Dear Member,
We hope you are continuing to keep well. Here is July’s monthly email to stay in touch and update you on the current situation and upcoming virtual events, including:
- Club events and activities
- Virtual events calendar
- Epynt Motor Club member survey
- Motorsport UK updates
- Wales Rally GB cancellation
- Welsh Association of Motor Clubs update
- Keeping in touch
Club events and activities
As the Welsh Government continues to announce plans for a gradual release of the lockdown we look forward to being able to get out and about a bit more. A small working group will soon be formed to help reschedule Epynt Motor Club events and activities safely, and will update you as soon as we are able to put plans in place.
Old Forge Garage Mewla Rally & Rally Marketing Epynt Stages
Epynt Motor Club regrets to announce that the Old Forge Garage Mewla Rally and Rally Marketing Epynt Stages will not be going ahead on August Bank Holiday weekend due to the on-going pandemic. The Club has worked hard to try and make the event happen, including changing the format to a one-day event, but ultimately with current Welsh Government regulations and with no assurances from Motorsport UK that either event would be able to go ahead this year.
Regrettably Epynt Motor Club has been forced to cancel this year's Mewla Rally and Epynt Stages, despite much of the planning already complete. Other issues including restricting access to the ranges by the general public and the influx of people into the area were major considerations in our decision.
Our thanks go out to our sponsors, Old Forge Garage and Rally Marketing and the championships for their support once again. The event was due to be a round of the BTRDA MRF Tyres Mixed Surface and the now cancelled WAMC Tarmac and King of Epynt Championships.
The organisers would like to thank the support and encouragement they have received from competitors, officials and marshals during the past few months.
DG Jones Agri Ltd Powys Lanes Rally
Plans are continuing for this year’s DG Jones Agri Ltd Powys Lanes Rally on November 7/8th. It was decided during the virtual committee meeting held last month to continue planning for the event until expenditure is required.
A committee meeting was provisionally planned for the beginning of July but it has been decided to monitor the situation for a little while longer and hold the next meeting when further government and Motorsport UK guidance becomes available.
Virtual events calendar
Last month we enjoyed a quiz night hosted by Jon Hawkins. There were a range of tricky rounds but it seems the most knowledge we have is on tyres! Thank you to Jon for all of his efforts to entertain us and for organising another quiz this month.
Quiz night with Jon #2 will be live on the Epynt Motor Club Facebook page on Friday 24th July at 7.30pm. All you need is a pen and paper, please join in!
If you have any ideas for other virtual events, please get in touch with Kate Jones via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Epynt Motor Club member survey
Last month, we announced that all members were invited to participate in a survey to help us understand how we can better support our members and help shape the future of the club.
The survey will be open until Thursday 16th July so please have your say if you haven’t done so already! The survey can be accessed via the link https://www.questionpro.com/t/AQgEeZhWI3 and will take approximately 10-20 minutes to complete. All questions are optional and survey responses will be strictly confidential.
We hope to analyse all the feedback and release the results and any actions around September. Thank you very much for your time and support. If you have any concerns please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Motorsport UK updates
RS Clubman Licence Applications
Applications for an RS Clubman Licence are now open. The RS Clubman licence is free of charge and necessary for competing in Clubman level Motorsport UK-permitted events. See the Motorsport UK website for more information.
Motorsport UK introduces COVID-19 Officer roles to help guide the sport during the pandemic
Motorsport UK has mandated two new roles – those of COVID-19 Officer and COVID-19 Medical Officer – as part of its systematic preparation for the resumption of motorsport from 4th July.
The COVID-19 Officers will be appointed by the clubs to ensure that Motorsport UK guidelines are implemented, liaise with various stakeholders including club members and officials, and monitor the local COVID-19 situation. Their duties will commence in advance of an event to ensure sufficient time to consider all pre-event processes and documentation.
Furthermore, Motorsport UK has appointed Dr Paul Trafford, the chairman of its Medical Committee, as its COVID-19 Medical Officer. At events where a Chief Medical Officer is required, this official will act as a local COVID-19 Medical Officer. They will be responsible for documenting and feeding information back to the Motorsport UK’s COVID-19 Medical Officer, and for ensuring that Motorsport UK COVID-19 Medical Policy is followed. Dr Trafford will be available to clubs who have any medical questions or concerns.
