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The club was formed in
1965 and is recognised by the Royal Automobile Club
Motor Sports Association for the promotion of Motor
Sport. As membership of the Club grew an annual
pattern of events was established including Rallies,
Treasure Hunts and “off the road” events such as Autotests, Production Car Trials and Gymkhanas.
At present rallying forms the main interest of the
membership and in recent years the Club has promoted
a wide variety of events from 12 Car Rallies (for
beginners and novices), Navigational Scatters and
Road Rallies, to National Status Special Stage
Rallies.
Our main event is in February each year when we
jointly organise the first round of the MSA Gravel
Rally Championship, Rallye Sunseeker, which is based
in Bournemouth and utilises Forestry Special Stages
in both Dorset and Hampshire as well as a Special
Stage along the promenade. The event which takes
place during the last weekend in February, is
extremely popular and attracts competitors from all
over the British Isles as well as many thousand
spectators.
Our membership includes competitors who regularly
compete in rallying, both modern and historic, as
well as other forms of motorsport. A large
proportion of our members also marshal on events
many of whom are registered under the Motor Sport
Association Marshals Training Scheme.
Our club members officiate on the London to Brighton
Veteran Car Run in November each year as well as
running the finish of a Special Stage of Wales Rally
GB, a round of the World Rally Championship.
We also encourage younger members to join as the
minimum age for competing in an event off the public
highway is 14.
Croydon and District Motor Club is one of the
founder members of a “consortium” of clubs based in
Kent and Surrey known as the Weald Motor Club. The
purpose of this consortium is to enable members of
the consortium at the “grass roots” level and to
encourage participation in Motor Sport using
everyday non-specialised cars. Events include Grass
Slalom Autotests, Production Car Trials, 12 Car
Rallies and Navigational Scatters. Another benefit
of this consortium is that the social side of Motor
Sport becomes more prominent as one meets
like-minded people from other areas.
In addition to the Clubs own events many invitations
are received from other Clubs to their events.
Members are eligible to contest the various
Championships run by the three regional Associations
of which the Club is a Members, these being:
ACSMC (Association of Central Southern Motor Clubs)
ASEMC
(Association of South Eastern Motor Clubs)
LCAMC (London Counties Association of Motor Clubs)
On the social side the Club meets on the second and
last Wednesday of each month at the Old Mid
Whitgiftians (OMW), Lime Meadow Avenue, Sanderstead,
Surrey, OS sheet 187 map reference 347608,
commencing at 8.30pm. At these meetings a wide
variety of events are held during the year including
videos, scalextric racing, quiz nights, table top
rallies, remote control model cars, and of course if
you want to you can just turn up and talk cars!
Outside the regular meetings, social functions such
as pubmocs, barbecues etc are organised, and each
year the Club organises an Annual Dinner and Awards
Presentation.
The Club magazine “Valve Chatter” is circulated to
its members each month and contains articles on the
current and future events, championships tables, and
other information of interest. The Magazine is the
“mouthpiece” through which members have the
opportunity of voicing their opinions.
New members are always welcome to the Club. You do
not have to be a regular competitor to make use of
the Club's facilities, many of our members have
joined simply to enjoy motor sport or because they
are interested in assisting by marshalling on the
wide variety of events which are run. A membership
application form is printed overleaf and if you are
interested in motor sport and would like to join
this motor club please complete the form and send
it, with the appropriate fee to our Membership
Secretary. All our members subscriptions fall due on
the 31 March each year, but if you wish to join in
the middle of the year you will notice that a
reduced subscription fee is available for the
appropriate period to the end of the current year.
If you are interested in cars and motorsport but
don't know how to get involved
click here.
CLUB MILESTONES
1965 Croydon & District Motor Club formed and
recognised by The Royal Automobile Club for the
promotion of motorsport.
1971 Donald Vince Autotest held at County Hall
London formed a round of the RAC National Autotest
Championship.
1971 First Special Stage Rally organised and
sponsored by Croydon based Trident Petroleum Company
known as the Trident Rally.
1972 The Nore Hill Trial held at Woldingham formed a
round of the RAC Production Car Trial Championship.
1972 The Trident Rally utilised Forestry Commission
land for the first time in Bramshill Forest .
1973 Croydon & District Motor Club incorporated as a
Company limited by guarantee.
1973 Croydon & District Motor Club enter ten crews
in RAC Rally of Great Britain.
1973 Trident Rally a qualifying round of the BTRDA
(British Trials and Rally Drivers Association) Gold
Star and Car and Car Conversions Clubmans Rally
Championship.
1974 RAC invites club to organise the first Special
Stage of the UDT World Cup Rally in Crowthorne
Forest .
1976 The Rod Wray 12 Car Rally series established.
1978 Final Trident Rally organised.
1981 Banbury Rally jointly organised by Croydon &
District Motor Club and Southern Car Club.
1985 First Special Stage Rally jointly promoted with
Southern Car Club.
2005 Rallye Sunseeker marks the 21st anniversary of
the event by being granted an MSA National permit. |
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