Friday 25th January 2019

2019 PistonHeads Sporting Tours announced

Enjoyed our inaugural PH Sporting Tour last year? In 2019 we've three more!

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Last year, we launched our very first PistonHeads Sporting Tour, taking more than 100 cars around the Suffolk countryside with two timed tests at a private venue. The Motorsport UK-approved event was a hit and we were overwhelmed with your response and feedback, so we're back for more action.

2019 will see three Sporting Tours taking place up and down the country with the timed tests at MSV circuits. Your feedback from last year has honed the format and we're excited to announce our provisional calendar for this year:

Sporting Tour South (Kent), tests at Brands Hatch, 13th April
Sporting Tour North (Derbyshire), tests at Oulton Park, 6th July
Sporting Tour Midlands (Warwickshire), tests at Donington Park, 28th September

For anyone that missed it last year, just what is a Sporting Tour? Brought together with GT Motorsports Club, the rally experts behind the Corbeau Seats Rally Tendring & Clacton, our tour is a type of rally commonly referred to as a 'touring assembly'. Our events are authorised and permitted by Motorsport UK.

The one-day events will tour beautiful country roads, with lunch and timed tests based at the MSV circuits highlighted above. Each competitor will have a start time, but as most of the driving takes place on public roads, there will be no other timing involved other than the tests. You'll make your way to check points, where marshals will stamp your route book before setting off on the next stage of the rally.

Your co-driver will need to brush up on their map reading skills, as you'll navigate the route with a Tulip Road Book with no satnav in sight. The book plots out the distances, directions and junctions you need to navigate throughout the route, making for a refreshing change from the need for technology. Seasoned motorsport competitors are welcome but this event is perfect for novices who want to take their first step onto the ladder.

For those of you who joined us in October, we've listened to your requests; the road sections are longer with less smaller roads, and excitingly we're laying on some bigger auto tests at MSV circuits. This has resulted in a slightly higher entry cost of £180 per car, but we're confident it'll be worth it.

Register your interest here with GT Motorsports Club to get exclusive pre-sale access to book ahead of general sale. Entries for the PistonHeads Sporting Tour South will open in early February and will be available on a first come, first served basis. We look forward to seeing you there!

[JP.Racing]

So keen for this, the last one was great fun! I wonder if I can convince the better half that we need to go to all three?!

[AMGSee55]

Really looking forward to this - last year's event in Suffolk was great - can't do April as away skiing, so Warks in Sept it is

[threespires]

The picture featuring the Healey shows my worry at these events - Cars all bunched up.
It makes locals angry, is dangerous, makes navigators lazy.
Maintaining a 1 minute gap between cars make these scenic runs more enjoyable. At Drivers Briefing is a gap encouraged and do the Marshalls at the Controls hold the cars before letting them go to maintain a gap?
What's the cost? HRCR Scenic tours are usually around £75:00.

[wolfie28]

threespires said:

What's the cost? HRCR Scenic tours are usually around £75:00.

Price in the article £180 per car

[Norbury90]

threespires said:

The picture featuring the Healey shows my worry at these events - Cars all bunched up.
It makes locals angry, is dangerous, makes navigators lazy.
Maintaining a 1 minute gap between cars make these scenic runs more enjoyable. At Drivers Briefing is a gap encouraged and do the Marshalls at the Controls hold the cars before letting them go to maintain a gap?
What's the cost? HRCR Scenic tours are usually around £75:00.

There isn't nothing to stop anyone pulling over at any point if they catch the car in front, the road sections aren't timed. We pulled over at one point in the rally last year. People are able to drive it however they like, you aren't forced to be in a convoy if you don't want to be. You just need to make it to the checkpoints at a reasonable time before the marshalls leave.

