2018 MSA Asphalt Rally Championship

Star-studded Darrian field to challenge WRCars for top 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship honours

Posted: February 20, 2018 6:30 AM

A star-studded squadron of powerful rear-wheel drive Darrian rally cars will contest this year’s Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship – each intent, and capable, of giving the top World Rally Cars a run for their money and challenging for the overall title.

The mid-engined cars, built in west Wales by Tim Duffee, are synonymous with asphalt rallying and have twice beaten four-wheel drive cars to the MSA Asphalt Rally Championship title – with Geoff Kitney/Alan McCann champions in 1990 and John Dalton/Alun Davies in 1993.

With Championship entries pour in and four weeks to go until the opening round, the Melvyn Evans Motorsport Tour of Epynt (March 11), six Darrian drivers have so far entered the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship:
Ashley Field (Darrian T90 GTR+), Andy Fraser (Darrian T9 V6), Huw Reed (Darrian T90 GTR), Tony Rees (Darrian GTR), Paul Culverwell (Darrian T9) and Richard Merriman (Darrian T90).

Ashley Field will return to competition for the first time in 17 months when he contests the series in his Millington-engined Darrian T90 GTR+. The rapid Mansfield driver’s last event was the 2016 Dukeries Rally at Donington Park – an event he won by over two minutes, having set fastest time on every stage. Last year he didn’t rally at all – instead training for, and riding on, the Etape du Tour, which takes in many of the classic mountain stages of the Tour de France. He also helped his son Fred contest the ADAC Opel Rallye Cup in Germany. This year Field is returning to contest a full Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship and aiming for overall rally wins and title success in his self-prepared, Medi Cell Rally Team-run, latest-spec Darrian T90 GTR+ – which has support from Chevron Lubricants and Techron fuel system cleaners.

Field said: “I’d like to think we could challenge for the title, although there are a lot of very good competitors in this year’s Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship. With a two-wheel drive car, a lot depends on the weather and road conditions, so whilst we don’t know if winning the title is achievable, we’ll certainly be giving it a good go. The Championship is full of great closed road events which we enjoy doing, and taking the Darrian to Belgium will be great – in fact, we’ve already entered Rally van Wervik, because I hear that event fills up very fast. None of the Asphalt Championship events clash with the ADAC Opel Rallye Cup, which my son Fred is doing again this year, so we’re looking forward to a busy season, and my first full season behind the wheel since 2016.”

Andy Fraser has entered the Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship in his mighty Nissan 3-litre V6-engined Darrian T9. He hasn’t rallied since the 2016 Harry Flatters, so the Coalville-based driver will shake the Promotive Engineering-backed car down on a signal venue rally at Donington Park the weekend before the Tour of Epynt. He’ll be co-driven by Peredur Wyn Davies.

Fraser said: “We’re aiming to be the top placed two-wheel drive car in the Championship, and hope to get as many World Rally Car scalps as we can along the way. Our last event was the Harry Flatters eighteen months ago, and we were battling for victory right up until a fire just before the final road section, so we know we can be right up there on the pace. The car, which we run ourselves, has had a number of upgrades, and we have a few test days planned between now and the Tour of Epynt to make sure we’re well prepared for the opening round.”

Tony Rees will drive a brand new Darrian GTR, powered by a Millington Series 2+ engine. The Pontyclun-based driver has been rallying for almost 40 years, and is well known for giant-killing performances in Avengers and Sunbeams – and won the two-litre class on last year’s Harry Flatters Rally in his Sunbeam. He has also rallied a Darrian before, and was lying fourth on the 2015 Mewla Rally in an ex-John Dalton car. He’ll be co-driven by Geraint Thomas.

Rees said: “I’ve always contested selected rallies and never committed to a full championship before, so the plan is to start the Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship and see how it goes. The Darrian GTR is a brand new car and we’ve only driven it twice before – at Rallyday at Castle Combe and at an event at Bovington, both towards the end of last year – so the Tour of Epynt will be my first serious rally in the car. The Championship has attracted a lot of good entries and there is a good calendar of events. I’ve never done the Manx before, although it’s always been on my bucket list of events to do, and I really enjoy rallying in Ireland, and I’m looking forward to some dry weather and a good Championship start on the Tour of Epynt.”

