The re-branded MSA British Rallycross Championship is preparing for a bumper season in 2015 after a winter that has seen improvements take place behind the scenes to further enhance the spectacle that is the 2015 British Rallycross Championship.
With the championship now under a new joint leadership between the British Automobile Racing Club and the Lydden Hill Motor Club, the scene is set to see an improvement on the 2014 season, which saw increased spectator numbers during the campaign. A new TV package has been agreed with British Eurosport whilst there is also Online coverage available for the eight round calendar in 2015.
The re-organised calendar now sees the Championship begin at Croft on 15 March before heading to Lydden Hill in Kent and then on to Pembrey in Wales. After a double-header event to be held at Mondello Park, the series will head back to Croft via Pembrey and Lydden, before the Blue Riband event of the British Rallycross Grand Prix takes place at Croft to close the season off on 11 October.
This has seen a boost in entry numbers ahead of the 2015 season with potentially up to 20 cars entered in the MSA Supercar Class alone. 2014 Champion Julian Godfrey returns along with big names such as Steve Harris, Steve Hill, Simon Horton, Andy Grant and Rallycross Grand Prix winner Kevin Proctor.
These big names will be joined by the Albatec Racing duo of Andy Scott and Mark Flaherty Peugeot 208 Supercars and Ollie O’Donovan in a brand new Fiesta Supercar. Also confirmed to compete is British and European Rallycross legend Pat Doran will return to the competitive fray full-time alongside Harris in a Citroen DS3.
The MSA SuperNational category looks set to be contested by the best again as those who fought for honours in the 2014 season are due to return. Stuart Emery, Gary Dixon and Guy Corner set to be joined by Dave Bellerby and Alan Tapscott amongst others.
The ever growing Super 1600 class will see 2014 Hot Hatch Champion Craig Lomax looking to add the 2015 title to his achievements, but drivers such as Phil Jones, Micheal Boak and the 2014 champion Phil Chicken wont make it easy for him.
In the highly competitive Suzuki Swift championship, 2014 champion Tristan Ovenden will return to defend his title. His main challengers from last year Graham Rodemark and Chris Mullen are not competing this year, so Ovenden will face new challenges from the likes of Darren Scott, Dave Ellis and Rob Maynard, while newcomers Alex Spencer and Jack Taylor will be among the others eyeing up positive results in 2015.
Drew Bellerby, Jennie Hawkes and Sam Jones are tipped to be three of the leading lights in the MSA Junior Rallycross category for 14-to-17-year-olds, all racing in identical Suzuki Swifts. Meanwhile last year’s RX150 Buggies front-runners Marc Scott, James Grint and Kevin Feeney are back again to battle for the title in the exciting buggy category.
Add into this exciting mix the fast and hard, no holds-barred arena of the BMW MINI, Hot Hatch and Retro Rallycross categories and it’s looking like an exciting year for British Rallycross. With all eight rounds to be broadcast post weekend on British Eurosport, BARC General Manager Ian Watson reflects that there is plenty to look forward to.
“The MSA British Rallycross Championship is an exciting new challenge for us,” he said. “Rallycross as a discipline is very much in the ascendancy in the motor sport world, and we are keen to work closely with the MSA and other interested parties to leverage every available opportunity to interact with the burgeoning new World Championship and make our national series a real success story for years to come.”
“If entries are anything to go by, we are already off to a flying start in 2015, with plenty of exhilarating high-octane action in store for competitors and fans alike. If you haven’t followed rallycross before, there’s never been a better time to tune in!” explained Watson.
2015 MSA British Rallycross Championship Calendar:
March 15 – Croft
April 6 – Lydden Hill
May 10 – Pembrey
June 27/28 – Mondello Park
July 26 – Pembrey
August 31 – Lydden Hill
October 10/11 – Croft / MSA British Rallycross Grand Prix
