Since the suspension of Motorsport UK permits in March and the start of the current ‘lockdown’, BARC Midlands Centre has been monitoring relevant developments. In April we began meeting online every two weeks, discussing a range of scenarios and outlining contingency plans accordingly. With the first thirteen rounds of the 2020 BARC Connaught Speed Championship already under review, we kept a close watch on the remaining sixteen, hoping that rescheduling would allow us to deliver an alternative calendar.
As many of you will already be aware, May saw Motorsport UK issuing ‘Guidance for Venues & Event Organisers’, including specific instructions for Speed events. This resulted in an unprecedented level of communication between organising clubs, venues, competitors and officials as we endeavoured to find solutions for compliance.
Many organising clubs quickly concluded that the scope of additional work required to minimise the level of risk was well beyond what could be achieved by, and expected from, its volunteers. The associated costs also had a substantial impact on operational viability. Combined with uncertainty about the availability of medical staff, timekeepers and a range of support services, they took the difficult decision to cancel their remaining events, resulting in insufficient capacity to deliver almost all of the UK’s speed championships.
On 6th June, BARC Midlands Centre completed a further review of the 2020 Championship Calendar. Based upon the availability of events, we are now unable to secure sufficient rounds to create a viable series. As a result, we have taken the unpalatable decision to postpone the 2020 BARC Connaught Speed Championship until 2021.
We fully appreciate the resultant disappointment amongst our competitors. After the considerable amount of work already invested by Bob Adams, our Championship Coordinator, and other members of the Midlands Centre Competitions Team, this decision has not been taken lightly and is a significant disappointment to us all.
