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Round Four Severn Valley Stages Rally 2014 organised by Midland Manor Motor Club Saturday 31st May 2014
Spectator Guide www.racrallychamp.org
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2014 West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship
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Contents West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship Partners
3
Welcome to the West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship 2014
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The R.A.C. Rally Championship 2014
5
Rally Introduction Severn Valley Historic Stages
10
Event Officials
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R.A.C. Rally Championship on TV
13
Drummond back for Severn Valley
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27 partners for WWRS R.A.C Rally Championship
16
Event Preview
18
Spectator Route
22
Entry List
23
Acknowledgements
26
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West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship
Partners
With Thanks to our championship partners
With Thanks to our TV partners
Classic Engines
With Thanks to our tyre partners
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Welcome to the West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship 2014
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elcome to the 2014 West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship organised by the Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club. In its inaugural year in 2013 this all-new championship attracted unprecedented competitor support and has consistently drawn stunning entries with quality and quantity to match.
Back in March 2013, on the Rally Marketing Mid Wales Rally, the championship got off to a flying start with a record breaking number of registered contenders taking part. This number bucked the trend of the last six years where there had been a significant decline in the number of historic entries received. In 2014 the championship will once again consist of seven rounds with the inclusion of the Severn Valley Stages one of the best gravel rallies in Wales. Competitors will count their best six results towards the end of the season awards. The remaining schedule mirrors the 2013 events, as we are keen to keep faith with the rallies that supported us from the beginning. Our aim is to have 45-55 stage miles per rally with usually a one day format and rallies on Saturdays wherever possible. In 2014 we will not include any asphalt rallies but this will be very much under review for 2015. Paul Lawrence Championship Press and PR Officer
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The R.A.C. Rally Championship 2014
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he West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship was conceived in the summer of 2012, with brief details being announced at the prize presentation of the Roger Albert Clark Rally that year. The initial concept was to create a new historic championship which would introduce cars from a later era than was currently allowed. It was originally known as the ‘Pre 87 Championship, reflecting the widening of the categories of cars competing, but it would become known as the R.A.C. Rally Championship. This would ensure the continued provenance of the Roger Albert Clark Rally with its ethos of friendly and open competition. Organised by the team that made that rally possible, the new championship proved to be extremely popular in 2013. The outright winners that year were the very popular Marty McCormack and his co-driver Phil Clarke. This year the West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship is breaking records, with 94 competitors registered by the second round, the Mid Wales Stages at the beginning of March. The Championship organisers are extremely pleased with this level of support and it certainly looks like the pre-season target of 100 registered competitors will be reached by round three, the Tour of Hamsterley. In a total entry of 85 cars for the season opening Red Kite Stages, 60 of them were chasing points in the UK’s most popular championship for historic cars. The R.A.C. Championship entry spanned 17 different models of car and includes over 25 crews that are new to the championship.
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The R.A.C. Rally Championship 2014
The story was even better a month later in early March for round two, the Mid Wales Stages, with a record-breaking 75 championship contenders on the entry list. Red Kite Stages The season kicked off on the Red Kite Stages (Sunday 2 February), organised by Amman and District Motor Club, running over the superb forest stages in Caio and Crychan complexes. A full day of exciting competition went to the wire with a dramatic final stage victory, when the rally leaders Nick Elliott and David Price crashed out on the final stage of the day. They surrendered what seemed an unassailable lead of 28 seconds to their nearest rivals Richard Hill and Pat Cooper. Hill was pleased to have taken victory on the first round but was disappointed by the way in which it happened. “It’s not the way I want to win a rally,” he said. However, it could have been very different as their final stage was not without drama when the wipers on their Ford Escort packed up five miles from the end. The first of two enthralling battles came in Category 1 as Ray Cunningham/Gary McElhinney (Mini Cooper) ended the rally tied with Simon Wallis/Graham Wride (Lotus Cortina). The Mini crew took the Category on a tie-break and also claimed first blood in the Aldon Automotive Mini and Imp Cup. www.racrallychamp.org
