We are getting closer to kick-off of the 2016 BRC season.
Entries close tomorrow it seems.
Info: http://msabrc.com/?post_type=rallies&p=60
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We are getting closer to kick-off of the 2016 BRC season.
Entries close tomorrow it seems.
Info: http://msabrc.com/?post_type=rallies&p=60
Full guide: http://www.midwalesstages.co.uk/down...y_Guide_10.PDF
There are 18 R5 entries by my count ... amazing ! :)
Colin Clark @voiceofrally
'For me the @MSA_BRC will give us the true indication of the best R5 car. Great drivers, great stages, great cars. May the best car win!'
Seeded entry list is being released this evening.
Top 15 seeded:
1. Elfyn Evans - Fiesta R5
2. Keith Cronin - DS3 R5
3. David Bogie - Fabia R5
4. Tom Cave - Fiesta R5
5. Fredrik Ahlin - Fiesta R5
6. Euan Thorburn - 208 R5
7. Max Vatanen - Fiesta R5
8. Jamie Anderson - Fiesta R5
9. Josh Moffett - Fiesta R5
10. Jonny Greer - DS3 R5
11. Sam Moffett - Fiesta R5
12. Martin McCormack - Fabia S2000
14. Rhys Yates - Fiesta R5
15. Hugh HUnter - Fiesta R5
16. Matt Edwards - tbc
Pretty impressive.
A very nice entry - looking forward to it.
Neil Simpson test and interview
https://youtu.be/SWpGEs7m8Ss
Jonny Greer & Keith Cronin testing their Ciroen DS3's
https://youtu.be/kQbDWdfIrjU
A guy local to me has just taken delivery of a new DS3 R3T which I assume he'll be using for this event. He's previously used a Fiesta MS1 and has designs on being a top tier rally driver. His heart is in the right place, but sadly his right foot often isn't and he also seems to have suffered a lot of mechanical issues. Whether that's down to M-Sport or his driving remains to be seen.
They're certainly investing a lot of money it, and as you say seems a bit strange to end up in a class that doesn't have that many others in it, but I don't know the reasons behind getting the new car or how it was selected. I do know that M-Sport parts are very expensive and they went through a few of them (driveshafts in particular kept breaking).
Info (of sorts) out
http://www.midwalesstages.co.uk/down...nformation.PDF
Will be there at Pikes Peak on the Sunday. Setting off at some ungodly hour. Will be interesting to see crowd sizes, spectator pen situation and the like. Spectators don't appear to be a priority on this event.
Wintery weather is now forecast by some.. just to add to the excitement ! :)
The BTCC sees itself as an entertainment series, for fans and TV viewers - as a result, it's a popular series. Surely the BRC should be trying to compete with not only the BTCC, but BSB, British GT and British RX.
Not much good having great action on the stages if very few know or are watching.
I'd like to go to Pikes Peak on Saturday evening and Sunday morning - but wait to see full info. I imagine there's no overnight parking - looks like a lay by on the A44 for the night.
Spencer Sport report Tom Cave's R5 Fiesta is repaired and ready for the BRC.. :)
Spectator info seems pretty relaxed in comparison with other recent events. Plenty of scope to go for a wander up at the windfarms on Myherin and down to the Pikes Peak hairpins.
Recce today
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcsqTbbWIAAzqHQ.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcsqTk8W0AAzdGw.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcsqYiCW4AA0Jcs.jpg
Forecast is better for the weekend though.
Myherin, an hour after the first recce run, snow about 3 to 4" deep...
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CctM5UkWwAExfr5.jpg:large
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CctXvydWwAEWVNF.jpg:large
I'm guessing there's not much ice so not a risk of cancellation and tyre issues. Will keep an eye on the forecast and conditions before deciding whether to head down. Hopefully the roads will be clear be still snow on the hills.
With spectator safety being a priority - I wonder if they will grit the access roads.... ;)
Bogie Skoda R5 livery
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cctj_vwW0AAmVTc.jpg:large
Elfyn Evans @ElfynEvans 2 minutes ago
Snow still falling this afternoon at @MidWalesStages recce
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CctseBBWAAEAERk.jpg
Might pop up the Exeter dryslope and see if they'll let me borrow a set of skis for the weekend :D
Elfyn Evans is playing his 'Joker' on this event... he will score double points here.
Am I right that out of 6 stages there are only 3 spectator zones, one stage with no access? On rally website there's barely map of one stage, how about the rest? Is this some kind of private club rally and organisers do their best to put spectators off, not mentioned "spectator program" published just one day before the rally. Looks like there is no point of going few hundreds miles to see two three stages. Can some explain what is going on?
'Detailed Spectator information programmes will be available to download from the club website later during this week'... cant see it anywhere. :(
'Or to buy from Rally HQ (Coleg Powys/The Hafren) where Signing On will be taking place from 11.00 until 16.45 on Saturday 5th March.
It will also be available from both Pike's Peak and Sweet Lamb Spectator Area’s at a cost of £3.00.'
"As long as you've got a compass and an O-S map you can pick up detailed spectator info if you find the stage."
Okay have just a few spectator points if you want but at least give people a chance. So much hype generated but who is it for? More for the benefit of the series and its competitors I think.
