MSA British Rallycross - 2016 Calendar

[A20 YBP]

Originally Posted by AlamakiRX

With regards to Gary and the VX220 this is simply down to the fact with the new HANS device rules in place and the hight of Gary and the confined nature of the VX220 driving position Gary simply cant fit in the car with the HANS device on, therefore had to revert back to the re-built Astra.

John, Ive seen nothing on compulsory HANS in RX this year, where does it say this please.

Thanks

[AlamakiRX]

Originally Posted by A20 YBP

John, Ive seen nothing on compulsory HANS in RX this year, where does it say this please.

Thanks

HANS isnt compulsory in 2016, only advisory
Compulsory in 2017 across all classes in Rallycross
Not alot of point developing a car if would be unable to use beyond 2016 if driver cant fit.... decided to continue with Astra i think.

[tbtstt]

Godfrey shows off his "new" car on Facebook yesterday...

Originally Posted by Julian Godfrey Motorsport

...I was expecting a newer shape Fiesta. I was also expecting a better livery this year. Seems I have been let down on both counts.

Perhaps more importantly though, can Godfrey do it again this year?

[Hampton Caught]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

Godfrey shows off his "new" car on Facebook yesterday...



...I was expecting a newer shape Fiesta. I was also expecting a better livery this year. Seems I have been let down on both counts.

Perhaps more importantly though, can Godfrey do it again this year?

Well, I'm very surprised! I was under the impression it was a new car for the new season.
Regarding the new livery, I wonder if he's made this to make it difficult for me to create a model of it 😀!!
Can he make it 6 in a row? Yes, it's very possible but difficult, especially given the strength and number of competitors. That said, Julian is consistent and that's what counts (see the last few season's for proof!).
Cheers Steve

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by Hampton Caught

Well, I'm very surprised! I was under the impression it was a new car for the new season.

Perhaps it's a new Mk.6 Fiesta shell, hence the confusion? I say bring back the 2014 livery Julian, it's not too late!

I've actually been scratching my head trying to piece together the lineage of the Mk.6 Fiesta's being used in the British Championship this year. I thought Godfrey's car was the ex-Carnegie/Doran Fiesta, therefore the car that Bellerby was using was ex-Doran/Binks?

The latest issue of Motorsport News implies that the Bellerby car is ex-Carnegie, so is that car actually ex-Carnegie/Doran/Binks?

In other Fiesta news, I spotted a picture of the Dave Newsham (ex-Marcin Wicik) Fiesta:

[Hampton Caught]

Mmmm! Sounds like a mission for Croft, then! Find out about the Mk6 Fiestas...... I'll see what I can find out .

Cheers, Steve

[chunder]

It's a bit like the old Gollop 306, shows how much of a poor state relatively hte series is in when a 10 year old car can still win the series!

Also he is pretty much the only guy who does all the rounds in a good car so is likelt to win anyway.

[HoleInTheHedge]

Is there a live stream from Croft tomorrow?

[Hickey]

I quite like the look of the mk6 fiestas.
Godfrey has one of the most reliable cars, is a good driver and does all the rounds. He also very rarely crashes or makes stupid mistakes. I think he is favourite again and good luck to him. He puts so much into the sport on race days, acting as engineer for many competitors, he is on a comparative budget (compared to Scott, Ollie etc) and still beats them! It's actually pretty refreshing.

[Barrie]

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.p...66926660031072

[Hampton Caught]

Originally Posted by Hickey

I quite like the look of the mk6 fiestas.
Godfrey has one of the most reliable cars, is a good driver and does all the rounds. He also very rarely crashes or makes stupid mistakes. I think he is favourite again and good luck to him. He puts so much into the sport on race days, acting as engineer for many competitors, he is on a comparative budget (compared to Scott, Ollie etc) and still beats them! It's actually pretty refreshing.

Absolutely right that man. Also, he knows a thing or two about building competitive and reliable engines for competition cars, so whilst the road car is obsolete, the competition car is anything but.
There are a goodly number of Supercar-drivers in competitive cars committing to the season to make it difficult to predict the champion for 2016.
Roll on tomorrow. Cheers Steve

[geordiecriag101]

Looking forward to tomorrow, hopefully the weather stays kind. Dose anyone have a fully correct and up to date entry list? Cheers

[ebby]

Anyone know if Andy Scott racing an Albatec 208? Other than Grint not much news on their 2016 plans.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by chunder

It's a bit like the old Gollop 306, shows how much of a poor state relatively hte series is in when a 10 year old car can still win the series!

