Wednesday 11 May 2011

Route announced for 2011 Roger Albert Clark Rally

A new start venue at Duncombe Park, a return to Croft circuit and two twenty-mile stages are the key features of the provisional route for this year’s Roger Albert Clark Rally, (2-5 December).

As well as hosting a spectator-friendly 2.5-mile stage to be run twice on Friday evening and twice on Saturday, Duncombe Park near Hemlsley will also act as the new headquarters for the rally, with scrutineering and documentation during Friday 2 December.

Rally manager Colin Heppenstall says that he wants to finish the 2011 event with a big bang and is planning two runs through a marathon 20-miler in Kershope on the final morning of the rally, Monday 5 December.

“I wanted a real challenge at the end of the rally,” said Heppenstall, who has planned a service halt at Carlisle in between the two long stages in Kershope forest. “The return to Croft is another excellent development and we expect the first cars to arrive there at around 3pm on Sunday.” As well as a pair of stages, Croft will host a major service halt in a family-friendly environment and rejoins the route in favour of Oliver’s Mount.

The rally will include two runs at a nine-mile stage in Dalby forest in the dark of Friday evening (2 December), as well as two stages through Duncombe Park.

Total stage mileage is currently around 170, but Heppenstall has plans to add further stages if negotiations with a key title sponsor prove fruitful. Interest from overseas crews is already running ahead of the 2010 event and Heppenstall is targeting a record-breaking 100-car field.

Provisional route
Friday December 2
SS1 Duncombe Park 1
SS2 Dalby 1
SS3 Duncombe Park 2
SS4 Dalby 2

Saturday December 3
SS5 Langdale 1
SS6 Gale Rigg 1
SS7 Duncombe Park 3
SS8 Duncombe Park 4
SS9 Langdale 2
SS10 Gale Rigg 2
SS11 Croft 1
SS12 Croft 2
SS13 Hamsterley
SS14 Shepherdshield

Sunday December 4
SS15 Ae 1
SS16 Twiglees 1
SS17 Heathhall 1
SS18 Ae 2
SS19 Heathhall 2
SS20 Twiglees 2
SS21 Newcastleton 1
SS22 Newcastleton 2

Monday December 5
SS23 Kershope 1
SS24 Kershope 2

For more details about the Roger Albert Clark Rally, and its support rallies, please visit www.rogeralbertclarkrally.org