Regulation Changes

If you are in rallying because you like going quickly then there is good news as the average permitted speeds for loose surface special stages are to be raised for 1998. Any stage run partly or wholly on unsealed surfaces must be planned so no competitor's average speed will be over 70mph on an international event or 65mph on any other rally. Fewer chicanes in them thar trees!

More good news for owners of cars that were coming to the end of their homologation. The FIA have recently decided that cars will remain eligible for homologated classes for seven years after production ceases rather than the current five. This is especially good news for the BTRDA Gold Star which would have suffered as Peugeot 205s, 309s and some Novas were coming out of homologation.

There is another FIA change which will affect clubman motorsport in the UK. The smallest class increases the maximum engine size from 1300cc to 1400cc. This recognises the change in SuperMini engine size and at last puts Sue Orchard's Metro in a separate class from the 165bhp Honda Civics.

The Kit Car concept has worked well for the World Rally Championship and the British Rally Championship where both are seeing more manufacturer interest. After A8+ and A7+ there are now proposals for a similar class of A6+ 1600cc such as the proposed 106 Maxi Peugeot - and we could even see a Micra Kit car in A5+. No news yet about how these cars will be handled in the other championships, so keep lobbying if you care about keeping Group A affordable.

Next Year's Championships

Yes, it's time to start dreaming and planning about next year. Once again we provide a helpful calendar of championships. The ASEMC has also provided a complete calendar of every events in South-East England which will be going into the Forward Planner every month for people who prefer to make their plans nearer to the time - or anyone who has to change them halfway through the year!

The highest profile events most of us can aspire to are the British Rally Championship rounds. In Group A you will find yourself up against the works cars and drivers. The Production Cup for N4 cars was well covered on TV and might see more interest this year.

The five home internationals offer about 800 stage miles and require three weeks off work and some big bills for ferries and hotels. They are all two day events except the Manx which is three if you include the Super Special. The two day events now give scores for both days so if you fail to finish day one you can still earn points on day two. Homologated cars only.

British Open
21st Feb - Silverstone (manufacturers only)
20th Mar - Vauxhall
25th Apr - Pirelli
5th Jun - Scottish
31st Jul - Ulster
10th Sep - Manx
Co-ordinator: John Horton 0121 378 1996

No change this year for the Mintex series, which caters for all classes of rally cars and gets off to the best possible start with our own fabulous Bournemouth Winter Rally. Each round offers about 70 stage miles in the forest or 120 on tarmac and each costs £450. Total 540 stage miles if you do them all.

The series does not stay close to home and as it awards loyalty points crews intending to win pots really have to travel. The Granite City and the Manx are the ones which push up the bills for us, but it all becomes a lot easier later in the season for Southerners and it is a very friendly championship.

It is also the home of the Ladies "Coupe des Dames" with good prize money and help with PR from Rick Smith & Associates, so aspiring ladies might want to look seriously at this.

It features this year for the first time a go round the (in)famous Silverstone RallySprint course - you won't score any points on this event but your sponsors should have a good time.

Mintex
28th Feb - Winter Rally
4th Apr - Granite City
9th May - Manx National
4th Jun - Kerridge
18th Jul - Enterprise Print Forest Rally
22nd Aug - Silverstone Rally Sprint (no points)
26th Sep - Trackrod
24th Oct - Midland
Co-ordinator: Roger Evans 01656 863888

Of course, it is also technically possible to rally on tarmac. EARS has withdrawn from sponsoring the national tarmac series but despite this interest could grow if events like the new Jim Clark can be copied elsewhere.

National Tarmac Championship
Dates to follow
Co-ordinator: Andrew Haill 0121 313 1416

If Otterburn and Eppynt don't appeal, how about going overseas? You could try Dieppe in May or any of the Belgian events where there is always a strong British contingent. The IRDC (International Rally Drivers Club) offers lots of deals for continental rallies and will also put you in touch with other people who are going. Allways Travel also has a list of interesting deals and will help you with cut-price ferries.
IRDC: Kath Barber 01260 277745
Allways Travel: 01873 859500

The BTRDA Rally series offers 9 forest events with some small bits of tarmac. You do up to 8 of the rounds, of which 6 scores count.

They are all good quality events spread interestingly around the country, but at only 45 miles the whole eight rounds will only total 360 competitive miles. Press coverage is good and homologated cars are seeded out front - lovely smooth stages!

BTRDA
7th Feb - Wyedean
7th Mar - Malcolm Wilson
28th Mar - North Humberside
4th Apr - Somerset Stages
2nd May - Plains
20th Jun - Dukeries
25th Jul - Quinton
5th Sep - Woodpecker
3rd Oct - Cambrian
Co-ordinator: Andrew Kellitt 01768 867978

As you know, we are big fans of the Welsh National Rally Championship as it offers a wide range of types of rally all based in the Welsh forests, from the Forest of Dean up to Clocaenog and the Great Orme tarmac stage. Essential preparation for anyone dreaming about the RAC next year! The events include 4 45 mile National B events, 3 Mintex rounds and the Vauxhall Rally of Wales (international or national part can be done) with 6 scores to count. Anybody inclined to niggle might say that the year involves too many trips to Llandrindod Wells, but that's a small disadvantage.

