Rallyday - Castle Combe 20th September
This year sees the fourteenth running of Rallyday, an occasion that has become the UK's premier rally event, held again at the picturesque Wiltshire circuit Castle Combe. Conceived and evolved by rally enthusiasts, the annual show gives visitors a chance to enjoy the spectacle of seeing a wide range of rally cars and rally stars in an open and spectator-friendly environment. The day comprises of live action on the track combined with a paddock area packed with static displays that offer a cornucopia of rally-related activities for everyone - be they hardened rally enthusiast or simply a family looking for an enjoyable day out.
Rally stars that are attending the event this year include Markku Alen, Harri Toivonen, Markko Martin, Bjorn Waldegard, David Llewellin and Gwydaf Evans. Among anniversaries being marked at Rallyday this year will be the Metro 6R4's; the iconic Williams Grand Prix Engineering designed group 'B' rally car will be celebrating its thirtieth birthday in style with what promises to be one of the largest collections of 6R4s ever seen in the UK. Also featured will be a reunion of the teams and people who helped make the Metro 6R4 a reality; designers, technicians and drivers.
Another birthday to be recognised will centre on arguably the most beautiful rally car ever built; Lancia's Stratos HF. Hugely successful in the mid-70s, the Stratos won successive world championships in 1974/75/76 and Rallyday will celebrate the charismatic Italian supercar's 40th Anniversary with a paddock display and parade, as well as seeing cars put through their paces on the Feature Stage, one of these cars will be driven by the winner of the inaugural World Rally Championship for drivers in 1979 - Bjorn Waldegard, a former Lancia works team driver with 16 career WRC victories.
But Rallyday wouldn't be the same without the fire-breathing monsters from the 1980s, regarded by many as the ultimate era of rallying, when manufacturers built the wildest machines with raw power that exceed their road holding technology! There will be over 50 Group B and Group 4 rally cars taking part on the demanding Feature Rally Stage, many driven by past champions including the redoubtable Gwyndaf Evans.
This year Rallyday will echo to the sounds and sights of Ferrari's Gp'B' 308 GTB, Lancia's, Integrale and Fulvia and Beta Prototipo, Fiat's glorious 131. From the UK there'll be a rare collection of period works rally cars from the bygone days of British Leyland Motor Company. Cars from the 1960s and 1970's will include ex-works variants of the Morris Marina, Austin 1800 & Maxi, Triumph Dolomite Sprint and TR7 V8 and of course the all-conquering Mini Cooper 'S'.
Rallyday 2014 will pay tribute to Mitsubishi Motors 40th year in the UK with a display of Mitsubishi rally cars including an ultra-rare ex-works Lancer 2000 Turbo which preceded the EVOs and it's hoped to be able to show every model of Evolution from Evo 1 through to Evo X and culminating in the last of the breed - MMLS's Mitsubishi WRC05, the manufacturer's last world rally car which will be heading up a display showing the evolution of the model.
The MSA British Rally Championship will return to Rallyday this year with a selection of cars and drivers that can be seen supporting the evocative Wales Rally GB display stand in the main paddock and of course the IRDC will support Rallyday once again with a gazebo and display in the main paddock. Look for the familiar flag and ensure you come along and say hello!
For more details:- www.rallyday.com
e-mail:- info@rallyday.com
Tel:- 08451 272559
22nd August, 2014