Roger Albert Clark Rally

[rdjones]

Not sure if anyone has heard about this one, this is something I have been monitoring over the last couple of months but it finally looks like it is going to happen next year.

The idea is quite a straight forward one - re-create the old RAC rallies of the 70's 80's and early 90's. So next November it is going to happen.

The event will be a four or five day around Britain Rally in November 2004, a field of up to 200 cars visiting such places as Kielder, Grizedale, Dalby and Penmachno.

They are going to offically lunch the event on Thrusday in Sheffield, where the rally is going to based. They are going to have some classic rallies cars on show. So if any one is the area of the Peace Gardens on Thrusday lunch time pop down and take look. Sadly I no longer am a student in Sheffield, but if I was I would be down there like a shoot.

The rally has a website, so take a look:-

http://www.ukmotorsport.com/rogeralb...ly2004home.htm

Take it from me I reckon this is one event you do not want to miss next year.

[Upside Down Bug]

Can't wait for this! I used to follow the Lombard round every year. Now the Rally GB (or Rally in a very small part of wales) is not worth watching.

I'm getting excited already!

[Bob Irvine]

I know its coming up to Twiglees

[rdjones]

Ok heres the details as I have them at the momment:-

Pre 1984, 2 wheel drive cars only
250 miles over 22 forest stages with a 2.5 mile prologue stage on day one for seeding purposes.
Start and finish Sheffield
2 over night halts in Carlisle

When I have some more details I will post info.

[rdjones]

As promised here's the press realsed for the event

ROGER ALBERT CLARK RALLY 2004 LAUNCHES IN SHEFFIELD

The Roger Albert Clark Rally 2004 was officially launched in the Peace Gardens, Sheffield City Centre, today Thursday (9 Oct).

The Peace Gardens were transformed by a giant stage and video screen, marking the place where details of the event were revealed between 1pm and 2pm. On show were 11 ex-works rally cars from the 1970s and 1980s. Up to 200 guests from the world of motorsports attended, along with several hundred members of the public.

The team behind the 2004 rally was introduced. John Taylor, ex Ford works driver heads the team, which includes Geoff Round, Colin Heppenstall, Brian Avery and Graham James of De Lacy Motor Club, and Andrew Thompson and Jim Holmes of Stuttgart and Oval Ltd.

The city of Sheffield is the host venue for the four-day British special stage rally, which takes place from 20th - 24th November 2004. The event will start from the excellent facilities of the Don Valley Stadium.

The rally has been organised from an embryo idea of Paul Adams and attempts to capture the historic challenge which the Lombard RAC Rally offered and to which teams from the UK and Europe, particularly Scandinavia, flocked in the 70s and 80s: no pacenotes or practice, rain, snow, hail, fog and ice - the "classic rally challenge".

The Deputy Mayor of Sheffield, Councilor Mike Pye, added: "It is an honour for Sheffield to be chosen as the host city for the 2004 Rally and adds to our growing reputation as a national centre of sporting excellence. Next year's event will be one of the highlights of my term in office as Lord Mayor."

The rally will predominately feature cars from the Historic, Post Historic and Classic categories. In addition, modern non-turbo two-wheel-drive cars will be allowed to enter to complete the total of 180 competitors.

News of the rally has already spread overseas and it is
anticipated that up to one third of the entries will come from northern Europe and Scandinavia.

Andrew Thompson, a member of the organising committee added: "Getting this far in the organisation of the Rally has been a huge challenge for everyone involved. We are recreating 'the feel of how it used to be, the spirit of how it ought to be', but safety for competitors and spectators is paramount in all our
plans. The overwhelming response from grass roots rally
supporters demonstrates that this event has the potential to be a fabulous climax to the British rally season. The addition of overseas competitors will add to the unique atmosphere."

Saturday 20th November 2004 will be a great day for spectators, with the cars going through covered scrutineering with tiered seating for spectators at the Don Valley stadium, where there will also be a Rally Show. Later that day, competitors will tackle a "prologue" stage to will set the start positions for the Rally itself.

On the Sunday, the rally heads out to some of the traditional 'spectator stages' before heading north to revisit the challenging Lake District and Cumbria stages; the rally will then paused for an overnight halt in Carlisle.