[Mogsmex]

registered, it'll be Brands for the Green team this year



me and Mrs Mogsmex loved it, if your thinking about it - get involved your choice of car is largely irrelevent

Its all about the journey

[DoubleD]

threespires said:

The picture featuring the Healey shows my worry at these events - Cars all bunched up.
It makes locals angry, is dangerous, makes navigators lazy.
Maintaining a 1 minute gap between cars make these scenic runs more enjoyable. At Drivers Briefing is a gap encouraged and do the Marshalls at the Controls hold the cars before letting them go to maintain a gap?
What's the cost? HRCR Scenic tours are usually around £75:00.

Are you talking about the picture of 3 cars? Hardly anything to worry about.

[Audi-Ben]

I did this last year with the Mrs and will defiantly be doing it again. Brands for us.

[BenLowden]

JP.Racing said:

So keen for this, the last one was great fun! I wonder if I can convince the better half that we need to go to all three?!

Are you the guy that travelled up from Cornwall last time? I wanted to give you some goodies for your dedication but you weren't at the prize giving. So there's your first excuse to come to Kent in April

[Damp Logs]

Registered interest, and would like to do all three.

Not sure I’ll get a mug on any of them.

As somebody has already said, it’s about the journey as well as the car, and the craic.

[rgw2012]

Registered interest and hope to do all three - Suffolk was great fun (obviously helped by the weather) and as others have said, just bring whatever you have and enjoy a great day out

[AMGSee55]

BenLowden said:

JP.Racing said:

So keen for this, the last one was great fun! I wonder if I can convince the better half that we need to go to all three?!

Are you the guy that travelled up from Cornwall last time? I wanted to give you some goodies for your dedication but you weren't at the prize giving. So there's your first excuse to come to Kent in April

Ben - part of last year's feedback was around having a dinner and knees up after the tour. Is that going to happen this year?

[Miner49er]

The missus and I had a great time meandering through Suffolk, so really looking forward to doing something similar this year.

[geeks]

FFS I am not free for any of them

Its like you looked at my calendar and picked every date I am busy! Fix it Ben, fix it NOW!

Enjoy it everyone I will just have to wait it out for the season

[BenLowden]

AMGSee55 said:

Ben - part of last year's feedback was around having a dinner and knees up after the tour. Is that going to happen this year?

Surely the night before at the hotel is the perfect opportunity for a knees up?

But we didn't ignore the feedback – we've still got one other event in the pipeline, which may involve two days and an overnight with dinner/drinks... More to come on that in due course!

geeks said:

FFS I am not free for any of them

Its like you looked at my calendar and picked every date I am busy! Fix it Ben, fix it NOW!

Enjoy it everyone I will just have to wait it out for the season

Bugger that's a shame! Although I feel we may need to meet up at some point in the year for another form of motorsport somewhere further up the ladder

[JP.Racing]

BenLowden said:

JP.Racing said:

So keen for this, the last one was great fun! I wonder if I can convince the better half that we need to go to all three?!

Are you the guy that travelled up from Cornwall last time? I wanted to give you some goodies for your dedication but you weren't at the prize giving. So there's your first excuse to come to Kent in April

Devon actually, but close enough!

We were actually sat in the bar when prize giving started so missed the start and appeared at the back halfway through!

[geeks]

BenLowden said:

Bugger that's a shame! Although I feel we may need to meet up at some point in the year for another form of motorsport somewhere further up the ladder

Absolutely, what do you have in mind?

[Rochester TVR]

I’m looking at doing the Derbyshire tour. I assume these all end at a hotel somewhere for prize giving etc...

Can the hotel details be released so overnight arrangements can be made please?

Thanks

[Norbury90]

If it's anything like the last one, we started and finished at the same hotel. I think the hotel will be announced when booking opens as it will be the fairest way of people being able to book.

Further to that though, any hope of getting a discounted rate for rooms this year?

[Craikeybaby]

Registered my interest, should be a fun father and son day out (with my Dad, not my 2 year old son).

Edited by Craikeybaby on Monday 28th January 13:54