2012 MSA British Historic Rally Championship

BHRC 2012 TV deal unveiled

Posted: January 16, 2012 10:36 AM

The 2012 Kololi Beach Club MSA British Historic Rally Championship will have a superb TV package with all eight events covered in dedicated hour-long programmes on Motors TV.

The complete story of each event will be told by David Winstanley at rallytv.co.uk, with detailed coverage of each of the three categories. In addition to the eight programmes, the schedule will include a mid-season summary and an end of year review, giving a total of 10 hours of TV dedicated to some of the best action in British rallying. With each programme enjoying several repeats, the overall total will be more than 40 hours of TV.

As well as the coverage on Motors TV, each event will have a brief report on YouTube, which brings the total audience for the season to more than a quarter of a million viewers. Details of the 2012 BHRC TV partners will be announced shortly.

For those who want a permanent record of the season, an end of year DVD will be available through www.rallytv.co.uk and via the HRCR shop (www.hrcr.co.uk)

The season, which starts in style on epic Wales Rally GB stages on the Mid Wales Stages (Sunday 4 March), features sensational gravel and asphalt action in a schedule that takes the championship from the forests of Wales to the closed roads of Ulster and the Epynt ranges.

“I am, of course, delighted that the championship is able to make quality coverage at peak times on Motors TV freely available to registered contenders,” said championship manager Simon Marks. “David Winstanley's programmes continue to be very well received by those within the championship and fans that we speak to through the year.”

More details about broadcast schedules will be published in due course.

Tuthill Porsche Challenge enters second season

Posted: January 16, 2012 10:28 AM

The Tuthill Porsche Challenge – the only one-make rally series for historic Porsches in the world – will enter its second season in 2012 after bringing Stuttgart’s finest machinery to asphalt and gravel stages all over Great Britain this year.

The inaugural series, which hosted guest appearances from stars such as Francois Delecour and Jimmy McRae, was won by London-based businessman Andrew Barnes: his first rally title.

“It was a lot of fun, and the cars were not only beautifully-prepared, but extremely easy to drive,” said Barnes. “My work commitments meant that I had little time to spare for motorsport this year, making the Tuthill Porsche Challenge the perfect arrive and drive package, with some fantastic rallies and a great social scene.”

Once more, the Tuthill Porsche Challenge will feature five events within the British Historic Rally Championship: four on gravel and one on asphalt, from April to October as per the calendar below. For a fully inclusive price of £42,250 (plus VAT if applicable) competitors will have the use of a rally-prepared 3.0-litre Tuthill Porsche 911, which can be personalised to carry sponsors’ logos.

All other costs, such as accommodation, entry fees, insurance, consumables, parts and servicing, are contained within the price – meaning that competitors just have to turn up and drive.

Tuthill Porsche is the country’s foremost preparation firm when it comes historic Porsche rally cars, and the list of drivers who have competed for the Oxfordshire-based team reads like a veritable ‘who’s who’ of the sport. Bjorn Waldegard, the inaugural 1979 World Rally Champion, won the Safari Rally for Tuthill Porsche this year (the first time that Porsche has won the African classic) and previous Tuthill drivers include Markku Alen, Stig Blomqvist, Michele Mouton, Walter Rohrl and Patrick Snijers.

Once more, some exciting prizes have been put into place for the challenge, which are unique at this level. The winner of the 2012 Tuthill Porsche Challenge will receive a fully-paid entry into an FIA European Historic Rally Championship round, using one of Tuthill Porsche’s full-specification 3.0-litre Porsche 911s.

The second and third placed driver and co-driver will enjoy a two-day course at Tuthill Porsche’s renowned ice-driving school in Norway, which runs every year from late December to March.

Tuthill Porsche director Richard Tuthill, who himself competed on the Porsche Challenge this year with a one-off drive on the Severn Valley Rally, said: “We launched the Tuthill Porsche Challenge last year with the objective of giving competitors the most value for their time and money that we possibly could, enabling them to enjoy their rallying without worrying about the organisation or any hidden extra costs. As well as a very competitive championship, it’s proved to be tremendous fun, and we put just as much emphasis on the social side as we do on the action in the forests. The calendar brings together some of the most legendary stages in the UK, on both asphalt and gravel, so it’s only right that we give our competitors the chance to enjoy them in a legendary car: the Porsche 911. As the only one-make rally championship for historic 911s in the world, we’re proud to occupy a unique position on the international rally calendar once more.”

Before the start of the season, Tuthill Porsche is planning a test day in central England for interested competitors and media to try out the car. Details of the date and venue will be announced shortly.

Tuthill Porsche Challenge 2012 calendar:

1. Bulldog Rally (gravel) Saturday 24 March
2. Pirelli Historic Rally (gravel) Saturday 28 April
3. Severn Valley Stages (gravel) Saturday 9 June
4. Ulster Historic Rally (asphalt) Friday-Saturday 17-18 August
5. Colin McRae Stages (gravel) Saturday 6 October

Championship Flyer

Posted: December 31, 2011 11:24 AM

2012 MSA British Historic Rally Championship - FLYER

FIA class created for 2012 BHRC

Posted: December 17, 2011 1:24 PM

Cars running to FIA historic specification will be able to compete within the 2012 Kololi Beach Club MSA British Historic Rally Championship.

