Following the Wyedean Forest Rally, the penultimate round of the Motorsport UK English Rally Championship, in association with Seacon UK, Ernie Graham is confirmed as the 2023 Champion. Co-driven by his wife Karen, they missed the opening event in the calendar, the Malcolm Wilson Rally, but then proceeded to take maximum scores on each of the next five rounds in the immaculate MkI Ford Escort RS1600 (featured image on the Wyedean Stages) to claim the title with an event to spare.

11th overall in the Forest of Dean, just four seconds off a Top Ten finish, was enough for the Walton-on-Thames crew to take another English Championship class win which, in turn, deposed erstwhile leader Elliot Payne (Fiesta Rally2) from top spot.

Recent winners of the English Rally title are listed below which illustrates that it is possible to take this title with a car from any of the classes in this ‘class based’ stage rally championship.

• 2023 Ernie Graham     Escort Mk1
• 2022 Nick Dobson       Escort Mk2
• 2019 Steve Black        Suzuki Swift 1400cc
• 2018 Ian Joel              Escort Cosworth
• 2017 Steve Petch       Fiesta WRC
• 2016 Sam Bilham       Fiesta R2

All eyes now turn to the Coppermines Grizedale Stages (1st/2nd December) for the final event in the 2023 calendar and, while the Champion has been crowned, 2nd and 3rd places are still far from certain. The aforementioned Elliot Payne currently occupies 2nd place, while Russ Thompson’s Mitsubishi Lancer EVO9 is 3rd, but the presence in the Lake District of both Robert Proudlock (Opel Adam) and Nigel Jenkins (Nova) could quite possibly change all that!

<<<<<<   Robert Proudlock’s Opel Adam

It’ll be calculators at the ready in Ambleside as, should Elliot fail to improve on his current total and Robert come away with a maximum score, he could just finish the season in runner-up spot!…

All photos © Kevin Money & Malcolm Almond

Wyedean Stages Rally Preview:  (18th November)

The Forest of Dean plays host to the penultimate round of the 2023 Motorsport UK English Rally Championship, in association with Seacon UK, the Wyedean Stages Rally on 18th November. From its base in Coleford the event takes in seven special stages within the Forest of Dean and pressure is mounting as the race to succeed 2022 MSUK English Rally Champion Nick Dobson heads towards its conclusion.

Following a recent run of bad luck which saw them retire from the Trackrod Forest Stages and not actually make it to the start line of the Woodpecker Stages, winners of the last two Wyedean Stages Rallies, Matthew Hirst and Declan Dear (featured image on their way to winning the 2022 Wyedean Forest Rally) will be hoping their troubles are now behind them and that their Fiesta R5 will carry them to a hat-trick of victories. They’ve not actually finished an English Championship round since the Kielder Forest Rally back in June, but they did come away with a maximum on that occasion!…

On the subject of maximums, having missed the opening round of this year’s English Championship, Ernie & Karen Graham (Escort RS1600) have taken maximum scores on the next four – with each competitor’s five best scores to count towards their final tally in this class based championship they are in a strong position and one more from either of the remaining two rounds will see them finish with a ‘full-house’!

<<<<   Ernie & Karen Graham (Escort RS1600)

If local knowledge counts for anything, Nigel & Kaz Jenkins live in Lydney and, from years of experience, know the Forest of Dean very well. The husband-and-wife team’s 1400cc Nova (pictured right) took a class win on the 2022 event and, in a class-based series such as the English Championship, it’s performances such as that which can really pay dividends – Steve Black claimed the ERC title in 2019 in his 1400cc Suzuki Swift!….

Luke Watts, Kaz Jenkins’ son, hails from Coleford and his MG ZR is less than a maximum score behind the class leader, while Steve Ward / Phil Sandham (Escort Mk2) are also in the mix at this stage of the proceedings.

