Welcome to Croydon & District Motor Club Limited
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.
In recent years we have jointly organised 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 main event is in May each year when we organise the Three Counties Tour, a touring assembly mainly for historic cars, run in daylight, over a 120 mile route in Surrey, Kent and Sussex. This established event is part of the Historic Rally Car Register Scenic Tours.
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 two 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)
On the social side the Club meets on the second and last Wednesday of each month at the Trinity Mid Whitgiftians, 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 available on the members page. 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.