Ask any British Rally Fan where “Gods Own Country” is in terms of a playground for rallying and you may receive a couple of different responses. Whilst some will note “Killer Kielder” Forest on the Scottish Borders, many will claim that Wales is the correct answer, but for every Welsh vote, you may well receive a vote in favour of Yorkshire.
Now Yorkshire has ample history in the British Rallying Books and has played its parts in hosting the RAC rally and many National events over the decades. So it is only fitting that the Motorsport UK British Rally Championship made its return to the North Yorkshire based Trackrod Forest Rally after an 8-year absence.
The British Rally Championship headed to North Eastern Scotland for round three of the 2021 championship. The Grampian Forest Rally, which features stages just a stone’s throw away from Aberdeen for the first time since the 1980’s offered up a fresh new gravel challenge for BRC contenders.
Organised by the Stonehaven and District Motorclub, the event which also hosted the Scottish Rally Championship, featured 6 stages totalling 44 miles of competitive action. 13 BRC1 registered crews were joined by a number of other top National Cup crews to take on the fast and flowing Scottish gravel stages in the Durris, Fetteresso and Drumtochty Forests.
The second round of the 2021 British Rally Championship brought with it not only the return to gravel but the long-awaited return for Welsh Rallying. Organised by the very capable Quinton Motorclub, The Nicky Grist Stages offered up a 44-mile gravel rally spread over 8 very popular stages (2 loops of 4 repeated stages) in and around the Epynt Military ranges close to Builth Wells where the rally was based.
Following on from the opening round of the BRC, The Neil Howard Stages at Oulton Park; the battle between a top lineup of English, Irish and Welsh competitors continued to rage on in Wales at the Nicky Grist Stages.
Sam Moffett and Keith Moriarty winners of the 2021 British Rally Championship opener at Oulton Park.
The Motorsport Vision Racing Circuit in the Cheshire countryside is perhaps one of the more picturesque race circuits in the UK and has been hosting rounds of the Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championships in the form of the Neil Howard Stages for a number of years.
Following the cancellation of the whole British Rally Championships season last year due to COVID, the Championships was itching to get going again this year. Up steps, the Neil Howard Stages