To celebrate his 30th year in rallying, Huw Reed will contest the Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship in his 2.5-litre Millington Series 2-engined, ex-John Dalton/Damian Cole, Darrian T90 GTR. The Bridgend driver has a huge amount of experience, having previously rallied everything from a Lada, to an Escort Cosworth and a historic Peugeot 205. He has a vast amount of experience in Belgium, and was the first to compete in a Darrian on a non-rallysprint event in the country – although Rally van Wervik is ironically the one event he hasn’t done. Reed will be co-driven by Anthony Hackett and supported by Raintite and Hot Wheels.

Reed said: “We’re not ruling out doing all six rounds of the Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship, and we’ll certainly do the Tour of Epynt, Manx, Rally van Wervik and the Mewla. The car’s won many times on Epynt, so if we get a good start there, and follow it up with good results on the Isle of Man and in Belgium, we’ll have to dig deep and find a way to carry on! I’m really pleased that the series is going to Belgium. I’ve done the two-day Flanders International Rally six or seven times and also the Flanders International Rally Challenge, with the exception of Rally van Wervik, which I’m obviously looking forward to contesting for the first time this year. I bought the Darrian T90 GTR in 2016, so this will be my second full season in the car. We’ve upgraded it from a Millington Series 1 to a Series 2 engine and put in a paddle-shift sequential gearbox, and on its day it’s a great car. We finished third on the Tour of Epynt last year – this year there is a very strong entry, so we’ll be aiming for a strong top ten finish to start the season well.”

Paul Culverwell will drive a ‘clubman’s’ Darrian T9, powered by a Honda S2000 engine and equipped with a Hewland six-speed paddle-shift sequential-shift gearbox. The Staffordshire-based driver has a lot of rallying experience, having started his rally career in the 1980s and rallied a Sunbeam, Toyota Corolla and, for 10 years, a rear-wheel driver Peugeot 205. And one thing’s for sure – you won’t be able to miss Culverwell’s bright orange, Fuchs Lubricants-backed, Darrian on the stages! He'll be co-driven by Sophie Buckland.

Culverwell said: “The Darrian T9 is a relatively new car for me. We’ve only done six rallies in the car – we’ve had some good results and one big accident on last year’s Mini Epynt, which put us out for five months, but now we’re back. This year’s Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship is just the incentive I need to do bigger events, and we plan to do every round of the series. I’m really looking forward to going to Belgium and returning to the Isle of Man and doing events that are a little outside our comfort zone. It’s a clubman’s spec Darrian with a near standard engine, but it’s a good car and we’ll certainly be giving it everything we’ve got to achieve some good results.”

Double Welsh Tarmac Champion Richard Merriman is entering the Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship in his 1998cc Vauxhall-engined Darrian T90, which is supported by The Roof Hub, Touchline and Gareth Swan Roofing. The Pontypridd driver has a long association with Darrians, having rallied one since 1992. Co-driven by Kath Curzon, Merriman has won his class on Epynt many times, and won the 2012 Mini Epynt outright.

Merriman said: “We’ve had quite a lot of success on Epynt, with many class wins and top ten finishes. It’s one of my favourite places to rally, so I’m especially looking forward to starting the season on the Tour of Epynt. We’ve always entered the Asphalt Rally Championship, and this year is no exception – and we’re going to take it one event at a time and see how it goes.”

Fowden celebrates 40 years of rallying with a push for the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship title

Posted: February 2, 2018 8:58 AM

Bob Fowden is celebrating 40 years in rallying this year, and far from slowing down the popular Llanelli-based driver is upping the game and aiming for two titles in 2018, including the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship, in his ex-works Comline Auto Parts/NGK-backed Subaru Impreza WRC S11.

Fowden began his long rallying career in 1978, driving a Mini on forest events. Impressive early performances soon attracted the attention of John Davenport, the British Leyland Team Manager, which allowed Fowden to upgrade to an ex-works Triumph TR7, in which he started to contest Tarmac rallies – winning the first Mewla Stages in 1982. An ex-works Rover 3500 Vitesse followed, with many more victories on Epynt until the big car began to show its age and was replaced in 1988 with a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth. This led to hugely successful forays in Britain, Ireland and Europe, followed by a spell in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo and then, in 2015, the first of several Subaru Imprezas, which Fowden Motorsport has since become synonymous with.

As last year, Fowden will drive an ex-Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza WRC S11 in 2018. For the opening round of the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship, the Melvyn Evans Motorsport Tour of Epynt (March 10/11), he will be co-driven by Aled Davies – and aiming for another event win to add to his victory on the rally last year. The Port Talbot MC organised event has already received almost 100 entries.

