2019 Rally2 Championship

Race & Rally become the title sponsor of Rally2 championship in 2019

Posted: April 13, 2019 2:55 PM

Leading motorsport accessory and racewear outlet Race and Rally (R&R) will become the title sponsor of the Rally2 Championship in 2019, offering competitors in the five-round series a host of incentives for the season.

Returning to the calendar after a successful debut season the popular series for competitors with any two-wheel-drive rally car will now be able to compete on top-quality forest stage events, whilst aiming for the end of season awards provided by the Belfast based firm.

Race & Rally (R&R) is a leading supplier of motorsport accessories, spares and safety equipment covering the UK, Ireland and into Europe. They are main agents for top-quality brands such as Atech Racing and 3MO Performance Transmissions and cater for all levels of the sport from clubman rallying to International racing.

Their involvement in the championship means the top three overall crew at the end of the season will receive an R&R voucher to spend online or in their shop. First overall will grab a £250 voucher, second place £150 and third will nett £75. Each end of season class winner will also receive a £50 voucher.

Raymond Moore, Managing Director of R&R is delighted to forge a partnership with the innovative series.

“I heard about Rally2 last season when a lot of our UK based customers were clearly disheartened by the running order scenario they were faced with,” says Moore.

“When the governing body changed that, there was still a lot of enthusiasm for the series, offering a real alternative to the championships out there at the moment. It’s a great fit for the Race and Rally brand and we are always eager to expand our awareness on the mainland. We are proud to be involved in its second year and we look forward to another exciting year of the championship.”

The Rally2 championship will also benefit from increased online coverage in its second year, thanks to a deal with motorsport broadcasters Special Stage to produce a bi-event online review of the action from the stages.

Promoted by the Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club, Rally2 offers a diverse calendar of events in which they will be able to effectively run first on the road on each event in the series, kicking off with the North Wales Rally Services – Rally North Wales on 30th March 2019.*

A further four rounds are spread throughout the year including the Pirelli International Rally, The ATL Carlisle Stages, the Eventsigns Woodpecker Stages and the Sunday leg of the Roger Albert Clark Rally in Scotland. The series offers a simplistic class structure, from the entry level Tyro class to the Open-Plus category for more powerful machinery.

*Final running order is to still to be confirmed by all events in the calendar.

Rally2 championship returns in 2019 with new calendar

Posted: November 20, 2018 4:51 AM

After a successful maiden season in 2018, the popular two-wheel-drive rally championship “Rally2” will return for a second year, offering prime gravel conditions for crews throughout five forest events spread across the UK.

Rally2 will once again continue to offer an alternative series for crews who are seeking prime road conditions alongside a diverse calendar of events which offer both experienced crews and newcomers a challenging year behind the wheel. Two wheel drive crews will once again be able to effectively run first on the road on each event in the series*

Promoted by the Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club, the force behind the Fuchs MSA British Historic Rally Championship (BHRC) and Roger Albert Clark Rally, the series aims to recreate the atmosphere and friendliness sometimes lost in bigger championships and kicks off with the North Wales Rally Services – Rally North Wales on 30th March 2019 in Dolgellau.

The series continues to replicate its 2018 calendar by heading to the Pirelli Carlisle Rally in April and the ATL Carlisle Stages in June. After the summer break, the series will introduce the first of two new events; The Eventsigns Woodpecker Stages in September.

The final sting in the tail of the series will be the introduction of the ultimate challenge, the Roger Albert Clark Rally to round off the season. Crews in the Rally2 series will tackle the Sunday stages of the rally which will be held in the South of Scotland. Points will also be allocated on the day if registered contenders elect to contest the full event.

An integral part of the championship is the class structure which continues to allow both beginners and seasoned experts to compete alongside each other and vie for class honours. The Tyro category offers a cost-effective entry-level option whilst the One-Four class should appeal to the under 1400cc crews. The Open and Open-Plus category ensures those with more power can still qualify.

The Rally2 championship was devised last season to offer competitors in two-wheel-drive machines the opportunity to compete on forest events which utilised the “Rally 2WD” format. It sought to bring together competitors in lower powered cars who were suffering from lowly road positions due to the “fastest first” seeding requirement which was in force at the time.

Since then, Motorsport UK (formally The Motor Sports Association) have announced a regulation change offering events the opportunity to adjust the running order and despite this, the Rally2 series continued to go from strength to strength during the season.

Joint Championship co-ordinator Matt Cotton believes the series will continue to offer an excellent alternative for competitors across the country who are seeking a new challenge.

“You could say that Rally2 lost its USP in the middle of last season but one thing is clear from the feedback we have had over the past few months and that is there is still a big appetite for the Rally2 series in 2019” he says.

“We have listened to our competitors and brought in some changes for next year whilst keeping the championship fresh and interesting for all crews, no matter what they are driving or how experienced they are. We have kept the simple class structure and we really just wanted to ensure that we could give people a reason to compete, enjoy a great atmosphere both on and off the stages whilst having a great time. It’s certainly an exciting prospect and we look forward to building on last season and welcoming more competitors to the series in 2019”.

Championship organisers are working on various incentives for the season ahead which includes TV coverage and an online review after each round of the series.

Class awards at the end of the year will be once again be presented at the Fuchs MSA British Historic Rally Championship awards evening in 2020.

*Final running order is to still to be confirmed by all events in the calendar

Championship Rounds

Posted: November 20, 2018 4:47 AM

1. Rally North Wales - (Sat) 30 Mar 19
2. Pirelli International Rally - (Sat) 27 Apr 19
3. Carlisle Stages - (Sat) 8 Jun 19
4. Woodpecker Stages - (Sat) 31 Aug 19
5. Roger Albert Clark Rally - 24 Nov 19 (Sunday Leg Only)