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The R.A.C. Rally Championship 2014
It was even closer in Category 2 as Chris Browne/Ali CornwellBrowne beat fellow Escort Mk1 crew Roger Matthews/Paul Morris on another tie-break after pulling back a 1s deficit on the final stage. Browne got the nod after being a single second faster than Matthews over the opening stage. Other category winners included Tom Coughtrie/Calvin Cooledge (Ford Escort Mk2) in Category K and Layton Waters/Kevin Bowcott (Toyota Starlet) in Category O. Mid Wales Stages Elliott and Price bounced back to take a resounding victory on the Mid Wales Historic Stages (Sunday 2 March), the second round of the West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship. Over 55 miles of classic Welsh forest stages, made slippery and extremely challenging by steady rain, Elliott and Price took control from the opening stage at Pikes Peak. With a 28s lead going into the final stage, Elliott took a steady approach and that helped Matthew Robinson/Sam Collis to pull back 10s to leave the margin of victory at 17.6s. Meirion Evans and Iwan Jones made it three Ford Escort Mk2s on the overall podium before the flying Sunbeam Lotus of Owen Murphy/James O’Brien. Once again, Ray Cunningham and Gary McElhinney (Mini Cooper) were the stars of Category 1 as they saw off a very strong field to take the spoils and maximum points in the Aldon Automotive Mini and Imp Cup. Meanwhile, David Stokes and Guy Weaver (Ford Escort Mk1) made a strong championship debut to win Category 2. Other category winners included Darren Moon/Alan Walker (Ford Escort Mk2) in Category K and Simon Crook/Alister Crook (Opel Manta) in Category O. www.racrallychamp.org
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The R.A.C. Rally Championship 2014
Tour of Hamsterley Matt Edwards and Kim Baker scored a fine victory on the SG Petch Tour of Hamsterley historic rally (Saturday 26 April), the third round of the West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship. The 45-mile event made use of the Hamsterley forest complex as well as the mixed surface stage at Raby Castle and it was Edwards who took control from the start, despite feeling decidedly unwell. Edwards and Baker went into the final loop of three stages just 12s up on the similar Ford Escort Mk2 of Matthew Robinson/Sam Collis, but when Robinson hit electrical dramas on the penultimate stage, Edwards was clear of Nick Elliott/Dave Price by 47s. With 65 registered contenders starting the rally, the Shildon-based event was another strong event for the WWRS R.A.C. Rally Championship and also marked the opening round of the championship’s Northern Challenge. A driver error on the opening Hamsterley stage cost Edwards around 10s, but after that he flew, taking six or seven seconds out of everyone on the longer stages. Despite this being the first event together for Edwards and Baker, the partnership gelled immediately and the pace was mighty. “It’s now handling like I expected a Mk2 would,” said a delighted winner. They duly headed the Rob Smith Rallying Category 3. The final winning margin was 47s, but Robinson and Collis led the chase despite battling an electrical drama that was costing pace. “In fourth gear it was hard to get the last 1500rpm,” said Robinson, who was still only 12s down heading back into Hamsterley. But the electrics cut dead near the end of the last Hamsterley stage and second place was gone. The battery had blown up like a balloon as the alternator had been over-charging. That promoted Elliott and Price to second. “We were steady all day,” www.racrallychamp.org
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The R.A.C. Rally Championship 2014
said Elliott, who dropped around 10s in a ditch on the penultimate stage. Elliott had a major starter motor drama the day before the rally, but for Pritchard the same issue developed on Saturday. “It was a stressful morning,” he said after stalling on stages two and three in Hamsterley. Pritchard lost around 30s and ended the rally only 33s down on Elliott to underline ever increasing pace. Championship leaders Richard Hill and Steffan Evans were a strong fourth, while Meirion Evans/Iwan Jones took a fine fifth on the driver’s first gravel rally out of Wales. A big escape from a Hamsterley ditch topped their day. “You’ve got to be very precise: it’s a very, very tricky event,” said Evans.
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Rally Introduction Round 4 - Severn Valley Stages Welcome to the Severn Valley Stages 2014
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elcome!
