Sunderland will be the host town for the 2015 Roger Albert Clark Rally when the 12th edition of the rally that re-creates the RAC Rallies of the 1970s and 1980s runs from 27-29 November.
Rally director Colin Heppenstall has revealed outline route details for this year’s event, which will feature a revised route taking in the best elements of recent editions. In total, competitors will tackle 160 stage miles in just over 48 hours, with the route returning to Sunderland for overnight halts on Friday and Saturday and the rally finish on Sunday.
Following a successful move to the north-east city last year, scrutineering and documentation will be based in Sunderland during Friday (27 November). The rally will then feature a city centre start on Friday afternoon ahead of two runs through a spectator stage at Herrington Park and four forest stages in the southern part of Kielder to give a loop of nearly 40 stage miles.
Saturday’s route will be a little shorter than usual and will cover 60 stage miles in the central block of Kielder with service at Kielder water and the end of leg in Sunderland at around 6pm.
On Sunday crews will tackle another 60 stage miles in a loop to the north, taking in stages in the Scottish borders with service at Hawick. The rally will finish back in Sunderland at 6pm.
“Based on competitor feedback, we’ve brought together the best elements of the last three or four events,” said Heppenstall. “Apart from the spectator stage at Herrington Park, the shortest stage is seven miles and there are several stages of between 12 and 15 miles.”
Heppenstall has pledged to hold the entry fee at a similar level to 2014 for a total of 160 stage miles and says that spectators will be welcome at just about all special stages.
More details about the event will be published in due course and event regulations should be available by the end of August.
For more details about the Roger Albert Clark Rally, please visit www.rogeralbertclarkrally.org
