Press Release

Dates revealed for 2002

15/10/01

Dates and venues for the 2002 Goodyear British Off Road Championship have now been released.  

The 2002 championship should see a return to the excellent, high profile, competition which was promised at the beginning of 2001, before the championship was curtailed by the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

Based on the well-received format suggested for the 2001 season, the 2002 calendar takes in an extra event, and two venues that are new to off road motorsport.

With events in southern England, the midlands, northern England, Wales and Scotland the championship can truly be seen to encompass some of the best terrain in Britain.

Championship promoter Selwyn Kendrick said "The enforced break has given us the opportunity to build upon what we had proposed for 2001, and allowed us to try out some new ideas."  

"We hope to attract the best drivers from right around the UK."

Each of the events will be two-day high mileage competitions running on the established
"Competitive Safari" format.  Emphasis will be on fun and value for money.

The championship is open to all competitors with a MSA National A or higher competition licence.

The timing system for the championship will be based on the one successfully employed on the non-championship "4x4 Festival" series, and also used on the recent Off Road Motorsport Virtual Hillrally.

Retained for the new season is the as yet untried inclusion of a control tyre.  To put all the competitors on an equal footing everyone will run on Goodyear's excellent Wrangler MT/R.  Despite the absence of the 2001 series many competitors have already tried out the Goodyear tyres in advance of next year's championship.  Leading modified production contender Simon Dowdeswell (Land Rover 90) and record producer Julian Mendelsohn in his new Bowler Wildcat were both using the aggressive Goodyear tyre to good effect in the changing conditions of the Virtual Hillrally.

The final package of costs is yet to be worked out for the 2002 championship, but is likely to be similar to the deal put together for this year's championship. 

Championship spokesman Henry Webster says "We are particularly keen to encourage production based vehicles, as well as the established specials."

The Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin first seen at the Autosport International Show, back in January and developed by Ralliart Coodrsport has attracted huge interest throughout the year.  There is every expectation that there will be more  similar vehicles out in 2002.  

The rumour mill is also at full speed regarding other manufacturers who may be on the verge of committing to the championship.  Ford SVO have already shown an interest in 2001, not least by
lending the organising team some of their excellent 4x4 Ranger pick ups for the set up crews.

Click here to see the 2002 Calendar

For more information and the latest news on the 2002 Goodyear British Off Road Championship, check www.BritishOffRoadChampionship.co.uk regularly.

-ends-