RSAC Scottish Rally Announces Plans For 2014 …
It may only be November, but the organisers of the RSAC Scottish Rally are already planning ahead for their event on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 June 2014.
This year’s event was very tiring!
The use of stages nearer to the rally base in Dumfries will allow a more compact rally route and also an earlier finish, which should be welcomed by competitors. It will also allow more spectators to see the finish.
The National A event will run in line with the format already announced by the BRC. Following a ceremonial start in Dumfries on Friday evening, the National A crews will head straight for some competitive rallying. After an overnight halt, the National A event will re-start from the Heathhall service area on Saturday morning with a run through the Eskdalemuir forests, which will make a welcome return after being rested in 2013. Competitors will then move to the forests visited by the National B crews in the morning.
Mark Taylor, BRC Championship Manager said: “Bringing together the MSA British, the MSA British Historic and the MSA Scottish Rally Championships must elevate the 2014 RSAC Scottish Rally into one of the premier events in the 2014 UK rally calendar.“
“A mix of modern and historic cars should create a mouth-watering spectacle for spectators. Being a round of the MSA British Rally Championship provides national and worldwide appeal, and the event provides huge economic value and promotion for the local tourist industry.”
“I am looking forward to working closely with the event organising team and Dumfries and Galloway Council in ensuring we increase the profile of the rally and extract the best value from our association.”
John Hunt, Secretary of the BHRC, said: “The organisers of the MSA British Historic Rally Championship are pleased to have the RSAC Scottish Rally as a round of the 2014 Championship. The opportunity to compete on the classic stages of Eskdalemuir and Ae Forests has been enthusiastically received by our competitors and we are looking forward to our journey north to Dumfries.”
The National B event will start from the High Street in Dumfries early on Saturday morning and crews will run first on the road through stages in the Ae complex. They will then head east to Eskdalemuir where the forests will provide a grandstand finish with everything to play for over the last fifteen miles.
Dave Robson, Chairman of the ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship, said: “With the event retaining a similar format to this year, our competitors will enjoy an early run through the testing Forest of Ae complex before heading to stages which will have been unused for 2 years giving an excellent chance to compare times with crews from the BRC.”
“We look forward once again to ‘mixing it’ with those teams, at the start, in the service area and on the stages.”
Detailed routes will be published once negotiations are finalised with the Forestry Commission.
Happy rallying.
“We are planning a more compact route for 2014 which should be welcomed by competitors, and I am particularly pleased that Castle O’er and Twiglees should feature again after a year’s rest.”
The rally is sponsored for the eighteenth consecutive year by Dumfries and Galloway Council. This is thought to be a record for a partnership between a rally and a British local authority.
Councillor Colin Smyth, the Council’s Events Champion said: “Dumfries and Galloway produces its fair share of rallying champions, and the Scottish Rally is a great showcase of edge of your seat, adrenalin fuelled competition for our local stars to participate in.”
“I’m delighted that the 2014 Rally will again form part of the British and Scottish Rally Championships, and that there are good opportunities for spectators to enjoy more accessible access to the wonderful action.”
( Word by Hayley Parr, pics by JB )
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