2008 BRITPART MSA BRITISH CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIP
Walters Arena – round 6: November 7th-8th, 2008
For immediate release
Thursday, October 30th, 2008
WALTERS ARENA SET TO HOST THRILLING BCCC FINALE
·Huddersfield’s Kershaw seals title on dropped scores
·Four drivers still in contention for second to fifth places
NEWTOWN (Wales): Huddersfield’s Richard Kershaw heads to the Walters Arena complex in South Wales on Friday (November 7th) safe in the knowledge that he has already clinched the 2008 Britpart MSA British Cross-Country Championship (BCCC) on the dropped score ruling.
But there are still many class battles and overall positions to be settled on this sixth round of the increasingly-popular series, which is again organised by Marches 4×4 Motorsport Management and will take place on Friday, November 7th and Saturday, November 8th.
Kershaw may have an unassailable lead in the championship, but Bamber Bridge-based Dan Lofthouse, Holywell’s Tim Dilworth, Broadbottom’s Martin Gould and Deeside’s Neil Davey are currently separated by a maximum of 16 points and will be fighting for second to fifth places in the title race over the mixed terrain stage at Walters Arena.
Fifty-four drivers in the main category and seven teams in the Trophy section have scored championship points on the five previous rounds at Baden Hall in Staffordshire, Driffield in Yorkshire, Castle O’er in Scotland, Tiverton in Devon and Radnor in mid-Wales and the visit to South Wales is sure to throw up a few surprises.
Hatton’s Stephen Smith leads the G1 class, Brampton’s Paul Garner heads G2, Heswall’s Roland Marlow is out in front in class C and Caxton’s Martin Cox leads class E. Billericay’s Tim Hayday holds the advantage over Lancashire’s Laurie Boyle in class B and Ambaston’s Steve Lloyd has dominated the Trophy category this season, with Talybont’s Martin James and Stockton’s Peter Wood his closest challengers.
"We are hoping to run the full 10-mile off-road stage and over 100 stage miles," enthused clerk of the course Selwyn Kendrick. "Hopefully we will be able to run the full distance, even if the weather conditions are against us, but that does depend to an extent on whether our drivers behave themselves and don’t need assistance.
"It promises to be a thrilling weekend. There is a chance that we will welcome Keith Lewis back to the stages to try out his new car, before coming back with a vengeance in 2009, and we hope to get everything wrapped up and finalised on Saturday evening so that everyone can enjoy a bit of a social get-together before leaving on the Sunday."
The noise test, scrutineering and documentation opens from 07.30hrs on Friday morning and the first safari stage is due to start at around 10.00hrs, with competitive action running throughout Friday and Saturday.
Spectator information
Leave the A4109 at SN 886 090 to Walters Arena. The venue is situated in the middle of a triangular area between the villages Resolven, Hirwaun and Caehopkin, near Glyn-neath.
2008 Britpart MSA British Cross-Country Championship –
Positions after round 5 of 6:
BCCC
1. Richard Kershaw (Huddersfield) 410 pts
2. Dan Lofthouse (Bamber Bridge) 368 pts
3. Tim Dilworth (Holywell) 367 pts
4. Martin Gould (Broadbottom, Hyde) 356 pts
5. Neil Davey (Deeside) 352 pts
6. Alan Kirkland (Chesterfield) 307 pts
7. Stephen Smith (Hatton) 301 pts
8. Graham Porter (Darlington) 299 pts
9. Toby Jefferson (Smithybridge) 289 pts
10. Ben Gott (Farnham) 282 pts
11. Paul Garner (Brampton) 281 pts, etc
Trophy
1. Steve Lloyd (Ambaston) 430 pts
2. Martin James (Talybont) 390 pts
3. Peter Wood (Stockton-on-Tees) 295 pts
5. Nick Forsyth (All Stretton) 276 pts
6. Paul Myers (Leeds) 275 pts
4. Adam Evans (Keighley) 223 pts
7. Bob Seaman (Ludford) 144 pts
Ends
Note: photographs of BCCC competitors from all BCCC rounds are available by contacting official photographer Gary Simpson at Songasport (e-mail: songasport@gmail.com)
Photographs must be credited to Songasport. Failure to credit upon publication may result in an invoice being received from the photographer.
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).