| Event Preview | Rallyday 2007 | Castle Combe |
As the engine note changed from a purr to a raucous roar, so my knuckles changed from a healthy shade of pink to a deathly white and simultaneously my insides were deposited in the road behind the Ford RS200 Group B rally car whose insides I was hanging on to. By the time we neared the end of the 200 yard straight, my stomach had caught up; sadly, just as Nigel Mummery stamped on his RS200's brake pedal ridiculously late in the day and catapulted the confused guts straight past their erstwhile home and into the middle of the fast approaching bend.
That was the first of a few cars I was fortunate to experience at the preview of Rallyday 2007, taking place at Castle Combe on Saturday September 22nd. For those of you who are new to Rallyday, it is an annual show (now in its seventh year), which gives visitors a chance to enjoy the spectacle of seeing a wide range of rally cars and stars at the open and spectator friendly Castle Combe circuit. It comprises live track action with static displays and has something to offer everyone from the rally enthusiast to a family looking for an enjoyable day out.
On-track action comes in the form of professional driving demonstrations, track sessions, rally car rides, circuit parades and a feature rally car stage. Off track there are a host of displays where visitors can have a close look at some of the world's most iconic rally cars.
The paddock sees action revolving around the main event stage, where guests are interviewed. There are also numerous trade exhibitors ranging from major car manufacturers to individual specialists offering a diverse array of rally merchandise. Let's look at who and what are providing the thrills this year.
On the main event stage, manning the microphones and keeping spectators informed will be Howard Davies, Tony Mason and Nicky Grist. First of the star drivers has to be Hannu Mikkola, who will be signing autographs and driving a Mark II Escort on the feature tarmac stage, where you'll also see:
- Russell Brookes driving the well known 'Andrews Heat for Hire' Opel Manta 400 and a Sunbeam Lotus
- Gwyndaf Evans in the 2007 works Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX British Rally Championship car (or maybe even the WRC version...)
- Matthew Wilson and the Stobart Team's latest Ford Focus WRC
- The very exciting Prodrive Aston Martin Rally GT driven by David Appleby
- Lorna Smith and James Wozencroft with the two works Suzuki Swifts, Lorna having just won the Irish Tarmac Championship Class 2 Group N title
And on the separate mixed tarmac/gravel stage where I experienced the RS200 first hand, Dave Jenkins' Escort WRC and Andy Gwynne's Peugeot 306, some lucky visitors will win rides in a number of visiting Tesco 99 Octane British Rally Championship cars chosen via a gate ticket raffle. Conveniently, spectators can watch this stage and the track from the same point.
On the track, there'll be more rally cars than ever before, with up to 20 cars on stage at any one time and for the first time there'll be a British Rallycross Drivers Association by the 500+hp Supercars.
Crowd pleaser Russ Swift will also be performing his amazing, spectacular displays a number of times throughout the day. If you've not seen him before, you are in for a big treat.
As for the star cars appearing on the tarmac rally stage, Audi UK has confirmed that it will be sending its mighty Audi quattro S1 E2, the most iconic of the 1980's Group B monsters. The range of cars covers everything from Mini Coopers via Mark II Escorts (look out for the Phil Collins Mark II plus version), Chevettes and TR7 V8s to Group B Metro 6R4s, Ford RS200s and modern World Rally cars and Group Ns.
Rallyday 2007 is on Saturday September 22nd at the Castle Combe circuit. Admission is available on the gate at £15 for adults, £8 for OAPs and £3 for accompanied U16s. Under 5s are free! Russ Swift starts the action at 9am - if you're a rally fan or a fan of cars in general, you should be there.
For all on-the-day details such as parking, see the event website at
www.rallyday.com.
Colin McRae Tragedy
In light of the terrible news of the loss of Colin McRae, his son Johnny and two other family friends, the organisers of Rallyday will be asking everybody attending the event this Saturday to observe a one minute silence at 12:00 as a mark of respect.
Syd Wall - 18 Sep 2007
