Bulldog Rally Changing For 2009

[Rallyst3ve]

From 2009 the Bulldog Rally which is held in mid Wales using fantastic stages such as Dyfi and Gartheinog will become part of the British Rally Championship.
The event currently part of the MSA Gravel National Championship will change its name as part of the move and will kick off the BRC series in March.

The BRC is expanding its calander to eight rounds next year therefore a few more events could follow the Bulldog with Rallye Sunseeker a possible candidate.

What's everybody's thoughts on this news???

[sal]

Inevitable move to more one day format events with a gravel bias. Depends on which way the Ulster organisers want to go but can see the Rally GB getting dropped leaving the Jim Clark and Manx as the tarmac rounds. As the ITC is planning to split away anyway Mark Taylor et al should be left with a BRC that they are more comfortable marketing as a World Championship "stepping stone" without those pesky Irish WRC cars getting in on the mix.

[Rallyst3ve]

There goin to drop Wales Rally GB from the BRC so need three one day events.

For sure something needs to be done to the BRC to try and improve its appeal and the Bulldog will be a good addition to the championship but i dont know whether it really needed to be moved to March.

Also interesting to see how it changes the Ancro championship they should bring back the ASTRA STAGES...................

[306 Cosworth]

So will there be a substitute event in the Ancro series. If so which event could it be? :s

[Rallyst3ve]

I think that Ancro will still run the National event as part of the Bulldog next year bit like the Trackrod this year but there could be problems now where the Sunseeker, Bulldog and Border Counties are only a few weeks apart so one of them will have to change there date.

[AndyRAC]

Mixed news, great that it's part of the BRC, but always enjoyed mid -October in Mid Wales, and will sad to see it moved. Why not just bring back the International Rally of Wales? Then keep the Bulldog in October.

[farquar wrc]

I dont see why any round of the brilliant ANCRO championship would want to move to the dead duck they call the BRC,do the organisers chose to be part of the BRC,or do they get told they are a nominated round,to go from full entries to counting on the likes of the BHRC to make up the numbers to run the event is madness

[Rallyst3ve]

AndyRAC
Mixed news, great that it's part of the BRC, but always enjoyed mid -October in Mid Wales, and will sad to see it moved. Why not just bring back the International Rally of Wales? Then keep the Bulldog in October.


They should bring back the Astra Stages Rally that was held at the start of April anyway in North Wales it would be a good way to kick off the BRC and they should get it back on the Ancro calander too. Or if Ancro dont want to use the Bulldog anymore it could be a great replacement.......

Another thing, it say's in Motorsport News that they may have to change the name of the Bulldog to fit in with the BRC's regional names. One suggestion was Mid Wales Rally :confused: we already have the Mid Wales Stages!! And what about the Pirelli rally thats named after a sponsor not Kielder Stages Rally.

[AndyRAC]

You could say that it shows how sad the BRC is when they 'nick' other Championship's events. During the F2 era the BRC was as follows;

Vauxhall Rally of Wales - Gravel - March
Pirelli International Rally - Gravel - April/May
RSAC Scottish Rally - Gravel - June
SEAT Jim Clark Rally - Tarmac- July
Ulster Rally Tarmac- July
Manx International Rally - Tarmac - September

2002 saw the addition of the Trackrod.

[Rallyst3ve]

They should bring the RSAC Scottish Rally back to the BRC

[Allyc85]

Ive heard good things about the Bulldog rally :)

But I really think its about time the south had a round to make it a true british championship.

[farquar wrc]

They should bring the RSAC Scottish Rally back to the BRC
Everybody's quite happy with it being a round of the SRC,the BRC killed the legendary Welsh rally,there not going to do the same with the Scottish

[macjam]

The Bulldog would have been great at the end of the year.

Possibly 10 entries from ANCRO and .........

Where were the other 130+ entries going to come from?

[AndyRAC]

The Bulldog would have been great at the end of the year.

Possibly 10 entries from ANCRO and .........

Where were the other 130+ entries going to come from?

I still can't get my head round the decision to have the Bulldog in late March, as the BRC opener.
What happened to the Astra, and the Rally of Wales? Both which were good Rallies, the ROWales to open the BRC in mid March, and the Astra in April, both using the Clocaenog forests, which are underused, sadly.

Personally, the BRC should be different from other series,so should probably be over more than 1 day, say Sat to Sun lunch time, but in the current financial climate, this is not possible.

[Steve Boyd]

Everybody's quite happy with it being a round of the SRC,the BRC killed the legendary Welsh rally,there not going to do the same with the Scottish

Not quite - the "legendary" Welsh rally as far as I am concerned is the one run by South Wales A.C. This ceased to be part of the 'home international' championship a very long time ago. The round of the BRC that used to take place in North Wales (Rally of Wales as opposed to Welsh Rally) was organised by Caernarfon & Anglesey M.C. and grew out of the Gwynedd Stages Rally which was a national event in what became the ANCRO Championship. I think it is also safe to say that Foot & Mouth disease was a significant factor in the loss of the Rally of Wales.

[wotaguy]

still i think it will be a great rally and its now a week away,
what are peoples plans what stages is everyone going too.
the line up seems all about youth, i think stuart jones, and david bogie be hard to beat, but in the historics could be anyones, go gwyndaf :)

[gareth]

Whats with the stage times??? anybody got any more info on this?

Dyfi Spectator Stage
International - 13:00 & 16:45
Challenge - 14:00
Historic - 10:45
Clubman - 14:30

Dyfnant Spectator stage
International - 09:20
Challenge - 10:20
Historic - 13:00
Clubman - 16:45

Are any of these stages run twice, seems a massive time gap between championships. Still looking forward to it.

On the off chance, anybody know which other stages are being run and the times?

[wotaguy]

hi gareth, dyfi is run twice, but i think only for international, im travelling up on thursday, hopefully find out more then :)

[griff90]

both speccy stages ARE definately run twice but only by the internationals the second time....

[griff90]

i will be going to big ray(dyfi)speccy bit seems to be at jcn 2!!!i particualy like the corner just after jcn 3!!!!think ill be heading there!!!

[306 Cosworth]

Had a fantastic weekend, despite the atrocious weather in the morning, rain, hail and snow!! At least the sun appeared when we finally arrived at Dyfnant for the second running of the historics!!

Here's some pics from me.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/Rallyfan/IMG_1817.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/Rallyfan/IMG_1898.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/Rallyfan/IMG_2107.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/Rallyfan/IMG_2156-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/Rallyfan/IMG_2309-1.jpg

[jbanbury]

Good stuff Luke :)

I've uploaded a few of mine if anyone fancies a look ... http://www.rally-shots.com

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/jbanbury/800_2859.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/jbanbury/800_3067.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/jbanbury/800_3788.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/jbanbury/800_4177.jpg

[wotaguy]

i marshalled scrutineering, was supposed to do dyfi, but was ill, so managed to see start, then had to go home, :( , great result for cronin, did like the evo10. , as usual all pics are great well done to all,

[Allyc85]

Top pictures gents. Has really got me in the mood for Somerset in under 4 weeks time :D

[wotaguy]

ah the porlock hill , lovely , my mext is the pirelli , kershope at night :)