Fowden will also be attempting to win the JD Tyres Welsh Tarmacadam Championship for a record fifth time, with that challenge beginning with the Rali Cwm Gwendraeth at Pembrey on February 4. Bob will have son Paul co-driving on that event, and the family duo will be hoping to repeat their 2017 event win.

Fowden said:
“As my former co-driver Paul Wakely cannot be with me for 2018 due to increased business commitments, I have a number of top co-drivers alongside me for the new season. My good friend Aled Davies will co-drive for me on the Tour of Epynt, and the others are similarly familiar names that we’ll announce as the season progresses. The co-drivers are no strangers to top asphalt rallying, so we’ll not be springing any surprises in the new partnerships I’m sure, but I hope to be able to spring a few surprises on the events!”

TV, On Demand, On-Line and Live Streaming unveiled for the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship

Posted: January 29, 2018 8:38 AM

The Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship will be available to millions of viewers in 2018, thanks to an impressive broadcast package that will see all six rounds of the series aired on three platforms – television, on demand and on-line, including professionally broadcast live streaming. Former co-driver and seasoned presenter Howard Davies will host the television programmes, bringing his vast rallying knowledge and inimitable style to the comprehensive coverage.

The programmes will be filmed, edited and distributed by rallying broadcast experts Special Stage – who filmed the MSA Asphalt Rally Championship from 2010-‘15 inclusive. As well as placing the highlights programmes on television, it has become the go-to place to watch current UK rallying events on-line, and last year attracted an audience of 2.2 million viewers, who enjoyed free access to over 3 million minutes of footage.

The three platforms where you can view the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship are:

TV
Edited highlights from all six rounds of the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship will be broadcast on the Front Runner channel – a sports channel on Sky and Freesat (channel 469). Front Runner comes with the basic Sky package, while Freesat is essentially freeview with a dish instead of an aerial. Combined, around 10 million UK homes have access to Front Runner.

On Demand
Motor Trend On Demand, which has recently been bought by the Discovery Network, will also broadcast edited highlights from all rounds of the Championship. Motor Trend On Demand is a subscription channel, with the advantage that you can watch it on various platforms, including Amazon Prime, as well as boxes like Roku, Apple TV and Chromecast, and on mobile ‘phones, tablets and computers. It’s a US-based broadcaster, which is making a big push into the UK market. It currently has around 200,000 subscribers and is growing rapidly in popularity.

On-line
Live action coverage, with commentary, from all rounds of the Championship will be broadcast FREE on the Special Stage Facebook page. Many new smart TVs have Facebook built in, so you can tune in and watch the Championship on your home television sets – as well as watching on devises such as a Chromecast device, mobile ‘phone, tablet and laptop. Viewers will be notified when the broadcast is about to go live, and fans can comment and get interactively involved with the Championship, a team, a driver, an event or with each other in the comments section. Whilst anyone with a mobile ‘phone can provide some sort of live coverage, Special Stage is the only operative in the UK doing live streaming with professional broadcast-standard cameras and dedicated live streaming equipment – including the use of a satellite, ensuring that live images can be transmitted from locations where there is little or no mobile signal.

The footage will remain on the Special Stage Facebook page and can be viewed at any time, and the ability to ‘share’ the footage widens the social media audience and is a valuable promotional asset for competitors and commercial partners. The Special Stage Facebook page currently has around 25,000 followers and is growing at around 1,000 new followers per month.

Footage will also be placed on the Special Stage website and YouTube pages, as well as the soon to be updated ‘Special Stage TV’ App, which is available in the App Store on IOS and Android devices.

Where to find the coverage
The programmes will be listed as ‘Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship’ on-line and as ‘Special Stage Weekly’ on television. The TV programming will start in March and run through to the end of November. Each Championship round will have a dedicated show, taking up the full half hour slot. They will be broadcast the weekend following each round.

RallyFM
RallyFM is planning to be at all the rounds of the Championship with pre-start news and interviews and reports from the service areas and stage ends. RallyFM is available on-line via rallyfm.net and by following @rallyfm on Twitter.

