Drivers invited to put pedal to virtual metal for historic rally challenge

Leading oils and lubricants manufacturer Exol Lubricants has launched an eSports event in partnership with the Historic Rally Car Register (HRCR), where drivers can put themselves through their paces virtually to win prizes.

The Exol HRCR eRally Challenge launch coincides with Exol Lubricants’ sponsorship of two HRCR championships as the official lubricants partner: the 2023 MINI Sport Cup and Stage Masters Challenge, which sees historic rally cars take to iconic stages across the UK.

The Exol HRCR eRally Challenge is hosted virtually on Codemasters’ leading 2019 rally title, DiRT Rally 2.0, challenging players with multiple events on the in-game stages, at the same time as crews prepare for the real-life historic rally events. Two championships are available to participate in, with one series running front-wheel-drive cars, and the other series running rear-wheel-drive.

Players across Xbox, Playstation and PC platforms are invited to log on to Codemasters’ DiRT Rally 2.0 clubs site and register for the event, which starts a week ahead of the opening round of the HRCR Stage Masters championship, and features several rounds tying in with the real series’ calendar.

Steve Dunn, sales and marketing director at Exol Lubricants, said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming players to the virtual rally championship as crews negotiate the exciting stages of the HRCR series in some legendary rally machinery.

“With this step into virtual sports Exol Lubricants is stepping into an exciting new way of connecting with our customers and showcasing the brand to new audiences.”

The Exol-sponsored 12-round HRCR Stage Masters championship gets underway with the Welshpool-based Rally North Wales on March 25th, with the Builth Wells RallyNuts Stages following on April 15th. Round three sees crews tackle the Dixies Challenge at Sennybridge on April 30th, before a double-header round on the Isle of Man’s legendary Manx Rally on May 12th-13th.

The second half of the year kicks off on July 2nd with the Brawdy Stages at Haverfordwest, with round seven, the Nicky Grist Stages, taking place the following weekend in mid-Wales. Rali Ceredigion is the championship’s second double header event with rounds eight and nine taking place from September 2nd-3rd, with crews returning to Ludlow for the Woodpecker Rally on September 9th.

The Stage Masters rounds off the 2023 campaign with the Three Shires Stages in Ledbury on September 17th, and the season-closing Wyedean Rally in the Forest of Dean on October 14th.

Entry to the event is free with players only needing a compatible PC or console, including Xbox One, Series S or Series X, Playstation 4 or 5, plus an up-to-date copy of DiRT Rally 2.0 and a Codemasters RaceNet account.

Players can register their details using the form here. Each competition takes place on Codemasters’ DiRT Rally 2.0 Clubs platform. The front-wheel-drive class can be joined here, and the rear-wheel-drive class here (links require registration).

For more information on Exol Lubricants, visit: https://www.exol-lubricants.com/

For more information on the HRCR, visit: https://www.hrcr.co.uk/