The BHRC management team has confirmed that, following approval from the MSA, a separate HRCR FIA Cup will be run for cars built to FIA specification and running with FIA Historic Technical Passports. This facility will not be available in any other UK-based championship.

The same cut off date of 31 December 1981 will apply and the FIA cars will compete in their own class for separate awards and will not score overall BHRC points. The HRCR FIA Cup will run in parallel to the main BHRC, covering the same calendar of events.

“This development is good news; it will be run in 2012 on a trial basis in consultation with the MSA,” said championship manager Simon Marks. “We will shortly announce a class structure for the HRCR FIA Cup and look forward to welcoming crews with FIA cars to rounds of the BHRC.”

New title for 2012 BHRC

Posted: December 17, 2011 1:23 PM

The MSA British Historic Rally Championship will have a new title for 2012 thanks to on-going backing from former competitor Martin Freestone though his Kololi Beach Club operation.

To be titled the Kololi Beach Club MSA British Historic Rally Championship, the series will take in eight events starting with the Mid-Wales Stages on Sunday 4 March. Dunlop continues as tyre supplier for 2012, and major backer of the championship, despite not now appearing in the title.

“We are delighted that Martin Freestone is continuing to back the BHRC,” said championship co-ordinator Simon Marks. “In recent years we have seen Gambia and WONAGO branding, and for 2012 the marketing focus shifts to Kololi Beach Club.

Kololi Beach Club provides holiday ownership at resorts in The Gambia, China and now Bali. Kololi Beach Club is associated with over 2,500 quality resorts worldwide, including names like Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott and Disney.

Kololi Beach Club provides luxury one and two bedroom villas and apartments and is classified a ‘premier’ resort by the world’s leading holiday ownership exchange company; Interval International. This classification has been awarded to Kololi Beach Club for the past 25 years; in recognition of providing 'outstanding resorts with excellent services’.
“I have not rallied for several years, due mainly to business commitments,” said Freestone. “Sponsoring the championship keeps my interest in historic rallying with the type of cars I drove in the 1970 and 1980s. I will be back competing soon!”

Date change for 2012 BHRC schedule

Posted: December 17, 2011 1:22 PM

The date for the second round of the 2012 Dunlop/WONAGO MSA British Historic Rally Championship has been changed.

The organisers of the Bulldog Historic Rally have brought the date of their event forward one week and it will now run on Saturday 24 March. All other details of the Bulldog, including the rally HQ at Welshpool Livestock Sales remain unchanged.

The remaining BHRC dates are as previously published.

BHRC calendar

Posted: December 17, 2011 1:19 PM

1. Mid Wales Stages (gravel) - Sun 4 March 2012
2. Bulldog Rally (gravel) - Sat 24 March 2012
3. Pirelli Historic Rally (gravel) - Sat 28 April 2012
4. Severn Valley Stages (gravel) - Sat 9 June 2012
5. Harry Flatters Rally (asphalt) - Sun 29 July 2012
6. Ulster Historic Rally (asphalt) - Fri/Sat 17/18 August 2012
7. Tour of Flanders (asphalt) - Fri/Sat 7/8 Sept 2012
8. Colin McRae Stages (gravel) - Sat 6 Oct 2012

Epynt returns to 2012 BHRC calendar

Posted: October 5, 2011 12:59 PM

A revised calendar designed to ease the time and financial commitment for competitors is the key development for the 2012 Dunlop/WONAGO MSA British Historic Rally Championship.

Given the current financial climate, the BHRC management team has taken the difficult decision to drop the Isle of Man Historic Rally from the main BHRC. The event will remain as a round of the Water End Asphalt Cup, but is replaced in the main schedule by the return of the Harry Flatters Rally on Epynt.

Meanwhile, the BHRC has extended the exclusive Dunlop tyre supply contract for a fourth year. For 2010, the MSA awarded a five-year contract to the Historic Rally Car Register to manage the championship. The current agreement will take the championship through until at least 2014 under the same management.

The decision to downgrade the Isle of Man event for the 2012 season was taken after extensive dialogue with competitors. While the fabulous challenge of rallying on the Isle of Man remains, the decision was heavily influenced by the cost of getting to the event and the time needed away from businesses in order to compete on the island. The event’s place in the BHRC will be reviewed again for 2013.

The Harry Flatters Rally, which many crews can contest without any time off work and only one night away, returns to the main series on Sunday 29 July to maintain the balance of five gravel events and three asphalt rallies.

"We have listened to the views of our contenders and have made some difficult decisions about the 2012 calendar," said championship manager Simon Marks.
"We plan to announce the full BHRC schedule within the next two or three weeks.”

Championship Website

Posted: October 5, 2011 12:58 PM

Historic Rally Car Register (BHRC)