Tuesday 25th February 2003

British Rallycross Championship

It's back with a vengance

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Back on the motor sport calendar for the first time since 1996, the rejuvenated MSA British Rallycross Championship is gearing up for the first of its ten events, which is organised by Darlington & Ditsrict Motor Club at Croft on March 9th.

Leading the entry list for the championship opener is Pat Doran who won last year's British Rallycross Drivers Association Championship in his Ford RS200. Eager to upgrade his BRDA crown and claim the British title, Doran wants more success this season as it will be the last for his much loved RS200. "The RS200 is still quick enough to win events but it¹s getting a bit dated and I recognise the need to change for a more modern car." said Doran.

Returning to the championship on the back of its graduation to British status are former British and European Champion Will Gollop and Irishman Helmut Holfeld who won the BRDA Championship in 1998. The most successful Rallycross driver Britain has ever produced, Gollop quit driving after winning the 1997 BRDA Championship in order to develop his G-Tech Motorsport preparation business.

At the end of 2002 Gollop returned to driving with a completely new Ford Focus WRC, powered by a 650bhp turbocharged Zetec engine, finished sixth in his first event and declared himself ready to tackle the British Championship.

Dublin-based Peugeot 306 driver John McCluskey is in only his third year of Rallycross but is already established a consistent front runner. Among the more modern cars there is still room in the championship for the venerable MG Metro 6R4.

Former champion Lawrence Gibson is still capable of winning events in his version and Terry Briggs is promising great things from his 6R4 on which he has been hard at work over the winter.

The MSA British Rallycross Championship was first run in 1976 but the title was withdrawn after the 1996 season. The British Rallycross Drivers Association used its own championship to rebuild the sport from 1997 and, last year, were awarded the contract to organise the MSA British Championship.

2003 Calendar

[gilese]

Thank God! This was always a great spectacle of racing/crashing. Beats F1 any day....where can I drive one?

[zcar]

Is it being shown on normal TV or is it another loss to satellite???

[PetrolTed]

I remember watching it at Brands some years back. There was an almighty coming together at the start - one of the most spectacular ever. All I saw was the 6R4 flying up into the air as I was down at the bottom of Paddock Hill bend. The carnage made the front page of the Times sports section the following day.

Fantastic racing.

[Danster]

Just over a week 'till the first round, can't wait I'll be there working on a stock hatch Fiesta, it's gonna be good!

[jvaughan]

Yess.. just watched the highlights of the 2002 season.. this years line up looks awsome .. R£200 0 - 60 1.8 seconds .. 0 - 100 - 0 9.3 Hmmm .