Wayne Goldring, MD of Special Stage, said:
“Special Stage is the only rally TV company in the UK to put coverage on-line, in full, for free, soon after the event, and the only ones to stream live with professional broadcast quality equipment. This will make the Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship available to a huge global audience. Furthermore, we are delighted that Front Runner and Motor Trend On Demand will broadcast edited highlights of each round, in a dedicated thirty minute ‘Special Stage Weekly’ programme. All in all, it’s a very accessible and modern way to broadcast rallying, and we hope rally fans will enjoy all the great coverage and close battles the Championship will undoubtedly produce.”

Jane Evans, Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship Co-ordinator, said:
“We are delighted to be able to announce such a comprehensive broadcast package for the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship, and thrilled that Howard Davies will be joining the team to host the television reports. We will certainly be looking to lead the field with this cutting edge style and pioneering format of rally broadcasting, and I am looking forward to working with Wayne and his Special Stage team throughout the year to delivery great coverage to rally fans in Britain and around the world.”

Shaun Chetwyn, Protyre Motorsport Manager, said:
“Protyre is delighted to be able to assist the MSA and BTRDA to ensure the successful return of what we believe to be a very important part of British rallying. With Jane’s hard work and support from the leading tyre manufacturers, namely Pirelli, Michelin and Hoosier, we believe that the Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship will grow from strength to strength and have a fantastic future.”

Tarmac ace Damian Cole returns with his sights set on a seventh Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship title

Posted: January 19, 2018 7:08 AM

Damian Cole will contest this year’s Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship – with the aim of winning it for a seventh time.

The Abergavenny-based driver won the title five years running (2010-2014 inc.) and again in 2016, which was the last time the series ran. This year Cole will drive his Get Connected Ford Fiesta WRC – a car that began life eight years ago as a M-Sport/Petter Solberg test car – partnered by new co-driver Jamie Edwards. They have sat together once before, when they acted as course car on the opening gravel day of the Nicky Grist Stages last year, in Cole’s road rally spec. Escort.

The Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship title isn’t the only thing Cole will be aiming for. After finishing on the podium four times, he’d love to win the Manx National Rally for the first time – and he’s gunning for John Price’s record of wins on Epynt too. Cole has won an impressive 18 rallies on Epynt (achieved on eight different events), while Price’s long rallying career netted him 23 victories. They share six wins apiece on the Harry Flatters, and Cole is aiming to equal Price’s six wins on this year’s Old Forge Garage Mewla Rally too.

With five scores from six counting towards the title, success is not guaranteed – especially as Cole hasn’t competed in Belgium for the best part of 20 years, and Round 3 of the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship is the Rally van Wervik in Flanders. To prepare for this, and as a pre-season dress rehearsal with his new co-driver, Cole is going to contest the Boucles Clavieroises on February 18 in his Michelin-shod Fiesta.

Cole said:
“We’ll be concentrating on the Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship this year and trying to win it for a seventh time. Reliability will be a big factor this year, with five scores from six rallies to count. Someone winning two or three rallies but non-scoring on a few will be beaten by someone finishing second five times, so it really is all to play for.

“I’ve got unfinished business on the Manx National - having finished third three times and second once, it’s an event I’d dearly love to win. The Down Rally is new, but I’ve done the Ulster and the Circuit of Ireland, so I have an idea of what the stages are like. And then there is Belgium! I’ve done one event in Belgium about eighteen or nineteen years ago, so the Rally van Wervik is going to be a good challenge.

“I’m looking forward to a good Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship with a lot of close competition and rallies won by a handful of seconds. That’s what everyone wants to see, and I think it’s going to be a great season.”

Jane Evans, Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship Co-ordinator, said:
“It’s great to see Damian entering the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship and making an all-out attack for an incredible seventh title. And we must remember that the overall Championship winning driver and co-driver will receive prestigious BTRDA Gold Stars! The first event of the Championship is fast approaching, and we already have an array of competitors old and new entered from all corners of the UK, which will make it a truly national championship.”

Entries open for the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship!

Posted: December 4, 2017 11:14 AM

Entries have opened for the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship – with Championship Regulations published on-line.

Organised by the BTRDA, the Championship will consist of six rounds, with the best five scores to count.

An 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship is open to all fully paid-up members of the BTRDA (entry into the Championship includes full membership of the BTRDA) and who are registered in the Championship, having a National A or higher grade competition licence issued by the MSA, or by Motorsport Ireland. Any professional competitors and drivers holding a licence issued by any EU country showing an EU Flag, being fully paid up members of the BTRDA and registered in the Championship, shall be entitled to take part and score points in the Championship.