Rob Wilson’s Mitsubishi Lancer EVO7 (seeded car 2) finished runner-up, behind Hirst / Dear, on last year’s Wyedean Stages and, having already experienced both extremes of the sport – a retirement and a maximum points score – so far this season, will obviously be hoping to go one better this time…

<<<<     Rob Wilson pressing on in his Lancer EVO7!

Although using vastly different cars for their individual campaigns, Ashley Francis-Adams (Nissan Micra)          >>>>>>>              and Colin Minton (Fiesta R5) are tied on points as they set off on the Wyedean Forest Rally, but will that still be the case at the end of the day?…

SPECTATORS : The first car leaves the start in Coleford at 8.00am on Saturday 18th November and full details will be available via the website : https://www.wyedeanstages.co.uk/spectators

All photos © Kevin Money / Malcolm Almond

Details of the 2023 Motorsport UK English Rally Championship, in association with Seacon UK, have now been finalised and the BTRDA is pleased to put forward a seven round all-gravel calendar, starting with the Malcolm Wilson Rally in March and running through to the beginning of December for the Grizedale Stages.

Featured image is MSUK English Rally Championship Sponsor Tony Simpson (Seacon UK Fiesta R2)

A seven-round calendar of selected popular forest stage rallies is planned for 2023 from which competitors will count their five best scores.: –
March 11th   Malcolm Wilson Rally   Cockermouth / Lake District
May 6th    Border Counties Rally   Jedburgh / Borders
June 17th   Kielder Forest Rally    Hexham / Kielder Forest
September 9th   Woodpecker Stages    Ludlow / Shropshire
September 23rd   Trackrod Forest Stages    Filey / North Yorkshire
November 18th (TBC)   Wyedean Forest Rally     Mitcheldean / Forest of Dean
December 1st/2nd   Grizedale Stages    Ambleside / Lake District

<<<<   2022 Motorsport UK English Rally Champion Nick Dobson (Escort Mk2)

Seven capacity classes (see below) cater for all vehicles complying with the current MSUK Technical Regulations and, as we’re always keen to point out, in a class-based series such as this, it’s not necessarily a powerful 4-WD car that comes out on top. 2022 Champion Nick Dobson’s 2-litre Escort Mk2 is (obviously!) only two-wheel drive and he succeeded previous winner Steve Black whose title came at the wheel of a 1400cc Suzuki Swift!

English Rally Champions in previous years include: – 2022 Nick Dobson (Escort Mk2), 2019 Steve Black (Suzuki Swift), 2018 Ian Joel (Escort Cosworth), 2017 Stephen Petch (Fiesta WRC) 2016 Sam Bilham (Fiesta R2), 2015 Rhys Yates (Fiesta R2), 2014 Matthew Robinson (Escort Mk2), 2013 Julian Wilkes (1400cc Vauxhall Nova).

Registration for the MRF Tyres BTRDA Rally Series automatically renders competitors eligible for the MSUK English Rally Championship (and vice versa) with no extra fees required.

Following on from the issue of regulations for the 2023 MRF Tyres BTRDA Rally Series, (available at www.btrdarally.co.uk/competitors) the Championship Regulations for the Motorsport UK 2023 English Rally Championship in association with Seacon UK, are now available in the competitor section of this website. HERE       Championship Permit No CH2023 / RALLY002 has been issued by Motorsport UK.

The Competition Classes: –
Class E7 Current and former World Rally cars with a sequential gearbox, current and former R5, S2000 and FIA Rally2 specification cars and any derivatives therefrom.
Class E6 Over 2000cc 4-WD cars not eligible for class E7
Class E5 Over 2000cc 2-WD cars including all FIA R3T cars and Category 4b cars which comply with R49.1.5.
Class E4 Cars over 1600cc up to 2000cc or with forced induction engines up to 1300cc, plus any FIA Rally4 cars. Historic Category 3 cars with multi cam engines and Category 4a cars over 1600cc.
Class E3 Cars over 1400cc up to 1600cc plus current & former FIA Group N3 cars, ST Trophy cars and FIA R2 cars.
Class E2 Cars up to 1400cc not eligible for Class E1, plus Historic category 1 & 2, Category 3 with single cam engines and category 4a up to 1600cc
Class E1 All BTRDA Rally First cars.

