As we close the door on what has been a truly unprecedented year, I would like to thank everyone that has played their part in an extraordinary motorsport season.

A year that started with so much promise and optimism has turned out to be like no other that any of us have experienced before or ever care to again. We send our very best wishes to everyone that has been affected by the virus this year. How little we knew back then; and how little we still know in many respects.

In the face of the pandemic, it is quite extraordinary that we’ve managed to rescue anything from the motorsport season at all. But, undeterred by the changes and the restrictions, the PPE and the face masks, not to mention the absence of spectators, the sport was able to deliver a meaningful half-season between July and November. Achieving this is testament to the sheer bloody-mindedness of the motorsport community!

We have had to change some of our procedures and processes but evolution is never a bad thing. Administration went digital, the marshals had to adapt to provide their essential cover in changing circumstances, and the scrutineers’ role has changed somewhat.

The one thing that has been evident throughout all of this is that everyone has just mucked in. That collective spirit and camaraderie has reinforced the fact that this sport, by and large, is done by people who love what they do and they are not going to let the virus get in the way of their enjoyment.

So whether you are a Club member, competitor, official, marshal, volunteer, spectator, or one of the amazing members of staff, I would like to thank you for the extraordinary efforts you have made to keep the show on the road this year. We couldn’t have done it without you.

The BARC will be back in 2021 with a full calendar of quality race events spread across the whole country and I know that the entire sport is hoping for better times in the near future.

For now, I wish you a safe and socially-distanced Christmas, and look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

Best wishes

Ben Taylor

BARC Chief Executive