The exciting and inclusive class structure has been created to include as many different types of car and competitors of varying ability and ambition as possible, and will include Historic, Junior and 1400cc sections. Homologated and non-homologated WRC cars will be allowed, while R5-spec, Super 2000 and RRC will compete in their own class – separate to WRC cars. Full details on the class structure, the points system and awards are in the Regulations.

Jane Evans, Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship Co-ordinator, said:
“We welcome you all to the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship, and enter 2018 with a new title sponsor, for which we are extremely grateful and thank Protyre for their support. Following the decision to take a sabbatical in 2017, the Championship is now ready to launch itself and work towards becoming the best sealed surface championship in the UK. We are able to offer six quality rounds with exciting new challenges for drivers and co-drivers as the season unfolds.

“Full television coverage is in place with Special Stage and we will also be able to deliver live action with the developing Live Streaming option to reach a worldwide audience, together with live radio interviews with RallyFM. Also, the BTRDA Council has elected to award the prestigious BTRDA Gold Stars to the champion driver and co-driver.

“So we urge competitors to get their cars out of the garage and come and join us for a season of top class competition on some of the premier asphalt events in the UK and overseas.”

Shaun Chetwyn, Protyre Motorsport Manager, said:

“Protyre is very proud to support the MSA and BTRDA in bringing back the Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship in 2018. Protyre has a very long history of providing an on-event fitting and technical service to all forms of motorsport here in the UK and across Europe. It is a real pleasure to work with Jane [Evans] to restore the Championship to its former glory, and to play a role in what I believe will be a very exciting future.”

Link to Championship website below:

2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship announce significant class awards and incentives for competitors

Posted: November 24, 2017 2:34 PM

The 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship will include a fantastic array of cash and product prizes throughout the classes – ranging from a total of 102 free tyres courtesy of Protyre, Mintex brake pads, £300 worth of vouchers and a masterclass from Nicky Grist Motorsports, a Melvyn Evans Motorsport Junior Award, an award for the highest placed Ford from Hendy Ford Motorsport, 15% off ferry travel to Ireland from Nutt Travel and a special travel and accommodation package to the Rally van Wervik and awards from Fairfield Motorsport.

Having taken a sabbatical in 2017, there has been a huge amount of interest from competitors and teams who have expressed a keen interest in contesting the revamped championship next year. Following discussions with competitors, Championship Co-ordinator Jane Evans has created a broad class structure designed to give a wide variety of cars a top national championship in which to compete in – which will be revealed in full when the Championship Regulations are published on December 1.

In addition to the high level of competitor interest, companies have also come forward wishing to support the Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship, allowing for some impressive cash and product rewards to be offered to registered competitors throughout the class structure. These awards include:

Protyre Motorsport

Whilst competitors are free to buy their tyres from any supplier, Protyre will offer a generous event-by-event prize fund to users of Pirelli, Michelin and Hoosier motorsport tyres who purchase their tyres from Protyre or an official Protyre outlet. On each qualifying event, Protyre will give tyres to match the ones used in the Championship to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd registered drivers overall in the general classification, 1st and 2nd registered driver overall in the Historic classification, and 1st and 2nd registered drivers overall in the 1400cc classification, as follows:

Overall: 1st – 4 tyres; 2nd – 2 tyres; 3rd – 2 tyres
Historic: 1st – 2 tyres; 2nd – 1 tyre
1400cc: 1st – 4 tyres; 2nd – 2 tyres

That’s a total of 102 free prize-winning tyres during the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship.

Registered drivers who purchase their competition tyres from Protyre will also receive a special rate and will be able to benefit from a comprehensive on-event tyre service at each round.

First placed driver and co-driver overall

The first placed driver in the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship will receive the coveted ARC Trophy & BTRDA Award, while the winning co-driver will receive the Motordrive Seats Perpetual Trophy & BTRDA Award. The winning driver and co-driver will also be awarded prestigious BTRDA Gold Stars.

Mintex Award

The Mintex Award will be presented to the best improvement on seeding and awarded to the competitor who finished the most places up from seeding position. The award includes one axle set of Mintex Brake pads to suit the calipers used on the winning car.

Mintex Junior Award

The Mintex Junior Award will be a draw at the end of the season for £500, for drivers who are Under 25 on 1 January, 2018.

Melvyn Evans Motorsport Junior Award

Melvyn Evans Motorsport Junior Award will be given to the highest placed driver in the overall points table aged Under 25 on 1 January 2018, plus £200.