The English Rally Championship / BTRDA Rally Series registration and BTRDA club membership are free to new members under 25 years of age on the 1st January 2023, for their first year of registration.

All prospective championship competitors are strongly encouraged to register online as soon as possible (but certainly prior to your first championship event) at www.btrdamembership.com  There is a Membership / Registration form which can be downloaded from the website but that needs to be posted to the Membership Sec well before your first championship event.

The Coppermines Lakes Cottages Grizedale Stages Rally brings the Motorsport UK 2022 English Rally Championship, in association with Seacon UK, to a close over the first weekend in December and, from a very strong entry list, there are still several drivers who could yet walk away with the title!  Current leader Nick Dobson (Escort Mk2) [headline image] takes the start with the obvious intention of maintaining station but such is the nature of the points table that he’ll have his work cut out if he is to succeed Steve Black as the Motorsport UK English Rally Champion…

Dobson’s nearest rivals prior to the start of the event are Stephen Petch / Michael Wilkinson whose Fiesta Rally2, although in a different class, is just five points adrift. For their part, they also have the similar car of 2022 BTRDA Gold Star® Rally Champions Elliot Payne / Patrick Walsh to contend with. The latter crew’s English season began badly with a retirement on the Malcolm Wilson Rally, back in March, but top marks in Grizedale could, potentially, pay dividends. Certainly, as far as their class (E7) is concerned, Payne has a score in hand over Petch who, rather than adding his full points on the final round, can only improve on previous results. So, plenty of interest until the final whistle here!…

Classmates : Stephen Petch/Michael Wilkinson (L) & Elliot Payne/Patrick Walsh (R)

Russ Thompson / Steve Link are in a similar situation in Class E6 – their Mitsubishi Lancer EVO9 was involved in a big accident on the Kielder Forest Rally in June (nil points on that occasion!) but is now fully restored and finds itself in with a chance of class glory. The car could also possibly challenge for outright victory but this would be, in part, dependent on the fortunes of others!

                                   Russ Thompson/Steve Link (Lancer EVO9) spinning their way to a class win on the Trackrod Forest Stages >>>>>

Nathan Wearden / Ethan  Thompson (Fiesta ST) are strong favourites to win Class E3 and Nathan also has an outside chance of the overall drivers title, but again that is partly dependant on the misfortunes of others.  

<<<  Nathan Wearden / Ethan Thompson

Andy Davison/Tom Murphy have had what might politely be described as a ‘mixed season’ in their Talbot Sunbeam VXR, but perseverance brings them to Grizedale in prime position to claim Class E5 for themselves. Davison is one point off the lead of the E5 Drivers’ table while Murphy is joint leader of this particular Co-drivers’ section. A finish is what is required to complete the job but, as they’ve found out to their cost, that is sometimes easier said than done!…

                                                                                                                              Andy Davison/Tom Murphy (Talbot Sunbeam VXR) >>>>>

2022 BTRDA Bronze Star® Champion Pete Gorst won’t need reminding that the outgoing English Rally Champion earned his title at the wheel of a 1400cc Suzuki Swift. His own Vauxhall Nova has had a topsy-turvy season (literally on the Woodpecker Stages!…) but, in ERC terms, is just two points behind Nigel Jenkins’ similar car in Class E2. To stand any chance of altering the current standings, Gorst must beat Jenkins and, should they finish 1st & 2nd, a tie will occur which, without delving too deeply into the mathematics, would be broken in the former’s favour…

           The battling Novas of  & Nigel Jenkins (L) and Pete Gorst (R)

The Grizedale Stages is based in Ambleside and boasts a very compact route containing four special stages in and around Grizedale Forest totalling 42 miles, with just 37 road miles between them.

