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.