British RallyStar

Posted: February 16, 2006 1:31 PM

early 30 aspiring competitors have already pre-registered online at www.RallyStar.info, using cars as varied as Ford Fiesta, Skoda Fabia and Peugeot 106.

Launched last month, RallyStar aims to drastically lower the three major costs of competing -- cars, events and tyres -- by running events open only to 1400cc cars, with very limited tuning and all using control tyres which do so little damage to gravel roads that the cost of those roads is greatly reduced.

A budget created by a major firm of rally car builders indicates that even a professionally-prepared car will cost less than £10,000. A home-built RallyStar car, based on a typical 1400cc hatchback bought at auction for £1,000, should be ready to win for under £5,000.

Several motor clubs from all over Great Britain have expressed interest in running RallyStar events. Proposed budgets suggest that a typical RallyStar rally, even with only 50 entries, will cost less than half as much to enter as a conventional forest rally (under £240 for 45 miles of special stages on forest roads, instead of £500).

Russell Brookes, ex-British Rally Champion and the man behind RallyStar, has now embarked on a campaign to recruit competitors from university motor clubs, which used to be a rich source of new blood in motor sport, but whose members now find motor sport too expensive. Brookes says: "We need to find the next generation of Colin McRaes. There is no shortage of youngsters who want to go rallying, but they simply cannot afford a sport where it costs half a million pounds to buy a winning car. RallyStar will provide a much-needed level playing field, where the fastest drivers, not the richest, win rallies."

RallyStar has already been endorsed by the Motor Sports Association (the UK governing body), the Forestry Commission (offering forest roads at bargain prices), Pi Research (technical advice and support) and Colway Motorsport Tyres (long-life, puncture-resistant control tyres at under £40 each).

Start-up funding will come from a company limited by guarantee. RallyStar has provisional commitments from the likes of David Richards (Prodrive and ISC Television), Malcolm Wilson (Ford WRC team) and John Andrews (best known as the man behind the Andrews Heat for Hire sponsorship of Russell Brookes for 17 years).

The first RallyStar events will run later this year, with a national championship planned for 2007. To keep down costs, the entire project will be administered through its own website at

British Rally Star

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NEW RALLY FORMULA FOR SPECIAL STAGE NEWCOMERS
RallyStar is an innovative concept to attract talented new drivers to British special stage rallying

RallyStar events will be open only to petrol or diesel-engined cars up to 1400cc, with very limited tuning and all using the same control tyre. The result will be a level playing field on which the best drivers — not necessarily the richest drivers — will be able to win events outright. Genuinely affordable ‘rally sport for all’.

The concept arose from a recognition by the Motor Sport Association (MSA) that there is a crisis in British special stage rallying. While this crisis is most evident at the top of the sport, where British Rally Championship rounds sometimes attract fewer than 30 competitors, it is most serious at the introductory level. There is a dearth of new competitors, the life blood of any thriving sport; motor clubs are suffering; there is a shortage of organisers and marshals; and the pool from which to draw new UK driving talent — the next Colin McRae or Richard Burns — is diminishing.

MSA Chief Executive Colin Hilton asked Russell Brookes (a past British International Rally Champion) to review earlier research into the problem and to propose a way forward to generate renewed interest in special stage rallying. Over a six-month period, interested parties in all areas of the sport were contacted, as were aspiring competitors not currently involved in the sport.

The core problem was simply one of cost: the cost of building a competitive car; the cost of competing in that car; and the cost of keeping that car supplied with fresh tyres. Russell said: “The huge cost of competing means that there is no level playing field. The average club rally is won by a rich driver, not necessarily the most talented driver. Newcomers are put off before they can even get started. They have no chance of winning an event - and they know it! Furthermore, the damage to forest roads is done by the powerful cars at the front of the field, but the forest charges fall on all competitors equally. The less wealthy amateurs are simply being used as cannon fodder to make up the numbers.” RallyStar addresses all these problems.

• Cars.
Only normally-aspirated petrol engines and all diesel engines (including turbocharged versions) up to 1400cc will be permitted. Modifications will be limited to a controlled list, intended to enhance handling, reliability and safety. No expensive engine or transmission modifications will be permitted. With the help of mechanically minded friends providing their labour for free, a typical competitor should be able to buy and prepare a potential championship-winning car for less than £5,000.

• Tyres.
All competitors will use the same type of tyre, designed for long life and puncture resistance, rather than for maximum grip. It will cost about £37 per tyre and should last half a season of events — not the 20 competitive miles of current rally tyres. Fred Henderson of Colway Motorsport Tyres has been able to move forward development of the tyre currently used in Endurance Rallying to better meet the needs of special stage competitors and to achieve the excellent low charges the Forestry Commission have agreed for RallyStar events.

• Events.
The RallyStar control tyre will minimise damage to forest roads. After an extensive test of the RallyStar concept in Kielder Forest, the Forestry Commission has agreed to become a partner in the project. Its charges for RallyStar will be £115 per mile for first use and only £67.50 for second use of their forest roads. This compares with the £509 and £302 per mile which other special stage rallies must pay.