SPECTATORS : The first car leaves the start at 5.30pm on Friday 2nd December and full details are available via the website  https://www.grizedalestages.co.uk/index.php/spectators

All photos © Kevin Money / Malcom Almond

Preview of the Wyedean Stages Rally (15th October)

As the 2022 Motorsport UK English Rally Championship, in association with Seacon UK, takes contenders into the Forest of Dean on Saturday 15th October for its penultimate round, the Wyedean Stages Rally, Nick Dobson (Escort Mk2) is just one point behind Richard Hill’s Lancer EVO9 in the race for the title. Having scored maximum points on the first two events in the calendar, Dobson (featured photo from the recent Trackrod Forest Rally) held pride of place at the top of the table throughout the summer, but a lacklustre run – by his standards – on the Woodpecker Stages in early September allowed Hill to overhaul him, albeit by the narrowest of margins. However, the Ilkley driver now has an opportunity to redress the balance….

Richard Hill / Patrick Cooper on the Trackrod Forest Rally >>>>

The class-based series sees competitors pitting their skills against those with vehicles of a similar engine capacity to their own in the battle for points, not only in their particular class but also for overall supremacy. In this way, it’s not necessarily the most powerful cars that come out on top – exemplified by the fact that, although the past couple of years have been blighted by Covid, the last English Rally Champion (2019) was Steve Black at the wheel of his 1400cc Suzuki Swift…

Having retired from the Woodpecker Stages, the hard charging Matthew Hirst and Declan Dear (Fiesta R5) will be looking to regain some lost ground, while local knowledge should be of assistance to Forest of Dean residents Bob Morgan / Ade Williams (Fabia R5).

<<<<  Matthew Hirst / Declan Dear (Fiesta R5)

Four-wheel drive machinery also appears in the hands of Ledbury’s Rob Wilson (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO7), co-driven by Martin Haggett, while James Giddings / Aled Davies opt for an EVO9. Meanwhile, Colin Minton is pinning his hopes of success on a Subaru Impreza.

Aiming to give Nick Dobson a run for his money in their own Escorts, Irishmen Michael McDaid / Declan Casey and ‘The Flying Kiwi’ Boyd Kershaw, co-driven by Keegan Rees, have already scored one maximum apiece and are eminently capable of repeating the feat this time out, while Tim Jones / Liam Whiteley will be doing their best to join them….

Hoping that the English Rally Championship title remains in the hands of a 1400cc car in 2022, Lydney’s Nigel & Kaz Jenkins’ rapid Nova came out on top of its class last time out on the Trackrod Forest Stages which utilised the super-fast stages on the North York Moors. Although they were absent from the first couple of events, the husband-and-wife crew have since made their presence felt and, once again, ‘home’ advantage and a proven turn of speed – not to mention a slice of good luck! – could pay dividends.

                                                                                                              Nigel & Kaz Jenkins – 1400cc Vauxhall Nova  >>>>

Also relying on a 1400cc car, although a less highly-tuned version than the Jenkins’ Nova, Adrian & Matt Walk’s Ford Ka has proved on a number of occasions in the past that reliability is the key to success. However, while retirement on the Trackrod Forest Stages wasn’t part of the plan, good performances on the final two rounds of the series would put them in the running for a class win.

SPECTATORS : The first car leaves the start in Coleford at 8.30am on Saturday 15th October and full details will be available via the website: https://www.wyedeanstages.co.uk/spectators
All photos © Kevin Money / Malcom Almond.

After the two year hiatus associated with the Covid-19 pandemic BTRDA Ltd are very pleased to confirm that they will organise and promote the Motorsport UK 2022 English Rally Championship in association with Seacon UK.

