The first round of this annual series was the Pipers Valley Rd (Banks Peninsula) Gravel Sprint held earlier this month. With the help of John Giltrap (Mitsubishi Evo) and four of his club mates, Garet Thomas (WRX), Dave Ollis (WRX), Josh Mitchell (WRX) and Taylor Judd (Starlet), Autosport have leapt to a 75-point lead in the race to win the Dave McCahon Canterbury Interclub Trophy in 2021. (Click here for results)
Canterbury Car Club are on 15 and Ratec Motorsport Club on 14-points with Ashburton Car Club yet to score.
The clubs that compete for this annually awarded cup are:
Ashburton Car Club – known best for their AutoSparks Street Sprints being held this year over the May 8/9 weekend
Autosport Club – Canterbury Rally (June 6) and Hanmer Rally organisers
Canterbury Car Club – Ruapuna track administrators and the home of the Lady Wigram Trophy and the Skope Classic. Truck Racing 27/28 March.
Ratec Motorsport – running the iconic Ashley Forest RallySprint 18/19 September this year.
Since the trophy’s inception in 1982, the Autosport Club have held the trophy 12 times, Canterbury – 15, Ratec – 7 and Ashburton – twice. Each of the clubs run two events that are agreed to be Interclub rounds.
Due to the pandemic the 2020 series was not run and the 2019 winner was Canterbury Car Club with 482 points. Ratec Motorsport was the holder in 2018.
The next rounds are:
Round 2: April 10th – Ratec M/Sprt – The Leeston Grass Autocross
Round 3: June 12th – Ashburton CC – The Levels Dual Car Sprint
Round 4: June 26th – Canterbury CC – Ruapuna Seal Autocross
Round 5: TBA – Ashburton CC – TBA Gravel Sprint – more soon.
Round 6: August tba – Canterbury CC – Ruapuna Dual Car Sprint – TBC
Round 7: September 26th – Autosport Club – Grass Autocross – Venue tba
Round 8: October 17th – Ratec M/Sprt – Banks Peninsula Hillclimb – TBC
There are usually 4 tarmac events and 4 loose surface events.
To decide the winner, the top five place-getters for each club earn points from 20 down to 1. The 2021 battle has begun!
Comments