On behalf of Midland Manor Motor Club, welcome to the Severn Valley Stages 2014. We are delighted with the response to the 41st running of this event and with up to 120 cars due to start, we hope to offer you an enjoyable day’s motorsport. With competitors tackling the spectator stages twice, there will be plenty of opportunity to see a mix of historic cars (and drivers) and World Rally Championship cars battling for honours throughout the day. We have selected two first class locations offering good parking and excellent viewing. Please bring your own refreshments with you, however, we ask just three simple things from you: Please listen to the marshals and follow their instructions Please take your litter home with you Please drive quietly and courteously on the way to and from the stages The outline running order will be: First group: Category 1 historics (approx 20 cars)
10-minute gap
Second group: Category 2 and 3 historics (approx 60 cars)
10-minute gap
Third group: Modern cars (approx 40 cars) You will be able to watch competitors from the Pirelli MSA Welsh Stage Rally Championship, the Brian Dennis Motorsport Welsh Historic Rally Championship and, for the first time, the West Wales www.racrallychamp.org
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Rally Introduction Round 4 - Severn Valley Stages Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship. We hope that all crews have a safe and enjoyable day, whatever the result. We could not run this event without the support and help of every marshal and volunteer who generously give enormous amounts of time at no cost to the event. We are very fortunate to be supported by a number of people carrying out essential roles to ensure the safe and efficient running of the rally, including timekeepers, radio crews, rescue and recovery crews and all the other volunteers who play a vital role. On behalf of the organising team and every competitor, we thank you. So, please enjoy the day and please help us to ensure the future of the rally by respecting the decisions of marshals and officials, maintaining the highest standard of driving behaviour and conducting yourself in a manner that is in the best interests of UK motor sport. Thank you. Chris Ashley Clerk of the Course
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Event Officials
OFFICIALS OF THE EVENT Organising Committee:- Chris Ashley, Keith Ashley, Mike Davis , Tony Jackson , Andrew Kellitt, Mark Kinsey, Dave Lancaster, Steven Tibbetts, Keith Udy, Mike Wilding. Stewards: Appointed by the MSA TBA Appointed by the Club Phil Jones, Mike Sones Clerks of the Course all events Chris Ashley, Keith Ashley Clerk of the Course all events (HQ) Andrew Kellitt Deputy Clerk of the Course all events & PR Coordinator Mike Wilding Secretary of the Meeting Steven Tibbetts Entries Secretary Dave Lancaster Chief Safety Officer Tony Jackson Chief Marshal Mark Kinsey Builth Wells Co-ordinators Steven Tibbetts (HQ) / Clive Townend(Service Area)
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R.A.C. Rally Championship on TV
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he new television package for the 2014 West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship has been confirmed following the sad loss of David Winstanley in February. Olly Dickinson has now taken over the project and will lead the programme editing and production as well as presenting and on-event interviews. He will be supported by renowned motor sport commentator David Addison, who will deliver the narrative to the programmes. “We can never replace David Winstanley, who has a special place in the affections of all rally fans,” said championship manager Colin Heppenstall. “However, we are very pleased with the new arrangement. I’m sure that Olly is going to be a great addition to the R.A.C. team and he brings a real passion for historic rallying. I’m also very pleased that we have been able to give a hard-working young guy this opportunity.” “I’m delighted to have the chance to come on-board with this rapidly growing championship and I look forward to producing quality TV coverage,” said Dickinson. Addison, meanwhile, is best known as the lead voice for live ITV4 coverage of the British Touring Car Championship and has extensive experience of commentating and narrating right across the sport and up to the highest level. “This will be a new challenge for me,” he said. “I’ve always been a real fan of rallying and historics in particular, and I’ve heard a great deal about the strength and popularity of the R.A.C. Championship.” The new team started its coverage with the action from round two, www.racrallychamp.org
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R.A.C. Rally Championship on TV
the Mid Wales Stages, which aired on Motors TV on Friday 28 March followed by coverage of the Tour of Hamsterly which first aired on Friday 23rd May. Each championship round will be covered in detail in a 90-minute programme on Motors TV with multiple repeats and there will also be an end-of-season review programme to give the championship over 50 hours of TV coverage. Initial broadcasts will run in prime-time slots, typically three weeks after the rally. Alongside the TV coverage, the entire R.A.C. Rally Championship will again be available on iRally and will build on more than one million views achieved in 2013 for the championship and the Roger Albert Clark Rally. The free iRally App is available for the iPhone, iPad and Android devices and offers an incredibly popular rally video channel. Support for coverage of the 2014 WWRS R.A.C. Rally Championship comes from TV partners Amigos, JD Garage Equipment, Jordan Road Surfacing, Lloyd-Thomas Opticians, Lynwood Classic Engines, Rally and Competition Equipment, rallyprep.co.uk, Robinson Road Planing, Skipton Ford, Sherwood Engines and Swift Leisure.
