awarded for 2008
The Motor Sports Association has awarded championship permits for 2008 following the recommendations of the Motor Racing Championship Control Panel (RCCP) which met last month.
The RCCP is a peer group made up of clubs, circuits and venues to consider the applications from events applying for championship status. All applications to the RCCP have to be made by a lead club on behalf of the event.
A total of 119 applications were received (118 in 2006) of which 13 were new applications. After seven of these were refused, 112 permits were granted, although 11 championships were warned that if their grid numbers did not meet the required criteria in 2008, they would lose their permit the following year.
At the same time, the panel agreed to raise the minimum grid numbers from 16 to 18 cars for the 2008 season, to ensure that on-going championships applying for renewal are in the strongest possible health.
The RCCP approved permits for the following new events:
Bike-Sports Championship - 750 MC
Toyota MR2 Championship - 750 MC
Tuscan & Sagaris Challenge - BRSCC
Star of Mallory FF1600 Championship - BARC
BARC/Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup - BARC
(Sponsor) Ginetta G50 Cup - BARC
SRCC Historic Sports 2000 - SRCC
Vredestein/Soilmec JEC Jaguar Saloons - Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club
SEMSEC Single Seater Championship - SEMSEC
Scottish MRC Classic Sports & Saloons Championship - Scottish MRC
The RCCP declined to renew championship permits for the following events:
SCSA V8 Trophy Championship
BRSCC Club F3 Championship
VSR Super Silhouette Championship
BRSCC Fiat Racing Challenge
Colin Hilton, MSA Chief Executive, said:
"In recent years, we have significantly reduced the number of championship permits awarded, and the panel has decided that from 2008 the minimum grid level will be raised from 16 to 18 cars. By making the retention of a championship permit more difficult, the onus is even more on the clubs to ensure that their championships are attracting strong numbers by providing good value for their competitors."