Monday morning will see the rally go even further north, to the classic old Lombard RAC Rally south Scottish stages, before returning to Carlisle for a second night.

Tuesday, the last day of the rally, will be one of the most difficult. After an early start, the cars revisit the historical challenge that the Kielder Forest complex always offered, and then south to the North Yorkshire stages before an eventual finish back in Sheffield in time for a gala dinner and prizegiving.

There has been much excitement about this event among the
rallying community, Stig Blomqvist, who won the rally in 1971 and 1983, considers that it is the conditions which make the rally unique.

Stig said: "Because the rally went all over the country, you never knew what was going to be ahead. I also preferred the events that had no practice and no pacenotes. Two-wheel-drive cars are also the best to do the rally, as 4wd cars are just too good for the conditions to be fun.="

About Roger Clark, Stig added: "I always had a good time with Roger. The only problem was when he was winning, I kept coming second!"

Per Eklund, who came 4th in the Lombard RAC Rally in 1984, said: "My first RAC Rally was in 1968 and I have done it many times over the years. I love the RAC and I would like to do the event again, it would be a dream."

David Sutton, who ran the only private team ever to win the World Rally Championship, added: "Roger was a great personal friend of mine. I still consider him to be the best British driver, and any event that keeps his memory alive gets my full support."

Summing up the launch, ex-works driver John Taylor said: "This really is the event that the sport has been waiting for. The RAC rallies of old were always THE event, because of the distance, weather and night driving. "It attracted entries from the UK, but also a significant number from overseas. It has also been seven or eight years since a rally of this size moved around the UK, particularly to the north of England and Scotland. This event is about re-vitalising the
future of British rallying."

Anyone wanting further information about the rally can visit the website at http://www.rogeralbertclarkrally.co.uk

Just so you know where it's going here's some detail on the rout

20th November 2004
Scrutineering at Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield
Prologue Stage (2.5 miles approximately)

21st November 2004 – Leg 1
Start - Sheffield
Three Spectator Stages (15 miles approximately)
Service Halt
Two Spectator Stages (6 miles approximately)
Regroup
Service Halt
Three Forest Stages (15 miles approximately)
Service Halt & Parc Ferme
Overnight Halt - Carlisle

22nd November 2004 – Leg 2
Re-Start – Carlisle
Service Halt
Four Forest Stages (40 miles approximately)
Service Halt
Three Forest Stages (32 miles approximately)
Service Halt
Four Forest Stages (50 miles approximately)
Service Halt & Parc Ferme
Overnight Halt – Carlisle

23rd November 2004 – Leg 3
Re-Start – Carlisle
Service Halt
Three Forest Stages (50 miles approximately)
Service Halt
Sheffield Finish

I can't wait

[Adam43]

wow wow wow

That will be one that I will be watching.

[garcon]

Right, I feel a 10Tenths trip coming on...this sounds FANBLOODYTASTIC!

[ss_collins]

I want to enter it!

[RTH]

Is this really true or some sort of elaborate hoax ?

[rdjones]

It's ture and it is going to happen.

[M.Lowe]

Mk2's flying about, mmmmmmmm niiiiiice

[Bob Irvine..]

Yea,i'll definitly be following it,just like the old days.they can shove rally GB up their a**e

[rdjones]

Just thought I would feel you in the latest news on this event. The first part of the route has been confirmed and it looks something like this:-

The cars will leave Sheffield on Saturday 20th November. On Sunday 21 November they will pass through several stately homes and country parks, the cars will overnight in Carlisle.

The route for Monday looks like this, a early start atwill see the cars head into Scotland to tackle the first two stagesin Ae at 06.58 and 07.52 followed by Castle O’ER 10.05, Twiglees 10.31 including a superspecial stage in Dumfries at 12.25 then a second passage through Ae at 13.10 and 14.04 returning back to Carlisle via Kershope 16.17 and Ash Park 16.37. The whole day see’s a
central service in Dumfries.

On Tuesday cars will leave Carlisle at 04.00 and head into Kilder and then back to Sheffield for an afternoon finish.

[garcon]

Sounds good. I'm fully intending to follow this one - all the way if poss., do three or so stages a day and dice with the competitors on the road sections, just like the good old days...