Nicky Grist Motorsports 1400cc Award

Nicky Grist Motorsports will give the winning driver and co-driver of the 1400cc Class a £100 voucher each, to be spent on anything they wish in the Nicky Grist Motorsports range. The second placed driver and co-driver will receive a £50 voucher each. In addition, Nicky – who is an MSA Academy Co-driver Coach – will bring a top British driver with him to host a special coaching session before one of the events for registered 1400cc crews, giving free expert practical advice specifically targeted to asphalt rallying.

The Hendy Ford Performance Trophy

The Hendy Ford Performance Trophy, plus a voucher for £100 redeemable at Hendy Ford Motorsport, will be presented to the driver of the highest placed registered Ford in the overall points standings at the end of the season.

Wales Motorsport

The Wales Motorsport Award, plus £200, will be presented to the driver of the highest placed registered Historic vehicle, configured as the original version, in the overall points table at the end of the season.

Tony Davies Memorial Award

The Tony Davies Memorial Award will be presented to the individual who has done something special in relation to the Championship, adjudged at the discretion of the Championship Co-ordinator.

Nutt Travel Award and discount

The Nutt Travel Award will be a draw at the end of the season, with the prize of a free ferry crossing to compete in either Ireland or the UK. Nutt Travel will also offer all Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship registered competitors a 15% discount on Irish ferry crossings.

Fairfield Motorsport Award and Rally van Wervik package

Fairfield Motorsport is offering a special travel and accommodation package to the Rally van Wervik, with special rates for vans and trailers from Dover-Calais and Hull-Zeebrugge. These packages can be viewed now at merlinwonders.com. The Fairfield Motorsport Award will be presented to the first overall driver and co-driver who travelled to the event with them, while all its customers will be put into a prize draw with a chance to win £100.

Jane Evans, Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship Co-ordinator, said:
“We are humbled by the number of top motorsport companies who have come forward to offer incentives and rewards to the revamped Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship, and we’d like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed to these most generous overall and class awards.”

CHEVIOT STAGES RALLY DATE CHANGE

The date of the Keldine Autos Cheviot Stages Rally, held over the Otterburn ranges in Northumberland, has changed – moving one week later than its original date to 27/28 October. The revised calendar is below:

2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship – Tyre Clarification

Posted: September 28, 2017 9:39 AM

The organisers of the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship would like to clarify that any registered competitor can score points in the Championship using any legal tyre, no matter where it has been supplied/purchased from.

To qualify for the substantial bonus awards that will be confirmed in the final regulations, competitors must have purchased Michelin, Pirelli or Hoosier tyres from Protyre. Protyre can also supply most other brands of rally tyres at very competitive prices, but they will not qualify for the bonus awards.

Protyre will provide a comprehensive tyre service on every round of the Championship.

Any competitor interested in contesting the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship are very welcome to contact the Championship Co-ordinator, Jane Evans: Jane@asphaltrallying.com

Exciting six round 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship calendar unveiled – including events in Northern Ireland and Belgium

Posted: September 11, 2017 4:18 AM

The new-look 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship will contain six events, with a good geographical spread of high-quality and challenging rallies making it a true national championship – with a round in Belgium adding an international flavour.

The BTRDA organised championship will begin on 10/11 March with the Tour of Epynt, before heading to the Isle of Man for the Manx National Rally on 11/12 May. Round 3 will be the Rally van Wervik (9 June) – an event in West Flanders that has always been very popular with British competitors, and is often used as a test ahead of the Ypres Rally (a round of the Prestone MSA British Rally Championship). Another new event follows – the Down Rally on 21 July, which will have around 100 miles of closed road stages in Northern Ireland. The penultimate round will be the Mewla Rally on 25/26 August, while the sixth and final round will be the Cheviot Stages Rally, held over the Otterburn ranges in Northumberland on 20/21 October.

The main focus of the Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship is to encourage active competitor participation throughout the classes, from drivers emerging from the junior and single-venue championships to experienced competitors wanting to enjoy motorsport at a high level. Details of the class structure, which has been designed to attract the greatest variety of cars and drivers and will include historic as well as modern cars, will be confirmed in the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship Sporting and Technical Regulations, which will be published later in the year.

