Rally car demonstration

[Tim C]

Calling all rally cars - ex-works, recreations, recreations and tributes, quattros, CQs, 80s, 90s, even 200’s (it probably won't be ready by February will it?)

The 2010 Rallye Sunseeker takes place on Saturday 27th February. It is based in Bournemouth and is the opening round for the National Rally Championship. Over the last 2 years they have featured the Metro 6R4, in 2008 for a 20 year anniversary since the car first competed on the event and in 2009 for the 25 year anniversary since its launch. In 2008 I approached the organisers to enquire whether they would like our quattro rally recreation to add to the display, as it was the Audi quattro that lead to the birth of the 6R4. They declined explaining that they didn’t want to dilute the spectacle of the 6R4’s but maybe we could do something in the future.

One of the organisers, Annie Roden (Deputy Clerk of the Course), who also oversees the rally stage at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, received an email from John Davenport highlighting the quattro’s 30 year anniversary. Consequently, Annie contacted me to ask if we could do something along the same lines as the Metros to celebrate this.

We had a meeting yesterday along with Poole Audi, who always has a strong presence at the event, to discuss the possibility.

Preliminary suggestions were:

A ceremonial start is being held on Poole Quay on Friday night in lieu of the cancelled Bournemouth Winter Gardens stage.
They have asked for a quattro rally car and a car (an R8) from Poole Audi to attend. I will be able to provide our quattro, as we are only a couple of miles away.

The organisers have proposed a similar display / demonstration run of "competition" cars as they arranged for the 6R4's in the last 2 years.
The venue will be the Motorfair, at Somerly House near Ringwood on the Saturday. This is also the main spectator stage for the rally which is run twice during the day. Somerly House is a few minutes from the main dual carriageway, about 20 minutes west of Southampton.
They will set aside a display area and an adjacent service vehicle area at one end of the Motorfair site. The stage is run once in the morning and once in the afternoon. In between the running of the stages, the quattros will be lined up on the stage in front of the house for press photos and driver interviews!
Then the section of the stage in front of the house will be opened for any of the quattro drivers that wish to demonstrate their cars, at whatever pace they feel comfortable with. 20 minutes will be allowed which should enable 4 runs for each car. The section of the stage is predominately tarmac with short gravel section at the beginning, a service road will allow vehicles to loop back round to the start.

John Davenport has been approached to write an article and a piece for the rally programme and will be attending the event (for book signings). There will be the usual motor sport press, local radio/TV and Motors TV usually cover it. (Last year Motors TV dedicated half an episode of their rally coverage to the 6R4’s demonstration).
Annie has a lot of contacts and is going to speak to Steve Perez about bringing his quattro and ask Phil Short to attend. She is also hoping to persuade Simon Tennant to compete in the rally in his quattro.

Poole Audi are having a stand, they will be emailing their 10,500 customer base and providing discount tickets. Poole Audi has also offered to cover the £100 (admin charge) that is due for displaying/demonstrating our cars.

15 cars will be allowed for, but more can be accommodated if necessary!!!

Obviously the more competition cars that can attend the better, to put on a decent show.
Anyone with competition cars (ex-works or recreations) please let me know if you are interested in participating.
If we do manage to make an event of it, there would be scope for a QOC / CA club stand for road cars as part of the Motorfair / main spectator stage.

Admittedly the demonstration runs are only a few hundred metres each, but it does provide an opportunity to show off the cars. The rally is only a couple of weeks before the actual 30 year anniversary and I think will be good exposure for the cars and clubs/forums. It would be a way of kicking off the 30th year and be an opportunity to promote events that will be happening later in the year (Chatsworth etc).

Some rally and event links:

http://www.rallyesunseeker.co.uk/index.htm

http://www.rallyesunseeker.co.uk/metro.html

YouTube- 2009 Rally Sunseeker MG Metro 6R4 Demonstration

YouTube- 2009 Rally Sunseeker MG Metro 6R4 Demonstration

YouTube- MG Metro 6R4 line-up at Rallye Sunseeker 2008

YouTube- MG Metro 6R4 line-up at Rallye Sunseeker 2008

I hope some of you will be able to come along, your support will be much appreciated.
Now, any questions?


Cheers,

Tim