Following on from the issue of regulations for the 2022 MRF Tyres BTRDA Rally Series, (available at www.btrdarally.co.uk/competitors)  those for the Motorsport UK 2022 English Rally Championship, in association with Seacon UK, are now available in the competitor section of this website. Championship Permit No 2022/008 has been issued by Motorsport UK.

It’s all part of the 2022 BTRDA Rally Series registration and BTRDA membership package and, thus, all BTRDA Rally Series contenders are automatically eligible for the English Rally Championship (and vice versa) with no extra fees required.

Maintaining the format of previous years, the English Rally Championship is class-based, such that the eventual winner may emerge from any one of the seven competition classes (see below) and as outlined in the regulations. In this way, it isn’t necessarily the most powerful car that will triumph – a fact amply illustrated by Steve Black who claimed the 2019 title in his 1400cc Suzuki Swift!

English Rally Champions in previous years include: – 2018 Ian Joel (Escort Cosworth), 2017 Stephen Petch (Fiesta WRC) 2016 Sam Bilham (Fiesta R2), 2015 Rhys Yates (Fiesta R2), 2014 Matthew Robinson (Escort Mk2), 2013 Julian Wilkes (1400cc Vauxhall Nova).

Covid restrictions permitting, a six-round calendar of selected popular forest stage rallies is planned from which competitors will count their five best scores.

The Events:

• Malcolm Wilson Rally  12^th March   Cockermouth / Lake District
• Kielder Forest Rally    18^th June    Hexham / Kielder Forest
• Woodpecker Stages    3^rd September    Ludlow / Shropshire
• Trackrod Forest Rally    24^th September    Filey / North Yorkshire
• Wyedean Stages Rally    15^th October    Mitcheldean / Forest of Dean
• Grizedale Stages Rally    2^nd / 3^rd December    Ambleside / Lake District

The Championship is open to all vehicles that comply with the 2022 Motorsport UK Safety and Technical Regulations for Special Stage Rallies.

The Competition Classes: 

• Class E7     Current and former World Rally cars with a sequential gearbox, current and former R5 specification cars, FIA Rally2 and S2000 cars and any derivatives therefrom
• Class E6     Over 2000cc 4WD cars not eligible for class E7
• Class E5     Over 2000cc 2WD cars including all FIA R3T cars
• Class E4     Cars over 1600cc up to 2000cc, plus Historic category 3 cars with multi cam engines over 1600cc, category 4a cars over 1600cc and 4b cars up to 1600cc and FIA Rally4 specification cars.
• Class E3     Cars over 1400cc up to 1600cc plus current & former FIA Group N3 cars and FIA R2 cars.
• Class E2     Cars up to 1400cc not eligible for Class E1, plus Historic category 1 & 2, category 3 with single cam engines and category 4a up to 1600cc
• Class E1     All BTRDA Rally First cars.

BTRDA Rally Series registration and BTRDA membership are free to new members under 25 years of age on the 1st January 2022, for their first year of registration.

Covid restrictions dictate that on some events the traditional pre-event Signing-On sessions will not take place and, hence, the opportunity to actually register for the BTRDA Series on events may be severely compromised. Nevertheless, we want you to join in some ‘Serious Fun’ and, hence, we would ask all prospective contenders to use the online registration system prior to their first appearance of the season.  Alternatively, there is a Membership / Registration form which can be downloaded.

It is with great regret that the BTRDA Rally Committee have taken the decision to cancel the Motorsport UK 2021 English Rally Championship following the unfortunate postponement of the Grizedale Stages at the beginning of December.  The 2021 English Rally Championship was intended to be a 6 round championship but the Kielder Forest Rally cancelled early on due to COVID and the Wyedean Stages Rally cancelled due to land access issues. Three rounds ran successfully; the Nicky Grist Stages, Woodpecker Stages and the Trackrod Forest Rally, leaving the Grizedale Stages as the final round. Having considered the Championship Regulations and the requirements of the Motorsport UK Yearbook we felt we had no option but to cancel the championship