Be happy about that. Otherwise grid would probably smaller.

[chunder]

I am anything but happy about the local rallycross scene, there are only a few places where it has stayed healthy sadly worldwide, and the UK is not one of them.

As we know there are too many classes. And two championships which is utterly unecessary, and instead of trying hard to combine the two they just falter along trying to sustain their drivers when at the very least they should be working together to combine over the last few years.

Sadly, that damage was done long ago, and instead of moving on, all we have now is a disparate outlook that would actually be OK if the two series were amalgamated.

The quality of cars in the top level has been the same now for decades, but it is the smaller classes that I struggle with. I have a programme from Croft in 2002, 19 Minicross cars, 49, yes Forty NINE Stock Hatch cars. Stock Hatch entry is about what we get for a whole meeting now. The Irish were on board then, so that helped woth roudns and entries, how that was allowed to be split away is another cretinous decision from those involved, we lived happily together for decades.

The Modified grid is about the same, and the Supercars are too. It is the budget level that we are not recruiting AT ALL. Swifts are too dear and too boring, Mini's ave never been replaced and Stock Hatch has somehow been allowed to drift into modofied almost! Crass idiocy.

Spread over two series, the the numbers and sanity of those organising has be questioned if nothing else! Other low level off-road racing is doing fine, hillclimbs, sprints, single venue rallying, drag racing is thriving as is drifting. But rallycross has suffered, mainly through loss of venues, so when you have two series fighting over crumbs, surely someone needs to come in, wipe the board clean, remove these people who are holding the sport back and start again.

I've been saying it for years, even when it was happening, but the culprits are long gone, and the present incumbents are either powerless or not brave enough to do anything about it!

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by chunder

It's a bit like the old Gollop 306, shows how much of a poor state relatively hte series is in when a 10 year old car can still win the series!

Yeah, because it's a standard 10 year old car under the body panels, isn't it?

Originally Posted by Barrie

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.p...66926660031072

Nice find! For anyone who didn't click the link, it's Jack Thorne's new car:

Originally Posted by Hampton Caught

Mmmm! Sounds like a mission for Croft, then! Find out about the Mk6 Fiestas...... I'll see what I can find out .

The more I think about it the more I think my initial assumption was wrong. I now believe Godfrey's is Pat's original car and Bellerby's is the Carnegie/Doran/Binks (and possibly Bardy?) Fiesta.

Be interested to see what you can find out!

As for Godfrey I have heard (and read) several unpleasant stories about his work though so, for me, the jury is still out on him. Irrespective, he seems to know his way round a Ford engine and there is no doubting he is a smart driver on the track.

[CS1]

Where's the timetable for tomorrow??

[Hampton Caught]

I now believe Godfrey's is Pat's original car

Yep, I think you're spot on there. Julian has worked with Pat for years so makes a lot of sense. I am certain I have heard this before.

I'll see what I can find out, snow or no snow at Croft!

Cheers Steve

[Barrie]

Is it me being daft. Can't find today's live rallycross on BT sport ?

[Hickey]

Hopefully it's just me not being able to find it, but it looks like Live Timings only. Real shame if that's true but probably a requirement of BT sport that it can't be streamed free
Just seen timings for first heat of supercars. Godfrey beat Thorne (who was second) by 5 seconds, who in turn beat Ollie by 5 seconds. Maybe conditions improved in second race.

[Hampton Caught]

Conditions started very damp yesterday with huge water splashes away from the tarmac and these dried out during the first two runs of heats. Consequently, times got faster later in the day.

The TV coverage will be shown next Saturday in an hour-long programme, meaning 48 minutes of rallycross including interviews and pieces to camera. Good excuse to pop around to my parents next weekend, as they have BT Sport channels!!

Some great racing on track and superb atmosphere at Croft. A fair few new drivers and liveries but a significant number of comptitors absent with cars not quite ready to race.

