2026, BRC, National and Historic discussion
Discussion
Morning all!
Dare we speak about Stage rallying in the UK, on Pistonheads?
The new season is about to commence, first stage rally in England is the MGJ Engineering Brands Hatch Stages on Saturday.
https://brandshatchstages.co.uk/
A decent entry list in terms on quantity (81 cars - similar to most recent years) and quality - as usual with circuit rallies, there are plenty Rally2 (Class1) cars and a range of clubman and historic entries. Personally, I will be helping out - my specific role this year is "3rd Gofer for the Clerk" so mainly on standby to help with issues and comms.
Looking wider, there's a new Closed Road Rally in Yorkshire in late March:
https://www.northallertonautoclub.co.uk/yorkshires...
February sees the return of the closed road mini-rally on the Isle of Wight:
https://iowcc.co.uk/rally/
In Scotland, unfortunately the Speyside has had to be cancelled, due to access issues in the Forest Estate. A new closed road for March 2027 has been announced in Perthshire, reviving an old name "The Hackle Rally". Rumours abound that this will effectively replace the Argyll, which apparently has growing issues with residents.
The BRC is back to starting in Welsh forests, which is positive news after a few weather-related cancellations last year.
I'm also working on a new closed-road project, hopefully that one will become public in the next few weeks.
Over to you!
Dare we speak about Stage rallying in the UK, on Pistonheads?
The new season is about to commence, first stage rally in England is the MGJ Engineering Brands Hatch Stages on Saturday.
https://brandshatchstages.co.uk/
A decent entry list in terms on quantity (81 cars - similar to most recent years) and quality - as usual with circuit rallies, there are plenty Rally2 (Class1) cars and a range of clubman and historic entries. Personally, I will be helping out - my specific role this year is "3rd Gofer for the Clerk" so mainly on standby to help with issues and comms.
Looking wider, there's a new Closed Road Rally in Yorkshire in late March:
https://www.northallertonautoclub.co.uk/yorkshires...
February sees the return of the closed road mini-rally on the Isle of Wight:
https://iowcc.co.uk/rally/
In Scotland, unfortunately the Speyside has had to be cancelled, due to access issues in the Forest Estate. A new closed road for March 2027 has been announced in Perthshire, reviving an old name "The Hackle Rally". Rumours abound that this will effectively replace the Argyll, which apparently has growing issues with residents.
The BRC is back to starting in Welsh forests, which is positive news after a few weather-related cancellations last year.
I'm also working on a new closed-road project, hopefully that one will become public in the next few weeks.
Over to you!
Yes speaking about it is allowed and to be encouraged. After a 'quiet' 2025 that turned out to be as busy as 2024 and 2023 I'm planning a 'busy' 2026 i.e fewer events.
Snowman, East Riding, Border Counties, Malcolm Wilson, AGBO stages, Rally North Wales all pencilled in for the first part of the year.
Snowman, East Riding, Border Counties, Malcolm Wilson, AGBO stages, Rally North Wales all pencilled in for the first part of the year.
Looking forward to your announcement!!
I'll be at Brands on Saturday doing radio. Then East Ridings, and on from there.
I'm involved with the Argyll and will continue to work with the team while the Hackle is being developed.
Actual events are quite quiet at the moment as I'm hoping to be able to submit my stewards training forms ready for an assessment, so we'll see what the rest of the year brings.
Brands Hatch Winter Stages rally was good fun, a fairly busy day - it was also my first "all day" motorsport since before a series of operations, which started in April, so now I ache all over!
My "Official" job was to round up various competitors and bring them to the Stewards' Room for Judiciary Hearings - quite a few of them, all of the affected competitors were very polite and reasonable. The added bonus of that job was that the Stewards' Room is next to the Hospitality, so Mrs MGJ Engineering kept me topped up with cakes
Other than that, my pal Ian and I were kept busy "helping" Jez and Josie in Car 81 - they were on their first rally having bought last year's Mini Challenge winning car from the Matthewsons. Jez has a lot of driving experience in racing, but the general "how to run a rally weekend and get a finish" benefited from two old bald Scottish guys being there. They had a few technical challenges, but overcame them to get a good finish. They were absolutely buzzing at the end - real positive day for all of us.
Some pics:
[url]
[url]
My "Official" job was to round up various competitors and bring them to the Stewards' Room for Judiciary Hearings - quite a few of them, all of the affected competitors were very polite and reasonable. The added bonus of that job was that the Stewards' Room is next to the Hospitality, so Mrs MGJ Engineering kept me topped up with cakes
Other than that, my pal Ian and I were kept busy "helping" Jez and Josie in Car 81 - they were on their first rally having bought last year's Mini Challenge winning car from the Matthewsons. Jez has a lot of driving experience in racing, but the general "how to run a rally weekend and get a finish" benefited from two old bald Scottish guys being there. They had a few technical challenges, but overcame them to get a good finish. They were absolutely buzzing at the end - real positive day for all of us.
Some pics:
[url]
[url]
Drumroll said:
Just seen a statement that the Malcolm Wilson Rally has been cancelled. Unable to reach an agreement with Forestry England regarding costs.
I am sorry to say I don't think this will be the only event we will loose.
Yeah, I saw that - and was disappointed, but hardly surprised. It was an event I enjoyed spectating at, but haven't been for a while - the stages around Whinlatter are run quite early in the morning (so they can re-open for the public mid morning) and no longer run again in the afternoon. Grizedale is also run once, and the rest of the mileage is in Greystoke, which is non spectator.......I am sorry to say I don't think this will be the only event we will loose.
It's been obvious for a while that FE don't really want rallying in the Lakes forests.......and elsewhere for that matter. The Yorkshire forest allocation is less than it was, and only in winter/ autumn. I also miss the trip to Sherwood Pines in June for the Dukeries, which lost it's forest allocation.
I'm never sure whether to post NZ news in the national or international thread, it's national to me...
A couple of 911 GT3s announced to run in NZRC open 2wd class this year which will be cool to see, one cup car and this shed-built hybrid with (IIRC) cup car drivetrain in a shell from a road car:
https://youtu.be/Wrjg28_OUso?t=404
Has potential to be very fast especially on the open flowing roads at Otago, Ari is a properly quick driver too.
A couple of 911 GT3s announced to run in NZRC open 2wd class this year which will be cool to see, one cup car and this shed-built hybrid with (IIRC) cup car drivetrain in a shell from a road car:
https://youtu.be/Wrjg28_OUso?t=404
Has potential to be very fast especially on the open flowing roads at Otago, Ari is a properly quick driver too.
bergclimber34 said:
Some truly fabulous stuiff there as you say, a BMW M1, I mean they hardly did many rallies in the day let alone now, must be worth hundreds of thousands!!!
Would be great to get a round of this in the UK somewhere, I feel the IoM is probably the perfect place for these cars!!
We do!Would be great to get a round of this in the UK somewhere, I feel the IoM is probably the perfect place for these cars!!
The EHRC is split into different categories, the Ulster is hosting some categories and the Rali Ceredigion is hosting some others.
https://api.fia.com/events/european-historic-rally...
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