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Drummond back for Severn Valley
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easoned competitor Ian Drummond has chosen the Severn Valley Stages (31 May) as his first rally for nearly a year and will team up with Hu Kent as co-driver in his Ford Escort RS2000. Drummond is delighted to be going rallying for the first time since the 2013 Harry Flatters and only tackled two events last year due to some health issues. However, he is now raring to go rallying again and has registered for the West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Championship with a plan to do as many of the remaining rounds as possible. The Northampton-based driver will field his regular class C3 Escort Mk1 with support from T and K Precision Ltd (Northampton). He says the Severn Valley is always one of his favourite events, with top stages in the Crychan and Halfway region. “The car continues to be maintained by GB RallyPrep in Kettering and the engine is now back to full strength after attention by Pete Jones of Jondel Race Engines,” reported Drummond. “My only concern is being more than a bit rusty after my enforced lay-off and we are planning to test the car and driver before the Severn Valley to ensure fitness for both!” The Severn Valley Stages Rally is a competitor-focused event offering 44 stage miles for £475. The route will take in special stages in Cefn, Crychan and Halfway forests, and both Cefn and Halfway will not have been used for 10 months by the time of the 31 May rally. The rally will once again be based at the Royal Welsh Showground at Builth Wells. www.racrallychamp.org
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WWRS R.A.C Rally Championship partners
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he full range of sponsors and partners for the West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship brings to 27 the total number of organisations partnering with the biggest historic rally championship in Britain. With West Wales Rally Spares as title sponsor for the championship, the four major tyre suppliers in the historic arena have all continued as tyre partners: DMACK, Dunlop, Kumho and Pirelli. Category sponsors for the coming season are Walker Diecastings (Category 1), Capital Construction (Category 2), Rob Smith Rallying (Category 3) and Holton Homes (Category 4). New for 2014 is the Welsh Challenge, run over the four events in Wales, which is being sponsored by Geoff Jones Motorsport. Aldon Automotive has already been confirmed as the sponsor of the Mini and Imp Cup. Specific product awards on each event will be provided by Fuchs Lubricants (Spirit of the Rally Award) and Mintex (Best Improvement on Seeding) while Holton Homes has continued to support the Clubmans Award, which provides a 50% entry fee refund for one crew on each rally. Special end of season awards are supported by Martin Jones Transmissions (most entertaining driver), Weir Laundry Equipment (best under 25 driver) and Rally Xtreme (best over 55 driver). www.racrallychamp.org
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27 partners unveiled for WWRS R.A.C Rally Championship Support for the TV coverage of the 2014 championship comes from Amigos, JD Garage Equipment, Jordan Road Surfacing, LloydThomas Opticians, Lynwood Classic Engines, Rally and Competition Equipment, rallyprep.co.uk, Robinson Road Planing, Skipton Ford, Sherwood Engines and Swift Leisure. “I am absolutely delighted with the level of support for the 2014 championship,” said championship manager Colin Heppenstall. “Every one of our partners is warmly appreciated for their help in making the championship a success. I am confident we will reward them with a fine season of rallying in a sporting and competitive atmosphere.”
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Event Preview
WWRS R.A.C. Championship heads for the Severn Valley
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he West Wales Rally Spares R.A.C. Rally Championship heads back to Wales for round four on the Severn Valley Stages (Saturday 31 May). The classic stages in the Crychan region will deliver another great event for 70 championship contenders on a rally that is one of the most popular on the schedule. The event will mark the third event in the Geoff Jones Motorsport Welsh Challenge as well as the next round of the highly successful Kumho Clubmans Challenge for crews competing on a maximum of six tyres for the event. Once again, there is a tremendous lineup of 19 pre ’68 cars in the Walker Diecastings Category 1, which includes contenders in the Aldon Automotive Mini and Imp Cup. Heading the field away, thanks to two victories in Wales already this season, is the Mini Cooper of Ray Cunningham and Gary McElhinney and the Irish crew will fly on these stages. However, Tour of Hamsterley winners Graham Waite/Gill Cotton will be hurling the Volvo Amazon around in fine style and a trio of Lotus Cortinas will be right in the mix in the hands of Gwilym Roberts/Don James, Simon Wallis/Graham Wride and Paul Mankin/Desmond Bell. Ranged against the Cortinas in class B4 will be the Volvo PV544 of Ian Beveridge/Paul Price and the Alfa Romeo Junior GT of John Everard/Mark Sharpley. Class B3 should be a battle of three classic Fords: the Cortina Mk2 of Bob and Dale Gibbons, the Ford Anglia of Peter Stimson/Mark Butler and the Cortina Mk1 of Callum Barney and Ron www.racrallychamp.org