• Competitors.
Target entrants to the series include: university students, who used to be a rich area for new recruits to motor sport, but who now find motor sport too expensive; the sons and daughters of existing competitors who are already steeped in the sport; existing motor sport enthusiasts who have dropped out for cost reasons; and drifters, cruisers, race and rally track day participants, all of whom already show an interest in motor sport.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP
RallyStar aims to organise a nationwide series of at least ten events in 2007, later expanding to 14 events (best eight scores to count). The involvement of car clubs is vital to provide these events. The following clubs and associations have already expressed an interest in being part of the project: the Association of Northern Ireland Car Clubs, the Association of South Eastern Motor Clubs, Bolton Le Moors Car Club, Clwb Modur Cymru, Exeter Motor Club, Middlesex County Automobile Club, RSAC Motorsport, Telford Automobile Club, Whickham & District Motor Club and York Motor Club.

The organisers of RallyStar welcome applications from other interested clubs; the event selection process will be completed during 2006. Russell said: “We are particularly looking for clubs with experienced organising teams looking to put on new forest events or to reestablish former forest rallies to take advantage of the low Forestry Commission charges.

However we will seriously consider all applications whatever the venue and format. Above all we want enjoyable low cost rallies, but of course the events must only include cars complying with the new RallyStar formula.”

The Championship will have many other innovations.
These include:

• An Olympic-style scoring system (with Gold, Silver and Bronze medals) will favour the fastest drivers, not necessarily the most reliable. The driver who wins the most rallies will be the champion.
• To reduce costs, registration and most communications will be handled via the official website.
• Clubs will mentor newcomers to the sport.
• Competitors with the least experience will be given priority of championship entry.
• Awards for English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh drivers will create inter-country rivalry.
• An exciting prize for the fastest drivers will be announced later in 2006.

ENDORSEMENTS
Motor Sports Association
The MSA (governing body of UK motor sport) has already given considerable support to the project during the research and planning period. Colin Hilton, Chief Executive of the MSA said: ”I am delighted that Russell has been able to use his considerable experience to deliver a package that will enable increased participation in stage rallying via a low-cost formula. Cost is a major deterrent to many people considering taking up motor sports. The RallyStar concept clearly demonstrates that it is indeed possible to compete with a limited budget whilst developing the all-important basic skills of the sport. The Forestry Commission's use of RallyStar to evaluate reduced charges for all such events is a significant step forward for the sport as a whole. I look forward to seeing the emergence of future World-class talent from the RallyStar events.”

Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission, keen to see greater use of its roads, has agreed to be an official partner in the project and to charge special rates. Chris Probert, Principal Land Agent, said: “We are very pleased to be involved with a project that should offer new competitors the chance to experience rally driving on our roads. Like any major sport, motor sport depends on a thriving grass roots level to maintain it, and we’re pleased to be able to work in partnership with the MSA to help rallying grow its competitor base in this way.”

Pi Research
This company will provide scrutineering and technical services. George Lendrum, Director of Motorsport, said: “RallyStar has the potential to help us understand how parity can be achieved across a broad range of engines. Our involvement will enable us to put further research into engine control strategies, which is a major objective of our engine control brand, Pectel.”
Russell said: “We are very pleased to have the services of Pi Research/Pectel, who will help ensure that we can control the specifications of the cars, assuring all competitors that they will be participating in a fair competition on that vital level playing field.” RallyStar also welcomes the assistance of John Griffiths, former Homologations & Regulations Engineer at Ford Motorsport, who has helped write the technical regulations. He is also using his experience to assess mechanical controls for the cars and is advising on the technical development of RallyStar. John said: “After many years working with some of the World's best drivers at the highest level, it will be interesting and rewarding to be involved in a project which should create the next generation of top British rally drivers.”

FUNDING
This project is intended to revitalise special stage rallying and to bring new competitors into this exciting sport. It is vital to get the project off to a strong start without necessarily relying on sponsors in the first year.
The all-important funding for year one will come from a company limited by guarantee. Russell Brookes explained: “We will be inviting the participation of well known names to invest in the regeneration of the sport from which we have all derived so much pleasure over the years. Indeed we already have provisional commitments from people who were initially consulted about the development of the concept, including David Richards (Prodrive and ISC Television), Malcolm Wilson (Ford WRC team) and John Andrews (best known as the man behind the Andrews Heat for Hire sponsorship of Russell Brookes for 17 years) and I will be pleased to put my money where my mouth is as well!” Russell continues: “There are already so many people to thank for their support and contributions, but I would particularly like to acknowledge Philip Young, from whose Endurance Rally concept we have borrowed ideas and adapted them for special stage rallying. Now I want to see an exciting new era of British special stage rallying, which will create a large pool of talent from which we will find our future world champions.”

APPENDIX - SOME FACTS & FIGURES

• Ten years ago, the 65 forest allocations available to motor sport in the UK were all taken up, with many additional rallies on the waiting list. In 2005, only 42 forest rallies were run.
• The average age of a competitor in the BTRDA series (currently the entry-level national championship) is 38 years old and increasing. Only 20 competitors, out of 201 registered by the BTRDA, are under the age of 25. Of these only six were less than 20 years old.
• Even minor club rallies are typically won by ex-works World Rally Cars costing up to £500,000 each.
• The use of fast-wearing specialist tyres forces entrants to spend about £3,000 per event to be competitive. These powerful cars with specialist tyres do the majority of the damage to forest roads, but the forest charges go up for everyone.

British Rally Star