[rdjones]

Originally posted by garcon
Sounds good. I'm fully intending to follow this one - all the way if poss., do three or so stages a day and dice with the competitors on the road sections, just like the good old days...

You are not the only one. It is going to be one of the highlights of the year for me anyway. Roll on November..........

[rdjones]

I have just managed to get some more information on this fantastic event, mainly the the route and the timetable. It was published in todays Motorsport News, there are 25 stages over 170 miles but if you not seen it it looks like this:-

Saturday 20th November
09.00 - Scrutineering and Rally Show Don Valley Stadium Sheffield
14.54 - SS1 Rother Valley 1

Sunday 21st November
08.24 - SS2 Rother Valley 2
11.02 - SS3 Oulton Park 1
11.22 - SS4 Oulton Park 2
13.27 - SS5 Leyland 1
13.47 - SS6 Leyland 2
15.17 - SS7 Gisburn
18.47 - SS8 Carlisle Airport

Monday 22nd November
06.58 - SS9 Ae 1
07.52 - SS10 Whitefauld Hill 1
10.05 - SS11 Castle O'er
10.31 - SS12 Twiglees
12.25 - SS13 Heathhall
13.10 - SS14 Ae 2
14.04 - SS15 Whitefauld Hill 2
16.47 - SS16 Kershope 1
17.00 - SS17 Ash Park

Tuesday 23rd Novemeber 2004
05.24 - SS18 Kershope 2
06.11 - SS19 Bewshaugh
07.27 - SS20 Chirdonhead
08.04 - SS21 Rooken
08.22 - SS22 Raw
08.42 - SS23 Ogre Hill
10.05 - SS24 Harwood
13.19 - SS25 Croft
15.30 - Finish Don Valley Stadium Sheffield

It looks good to me, now do I have enough hoilday left so I can take 2 days off work.

[flagwaver]

looks good to me too

[rdjones]

There is just over a month to go before this fantastic event takes place and the entry list is starting to take shape. There are some very big names on the entry so far including Matthew Wilson, Hannu Mikkola, Ray Bellm (chairman of the BRDC and ex Group C2 World Sports Car Champion) and Stig Blomqvist. I also understand there are some more big names to come. The full entry list can be found here

[rdjones]

Just another bit of news on this event. It is reported in today's Motorsport News that they have open up entry to 4 wheel drive cars, but they run behind the historic cars.

[rdjones]

Word has just reached me by another forum that they are not accepting entries from 4x4 cars. The route and some of the stages have changed, the route now look like this:-

Saturday 20th November
Scrutineering & Rally Show Don Valley Stadium - Sheffield 09.00
Start Sheffield 14.30
ss 1 Rother Valley 1 14.54
Overnight Halt Sheffield

Sunday 21st November
Re-Start Sheffield
ss 2 Rother Valley 2 08.24
ss 3 Rother Valley 3 08.37
ss 4 Leyland 1 *no spectators 10.41
ss 5 Leyland 2 *no spectators 10.56
ss 6 Gisburn *no spectators 12.14
Service Carlisle Airport 14.31
ss 7 Harwood 1 17.31
ss 8 Rooken 1 18.51
Overnight Halt Carlisle 20.49

Monday 22nd November
Re-Start Carlisle 05.24
ss 9 Ae 1 07.19
ss 10 Whitefauld Hill 1 08.23
Service Dumfries 08.55
ss 11 Castle O’er 10.14
ss 12 Twiglees 10.29
Service Dumfries 11.30
ss 13 Heathhall 12.08
ss 14 Ae 2 12.49
ss 15 Whitefauld Hill 2 13.53
Service Dumfries 14.25
ss 16 Kershope 1 16.31
ss 17 Ash Park 16.49
Overnight Halt Carlisle 17.22

Tuesday 23rd November
Re-Start Carlisle 05.21
ss 18 Kershope 2 06.02
ss 19 Bewshaugh 06.55
ss 20 Chirdonhead 07.33
Service Kielder 08.05
ss 21 Highfield 08.56
ss 22 Rooken 2 09.19
ss 23 Ogre Hill 09.45
ss 24 Harwood 2 11.09
Service Croft 13.36
ss 25 Croft 14.04
Finish Don Valley Stadium - Sheffield 17.00

I have also just found out the ticketing prices as well:-

Rother Valley £10 per car.
All Forest Stages Parking £5 per car.
Croft £5 per car.

