (Yorkshire)
13 May: John Overend Memorial Stages Rally (Melbourne)
24 June: Torque Bac Stages (Swinderby)
21 October: Cheviot National Rally (Otterburn)
28 October: Premier Rally (Sherwood Forest)
4 November: Malton Forest Rally (Yorkshire)
MSA BRITISH RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
The British Rallycross Drivers’ Association will mark
40 years of rallycross by promoting the first round of the
championship at Lydden on Easter Monday as the Tonhire.com
40th Anniversary Rallycross. The decision to mark the anniversary
(which actually fell yesterday – Sunday 4 February)
at Easter has been made to reflect the stature of the Lydden
event. The BRDA will further promote the Tonhire.com 40th
Anniversary Rallycross at Race Retro which takes place at
Stoneleigh Park (Coventry) on 23-25 March. The centre piece
of its display will be the Xtrac Escort created by Norwegian
rallycross superstar Martin Schanche and English engineer
Mike Endean at the end of 1983 and which Schanche used to
win the 1984 FIA European Rallycross Championship (below).
Calendar:
9 April: Lydden
7 May: Pembrey
28 May: Lydden
1 July: Pembrey
5 August: Knockhil
27 August: Lydden
14 October: Mondello Park
21 October: Croft
MSA BRITISH JUNIOR/SHORT CIRCUIT KART CHAMPIONSHIPS
As the Super One Series enters its 25th year of operation,
some 41 drivers – a record in modern times – have
registered for the junior championship. British Junior Champion
Jack Harvey, who has signed with the Italian Maranello factory
team to join World Champion Davidè Forè, will
have his work cut out to retain his title.
There is also a healthy entry list of 21 Formula A drivers
registered for the MSA British Kart Championship, with a few
days still to go before the registration deadline. British
Champion Mark Litchfield will be going all out for an unprecedented
fourth consecutive title on his British-made Octane chassis.
Super One co-ordinator Sonja Game said: "There are phone
calls coming in all the time from drivers asking if they still
have time to register for the 2007 series." Promoter
Neil Hann added: "It is very encouraging to see so many
youngsters coming into the premier junior class and this must
be a reflection of the popularity of our series.”
Supported again by Renault, Elf, ATOL, the B4 insurance group,
Dunlop and Bridgestone, the British karting championships
kick off on 17-18 March at the Three Sisters circuit near
Wigan.
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