BAJA GB 2008, September 25th-28th, 2008
Great Britain’s fifth round of the 2008 FIA International Cup for Cross-Country Bajas
For immediate release
Tuesday, April 15th, 2008
EXCITING NEW BAJA GB 2008 TAKES SHAPE IN MID-WALES
Entry interest shown from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and many European countries
Marches 4×4 seek title sponsors for Britain’s premier off-road event
NEWTOWN (Wales): Marches 4×4 Motorsport Management Limited have confirmed that the regulations for this year’s Baja GB will be finalised by the end of this month and the prices of entries in the relevant categories have now been confirmed, with a hefty discount on 2007 prices announced for potential National ‘A’ competitors.
The fifth round of the 2008 FIA International Cup for Cross-Country Bajas will be based in the mid-Wales coastal town of Aberystwyth for the first time and will take place on September 25th-28th. The event will be centralised at the Park Lodge Hotel in Aberystwyth, with the service park and trade area located within walking distance of the event headquarters.
Officials at Marches 4×4 Motorsport Management have recently returned from a trip to the Italian Baja and were stunned by the interest shown in Britain’s premier off-road event. Event founder Chris Tomley confirmed that teams from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Israel, Holland, Belgium, Hungary, France, Belgium, the Czech Republic and Slovakia all expressed their desire to take part and support the event in September.
“We were encouraged by the widespread support for the event,” admitted Tomley. “It is still several months away, but many European teams and Middle East drivers stated that they would be in Wales in September. We had enquiries from two factory teams and, of course, the Baja may also play host to the new McRae Enduro rally car for a second year.
“We ran the first round of the Britpart MSA British Cross-Country Championship last weekend as well and over 60 teams took part in that successful event. Many of the drivers have already confirmed that they will support Baja GB this year and those, coupled with a large influx of motorcycles, mean that we should have a much bigger entry than 2007, without detracting from the international quality we had last year where representatives from 17 countries headed to Wales.”
Event officials are also keen to attract a couple of key sponsors to support the event this year. Interested parties will benefit from substantial national and international media exposure and television coverage. Organisers are keen to attract a title sponsor for the main Baja GB, both the Bikes and National ‘A’ categories and potential individual special stage sponsors.
“Baja GB has progressed very quickly in the last two years and is now Britain’s second biggest rally-type motorsport event behind Wales Rally GB,” added Tomley. “But we must remember that Wales Rally GB will not be in the 2010 WRC calendar because of the rota system and Baja GB will take on a much greater significance in the British motorsport calendar. This year is, therefore, an excellent opportunity for a key sponsor to benefit from this up and coming FIA motorsport event.”
Angela Perkins is currently putting together sponsorship and hospitality packages and these will be posted on www.bajawales.com in the coming days, with options available to attract a wide range of potential sponsors and trade companies. Event officials will also be able to offer a small number of trade spaces for a rally show, adjacent to the service park, where potential companies will be able to benefit from an ‘up close and personal’ and quite unique marketing opportunity.
Entries received for the main Baja GB event before June 1st, 2008 will cost £1,500, rising to £1,800 after June 1st. Entrants in the National ‘A’ category will benefit from a discount this season. The entry fee will be £700 per team, but a £100 refund will be given to National ‘A’ competitors if the starting number exceeds 20 in this category.
Riders taking part in the increasingly-popular Bikes category, under the auspices of the Auto Cycle Union (ACU) will be able to take part in the super special stage this year and the podium start in Aberystwyth on Friday, September 26th. They will pay an entry fee of £225.00 per bike.
Cars complying with FIA T1 and T2 regulations will be permitted to enter the main Baja GB, as was the case in 2006 and 2007, and the National ‘A’ category will be open for non-homologated cars.
For further details about the event in general, contact Andy Flynn (E-mail: af@tomleys.co.uk) or Wendy Tomley (E-mail: wt@tomleys.co.uk) on + 44 1686 626641 and for sponsorship and marketing opportunities, please contact Angela Perkins (E-mail:angela@bajawales.com) or mobile: + 44 7988 884195.
For further media information:
Neil Perkins, Baja GB 2008 Press Officer, NDP Publicity Services, NCH Building, Upper Bar, Newport, Shropshire, TF10 7EH, United Kingdom, Mobile: + 44 7831 123153, E-mail: ndppublicity@compuserve.com. www.ndp-publicity.com (press releases).
www.BajaWales.com