We will still recognise the outstanding efforts of our competitors with a number of overall and class awards and will present awards to the leading Drivers and Co-drivers in the Motorsport UK 2021 English Rally Championship, in association with Seacon UK, at the point when the Championship was cancelled.
Leading Overall Driver: George Lepley
Leading Overall Co-driver: Tom Woodburn
Overall winners are not eligible for class awards

Leading Driver in Class 7: Ian Bainbridge Leading Co-driver in Class 7: Will Atkins
Leading Driver in Class 6: Richard Hill Leading Co-driver in Class 6: Graeme Wood
Leading Driver in Class 5: Owen McMackin Leading Co-driver in Class 5: Sam Fordham
Leading Driver in Class 4: Barry Jordan Leading Co-driver in Class 4: Ian Jones
Leading Driver in Class 3: Ioan Lloyd Leading Co-driver in Class 3: Sion Williams
Leading Driver in Class 2: Richard Freestone Leading Co-driver in Class 2: Abi Haycock
Leading Driver in Class 1: Tom Naylor
To qualify for an award a competitor must have started 3 qualifying events

Further to this the MRF Tyres Mixed Surface Challenge will now conclude following the Rallynuts Stages and points will go final at 19:00 on Sunday 26 December 2021.

All of these awards will be presented at the 2021 BTRDA Rally Series Awards Presentation & Dinner on Saturday 12th February 2022 a the Casa Hotel, Lockoford Lane, Chesterfield. S41 7JB.

We are now able to confirm the calendar for the Motorsport UK 2022 English Rally Championship in association with Seacon UK.

• Malcolm Wilson Rally  12th March
• Kielder Forest Rally  18th June 
• Woodpecker Stages  3rd September
• Trackrod Forest Stages  24th September
• Wyedean Forest Rally  15th October
• Grizedale Stages   2nd/3rd December 

More details of the classes etc will be confirmed in an announcement soon as possible.

May I take this opportunity to wish you and your families a Merry Christmas and a safe peaceful New Year and I look forward to seeing you at our Awards Evening, COVID permitting, or out on the stages in 2022 for more serious fun.

Regards   Neil Cross

Chair of the BTRDA Rallies Committee.

BTRDA Ltd will organise and promote the Motorsport UK 2021 English Rally Championship in association with Seacon UK. 

Following hot on the heels of the issue of the regulations for the 2021 MRF Tyres BTRDA Rally Series, (available at www.btrdarally.co.uk/competitors)  those for the Motorsport UK 2021 English Rally Championship, in association with Seacon UK, are now available in the competitor section of this website.

It’s all part of the 2021 BTRDA Rally Series registration and BTRDA membership package and, thus, all BTRDA Rally Series contenders are automatically eligible for the English Rally Championship (and vice versa) with no extra fees required.

Maintaining the format of previous years, the English Rally Championship is class-based, such that the eventual winner may emerge from any one of the seven competition classes (see below) and as outlined in the regulations. In this way, it isn’t necessarily the most powerful car that will triumph – a fact amply illustrated by Steve Black who claimed the 2019 title in his 1400cc Suzuki Swift!…  English Rally Champions in previous years include: – 2018 Ian Joel (Escort Cosworth), 2017 Stephen Petch (Fiesta WRC) 2016 Sam Bilham (Fiesta R2), 2015 Rhys Yates (Fiesta R2), 2014 Matthew Robinson (Escort Mk2), 2013 Julian Wilkes (1400cc Vauxhall Nova).

Covid restrictions permitting, a five-round calendar of selected forest stage rallies is planned from which competitors will count their four best scores.

