Regs now available for download

Regulations for the Britpart MSA BCCC, BCC Trophy and Freelander Challenge can now be downloaded:

Britpart MSA BCCC/BCC Trophy

Britpart Freelander Challenge

All championships will have the following calendar:

R1 - 9/10 April - Myherin
R2 - 7/8 May - Bovington North
R3 - 4/5 June - Forrest Estate
R4 - 23/24 July - Ceri or Hafren
R5 - 10/11 Sept - Bovington South
R6 - 5/6 Nov - Walters

Exciting season planned for Team Sheepie

Offroad racing outfit Team Sheepie have announced that they will once again contest the Britpart Freelander Challenge.

A very successful 2015 for the team saw one of their cars, driven by Ian Linford, win the Challenge title for a second time while the other car finished third in what was driver Louisa Felice’s first season of competition.

Linford is undertaking major revisions to his Freelander including fitting a new engine and gearbox. As well as the car changes Linford will also have a change in the passenger seat as 2014/2015 navigator Demelza Scholes is unable to compete this year.

Felice’s car will be running in the same specification as last season and she’ll again have Jess Reynolds navigating.

“Other than the usual preparation work there hasn’t been much done on the Louisa’s car, it's ready to go,” said Linford. “In contrast mine is in bits as I work on fitting the new engine and gearbox. We’ve still got a lot to do but we’ll be ready to start the season!”

“It’s a shame that Demelza cannot join us again this year, we had a great two seasons together. I’ll have a new navigator in place soon.”

“As well as the Challenge we’ve also got a plan to run both cars on Wales Rally GB at the end of the season and we're looking at doing some BTRDA rally rounds too so it’s looking like it will be a great year.”

The Freelander Challenge season starts in April at Myherin in Wales. There will be a further five events spread between the south coast of England and South West Scotland.

Harris to make BCCC return with Bristol Street Motors-backed GSR

 

Upton upon Severn-based driver Paul Harris will return to the Britpart MSA British Cross Country Championship this year to resume the G1 class battle he fought throughout 2015.

Harris, who won the BCC Trophy championship in 2012 and 2013, will once again use his GSR Maxilight which will be supported by Bristol Street Motors.

"I am very pleased to be returning to the championship with the backing of Bristol Street Motors," said Harris. "We had a great battle in the G1 class last year and I'm looking forward to resuming the competition with Steve Smith, Richard Green and any other crews who join us. It should be a very interesting season."

"I'm also looking forward to seeing the new cars that are entering the BCCC this season and I think the championship is back on the up and the future looks very good."

The BCCC title will be fought for over six rounds throughout the UK with round one taking place on 9/10th April.

Polaris team step up to the BCCC

 

As the countdown to the 2016 Britpart MSA British Cross Country Championship continues, Polaris Industries have announced plans to compete in this year's series with their Polaris RZR.

The factory-backed team debuted their car last year and they contested several events in regional championships in preparation for their BCCC challenge.

"Polaris Industries are pleased to announce that they will contest the BCCC in 2016," said driver Richard Coleby. "After a successful development season in 2015 the original factory-backed UTV team are looking forward to a competitive season this year. The entry coincides well with the introduction of the new Polaris RZR Turbo, the most powerful manufacturer produced UTV on the market. With 144 bhp straight from the box the Polaris RZR is certainly going to be an exciting spectacle in the BCCC this year."

"The RZR Turbo is currently being race prepared by our team engineer Jac Mackinnon. Jac has extensive experience running Bowlers and Milners for top level drivers along with Scottish Rally Championship winning cars. Jac has the car at our Agricar-based workshop and is well underway with the prep."

"The factory car is supported by a number of notable specialist partners whose knowledge and products are central to the effort - Prolinx suspension, Super ATV, ITP, Evans Coolants, Racepak Data Systems, Tireballs, Powerflex and Eibach all contribute to the team. After a steep learning curve in 2015 we feel ready to take the step up to the British championship this year. We can't wait for the season to start."

The BCCC season will get underway on 9/10th April.

BCCC announces early entry incentive

Organisers of the Britpart MSA British Cross Country Championship have announced a £200 entry fee reduction for anyone who enters by 1st February 2016.

The entry fee for the full championship season of six two-day events will be £2,000 but if entries are received by 1st February crews will be able to pay £1,000 on entry and two post-dated cheques of £400. This will mean a total entry fee of £1,800, the same as 2015. Payment can also be made in full at the time of entry and by BACS if required.

Please contact Entries Secretary Lilian Turley (lilianturley@btinternet.com) for further information.

Yamaha factory race team set for BCCC

Working with recognised UTV racing operation Thorney Motorsport, Yamaha have launched the UK's first dedicated, factory backed UTV race team competing in selected UK and international races for 2016.

Central to the racing plans are a pair of Yamaha YXZ1000R UTV's competing the MSA Britpart British Cross Country Championship, one car to be driven by Thorney Motorsport owner and team principal John Thorne.

Thorne has extensive race experience in the UK UTV racing scene having successfully competed at a National level in both a Polaris RZR and Arctic Cat Wildcat as well as developing successful competition upgrades for both UTVs with Thorney Motorsport.

Yamaha started the UTV market with the Rhino but the YXZ1000R is the first dedicated sports UTV designed from the ground up with an industry first of a manual, sequential transmission and 3 cylinder, 1000cc engine – it is designed to compete and win.

Speaking for Yamaha, Matt Bryant says “UTV racing is still in its infancy in the UK but you only have to look across to the USA or mainland Europe and you can see just how big a market UTV racing is becoming and it is hugely exciting for Yamaha to be a part of that"

Thorne adds "We've raced and won in the RZR, we've raced and won in the Arctic Cat Wildcat but both of these other cars felt like we were just treading water in preparation for the YXZ1000R, the manual transmission utterly transforms the whole experience so that we can use all the power all of the time, I think it will shock a few people"

As well as competing in the British Cross Country Championship the team will compete in selected All Wheel Drive Championship events and other off road events both in the UK and abroad and develop cars and competition upgrades for customer teams for the UK and Europe.

In an expansive move Yamaha will also support all teams competing in the YXZ1000R with a Yamaha Driver of the Year competition where teams competing in selected events in a YXZ1000R will win points to establish the most successful YXZ1000R team in the UK.

Bryant continues "Our plans are very much long term and encompass all elements of off road racing - a factory team, development of customer cars, upgrades and a Driver of the Year award, together with a YXZ1000R Experience event operation based near Silverstone in the UK where the public will get the chance to race these cars round our own custom designed UTV race track. The YXZ1000R is so good we want the whole market to see it!"

Ahead of the first race in April the team will be undertaking an extensive series of tests for several versions of the YXZ1000R including a Dakar specification car ready for the World famous event in 2017.

Thorne concludes "Its a busy program, the race team, development of competition cars and parts, events and the YXZ1000R Experience Events, so we are in for an exciting first year of what is a multi-year program, we cant wait"