2008 BRITPART MSA BRITISH CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP
For immediate release
Thursday, April 3rd, 2008
MASSIVE ENTRY HEADS TO BADEN HALL FOR BCCC OPENER
Over 60 cars set to start Staffordshire off-road event
Huddersfield’s Kershaw heads BCCC contingent
Talybont’s Martin James tops Trophy category
NEWTOWN (Wales): At least 63 teams will take part in the opening round of the 2008 Britpart MSA British Cross-Country Championship at Baden Hall in Staffordshire on April 12th-13th.
The stunning entry has been arranged by championship organisers at Marches 4×4 Motorsport Management and comprises at least 50 cars in the main BCCC category, a further seven in the Trophy event and six in the Clubman section.
Baden Hall, near Eccleshall in Staffordshire, was used as a venue for the opening round of the increasingly-popular series for the first time last year and was warmly received by competitors from as far afield as Scotland, Devon and the south of England.
The venue has a four-mile special stage and offers a mixture of gravel tracks, concrete roads and forestry sections, although it is extremely unlikely that the event will benefit from the freak heat wave that was prevalent in 2007 and muddy conditions are a distinct possibility.
Preston’s Gordon Monaghan won the event last year by 34 seconds in his self-built Monaghan RS, but is not returning to defend his title in 2008. Top seed this time is Huddersfield’s Richard Kershaw, who was the runner-up at the venue in his Peugeot 206 GSR last year and went on to clinch the overall 2007 Matador Tyres MSA British Off-Road Championship (BORC) title.
Kershaw’s main rivals on this occasion could well be fourth seed Neil Davey, from Deeside, who finished fourth last year at Baden Hall and Stirling’s John Cockburn, who made the trip from central Scotland to take fifth place in his Tomcat Max Traction and is seeded at two this time.
Lancashire and Greater Manchester drivers feature strongly on the entry list this season: Ian Bartram from Clayton-le-Moors starts at three in his powerful Warrior Storm, but Bamber Bridge-based Dan Lofthouse, Burnley’s David Nutter, Smithbridge entrant Toby Jefferson and Blackburn’s Martin Dean will be hoping to start the year with a good result. Gisburn’s Justin Birchall, Rochdale’s Phil Ibbotson (Metro 6RE Evo) and Laurie Boyle bolster support from the north-west.
The Midlands will be represented at Baden Hall by King’s Nordley’s former Baja GB winner Ian Rochelle, Chelmarsh driver Chris Hammond, the Nuneaton duo of Lee Mansfield and Andrew Wilson, Hatton’s Steve Smith, All Stretton’s Nick Forsyth, Hinckley’s Ryan Cooke, Wellesbourne’s Dave Harlow, Rednal’s Richard Green and Chipping Norton’s Ray Kempster.
Travelling from the south coast of England are Weymouth’s Ian Bartlett, Exeter’s Paul Leworthy and Shaldon’s Frazer Williams. St. Asaph’s Matt Lowe flies the North Wales flag and the top-seeded Trophy competitor is Martin James from Talybont, near Aberystywyth.
Darlington’s Graham Porter, Seaham’s Dave Brown, Leeds driver Paul Myers, Bradford’s Ronnie Hoyle and Stockton-on-Tees-based Peter Wood represent the north-east.
Cheshire and the Wirral are well represented by Warrington’s Mike Moran and Tony Coid, Holywell’s Tim Dilworth, Hyde’s Colin and Martin Gould and Heswall’s Roland Marlow,
The East Midlands challenge is supported by Chesterfield’s Alan Kirkland, Beeley’s Jeremy Fearn, Kegworth’s Ken Powell, Clay Cross-based Simon Bown, Ravenshead’s Ian Gregg and Ambaston’s Steve Lloyd.
Caxton’s Martin Cox, Brampton’s Paul Garner, Farnham’s Ben Gott, Billericay’s Tim Hayday, Great Dunmow’s Greg McLeod and Lindford’s Robert Seaman complete the southern contingent.