The Events:

• Kielder Forest Rally    19th June    Hexham / Kielder Forest
• Nicky Grist Stages    10th July    Builth Wells / Mid Wales
• Woodpecker Stages    4th September    Ludlow / Shropshire
• Trackrod Forest Rally    25th September    Filey / North Yorkshire
• Wyedean Stages Rally    16th October    Mitcheldean / Forest of Dean
• Grizedale Stages Rally    3rd/4th December    Ambleside / Lake District

The Competition Classes: 

• Class E7     All WRC with a sequential gearbox, RRC, R5, S2000 and FIA Rally2 specification cars & all derivatives
• Class E6     Over 2000cc 4WD cars not eligible for class E7
• Class E5     Over 2000cc 2WD cars including all FIA R3T cars
• Class E4     Over 1600cc up to 2000cc plus Historic category 3 cars with multi cam engines over 1600cc, category 4a cars over 1600cc and 4b cars up to 1600cc and FIA Rally4 specification cars.
• Class E3     Cars over 1400cc up to 1600cc plus current & former FIA Group N3 cars and all FIA R2 cars.
• Class E2     Cars up to 1400cc not eligible for Class E1, plus Historic category 1 & 2, category 3 with single cam engines and category 4a up to 1600cc
• Class E1     All BTRDA Rally First cars.

As previously announced, all competitors who were registered for the BTRDA Rally Series (which includes the Motorsport UK English Rally Championship and the MRF Mixed Surface Challenge) in 2020 can register for the same championship in 2021 at zero cost, leaving you with just the cost of BTRDA club membership which has been held at £30.00 per person for a further year.  (Note:  For the on-line system to be able to detect you were registered for the BTRDA Forest Rally Series in 2020 you must use the same Username that you did in 2020 and you must rejoin BTRDA rather than joining as a new member).

BTRDA Rally Series registration and BTRDA membership are free to new members under 25 years of age on the 1st January 2021, for their first year of registration.

Covid restrictions dictate that the traditional pre-event Signing-On sessions will not take place and, hence, the opportunity to actually register for the BTRDA Series on events will be severely compromised. Nevertheless, we want you to join in some ‘Serious Fun’ and, hence, we would ask all prospective contenders to use the online registration system prior to their first appearance of the season.  Alternatively there is a Membership / Registration form which can be downloaded.

The featured image is Steve Black (1400 Suzuki Swift) the 2019 English Rally Champion.

The Motorsport UK 2019 English Rally Championship in association with SEACON UK is open to all types of rally car that comply with the 2020 Motorsport UK Safety and Technical Regulations for Special Stage Rallies. It is based on a selection of six of the best one-day forest stage rallies.

2020 CALENDAR (Best 5 scores to count)

Malcolm Wilson Rally    14th March    Lake District
Kielder Forest Rally    25th April    Kielder Forest
Nicky Grist Stages    11th July    Mid Wales
Woodpecker Stages    5th September    Shropshire
Trackrod Forest Rally    26th September    North Yorkshire
Wyedean Stages Rally    17th October    Forest of Dean

The Championship is split into 7 competition classes with the scoring system reflecting achievement against other registered competitors in the same class and the level of Championship competition in that class. This has proven by the eclectic mix of past English Rally champions who have all been outstanding in their respective class during the year.

CLASSES 

Class E7 : All WRC with a sequential gearbox, RRC, R5 and S2000 cars & all derivatives
Class E6 : Over 2000cc 4 WD cars not eligible for class E7
Class E5 : Over 2000cc 2 WD cars including all FIA R3T cars
Class E4 : Cars over 1600cc up to 2000cc plus Historic category 3 cars with multi cam engines over 1600cc, category 4a cars over 1600cc and 4b cars up to 1600cc
Class E3 : Cars over 1400cc up to 1600cc plus current & former FIA Group N3 cars and all current and former FIA R2 cars.
Class E2 : Cars up to 1400cc not eligible for Class E1, plus Historic category 1 & 2, category 3 with single cam engines and category 4a up to 1600cc
Class E1 : All BTRDA Rally First cars.

Please note that the Motorsport UK 2020 English Rally Championship registration is all part of the 2020 BTRDA Rally Series registration and BTRDA membership package. So, this could also be a second bite at the cherry so to speak, especially for those who have had a ‘difficult’ start in the MRF Tyres BTRDA Rally Series.

