Amalgamation

[StockHatch782]

What is the general feeling on the idea of amalgamating the British Rallycross Championship and the Rallycross Open Championship? I realise it's a rather unlikely scenario, but just hypothetically, what do people think?

To clarify; by amalgamation, I mean the organisers combining their forces and promotion etc. (not necessarily as one body, but as a team) and running events jointly, either as a whole championship or one-off combined events, in order to have the best of both worlds.

Rather than bashing one or the other championship in order to back up you point, I'm looking for some constructive opinions either way. Here's an example of an unhelpful sentence: "I think it's a terrible idea because the Open Championship is rubbish." More helpful would be, for example, "They're incompatible" or, "It would improve rallycross as a whole."

Ok, go!

[Thundersports]

I think it is a great idea, it would make for a great championship it seems the open chamionship has relaxed the rules on supercars/div 1 eligability anyway so they are fighting for the same competitors.

[silver bullet]

OK perfect world scenario

The MSA British Open Rallycross Championship
Promoted by PSM, events run by the BRDA, MDA & DDMC.
A 10 round championship, with 8 rounds to count. Open to all Nat 'A' and International competitors, also allowing for European entrants.
2x Croft
2x Lydden
2x Pembrey
1x Knockhill
1x Anglesey
1x Blyton
1x Mondello Park

The BTRDA/MDA Clubmans Rallycross Championship
Promoted by PSM, events run by the BRDA, MDA & DDMC.
An 8 round championship, with 7 rounds to count. Open to all drivers graded 3 star or less.
2x Blyton (stand alone events)
1x Croft (stand alone events)
1x Lydden (stand alone events)
1x Croft (combined with BRC event)
1x Pembrey (combined with BRC event)
1x Knockhill (combined with BRC event)
1x Anglesey (combined with BRC event)

OK I know it may need a bit of tweaking, but with a little bit of hatchet burying, pride swallowing, and co-operation I don't see why something like this could not work.

We have some great organisers and promoters in the sport, if they all pulled together the momentum that Rallycross is building up at the moment could be increased greatly.

What with more UK & Irish drivers looking to compete in Europe. More European drivers looking to compete here. More interest from spectators. More TV coverage. Competitors are slowly coming back. Let's not shoot ourselves in the foot, like we have several times in the last 15 years.
There is no reason at all, why we all can not work together.

[leonidas]

Would the top drivers want to do or afford a 10 round championship?

Would we be able to get Anglesey back? Or get the necessary track improvements at Blyton?

How would they resolve the control tyres situation given that contracts have been signed?

Would the BRDA be happy with 'Europeanisation'? Would the PSM team be happy to hand their new initiatives (and maybe an ERC round) back to BRDA control?

Ideally there would be one championship but I suspect its about as likely as Osama Bin Laden becoming prime minister of Israel...!

[silver bullet]

Originally Posted by leonidas

Would the top drivers want to do or afford a 10 round championship?

Hopefully a 10 round Championship, (with 8 scores to count) spread all around the UK, would encourage more people to take part. Rather than an 8 round championship based mainly in the south

Originally Posted by leonidas

Would we be able to get Anglesey back? Or get the necessary track improvements at Blyton?

How would they resolve the control tyres situation given that contracts have been signed?

That would fall under my "may need a bit of tweaking" statement

Originally Posted by leonidas

Would the BRDA be happy with 'Europeanisation'? Would the PSM team be happy to hand their new initiatives (and maybe an ERC round) back to BRDA control?

The BRDA Supercar class is getting nearer the European regs all the time.
I'm not proposing the PSM team hand anything to the BRDA. All I am saying is we should all work to our strengths.
I think most of us agree that Peter Stott is the best in the business at organising and promoting a rallycross event. The Superprix, Newcastle demonstration and the London Masters just go to show this.
But the PSM/ROC team haven't got the infrastructre to run an event yet. The ROC events this year have been run in conjunction with the DDMC, MDA and BARC, so it's not a huge step to bring the BRDA in on the act.