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Event Preview Channon, who make a welcome return after rolling out of the opening event of the season. Adding tremendous depth to the Mini and Imp Cup are the Minis of Ross and Arron Forde and Clive King/Bob Ward as well as the Sunbeam Imp Sport of Geoff Taylor/Steve Greenhill. With the Porsche 911 of Edmund Peel/Jane Edgington and the Saab 96 of Stephen Higgins/Don Bramfoot, it is another glorious Category 1 entry for the R.A.C. Championship. In the Capital Construction Category 2, David Stokes and Guy Weaver are in fine form in their Ford Escort Mk1 and head to an event they know well on the back of two victories. Offering opposition in the category and class C5 are similar cars for Warren Philliskirk/ Nigel Hutchinson, Chris Browne/Ali Cornwell-Browne, Roger Matthews/Paul Morris and welcome championship newcomers Ernie and Will Graham. Class C3 is enjoying a great season of varied competition and the entry is topped by the Opel Ascona A of Peter Smith/Paul Spooner, who will expect a tough challenge from the Pintopowered Ford Escort Mk1s of David Kirby/Chris Rixon, Peter Egerton/Alun Cook, Simon Pickering/Colin Jenkins and championship newcomers Nick Danks/Martin Corbett and Ian Drummond/Hu Kent. Class C2 is home to the 1600cc cars in Category 2 and the benchmark is the Escort Mk1 of Robin Shuttleworth/Mark Midgley. www.racrallychamp.org
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Event Preview
But the Leeds crew can expect a big challenge from similar cars of Paul and Daniel May and Stuart and Linda Cariss as well as the fresh Hillman Avenger in the very capable hands of Barry Jordan/James Gratton-Smith. The very fastest cars are spilt across class D5 in Category 3 and Category K for FIA specification cars and the event has drawn a stunning entry of most of the leading contenders in this type of car. From the Holton Homes Category K comes the very rapid Ford Escort Mk2 of Jason Pritchard/Phil Clarke, who will be fresh from victory on the Isle of Man in their Ford Focus WRC. Other Category K Escorts include those of Tomas Davies/Eurig Davies and Darren Moon/Tim Sayer and all three crews are capable of a top overall result. Nick Elliott and Dave Price head another superb entry for the Rob Smith Rallying Category 3 in their Ford Escort Mk2 and will be keen to repeat their victory on round two, the Mid Wales Stages. Tour of Hamsterley winner Matt Edwards, with Sam Collis back in the co-driver’s seat, will head the chase of Elliott along with Richard Hill/Steffan Evans, Meirion Evans/Llion Williams and Talbot Sunbeam Lotus crew Owen Murphy/James O’Brien, who head the class D4 runners. Add in accomplished Escort pilots like Terry Brown, Tim Freeman, James Potter, Gareth Lloyd and Richard Lane and it all makes for a sensational entry. Class D3 for the Pinto-engined Escort Mk2s is enjoying a great season www.racrallychamp.org
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Event Preview
of competition and is wide open going into the Severn Valley. Gareth Lewis/ Dan Holley, Mike Reed/Joe Sturdy, Adrian Young/Gwynfor Jones, Ben Friend/Sean Kennedy and Paul Fry/Mike Steele are all in the mix is this very open and competitive class. Meanwhile, class D2 for the 1600cc cars in Category 3 is set to be a contest between the Hillman Avengers of Keith Davison/Henry Richardson, Graham Thatcher/Robert James and the Sunbeam Talbot of David Hopkins/Tony Vart. Running alongside the historics are the cars in R.A.C. Category O for open twowheel drive cars and the entry includes the lovely Opel Manta of Simon and Alister Crook. They face the rapid Toyota Starlet of Layton Waters/Kevin Bowcott and the Escorts of Barry Stevenson-Wheeler/John Pickavance, Alan and Liam Carfrae and Neil and Simon Dwyer. The rally will be based at the Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells. The first historic car will start at 8.30am and return to the finish shortly before 3pm. The Severn Valley Stages is organised by Midland Manor Motor Club. For more details about the event please visit: www.severnvalleystages.co.uk
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Spectator Route
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Entry List
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Entry List
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Entry List
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Acknowledgements
Championships Partners
We would like to acknowledge all Marshals, Stage Commanders, Timekeepers, Medical, Rescue and Recovery Units, Radio and Safety Crews, Course and Course Closing Cars and ALL Motor Clubs who assist with the running of this rally. We are grateful to you for your continued support. All Landowners and Residents on and off Route Army Training Estates Wales Braces Bakery Brightwells of Leominster British Rally Marshals Club Builth Wells Town Council Carmarthenshire County Council CPAT Cynghordy Vintage Club Dyfed-Powys Police Event Signs Fairfield Motorsport Historic Rally Car Register Mid & West Wales Fire & Rescue Service Motor Sports Association Natural Resources Wales Pattersons Pacenotes Pine Lodge Maps Powys County Council Rally Time Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells RSPB Welsh Ambulance Trust Welsh Association of Motor Clubs www.racrallychamp.org
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Acknowledgements
The Championship Team would like to thank All the Marshals, Competitors, and Helpers - we couldn't do this without you.
All that remains for us to say is we look forward to welcoming you to this event. Let’s all hope for a safe and enjoyable weekend’s sport. Please comply with all marshals instructions Please take your litter home and keep the forests clean for everyone!
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