BCCC crews ready to start 2014 title battle

The 2014 Britpart MSA British Cross Country Championship will start next weekend with the opening round being held at the popular Pikes Peak venue in mid-Wales.

With 2013 champion Dan Lofthouse having sold his car it will be Paul Myers who leads the field away at car 1 in his Land Rover Tornado ahead of Warrington duo Mike Moran and Tony Coid in their AT Indy Challenger.

Andy Powell starts at car 3 with Phil Ibbotson in the passenger seat of the Simmbugghini. Ibbotson usually drives a 6R4 in the championship but he decided to take a break from driving this year. At car 4 is Ian Bartlett who will be starting the season in a Tomcat as his usual Bartletts 3M 206 is still being rebuilt. Rounding off the top 5 starters is Steve Smith in his V8-engined JRG Clio.

Moving up to the main championship this year after two Trophy championship victories is Paul Harris in his Bristol Street Motors-supported GSR Maxilight. Joining Harris in moving up is Mark Jacques and Simon Last who will be doing their first BCCC event in their new 3M Challenger after giving the car a successful debut in a club event in March.

Paul Garner will contest his second full BCCC season in his GSR V10 after showing great some strong performances last year. Also in a GSR, a 206 Evo 9, is Martin Cox who will be looking for a better year and mixed fortunes in 2013. Another driver who had a mixed 2013 was Ryan Cooke and he'll again be competing in his Milner LRM-1.

Contesting the championship for the first time will be Andrew West and Peter Widdop in their Discovery Centre Milner R5. West and Widdop won two Clubman rounds last year so they’ll be aiming for a good championship result.

Richard Green will make a full return to the championship this year after missing most of the 2013 events while his new Jaguar-powered was being prepared.

The Isuzu UK D-Max of ex-British Rally Championship driver Jason Sharpe will be making its championship debut at Pikes Peak after being unveiled at the Autosport show in January.

In the BCC Trophy championship Alan Thomas will be first off the start line in his Warrior Gemini. He’ll be joined by Steve Anning, Nick Pritchard and Steve Holder.

The Freelander Challenge has had six registrations. 2012 champion Nick Lines heads the entries with the Dynamic Metals-backed Race2Recovery team and championship newcomer Ian Linford joining the Challenge battle for 2014 along with 2013 crews Paul Cumpstone, Ian Letman and Alistair Moore-Myers.

The event starts at 10am on Saturday 12^th April and there will be a full day of competition. Day two starts at 9am with the event finishing early on Sunday afternoon. Spectators can access the course via the Myherin Arch, a map showing the route in is available to download from www.marches4x4.com.