Most impressive driver, for me, was that man Dan Rooke again, in his first Supercar drive. Proved that LDM can put a very fast car together, even if Pat sat out most of the day with an ill C4.... so some things don't change!!!!

Plenty to get excitied about over the course of the day and a classic season ahead of us, I dare say, even if certain armchair critics can't see the positive in anything!

Cheers, Steve

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Hampton Caught

Some great racing on track and superb atmosphere at Croft. A fair few new drivers and liveries but a significant number of comptitors absent with cars not quite ready to race.

Any idea if the absentees will be out for Lydden? Hopefully there will be more Supernationals out to play.

Originally Posted by Hampton Caught

Most impressive driver, for me, was that man Dan Rooke again, in his first Supercar drive. Proved that LDM can put a very fast car together, even if Pat sat out most of the day with an ill C4.... so some things don't change!!!!

It was certainly an impressive debut from Dan in supercars and good to see so many out there. What happened to Steve Hills Evo?

[geordiecriag101]

Had a very enjoyable first trip to Croft this year for the Rx yesterday. There were plenty great drives in all the classes, Chrissy Palmer in the RX150's dominated from the start winning every heat and the final with ease.

Paige Bellerby drove a great second semi final to reach the final and took a great and popular win despite best efforts of Gary Dixon who pushed her all the way.

In the retro's Ray Morgan made it look easy in the Escort but Lance Foster in the little mini was putting on a great show with sum enthusiastic driving.

In the supercars, well done to Kevin Proctor for the popular home win but Dan Rooke was stunning in the first time out with the DS3, he will be one to watch if he keeps on going.

Another good point was having both David Addison and Larry Carter on the circuit commentary as they both know what the doing plus how to fill in the down time.

Only negative from the day was the relative lack of entries but from what was said that was due to teams running out of time to get cars prepped rather than people withdrawing from the series so hopefully that should improve.

Anyway here my vid from the day, all coments welcome:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqhAXVz21rg

[Hampton Caught]

Thanks for posting, Craig. Very interesting to see the action from a different angle from where I was during the course of the day!

Watching the video reminded me how entertaining Jack Thorne was all day in his Fiesta. I think a case of 'over-driving' the car, as he was trying so hard, almost too hard and thus ending up having problems which meant even more spirited driving to catch up.

Fascinating as well to see Julian's lock-up into the first corner of the supercar final. Looks like the rear locked up, spinning him into the kitty litter. I was on the top of the grass bank part way round the first corner, close to where Julian 'parked' temporarily before (eventually) getting going again. It looked to me at the time though he might have had a tap, but didn't look like it from the angle you were at.

Shame there wasn't more of the retros or Swifts, I missed Jordan Bowes' roll into the kitty litter, but am delighted you got what you've got and thanks for posting it so soon.

Next time out, Stuart Emery will have finished rebuilding his Peugeot with a new sequential box. If the drive shafts can keep together, he should give Paige a good run for her money this year. Todd Crooks will be out next time too. The car wasn't ready due to parts supplies being slow.

What is Gareth Wood doing this year now he's sold his Ka?

Didn't Steve Hill have drivetrain issues with his Evo? I saw it driving on to the truck at the end of the day, and it did look neat with the new colour scheme, as did the truck/ trailer itself.

Mark Flaherty had engine issues most of the day and wasn't on the pace. I'd thought Mad Mark would be there, seeing as it's his 'local', but maybe he's concentrating on the BTRDA instead? He's had some upgrades over the winter. Shame we couldn't see their effect yesterday.

Most of the classes allow a dropped score, don't they. That said, its not ideal starting with dropping a score and ensuring you rely on every round you race at. Its an unpredictable sport, so much can happen! But hey, isn't that one of the reasons we love it?

Cheers, Steve

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by geordiecriag101

Anyway here my vid from the day, all coments welcome:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqhAXVz21rg

Great stuff, excellent viewing for my lunch break! Fantastic driving from Dan, really pleased to see that the DS3 provided a decent platform him.

Looks like a lot of drivers were getting to grips with their new cars. Absolutely cannot wait for the Lydden round now, especially with drivers from Belgium in the mix as well.