One of Wales' most iconic and long-running motorsport operations, Hockly Motorsport, has teamed up with the Motorsport UK Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship in association with Pirelli to support the Two-Wheel Drive category.
Hockly Motorsport was first established in 1985 as a motorsport preparations company, initially building cars for Vauxhall Motorsport. One of those cars was driven by company founder Harry Hockly, who went on to take three consecutive British Rally Championship category victories.
The Newtown-based company does far more than build and run rally cars, as it manufactures and fits roll cages and has its own fabrication room, machine shop, main workshop and undertakes bespoke projects - many of which are top secret prototypes and unique one-off vehicles for manufacturers and Hollywood film productions.
Jessica Hockly, Hockly Motorsport Managing Director, said: "As a company the Welsh Rally Championship is very close to our hearts. We feel that the Championship is a prime example of not only grass roots clubman rallying, but it is also inviting to competitors who want to use the championship as a stepping stone to the next level of motorsport.
"We are very much a clubman-based company and aim to produce motorsport products at competitive prices, with quality that lasts. Our heritage comes from the Vauxhall Dealer Sport days, with Harry [Hockly] himself competing and developing products for the Vauxhall Nova and latterly Astra and Corsa. We have also developed a bolt on kit for a Rally First Suzuki Swift, promoting entry level motorsport at an affordable price.
"The Championship has always been well supported, and with ourselves competing in the 1400 class back in 2019 we know that it's a Championship that makes you feel part of it, not just a number.
"So this year we are pleased to be supporting the Two-Wheel Drive category and the 1400 class as a sign of our commitment to clubman rallying."
Dave Evison, MSUK Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship in association with Pirelli, said: "It's fantastic news that Hockly Motorsport will be supporting the championship in 2023. The Hockly name, synonymous with Welsh rallying for around forty years, sits well with what we are striving to achieve in Wales, and they are based in the heart of rallying in Mid-Wales. I'm really pleased and looking forward to working with Hockly Motorsport Managing Director Jessica Hockly."
Further details on the 2023 Motorsport UK Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship in association with Pirelli can be found online at: wnrc.wamc.org.uk.
2023 Motorsport UK Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship in association with Pirelli
Saturday 25 March.......Get Jerky Rally North Wales
Saturday 15 April.......Rallynuts Stages Rally
Saturday 20 May.......Plains Rally
Saturday 8 July.......Nicky Grist Stages
Saturday 9 September.......Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Stages
TBC.......Wyedean Rally
Saturday 28 October.......Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally
Regulations and Registrations are now open for the 2023 Championship.
Please click on the link below and follow the instructions.
REGISTRATION FORM
Press release: 12 December 2022
Many of the world's greatest gravel forest stages - like Myherin, Sweet Lamb,
Dyfnant, Hafren and Crychan - will come together to form the 2023 Motorsport UK
Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship, with an exciting seven-round calendar
planned for next year.
Organised by the Welsh Association of Motor Clubs, the 2023 series will offer
competitors a good geographical spread and a good date balance, with the first
round taking place at the end of March, the final round at the end of October and
only one event taking place over the months of June, July and August, providing
plenty of time for mid-season car refurbishments in the summer break.
Each event will have an ultra-compact one-day format, with around 45 stage miles
and minimal road mileage.
Thanks to the outstanding work of Rally 4 Wales, the Welsh forest stages are always
in excellent condition. These super smooth world-class road conditions have seen
the Historic and smaller capacity car entries grow and the very successful
introduction of a Road Rally class, whilst it has also attracted top-class competition
from Ireland, Scotland, England the Isle of Man, and of course the home nation of
Wales.
The 2023 season will start with the Get Jerky Rally North Wales on Saturday 25
March. Organised by Wolverhampton & South Staffs Car Club, the event will move
from its traditional base in Dolgellau to Welshpool, which is home to the event's new
title sponsor. An exciting new route is being planned, featuring some classic forest
stages.
Round 2 will be the Rallynuts Stages Rally on Saturday 15 April. Organised by
Midland Manor Motor Club, the event is based at the Royal Welsh Showground in
Llanelwedd and has stages in the nearby mid-Wales forests.
The Plains Rally, which successfully moved to its new home of Bala this year, hosts
Round 3. The Knutsford & District Motor Club event will take place on Saturday 20
May, with another tight and compact route like the one which was so well received
by competitors in 2022.
Round 4 will be the Nicky Grist Stages on Saturday 8 July. Based in Builth Wells,
with the start, finish and service area all located in the town centre, the Quinton
Motor Club event will contain super-smooth stages in the classic mid-Wales forests
in and around the Epynt military range.
The Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Stages Rally is another hugely popular event
that traditionally features some fantastic challenging stages and very low road
mileage. The Sixty and Worcestershire Motor Club organised event will be based at
Ludlow Racecourse and hosts Round 5 on Saturday 9 September.
The stunning Wales/England border is also the setting for the sixth and penultimate
round of the 2023 Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship, the Wyedean Rally.
Organised by Forest of Dean Motor Club, the event will take place on Saturday 14
October.
The seventh and final round will be the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally, which takes
place on Saturday 28 October. The North Wales Car Club organised event will be
based in Llandudno and incorporates some of the most classic former Wales Rally
GB stages in the north of the principality.