To be eligible to score Championship points, a competitor must have purchased their tyres from either Protyre Motorsport or from one of its official suppliers. Protyre is the largest suppler of Pirelli, Michelin and Hoosier motorsport tyres in the UK, and it can supply any brand of tyre. The advantages to registered competitors is that not only will they receive a very competitive special rate, Protyre will operate a comprehensive on-event service at each round, offering tyre delivery, tyre fitting, emergency supply of tyres and advice.

Protyre will offer a generous event-by-event prize fund to users of Pirelli, Michelin and Hoosier motorsport tyres. This will include a total of 72 free tyres for the top three placed drivers overall (1st overall on each event receives a prize of x 6 tyres FOC; 2nd x 4 tyres and 3rd x 2 tyres). Protyre will also reward success in selected classes with tyre incentives and rewards.

End of season awards include the ARC Trophy & BTRDA Award for the first placed driver and the Motordrive Seats Perpetual Trophy & BTRDA Award for the overall co-driver. The Hendy Ford Performance Trophy, plus a voucher for £100 redeemable at Hendy Ford Motorsport, will be presented to the driver of the highest placed registered Ford, the West Wales Fabrication Award, plus £200, will be presented to the driver of the highest placed registered Historic vehicle and the Melvyn Evans Motorsport Junior Award will be given to the highest placed driver in the overall points table aged Under 25 on 1 January 2018. In addition, Nutt Travel will offer registered competitors a 15% discount on Irish ferry crossings, plus an end of season draw of a free Irish ferry crossing. Other class incentives and awards will be announced in due course.

A half hour highlights package from every round will be broadcast on television in the UK, with the coverage also being able to view on-line via the championship website and Facebook pages, as well as the Special Stage Facebook page, website and Special Stage Mobile App. There will also be live streaming from each round on the Special Stage Facebook page, and live radio interviews on RallyFM.net.

Mike Broad, President of the BTRDA, said:
“This is the start of an exciting three year project which will see the Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship focus on the classes, as well as the big guys at the front. It’s a national championship with an international flavour – with the Down Rally in Northern Ireland giving the series a good national geographic spread and the Rally van Wervik in Belgium offering an exciting challenge in nearby mainland Europe. In its starter year, the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship will contain six rounds – which gives it room for growth, should one or more other top quality asphalt rallies be added to the calendar in the future.”

Jane Evans, Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship Co-ordinator, said:
“After many months of consultation and planning, we are delighted to unveil an exciting six round 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship calendar of events, a class structure which we hope will attract a huge variety of cars and drivers and a really generous prize fund. The response to the Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship returning in 2018 has been phenomenal, highlighting the passion, enthusiasm and demand for a top quality national Tarmac series in the UK. It will be a very inclusive series, which will appeal to a wide number of competitors. It’s a championship where up-and-coming talent can cost-effectively climb the ladder up from single venue events, either within or outside the new 1400cc class. A focus on the new class structure will ensure that a huge variety of old, new and hybrid cars will compete in close competition, and we’re confident of an exciting battle for outright rally wins and overall title success. And the action from every event will be streamed live on-line, with a thirty minute highlights packaged broadcast on television. This is the start of an exciting three year sponsorship deal with Protyre. We will hit the ground running in 2018, and aim to develop the Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship into the great national championship everyone involved in British rallying wants it to be.”

Shaun Chetwyn, Protyre Motorsport Manager, said:
“I am delighted to offer our support to the MSA Asphalt Rally Championship for a minimum of three years, starting in 2018. We have already established a great relationship with Jane Evans, the Championship Co-ordinator, and together we’re committed to developing the Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship into one of the best contested and promoted national championships in the UK. We’re delight to be able to offer quality incentives to registered drivers as part of the sponsorship package and would urge all competitors to make Protyre their company of choice for the 2018 series! We’ll also be attending every championship rally with a comprehensive on-event tyre service, and look forward to meeting old friends and making new ones throughout the 2018 season.”

Championship Rounds (Updated 24 Nov 17)

Posted: September 11, 2017 4:17 AM

1. Tour of Epynt - 10-11 Mar 18
2. Manx National Rally - 11-12 May 18
3. Rally van Wervik - 8-9 Jun 18
4. Carryduff Folklift Down Rally - (Sat) 21 Jul 18
5. Old Forge Road Garage Mewla Rally - 25-26 Aug 18
6. Cheviot Stages Rally – DATE CHANGE - 27-28 Oct 18

MSA Asphalt Rally Championship returns in 2018 – with major title sponsor Protyre and exciting new TV package

Posted: August 17, 2017 4:15 AM

The MSA Asphalt Rally Championship will return in 2018, with Protyre as the title sponsor, an exciting TV package and a challenging calendar of events.

