This year's Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh National Rally Championship will include a new end-of-year award for competitors in the Historic classes and honour one of British rallying's most loved and greatly missed drivers, David Stokes.
The recipient of the David Stokes Historic Challenge award will be a driver who has most impressed the judging panel - which will consist of representatives from the championship, a Welsh Association of Motor Clubs committee member and members of the Stokes family - and be based on a number of criteria including (but not limited to) sportsmanship, unflappable determination, performance improvement and the way in which they promote motorsport in a positive and safe manner.
It's some of the many attributes shown by the competitor to whom this special award is named after. The way the late David Stokes always went rallying. With style, good grace and incredible driving talent.
All drivers registered for the Historic classes of the Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh National Rally Championship (namely classes W6, W7, W8 and W9) will automatically be eligible for the David Stokes Historic Challenge award - and contenders who finish the 2022 season in the top three positions in each eligible will be considered for the accolade.
There will also be a separate Guy Weaver Award for co-drivers - Guy being David's navigator between 2006-2015.
To the eligible for both the David Stokes Historic Challenge and Guy Weaver awards competitors must:
- Be registered for the 2022 Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh National Rally Championship.
- Display the mandatory championship decals as provided, and display the additional David Stokes Historic Challenge decal, at each championship round.
- Show a measurable improvement in performance and results during the championship year.
- Demonstrate an ability and requisite pace to be competitive at a higher level, and to show a keenness to build on that in the future.
- Show the correct demeanour towards championship personnel, event officials and the award sponsors and to be a good ambassador for the sport should you be selected as the outright winner.
- Present yourself and your vehicle to a standard that reflects well on the driver, co- 
driver, team, championship, and sponsors.
- Show an understanding of the teamwork element of rallying and in conjunction with your driver/co-driver investigate methods of improving your teamwork and thereby performance together.
"I'm absolutely thrilled with the creation of the David Stokes Historic Challenge award and that David's legacy will continue in the Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh National Rally Championship as Welsh rallying was very close to his heart," said Sue Stokes.
"I will play a very active role in the process of finding a worthy winner of this award and aim to attend as many of the events as possible - to meet old and new friends in our extended motorsport family. I'm delighted to be involved and look forward to working with the Welsh National Rally Championship on this wonderful new initiative."
"We are pleased and excited to announce this very special David Stokes Historic Challenge," added Dave Evison, Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh National Rally Championship Secretary.
"The challenge will reward competitors who strive to improve and can demonstrate the desire and performance to succeed and enjoy the sport in a positive and safe manner. These characteristics were ably demonstrated by David throughout his many successful decades in the sport."
Further details on the 2022 Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh National Rally Championship can be found online at: wnrc.wamc.org.uk.
For more information, please contact:
Dave Evison
Secretary, Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh National Rally Championship
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Paul Evans
Press Officer, Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh National Rally Championship
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14th January 2022