Following on from the success of recent years, each round of the 2023 Pirelli
Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship will be filmed and live-streamed online, with
expert commentary, driver interviews and much more.
Dave Evison, Pirelli Ravenol Welsh National Rally Championship, said: "Firstly I
have to say a massive thank you to all the individual event organisers. Recently the
pandemic held back their thinking, and now with it behind us they are looking to do
things differently. What you might ask? Well, you will have to come and join us to
find out! We have tweaked the class structure and the calendar with seven events,
with the best five scores to count, and we will also use Sportity so that all the
championship information is easily accessible and in one place. The main
ingredients remain - friendly competition on the best stages in the world!"
Further details on the 2023 Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship
can be found online at: wnrc.wamc.org.uk.
2023 Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship
25 March.......Get Jerky Rally North Wales
15 April.......Rallynuts Stages Rally
20 May.......Plains Rally
8 July.......Nicky Grist Stages
9 September.......Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Stages
14 October.......Wyedean Rally
28 October.......Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally
For more information, please contact:
Dave Evison
Secretary, Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh National Rally Championship
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Paul Evans
Press Officer, Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh National Rally Championship
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Picture captions
Bob Ceen/Shaun Layland (Ford Fiesta R5)
Paul Walker/Geraint Thomas (Subaru Impreza)
Andrew Fox/Jaime-Lee Fox (BMW 325)
Ashley Davies/Sam Fordham (Ford Escort Mk2)
Jonathan Brace/Paul Spooner (Ford Escort Mk1 RS1600)
Pictures by Paul Mitchell. Please credit 'Paul Mitchell Photography' if used.
paulmitchellphotography@gmail.
David Lloyd Roberts, pictured above, and Declan Casey, pictured below, are the very worthy recipients of two very
special Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship awards - the David
Stokes Historic Challenge for drivers and the Guy Weaver award for co-drivers.
Both awards were open to all drivers and co-drivers registered for the Historic
classes, with the names of the competitors who finished in the top three of class W6,
W7 and W8 going into the final selection process.
The judging panel (made up of representatives from the Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally
Championship, the Welsh Association of Motor Clubs, members of the Stokes family
and Guy Weaver) then debated and decided on who the two winners should be -
considering (but not limited to) criteria such as sportsmanship, unflappable
determination, performance improvement and how they promote motorsport in a
positive and safe manner.
David Lloyd Roberts (from Corwen in Denbighshire) contested all seven rounds of
the 2022 Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship in his Ford Escort Mk2, winning
class W7 four times and clinching the title with victory on the final round of the series,
the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally.
Declan Casey co-drove for Michael McDaid, above, in their rapid McDaid Pharmacy Escort
RS1800 Mk2 - with the Cork navigator winning the class W8 title, thanks to three
magnificent class victories in the last four rounds.
As well as ably demonstrating their speed, Roberts and Casey also impressed the
judges with their excellent demeanour towards championship personnel, event
officials and marshals, the high standard of car preparation and being great
ambassadors to rallying - qualities that the late David Stokes always insisted upon
and which Guy Weaver continues today.
David Lloyd Roberts said: "I'm very surprised, honoured and grateful to receive this
award. I've always been a fan of David Stokes, so to have my name on this trophy is
one of my rallying career highlights. I had a mixed season, with some highs and a
couple of lows, but we had a great class battle with Neal James and it all came good
in the end."
Declan Casey said: "Myself and Michael [McDaid] had a fantastic season in the
Welsh forests coming away with the W8 class title. This award for me is the icing on
the cake on a very successful 2022 campaign. I have recently got to know Guy
[Weaver] and it's an absolute honour to accept this award bearing his name. I'd like
to thank all our service crew, our families and our friends, without whom we could not
have achieved this success."
Andrew Stokes said: "I'd like to congratulate both winners. David [Lloyd Roberts] has
shown devotion to the Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship and a great driving
style befitting the David Stokes Historic Challenge award, while Declan Casey's
efforts over the season have been brilliant and he's a very worthy winner of the Guy
Weaver award. It's been a good first year and we look forward to developing,
expanding and highlighting the initiative in 2023."
Guy Weaver said: "I would like the award winners to be proud of these awards and
the efforts that they have put in during the 2022 season. I hope that their success will
inspire more to come and do the Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship and
experience the fabulous stages that Wales has to offer."
Dave Evison, Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh Rally Championship Secretary,
said: "A huge thanks to all the competitors who rose to the challenge. There were so
many stand-out performances during the year, which really bodes well for the future.
Following the success of the David Stokes Historic Challenge and Guy Weaver
awards, the initiative will be opened up to even more competitors in 2023. The
success of the challenge is down to the working relationship built up with members
of the Stokes family together with Guy Weaver, whose understanding of the sport
played its part in the inaugural success of this new initiative. Our thanks and
appreciation goes to them, and many congratulations to the 2022 winners, David
Lloyd Roberts and Declan Casey."
Further details on the 2023 Motorsport UK Pirelli Ravenol Welsh 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
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Paul Evans
Press Officer, Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh National Rally Championship
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Images Paul Mitchell
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