Welsh National
7th Feb - Wyedean
20th Mar - Vauxhall
11th Apr - Astra Stages
2nd May - Plains
13th Jun - Kerridge
18th Jul - Enterprise Forest
6th Sep - Woodpecker
3rd Oct - Cambrian
24th Oct - Bulldog Midland
Co-ordinator: Steve Gregg 01746 765368

Then again, if you want a change and just can't face another journey to Aberystwyth, you could try the new Heart of England Championship. This looks very useful for SCC members who want a mix of tarmac and forestry events. Many of these rounds could even be done without an overnight stay which will help contain time off work and spending. To encourage contenders into the forest htere is also an award for the top scoring contenders on the three foresty events.

This would be a very good championship for a first full season.

Heart of England Championship
15th Mar - Weston Park
11th Apr - Down Ampney
27th Apr - Ditton Priors
24th May - Mid-Wales Stages
13th Jun - Kerridge
19th Jul - Ditton Priors
9th Aug - Wroughton
6th Sep - Woodpecker
26th Sep - Caerwent
25th Oct - Weston Park
Co-ordinator: John Connor, 24 Fairfield Road, Hasbury, Halesowen, West Midlands

Looking more locally, Southern is a member of the ACSMC which promotes a broad range of championships contested by lost of Southern members. ACSMC championship rounds are always shown in the Forward Planner.

The Forestry championship starts with the Winter Rally and has been extended this year to include six other rounds.

ACSMC Forest
28th Feb - Winter Rally
4th Apr - Somerset Stages
tba - Craven MC Rally
13th Jun - Kerridge
5th Jul - Kune Tune
4th Oct - Tamar Stages
11th Oct - Kent Forestry
Co-ordinator: 'Paz' Parry 01705 648425

ACSMC also offers the Goodwood-based Sussex Challenge, only four rounds this year but still perhaps the ultimate in single venue rallying.

ACSMC Sussex Challenge
16th May - JVC Southdown
8th Aug - WouldBeGood
17th Oct - Spotted Dick
31st Oct - Mazda Stages
Co-ordinator: 'Paz' Parry 01705 648425

A healthy Road Rally championship will take competitors in standard or modified cars over the most puzzling roads in Southern England.

With 11 rounds to choose from, you can get lost anywhere from Kent to Devon although the nature of the road rally calendar does mean that you have to find other things to do between June and September.

ACSMC Road Rally
24th Jan - Resolution
21st Feb - Kent Rally
25th Apr - Powerush
9th May - Swan Rally
23rd May - Barum
6th June - Wessex Rally
26th Sep - Bristowe
3rd Oct - Cross Border
15th Oct - Twister
7th Nov - Torbay Rally
28th Nov - Nightwatchman
Co-ordinator: 'Paz' Parry 01705 648425

And the eleven-round Tarmac™ championship gives you no fewer than five shots at Longcross as well as a chance to crash interestingly and/or make your navigator sick at Millbrook.

ACSMC Tarmac™
22nd Mar - Avon Park
19th Apr - Mini Tempest, Longcross
25th May - Millbrook
14th Jun - RAF Abingdon
28th Jun - Weller Wheels, Longcross
11th Jul - Azimghur, Colerne
16th Aug - Longcross
6th Sep - Bombalong, Debden
13th Sep - Avon Park
20th Sep - Longcross
6th Dec - Carfax Stages, Longcross
Co-ordinator: 'Paz' Parry 01705 648425

Single-make championships are increasing in number, with Nissan, Ford, Daihatsu and Peugeot joining in next year, as well as the thoroughly-oversubscribed Seat Six. More details on these championships may feature in future articles, but here are some coordinator details:
Ford Ka: Kevin Shortis 01323 890184
Nissan Micra: Simon Aldridge 01480 460914
Ford Rally Bonus Scheme: Kevin Shortis 01323 890184
Peugeot Rally Club: Stella Boyles 01203 884676

Driving, navigating or marshalling there is no shortage of choice, and choosing a championship gives structure to your year and will guarantee you have more friends in rallying by the end. Remember that your fellow SCC members have experience of pretty well all of these championships, so ask around at club night or call John Blaber (Competition Secretary) on 0181 2876361.

Whatever you do, remember to let your fans at Southern know all about it through the competitors round-up page of Windscreen - they love to hear about your latest accident.

Date shown is the first day of the rally for multi-day and overnight events.