Welsh-based Vital Equipment will be title sponsors for the junior category of the 2016 Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship.
The Pontrilas company was originally established to provide fuel and lubricants to competitors and is the official fuel supplier for the British Rally Championship as well as the British Touring Car Championship.
However, Its rapidly expanding apparel department also supplies items such as helmets, harnesses, seats, competition clothing and frontal head restraints.
The junior category of the Welsh Championship is open to drivers and co-drivers aged under 25 on 1 January 2016 and who have not previously won the title. Vital Equipment’s backing for the series is in addition to their current sponsorship of both the Scottish Junior title and Rally First, running within the BTRDA Championship and open to two wheel drive production cars up to 1600cc.
Announcing their support for the Welsh Junior title, Vital Equipment Managing Director, Alistair Roberts, commented, “Youngsters are the lifeblood of our sport and, as rally enthusiasts, we want to do whatever we can to make competing attractive to newcomers.”
| Meanwhile, championship coordinator Dave Evison added, “We are delighted to welcome Vital Equipment to the Welsh Championship family and are particularly pleased that they have chosen to support the junior competitors.
“The Welsh Association of Motor Clubs views attracting more young competitors to the sport as an essential part of it and the championship’s role. Having a respected name such as Vital Equipment’s associated with it can only help in this task. |
British Rally Championship moves to Channel 4 | |
| The MSA British Rally Championship (BRC) will return to terrestrial TV screens this year after concluding a deal with Channel 4 to cover the seven-round series.
The country’s premier rally championship, which begins in March, will also be shown on BT Sport as part of a new broadcast package that will ensure that the high octane action reaches as many fans as possible. |
Dave added, “We are intent on announcing a number of opportunities for junior competitors registered in any of the Welsh Rally Championships over the coming months. The first of these is an exclusive training day at one of the country’s leading rally testing facilities. Top drivers and co-drivers will be on hand on the day along with leading car preparation and media specialists throughout the day to offer training and advice to the young competitors. We are delighted that Vital Equipment have also agreed to support this initiative.”
The Championship team will be releasing more details of the training day very shortly with news of other initiatives to follow.
You can find out more about Vital Equipment on their website, www.vitalequipment.co.uk, and about the championship on www.wnrc.wamc.org.uk, the championship Facebook page and on Twitter @WnRC.
A Builth Wells-based event has received an award as the best round of Wales’s premier rally championship.
The Nicky Grist Stages, which took place last July, claimed the accolade in the eight round Pirelli MSA Welsh Forest Rally Championship.
Responding to news of the award, event clerk of the course Neil Cross commented, “Quinton Motor Club who promote Nicky Grist Stages … are delighted to be recognised as the best event in the 2015 Pirelli Welsh National Rally Championship. We strive to put on an event people want to do and enjoy and this award recognises this.”
Meanwhile championship coordinator Dave Evison explained the award saying, “Such has been the quality of all the rounds this year that we struggled to pick a winner.”
The event will also be a round of the 2016 championship taking place on 9 July.