So I can't be bothered then. Just wondering how sponsors would feel to see empty stages...
It's cleverly hidden in the Spectator section under the name 'Spectator Programme ;)
http://www.midwalesstages.co.uk/down...mme%202016.PDF
They probably don't care, most of the 'sponsors' are just the companies of the drivers or their dad, the others are paying for the TV exposure. 2-3 stages is about normal though, unless it's a tight packed event like on Epynt. At a push I've managed 4 in a day at Wyedean, but that involved missing the 1400s on some stages. Also managed 4 on the WRC in Greece but that involved 2-3hr drives. I can't remember a rally, other than an SV, where I've been able to see more than 4 stages.
Interesting to note the huge amount of red prohibited area on the Pikes Peak stage. Does anyone with experience of the section still think it's worth it?
http://www.midwalesstages.co.uk/down...mme%202016.PDF
Rallying actually gets an easy ride compared to some other sports. Take autocross for example "any spectator enclosures should not be less than 30m from the course where there is no barrier designed to halt a competing car travelling between these enclosures and the course. Where there is a barrier, the distance should not be less than 25m all the way round corners, and 20m alongside straights. The minimum acceptable barrier will be two rows of straw bales or equivalent, placed approximately half way between the course and the enclosures"
If that was applied to rallying then you pretty much couldn't watch at any event.
Woodside's Fiesta R5 looking mean !
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ccu28uSWIAAFFC6.jpg
When you're talking about proper 3-4 days event like WRC 2-3 stages a day is ok, thats's 6-9 a rally, top cars, top drivers, and load of good stuff in lower classes. In case of 1.5 day event drive hundreds of miles just to see the same hairpin twice it's a joke. No maps of other stages in so called "detailed program", no mention of access to other stages than Pike's Peak. Looks like spectators are unnecessary addition to BRC.
Not just the BRC, as I've said many times. Spectators are causing a huge headache for organisers and the deaths over the last few years have put the sport in a bad position. The Wyedean last year caused a major shake up because of where spectators are stood and the Blue Book has had a number of clauses put in regarding safety.
I agree that the mileage isn't much, but there aren't exactly people queuing up with forests that they want people to race around. Also don't know what you consider to be 'mention of access' but giving a map reference to a car park with catering and a toilet for Hafren/Sweet Lamb couldn't be much more detail. As for everything else, they give stage times, MR, pictures of the spectator areas (and restricted parts). Stages 3 & 4 don't have any detail but it's increasingly common for land owners not to allow spectators...not to mention the ball ache it is for the organisers (who for the most part are volunteers). I can only assume that you don't get too involved in organising events, if you do then I'm surprised that you don't appreciate what most rally organisers are up against these days.
Edit: btw there are only 6 stages anyway, 2 on the Saturday and 4 on the Sunday, that is something to get used to too. Events now will be super short if they have any lengthy stages in them. Total for the event is less than 70 miles and 25 of that is covered in the night.
Live Results for the Mid-Wales Stages Rally will be available from the BRC web site and from the TCS web site. The BRC web site will carry a summary aimed at the general public and TCS will provide more detailed information for those that require it. The results links are:
Link to Results on British Championship web site
Mid-Wales Stages National A (BRC)
Mid-Wales Stages National B (BRC National Cup and Defender Challenge)
Mid-Wales Stages National A & B Combined(Unofficial)
Viking Motorsport/Links Electrical Mid-Wales Clubmans Stages (Welsh National and Clubman's, HRCR)
BRC Championship results (will appear after event results are final which should be 18:00 on Sunday)
The National A event and the National B for the BRC National Cup and Defender Challenge start on Saturday evening; the Clubmans event will join them on Sunday morning. The three (two on Saturday) events will run intermingled as a single field in order of anticipated performance. There is a passage control after each stage and times from SS1 are expected at about 7:40 pm on Saturday evening and from SS3 (first Sunday stage) at about 9:50 am on Sunday morning. The first car is due back at the finish in Newtown at 3pm on Sunday afternoon.
This event is running to what are essentially FIA timing regulations with road sections running from stage start to next arrival (or time control) and with all lateness penalised. Hence expect more road penalties than usual.
As always comments on the event and suggestions for improvements to the results system are welcome.
You just emphasized my points of many nonsense with this rally. If you're one of those Sunday drivers spectator then you can't complain going to Sweet Lamb just to eat sausage and do your business in the toilet while watching rally cars. But spectating rally is not about sausage and annoying PA system if you know what I mean. Also what's the point of running stages with no access to them? I've done few dozens of WRC rallies and planning is one of the important parts of spectating, with British and Irish rallies you just can't do that if you're not local as they give you nothing on websites. Look at the websites of WRC rallies with detailed maps, access roads to stages, GPS location, pictures, often short clips etc. How do they want to make this sport popular? They were bombarding social media last few weeks and blown this balloon of expectations as if it was bigger than WRC, and just few hours before the start of the season they published map of one stage! What to appreciate? The message is simple, they don't need me, they don't want my money and they don't want this sport and this rally to be popular. There hundreds or thousands like me, multiply that by £5.
This is BRC not some local club fun drive where you can excuse volunteer organisers.