Hugh Chambers, Motorsport UK CEO, commented, “The introduction of these roles is the next important milestone in the responsible approach we have taken to the resumption of motorsport. Our primary consideration remains the health and safety of everyone involved in the sport. This measure underlines that we continue to study all available medical guidance and are implementing appropriate resources in response to it. It is vital that the community feels comfortable, and these roles will provide further reassurance that their actions and those of their colleagues will conform with best practice criteria.”
Motorsport UK to provide £50,000 of PPE to support its officials during motorsport’s restart
Motorsport UK has announced the provision of a complimentary supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the value of £50,000 to support events through the initial phase of motorsport’s restart from 4th July.
The PPE will be distributed to all Motorsport UK licensed Rescue and Recovery units, and to registered clubs with an event permit issued during July and August.
This introductory supply of PPE is intended to assist Clubs and Licensed Rescue/Recovery operators who may be experiencing difficulties with sourcing appropriate equipment due to increased market demand.
Furthermore, Motorsport UK will be providing individual pocket hand sanitiser to all officials working at its events.
In line with the conditions set out at the time of announcing plans to restart motorsport in the UK from 4th July, event organisers commit that their events will be held behind closed doors, appropriate PPE requirements are met, and that each organiser must appoint a COVID-19 Officer to ensure compliance with any relevant guidelines. A limit on the number of permits issued for July has been applied, amounting to 50% of those in the corresponding month of 2019, in order that there are sufficient volunteer Official and Marshal resources available to support the restart.
Your help
Some club members and unregistered officials do brilliant work for our sport but are not on any of Motorsport UK's databases. If you know of any fellow club members or contacts who would like to receive Motorsport UK’s Club Newsletter, or any other communications aimed at clubs, please ask them to enter their email address at this link https://members.motorsportuk.org/imissite/login/default.asp
Wales Rally GB cancellation
It is with great regret that the organisers of Wales Rally GB have announced the cancellation of the UK’s long-running round of the FIA World Rally Championship due to the unprecedented global coronavirus pandemic.
This year’s 76th staging of the historic event had been due to run from 29 October to 1 November as the penultimate round on the 2020 WRC schedule and additionally was the concluding rounds of both the FIA Junior World Rally Championship and British Rally Championship.
However, with continuing concerns over the evolution of COVID-19 and the safety restrictions it has imposed on large-scale gatherings and international travel, there are too many unknown factors to make the organisation of such a sizeable sporting fixture a realistic, or sensible, option in these uncertain times.
“This is not a decision that we have taken lightly but, in close consultation with our chief funding partner the Welsh Government, it is sadly one we are obliged to make in light of the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic,” explained David Richards CBE, the Welsh-born Chairman of Motorsport UK, governing body of UK motorsport and organiser of Wales Rally GB.
Welsh Association of Motor Clubs update
The WAMC regrets to announce that, for possibly the first time in its 70 year history, every championship run by the WAMC has been cancelled for 2020.
“Whilst we are saddened to make this decision, it has been important to help play our part in keeping Wales and the rest of the UK safe during this pandemic. We now look toward 2021 and getting our championships ready. If you have any ideas you wish championship secretaries to consider, please let the relevant secretary know. Contact details can be found at www.WAMC.org.uk.
Whilst we have been relatively quiet over the last 3 months, we most definitely haven’t been inactive, having been in contact with Motorsport UK over a number of matters such as support for rescue units and the forestry master agreement to help protect the future of motorsport in Wales, but also getting the sport re-started.
Clubs are reminded and welcomed to write to the WAMC General Secretary at any time to discuss concerns and ideas they have about the future of motorsport in Wales, and how we can work with Motorsport UK to support clubs and events.”
Keeping in touch
The Communications Team have been using this quiet time to look to the future and have found a new, safe and stylish system to send emails to our club members. So please look out for your new style emails coming soon!
For more information or to contact us, please see our website https://www.epyntmc.co.uk/ or Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/epyntmc/.
