Motorsport Round Up: 2018 Dates Announced

The 30th running of the popular Grizedale Stages Rally last weekend saw Tom Preston (with co-driver Carl Williamson) take an early hit when he clouted a large rock near the end of the first stage, breaking a track control arm on his Skoda Fabia R5 and effectively ending his chance of an event win.

Nevertheless, he was able to continue in Cumbria after smart work by his FUCHS-supported CA1 Sport service crew saw them repair his car in Stage and get him back on his way.

Kim Gray came to the event fresh from her success on the Roger Albert Clark rally two weeks ago, and was co-driving for husband Andy in his Peugeot 205 GTi.

The pair finished 29th overall out of a quality field of 77 starters, and sixth in class. Also finishing off their season in Cumbria was fellow RAC competitor and FUCHS Lubricants industrial customer Colin Hope in his Saab 96. Hope, and co-driver Nick Patrick, were pleased with their fourth in class, and 34th overall.

The calendar for the 2018 FUCHS Lubricants RACRMC Historic Asphalt Rally Championship has been announced and will again comprise seven rounds at six events.

The championship is for two-wheel drive historic cars from up to the end of 1990, and is organised by the Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club alongside the MSA British Historic Rally Championship.

The 2018 calendar replicates the successful 2017 schedule and highlights include a double-header round on Rally Isle of Man in September, the Jersey Rally in October and the Salamandre Rally in Belgium in April.

The provisional schedule (subject to MSA approval) is:
March 3/4: Bovington Stages (Dorset)
April 22: Rallye Salamandre (Belgium)
June 3: Mini Epynt Stages
July 29: Harry Flatters Rally (Epynt)
September 13-15: Rally Isle of Man – double-header
October 12/13: Jersey Rally

Championship manager Colin Heppenstall said: “We were very pleased with support in 2017 with up to 25 crews taking part in cars from across all ages of historics. We’re planning to build on that next year and are delighted to maintain stability in the calendar.”

Two of the events, the Harry Flatters Rally and Rally Isle of Man, are also rounds of the MSA British Historic Rally Championship. Crews will be able to score points towards both championships on those two events.

Dates for the Belgian FIRC rally championship have now been finalised, and FUCHS-supported driver Steve Brown is hoping to compete on the six rally rounds next year in his Nissan Micra kit car, as the rebuild is almost finished.The dates are:

April 21/22: Rallye Salamandre
May 26/27: ORC Canal Rally
June 8/9: Wervik Rally
August 4/5: Les Boucles Chevrotines
October 20/21: Hemicuda Rally
November 24/25: Kortrijk Rally

Meanwhile, three FUCHS Silkolene-supported motorcycle riders – Peter Hickman, Michael Rutter and Glenn Irwin - are in the running for the BSN Road Rider of the Year award.

Smiths BMW rider Hickman scored five podiums at the Isle of Man and then went on to dominate Ulster GP practice. He picked up a Supersport double and a Superstock win and also finished fourth in British Superbikes.

Irwin, took his maiden Macau GP victory, while veteran Rutter was also present and correct, pestering the top five through both the North West and TT, and taking the Supertwin win in Northern Ireland.

Voting is open on the BSN website - http://www.bikesportnews.com/news/news-detail/2017-bsn-awards-vote-for-your-roads-rider-of-the-year. Polls close on December 20.

Elsewhere, Max Crowe collected two trophies for end-of-season podiums at the Cosford Kart Club AGM. Max’s team name was “Cosford – That’s All FUCHS”, in recognition of the company’s help throughout the year.

And Silkolene-backed John Trevelyan is celebrating after being named in the South West Off-Road Motocross Champion on his Honda CRF450.