The revitalised 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship is designed to return the much-loved sealed-surface series to its former glory days, when the top British Tarmac rally drivers battled for the prestigious title over some of the best asphalt rallies in the UK. It will be open to a wide variety of cars and classes, and offer a stepping stone for young drivers and a highly competitive arena for the more experienced competitors aiming for overall rally wins and outright title success.

Protyre, the largest suppler of Pirelli, Michelin and Hoosier Motorsport tyres in the UK, won’t just lend its name to the MSA Asphalt Rally Championship – the motorsport side of Protyre, which is based in Stoke-on-Trent, will also provide an on-event service and supply all brands of competition tyres at very competitive rates to all registered contenders, offer an attractive tyre prize fund and work closely to help develop the series on both a sporting and commercial basis.

The partnership has already been successful in securing an exciting TV package. In addition to fans being able to watch highlights of each round on television, they’ll be able to watch the action unfold as it happens, via state-of-the-art live streaming.

All the sporting aspects of the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship are currently being finalised with the UK motorsports governing body, and will be unveiled at the championship launch in September. Further details on the launch will be announced in due course.

Mike Broad, President of the BTRDA, said:
“Whilst we were disappointed not to run the Asphalt Rally Championship in 2017, we’re grateful to the MSA for allowing the series to take a sabbatical this year and to give it an opportunity to return in 2018 stronger than it has ever been before. We have been able to make good use of the break, appointing a new co-ordinator and organising an exciting calendar of events that we hope all competitors will really look forward to – from the experienced crews aiming for outright rally wins and the overall title to the younger drivers and aspiring talent competing in the classes.”

Jane Evans, Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship Co-ordinator, said:
“We’re delighted to be able to bring the MSA Asphalt Rally Championship back and we’re very excited to be able to announce Protyre as our title sponsor. I’m looking forward to working with them to develop a championship to suit all competitors. There is a huge amount of enthusiasm and energy behind the 2018 series, and it was important for us to announce that the MSA Asphalt Rally Championship will return next year as early as possible, to give competitors the maximum amount of time to plan their assault. In making this announcement now, they have eight months to prepare for the opening round! The calendar of events, classes, points structure and prize fund will all be unveiled at our official championship launch, the date and location of which will be announced shortly. I’m confident that the combination of exciting new events and some classic asphalt stages will provide a real challenge that drivers and co-drivers will relish, and that the new-look Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship will be a huge success.”



Shaun Chetwyn, Protyre Motorsport Manager, said:
“Following the decision for the MSA Asphalt Rally Championship to take a sabbatical in 2017, we’ve seen a lot of competitors go abroad to compete this year instead. With such a demand and desire for a proper high-profile asphalt championship here in the UK, I approached the MSA to offer our support to the championship – with the objective of restoring a much stronger and healthier championship for competitors. I am therefore delighted to announce the 2018 Protyre MSA Asphalt Rally Championship and look forward to working with the championship co-ordinator to develop the series for the future.”

MSA Asphalt Rally Championship returns in 2018

Posted: August 16, 2017 6:11 AM

The MSA Asphalt Rally Championship will return in 2018 with new a title sponsor, an exciting TV package and a challenging calendar of events.

The revitalised sealed-surface championship is designed to return to its former glory days. It will be open to a wide variety of cars and classes, offering a stepping stone for young drivers and a highly competitive arena for the more experienced competitors.

Championship sponsor Protyre will also provide the on-event tyre service, supplying all brands of competition tyres at competitive rates to all registered contenders. The company will offer a tyre prize fund and work to help develop the championship on a sporting and commercial basis. Television highlights of each round will be complemented by state-of-the-art live streaming.

Jane Evans, championship co-ordinator, said:
“We’re delighted to be able to bring the MSA Asphalt Rally Championship back and we’re very excited to be able to announce Protyre as our title sponsor. I’m looking forward to working with them to develop a championship to suit all competitors.

“There is a huge amount of enthusiasm and energy behind the 2018 series, and it was important for us to announce that the MSA Asphalt Rally Championship will return next year as early as possible, to give competitors the maximum amount of time to plan their assault. In making this announcement now, they have eight months to prepare for the opening round!”

All sporting aspects are currently being finalised and will be unveiled at the championship launch in September. For more information, follow @msaasphaltrallying on Facebook.