With the British Rallycross Championship opener getting underway at Croft Circuit at the weekend (March 6th), a packed Supercar entry gets set to open what promises to be an enthralling 2016 British Rallycross campaign.
Five-time British Rallycross Champion Julian Godfrey heads a 16-strong Supercar line-up for the opening round of the MSA British Rallycross Championship at Croft Circuit, North Yorkshire this weekend.
The Ford Fiesta driver will embark on his sixth season in Supercar, targeting his sixth straight title, but will face stiff competition from the strongest line-up in a number of years, in the near 600bhp machines that accelerate from 0-60 in two seconds. Several local drivers are looking to steal a march on Godfrey at their home circuit this Sunday. Multiple rallycross champion Dave Bellerby (Northallerton) will graduate to the Supercar category in a Ford Fiesta, while fellow Fiesta driver Kevin Procter (Northallerton) will be hoping to pick up where he left off in 2015, with victory at his home circuit in his M-Sport based car. “Mad Mark” Watson (Barnard Castle) will campaign his familiar Citroen Xsara, the car having undergone a number of upgrades over the winter months.
The Power Maxed Racing team joins British RX for 2016, with British Touring Car Championship race-winner, Dave Newsham (Inverness) at the wheel, while four drivers from Devon – led by multiple MSA British Rallycross Champion Pat Doran (Dolton) in a Citroen C4 – will make the journey north to Croft. Joining Doran in the LD Motorsports team will be 2015 MSA Supernational Rallycross Champion Dan Rooke (Holsworthy) in a World Rallycross Championship specification Citroen DS3. Another rising star, Jack Thorne (Tiverton) won the British Super1600 Championship in 2014 and will pilot an OlsbergsMSE built Ford Fiesta this season, run by his own team. Andy Grant (Barnstable) will get a full championship challenge underway this weekend in his Ford Focus.
Briton Kevin Procter debuted his all-new Ford Fiesta Mk7 with 1760cc engine at Lohéac. © JKR/ERC24
Former British Rallycross Champion Ollie O’Donovan (Iver) will race a Ford Focus Supercar prepared by Scotch Corner’s Tony Bardy Motorsport, while former RX150 driver James Grint (Kimpton) will move from the European Championship to British RX for 2016 with the Dumfries-based Albatec Racing squad. Steve Harris (Hillbridge) will race an LD Motorsports Citroen DS3, Steve Hill (Thame) will compete in his unique Mitsubishi Evo. Mark Flaherty (Wokingham) will campaign a Ford Focus, Colin Anson (Frinton on Sea) a Ford KA and Simon Horton (Clithero) will return with his Subaru Impreza.
The MSA British Rallycross Championship will feature a new format for 2016, where after the three qualification heats, the top 16 drivers will progress to a pair of semi-finals, the top four from each then moving forward into the final.
In the MSA Supernational Rallycross Championship, Paige Bellerby (Northallerton) won the final round of the championship at Croft last season and will start as championship favorite in her Lotus Exige. Guy Corner (Northallerton) has been working on the development of his Peugeot 206 and is strong at his home circuit. Tony Lynch (Wigan) will compete in a recently-acquired Ford KA for his assault on the title, while rallycross stalwarts, Gary Dixon (Lincoln) and Allan Tapscott (Umerleigh) will race a Vauxhall Astra and Corsa respectively.
The MSA Junior Rallycross Championship will feature a new champion in 2016. Tom Constantine (Richmond) will being his season at his home circuit, as will Cameron Hawkes (Stockton on Tees), who makes his rallycross debut this weekend. Tom Middleton (Maldon) sampled rallycross for the first time at Croft in 2015 and will return for a full year, while Sam Jones (Bexley) competed in a handful of events last term and set front-running pace.
There will be a full day of action at Croft Circuit, with six supporting championships also on the bill. Former Junior racer Drew Bellerby (Northallerton) and Andrew Hawkes (Stockton on Tees) head the local interest in the Swift Sport Championship, which will also includes 2015 Junior Champion Bradley Durdin (Nazeing). Reigning champion Chrissy Palmer (Chichester) leads the RX150 Championship contingent, while Craig Lomax (Knottingley) and Phil Chicken (Barnsley) are the most local of the Super1600 Rallycross Championship competitors, in a pair of Citroen C2s. Tomasz Wielgosz (London) embarks on the defence of his Hot Hatch Rallycross Championship crown, and 2015 champion David Bell (Ferryhill) will upgrade to a Mini Cooper S in the BMW Mini Rallycross Championship. Martin Hawkes (Stockton on Tees) will be joined by daughter Jennie Hawkes (Stockton on Tees) in the class, while Hudson brothers, Kris and Keither (Harrogate) plan a full season of racing. In the Retro Rallycross Championship, Terry Maynard (Middlesbrough) and Neil Maynard (Stokesley) have entered a brace of Triumph TR8s, Lance Foster (Washington) will race his Mini Clubman and Stewart and Jordan Bowes (Middlesbrough) will race a Mini Clubman and VW Golf respectively.
Full event entry list can be found of the MSA British Rallycross Championship website here.
Top Photo: Former British Rallycross Champion Julian Godfrey heads the 16-strong Supercar line-up. © Jeremy Halse/ERC24