[dmy racing]

what rubbish to think of an idea like that, We have two rallycross championships thats how it should stay.

[Matti Alamaki]

Originally Posted by dmy racing

what rubbish to think of an idea like that, We have two rallycross championships thats how it should stay.

Clearly, you don't have the best interests of the sport at heart...

Just go ahead and ask all drivers involved in British & Irish Rallycross. I guarantee you 90% would be in favour of an amalgamation and one breathtaking championship

[StockHatch782]

Originally Posted by dmy racing

what rubbish to think of an idea like that, We have two rallycross championships thats how it should stay.

Another good example of an unhelpful sentence, thanks for that. I'm not saying you're right or wrong, but what is your reason for saying this? Mere opinion doesn't add much to the debate. If you explain it people might take note and even agree.

Some interesting ideas so far, though, keep them coming.

[Cryos]

Originally Posted by Matti Alamaki

Clearly, you don't have the best interests of the sport at heart...

Just go ahead and ask all drivers involved in British & Irish Rallycross. I guarantee you 90% would be in favour of an amalgamation and one breathtaking championship

Acctually i wouldnt like to see an amalgamation of those two championships.

[Matti Alamaki]

Originally Posted by Cryos

Acctually i wouldnt like to see an amalgamation of those two championships.

That's o'k your the 10%

[leonidas]

Originally Posted by silver bullet

I think most of us agree that Peter Stott is the best in the business at organising and promoting a rallycross event. The Superprix, Newcastle demonstration and the London Masters just go to show this.

Agreed: the ideal situation would be Peter and his colleagues running the promotion / meeting and the BRDA running the infrastructure - rather like stadium promoters and Brisca in stock car racing. But will it happen?

PSM is coming up with all the new ideas. The BRDA has the MSA title. Much depends on whether the Open Championship eventually comes to be see as THE British championship. The OP is already putting on the best weekend of racing all year - and taking rallycross to new venues. If their progress continues then there will be a big incentive for the BRDA to start talking.

[M.Lowe]

Originally Posted by dmy racing

We have two rallycross championships thats how it should stay.

Totally agree

isnt it good to have a choice of championship you do instead of just one?

And without starting this all again why did the rallycross open start up?

[BertMk2]

It's good to have a choice of championship if both are healthy, brimming with entries and doing well. As it is there are two championships neither of which have enough entries and are drifting apart on rules and regs. From a totally nuetral standpoint it appears that sometimes both sets of organisers are prepared to take petty potshots at each other and will make decisions based on short term oneupmanship rather than what's best for the sport.

Until the sport is big enough to support separate championships they should merge, if and when they get to the point where they're turning away entries then look at splitting into separate groups. Common ground on regs should be easy to achieve - the split hasn't been there long enough yet to create two completely incompatible sets of cars.

Also the British and Irish championships need to have similar regs if they're going to continue running joint rounds - the regs don't need to be identical but they do need to be compatible. Irish modifieds run with sub-classes and that's fine - but rules for things like superfinals should be consistent across both if they're going to share rounds.

[ebby]

I think it would be a good idea, it would look slightly odd if we managed to get a European Championship event back in the UK (which may happen after the Superprix) if the BRDA have had nothing to do with it. Therefore I think it's in the interest of the sport to iron out these issues and pull together and sing from the same hymn sheet. That way the profile of rallycross will rise with excellent marketing of a quality field of cars across a spread of diverse venues. These variables are all key for rallycross succeed and at the moment the two choices of rallycross we have in the UK currently, BRDA and ROC cannot boast all three of these requirements.

For those that what different championships they should go clubman racing with the BTRDA.

[Dean Watson]

I have recently re-discovered rallycross and it isnt what I remember from the late 80's early 90's the days of Welch, Gollop, Mark Rennison and the group A supercars (6r4, RS200 RS500) European drivers were regular visitors, and full grids (10 cars every race) every meeting. As far as I can remember it was all under 1 body then, I lost touch when rallycross ceased to be at Cadwell Park.