BRC to be two wheel drive only in 2012

**Mirek** · 23rd Sep 11, 22:34

Heard that Pirelli Star Driver car will be Fabia R2.

**Allyc85** · 28th Sep 11, 22:00

Yep, so potentially the championship winner could end up in a car that is slower!

I think a much better prize would be a few selected international events as progression out of the BRC seems to be the main problem for drivers in this country.

**AndyRAC** · 28th Sep 11, 23:18

Originally Posted by Allyc85

Yep, so potentially the championship winner could end up in a car that is slower!

I think a much better prize would be a few selected international events as progression out of the BRC seems to be the main problem for drivers in this country.

Yeah, can't disagree. Cronin has disappeared, what is Bogie going to do next year? I know he's doing the IRC Rally Scotland, but only in a GpN Lancer - which will be lucky to make the top10 looking at the entry.

**Allyc85** · 30th Sep 11, 14:47

Dont start me off on Cronin! How can someone be so blatently fast and keep up with WRC cars in a group N Evo not be able to get sponsorship?!

I was really disappointed to see that Bogie is in an Evo for IRC Scotland as it would have been a great chance to show what he could do after a brilliant year. I guess it just shows that rallying is sliding further and further off the radar in this country when nobody wants to take a chance and give him some money for an S2000 car.

**BDunnell** · 30th Sep 11, 16:02

Originally Posted by Allyc85

Dont start me off on Cronin! How can someone be so blatently fast and keep up with WRC cars in a group N Evo not be able to get sponsorship?!

I was really disappointed to see that Bogie is in an Evo for IRC Scotland as it would have been a great chance to show what he could do after a brilliant year. I guess it just shows that rallying is sliding further and further off the radar in this country when nobody wants to take a chance and give him some money for an S2000 car.

And I must say that I have never heard of any of the individuals of whom you write. Largely my own fault, I know, but I simply can't bring myself to be interested any more. Are these people genuinely talented prospects?

**Allyc85** · 30th Sep 11, 16:17

Its hard to say the way the BRC is at the moment, but Cronin is a double champion who also rallied his evo over in Ireland on the tarmac and kept up with much faster machinery.

Bogie has just won the BRC and the Scottish Championship this year, in the BRC he beat 2 S2000 Skodas which we know are much quicker than group n cars.

**BDunnell** · 30th Sep 11, 17:25

Thank you.

In this case, what exactly do people here think is required to make British rallying, if not great, then a damn sight better again?

**AndyRAC** · 30th Sep 11, 17:32

That's the problem - how quick is Bogie??? We don't know, we think he's pretty quick, but he needs to be out in a S2000 on IRC events to show us. A GpN car is nowhere near good enough.
I went to the Trackrod, out of between 15-20 cars, only 3 were 4WD; Evans, Bogie & Barrable in the S2000 Skoda....

I'm sorry to say, you're probably right, Rallying is largely irrelevant to most of the country. Motorsport=F1......

**Bolton Midnight** · 30th Sep 11, 17:35

and not forgetting 2wd BTCC, maybe that is why BRC is going that way too just a thought.

**AndyRAC** · 30th Sep 11, 17:36

Originally Posted by BDunnell

Thank you.

In this case, what exactly do people here think is required to make British rallying, if not great, then a damn sight better again?

Hmmmm, how long have you got???
Instead of short termism, think of the bigger picture.
I consider it as British Rallying's equivalent of the BTCC - yet compare the interest, press/TV coverage, etc.....(I know it's comparing apples & pairs, but still)

**Bolton Midnight** · 30th Sep 11, 17:40

Go 2wd get manufactures back in it drop ****e events, get it on terrestrial tele

bish bosh

**BDunnell** · 30th Sep 11, 17:40

Originally Posted by AndyRAC

That's the problem - how quick is Bogie??? We don't know, we think he's pretty quick, but he needs to be out in a S2000 on IRC events to show us. A GpN car is nowhere near good enough.

I must say, I don't think Group N is a good stepping-stone to higher-level competition at all. But, given the small numbers of drivers from any background who have the prospect of getting a good WRC drive, what is?

Of course, none of this mattered when doing well in the British championship was just as much of an achievement as doing well on a WRC round.