The Championship Regulations are published in the Competitor section of this website. Championship Regulations

The main photo is of the 2019 English Rally Champions Steve Black and Paul Morris (1400 Suzuki Swift) on the Wyedean.  Images courtesy of Kevin Money & Malcolm Almond

The MAXXIS Tyres Motorsport UK 2019 English Rally Championship reaches its climax in the picturesque Forest of Dean on 9th November with the running of the Wyedean Stages Rally. From the start in Mitcheldean, a total of 42 miles of special stages – 3 stages each run twice – await the 80 crews on the entry list.

<<<<<<  Andy Davison/Tom Murphy, currently occupying 2nd place in the English Rally Championship points table and leading Class E4, will be journeying down from Middlesbrough with their rapid Talbot Sunbeam VXR which has already scored two maximums this year – and now a third would do their title aspirations no harm at all!
Pitted against other cars in its class, Steve Black/Paul Morris’ Suzuki Swift (Class E2 leaders) has been improving all season, culminating in a maximum last time out on the Trackrod Forest Stages. (see main photo).   As with their rivals, maintaining a 100% finishing record on the Wyedean Forest Rally is imperative.

Fellow E2 contenders Chris Powell/Jim Lewis have forsaken their Talbot Sunbeam for the four-wheel drive turbo-charged power of a Subaru Impreza for their last outing of the season.
Tim Phelps/Elwyn Manuel have made Class E5 (nearly!) all their own so far – their 2.4 litre-engined Escort has three maximums and one second place, such that all they have to worry about is their overall end-of-season position. No pressure, then!…

Other English Championship contenders present on the day include Ian Bainbridge in his Skoda Fabia R5 >>>>>

and the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO9s of Matthew Hirst/Declan Dear and former BTRDA Production Cup Champions Russ Thompson/Andy Murphy in class E7.  In addition to Phelps/Manuel, Ford Escorts appear in the hands of Ben Friend/Cliff Simmons, Jonathan Brace/Paul Spooner and Robert Smith/Frankie Hillman. Stuart Spyer/Pete Williams will be hoping to show Steve Black a clean pair of heels in their 1400cc Vauxhall Corsa and Richard Wells/Tom Wood are relying on a Fiesta R2 to bring home the silverware in their class!

As far as the final Championship positions are concerned, all will become clear during the afternoon of 9th November as the survivors begin arriving back in Mitcheldean at the conclusion of the event.

After four years, it’s time to say ‘goodbye and thank you’ to MAXXIS Tyres as their tenure as headline sponsor draws to a close. As a class-based series, the winners during this period have been in a variety of different cars as, unlike most other Championships, it’s not necessarily the most powerful that will actually prevail. For example, Sam Bilham’s Group N Fiesta ST was victorious in 2016, while Stephen Petch’s Fiesta WRC claimed both the BTRDA Gold Star & English crowns the following year. Outgoing English Rally Champions Ian Joel/Graeme Wood put their trusty Ford Escort Cosworth to good use, rounding off the season with 5th place overall on the Trackrod Forest Stages in September 2018.

In 2020, long-term BTRDA supporter Tony Simpson will be sponsoring the Motorsport UK English Rally Championship through his Specialist Logistics Solutions company Seacon UK, and the calendar for the Seacon UK Motorsport UK 2020 English Rally Championship will consist of six prime forest stage rallies with the best 5 scores to count.

Malcolm Wilson Rally    14th March
Kielder Forest Rally    25th April
Nicky Grist Stages    11th July
Woodpecker Stages    5th September
Trackrod Forest Stages    26th September
Wyedean Stages Rally    7th November (TBC)
Reserve event :
Grizedale Stages    5th December

Further details of the Seacon UK 2020 Motorsport UK English Rally Championship will be announced shortly.

All photos © Kevin Money and Malc Almond