I'll keep everyone updated with the latest information as I get as this event is only 4 weeks away now.

[Adam43]

Well I'm planning to catch the start and maybe the finish, if I can leave work early. There is a slight issue that the first stage overalaps with the rugby

[rdjones]

Much as would love to the forest, I just can't get the time of work, so it will be a trip to Don Valley and Rother Valley on Saturday returning there very early Sunday morning.

[rdjones]

Not long to go now before this event takes place. There are only 41 cars entered at the momment which is a real shame but the seeded entry list looks something like this:-


Historic
1 Steve Perez Porsche 911S
2 Chris Green/Hilary Green Ford Lotus Cortina MKI
3 David McErlain/Andrew Merifield Porsche 911
4 Rob Pilcher/Roger Burkill Ford Lotus Cortina
5 David Foster/Terry March Morris Mini Cooper S
6 Adrian Kermode/Thomas Koerner Morris Cooper S

Post Historic
11 Richard Tuthill/John Bennie Porsche 911
12 Ray Bellm/Marc Jones Ford Escort RS 1600
14 Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin Ford Escort MKI
15 David Stokes/Ian Oakey Ford Escort MkI
16 Richard Gower/Carl Williamson Ford Escort RS
17 Simon Glover/John Clarke Ford Escort RS1600
18 Jeremy Easson/Alun Cook Ford Escort RS2000
19 Willi Polesznig/Peter Stark Porsche 911
21 Anthony Ward/Mark Crisp Ford Escort RS 1600
22 Craig Salter/Preston Ayres Ford Escort MkI
23 Terry Newlan/Nick Barrington Ford Escort MkI RS1600
24 Keith Scarr/Paul Hudson Ford Escort MkI RS1600
25 Garry Preston/Mike Sones Mini Clubman GT
26 Peter Hall/John Billett Ford Escort
27 Alexander Hack/Rob Richardson Ford Escort RS 1600
28 Mark Butler/David Holmes Ford Escort MkI RS1600

Classic
41 Stig Blomqvist/Ana Goni Ford Escort MkII RS
42 Hannu Mikkola/Ieuan Thomas Ford Escort RS 1800
43 Richard Lepley/Ian Devan Ford Escort RS 1600
44 Robert Dick/Barry Green Ford Escort MKII
45 Grant Shand/Frank Richer Ford Escort
46 Stephen Hall/Aggie Foster Triumph TR7
48 Bryan Gill/Nigel Hutchinson Opel Kadett GTE
49 Philip Squires/Michael Squires Ford Escort RS1800
50 Robin Morgan/Mike Robinson Opel Kadett GTE
51 Ralph Abel/Mark Swallow Ford Escort RS 1800

Roger Albert Clark Open Rally
61 Steve Bannister/Kevin Rae Ford Escort
62 Dave Hemingway/Jim Plevey Ford Escort
63 Rodger Mark Fowler/Christopher Dewsnap Opel Manta 400
64 Tony Jardine/Maurice Hamilton MG ZR 160
65 Steve Blunt/Gavine Clark Peugeot 306 GTi
66 Martin Kilburn/Tim Buckley Ford Escort MkII
67 Redmond Barry/Robert Hay Proton Compact
68 Julius Deane/Charlie Chatburn Peugeot 205 Gti
69 Stephen Graham/Tony Graham Peugeot 205

Edit:- Matt Wilson has had to pull but his entry has been taken over by Malcom Wilson

[Adam43]

Thanks for the info rdjones. I'll be there, it should be fun.

a friend of mine entered a competition and won some tickets! Which is nice.

[rdjones]

I'll be at Rother Valley on Saturday afternoon, I 99% I will be back on Sunday morning, can't get to the forest due only having half a days left, then again Croft next Tuesday afternoon is tempting.....

Oh and Adam just a quick question as you may know I'm not living in Sheffield anymore, but do you know if there has been any publity in the Sheffield Star or on Radio Sheffield or Hallam FM?