**BDunnell** · 30th Sep 11, 17:44

Originally Posted by AndyRAC

I consider it as British Rallying's equivalent of the BTCC - yet compare the interest, press/TV coverage, etc.....(I know it's comparing apples & pairs, but still)

BTCC has been well promoted, well-run with the exception of deteriorating driving standards (something that does seem to have been genuinely addressed since a low point was reached earlier this year) and arguments over technical regulations, and even when it was in the doldrums retained a decent public profile. None of that can be said of the BRC.

**AndyRAC** · 30th Sep 11, 17:44

Originally Posted by Bolton Midnight

Go 2wd get manufactures back in it drop ****e events, get it on terrestrial tele

bish bosh

Can't really disagree - though it will be 2WD next year. Agree about TV, however, whether terrestrial TV want it is another matter. As for the events - 1 day 80 miles events are not International! I can make an exception for Sunseeker as that is a well promoted event - but the other need to be 120m+ and 2 days.

**AndyRAC** · 30th Sep 11, 17:46

Originally Posted by BDunnell

BTCC has been well promoted, well-run with the exception of deteriorating driving standards (something that does seem to have been genuinely addressed since a low point was reached earlier this year) and arguments over technical regulations, and even when it was in the doldrums retained a decent public profile. None of that can be said of the BRC.

Maybe it's just the sport of Rallying, but it seems to attract promoters who are clueless. I remember seeing adverts in car/Motorsport mags and MotorsTV for the BTCC. Don't remember the same for the BRC - it's shockingly promoted.

**BDunnell** · 30th Sep 11, 17:55

Originally Posted by AndyRAC

Maybe it's just the sport of Rallying, but it seems to attract promoters who are clueless. I remember seeing adverts in car/Motorsport mags and MotorsTV for the BTCC. Don't remember the same for the BRC - it's shockingly promoted.

One slight mitigating circumstance is the speed with which the BRC organisers suddenly found themselves with bugger all to promote. At least when the BTCC hit its lowest points in 2001 and 2005 it still had some big-name drivers, an unchanged calendar and (whether one liked the nature of that action) plenty of action to offer both the on-track spectators and TV viewers. The BRC found itself with virtually nothing in 2000, and then didn't happen at all in 2001.

**Bolton Midnight** · 30th Sep 11, 19:12

Originally Posted by AndyRAC

Can't really disagree - though it will be 2WD next year. Agree about TV, however, whether terrestrial TV want it is another matter. As for the events - 1 day 80 miles events are not International! I can make an exception for Sunseeker as that is a well promoted event - but the other need to be 120m+ and 2 days.

Sunseeker would be first to be dropped.

hype is no substitute for decent terrain and miles.

dump Sunseeker and include Scottish IRC, daft that Britain's premier championship doesn't have a gravel round N of the border.

**BDunnell** · 30th Sep 11, 19:15

Originally Posted by AndyRAC

Can't really disagree - though it will be 2WD next year. Agree about TV, however, whether terrestrial TV want it is another matter. As for the events - 1 day 80 miles events are not International! I can make an exception for Sunseeker as that is a well promoted event - but the other need to be 120m+ and 2 days.

TV will only be interested — quite rightly — if there's something to be interested in.

I agree completely about the events, though I will reserve judgment on the Sunseeker as I don't know enough about it. The old six-round British Open series was almost perfect, though I grant it would be impossible to return to that.

**Bolton Midnight** · 30th Sep 11, 19:41

Originally Posted by BDunnell

TV will only be interested — quite rightly — if there's something to be interested in.

I agree completely about the events, though I will reserve judgment on the Sunseeker as I don't know enough about it. The old six-round British Open series was almost perfect, though I grant it would be impossible to return to that.

If they could get Ford, Vauxhall, Skoda, VW, Peugeot, Renault etc back with 2 wd cars then it would get television coverage, the manufactures would insist on it, it has to have the factory teams out without them it's dead.

**AndyRAC** · 30th Sep 11, 20:07

Originally Posted by Bolton Midnight

Sunseeker would be first to be dropped.

hype is no substitute for decent terrain and miles.

dump Sunseeker and include Scottish IRC, daft that Britain's premier championship doesn't have a gravel round N of the border.

Agree about the IRC Rally Scotland - fantastic event, great stages, great scenery....Why it has never been included is a crime.