The likes of Wem’s Steve Cobbold, Oswestry’s Rupert McDonald, Burntwood’s Richard Keasey, Lichfield’s Kevin Arnott, Bridgnorth’s Tim Henry and Leamington Spa’s Charlie Evans are already confirmed for the Clubman category.
“The staggering response we have had to this year’s championship and the quality of the entry for the first round suggests that we are in for an exciting year for the Britpart MSA British Cross-Country Championship,” said clerk of the course Selwyn Kendrick.
The Baden Hall timetable gets underway with a noise test and scrutineering on Saturday morning (April 12th) and this will be followed by a drivers’ briefing. Safari competition is scheduled to start at 10.00hrs and run through until Sunday afternoon, with provisional results being displayed from 15.30 hrs.
Leading entries (in seeded order):
BCCC
1. Richard Kershaw (Huddersfield) Peugeot 206 Evo9
2. John Cockburn (Stirling) Max Traction Tomcat 106S
3. Ian Bartram (Clayton-le-Moors) Warrior Storm
4. Neil Davey (Deeside) GSR 206 Evo
5. Ryan Cooke (Burbage, Hinckley) Land Rover Special
6. Dan Lofthouse (Bamber Bridge) Lofthouse Proto LD4
7. Toby Jefferson (Smithbridge, Oldham) Peugeot 306
8. Colin Gould (Broadbottom, Hyde) Milner Protruck R5
9. Tim Dilworth (Holywell) Peugeot 206 STi
10. Ian Rochelle (King’s Nordley, Bridgnorth) Millington Matseratti
11. Carl Duffield (Earby, Barnoldswick) Peugeot 206
12. Jeremy Fearn (Beeley, Matlock) Bowler Wildcat 100
14. Ray Kempster (Chipping Norton) Protruck R4
15. Chris Hammond (Chelmarsh, Shropshire) Milner R5
16. Simon Bown (Clay Cross) Land Rover Special
17. Martin Gould (Broadbottom, Hyde) Matseratti
18. Ben Gott (Farnham) TMC
19. Alan Kirkland (Chesterfield) Kirkland Proto 1
20. Martin Cox (Caxton, Cambs) Tornado 1 Cosworth, etc
Trophy
101. Martin James (Talybont) Land Rover Special
102. Paul Myers (Leeds) Britpart 100
103. Nick Forsyth (All Stretton, Shropshire) Range Rover 101 Special
104. Steve Lloyd (Ambaston, Derby) Milner R4
105. Robert Seaman (Lindford, Hants) Bowler Wildcat 200
106. Peter Wood (Stockton-on-Tees) Cap Bandit, etc
Clubman
201. Steve Cobbold (Wem) Land Rover Defender Special
203. Rupert McDonald (Oswestry) Special Stealth Pig
204. Richard Keasey (Burntwood) Allard Land Rover
205. Kevin Arnott (Lichfield) Allard Land Rover
208. Tim Henry (Bridgnorth) Simmbugghini
211. Charlie Evans (Leamington Spa) Rakeway Ridgeback, etc
Getting to Baden Hall
From the north
M6 Junction 15 and take the A519 towards Eccleshall. About 1.5 miles after Slindon, turn left towards Drake Hall, Raleigh Hall and Swynnerton.
From the south
M6 Junction 14 and take the A5013 to Eccleshall. In Eccleshall turn right at the first mini roundabout and cross the second roundabout towards Newcastle on the A519. As you leave Eccleshall, turn right towards Drake Hall, Raleigh and Swynnerton.
Ends
For further information:
Neil Perkins, 2008 Britpart MSA British Cross-Country Championship Press Officer, NDP Publicity Services, Mobile: + 44 7831 123153, E-mail: ndppublicity@compuserve.com. www.ndp-publicity.com (press releases).
www.marches4x4.com