… Popular Dumfries and Galloway based rally announces new date and location for 2017 event …
Organisers of this year’s RSAC Scottish Rally have this week confirmed an exciting new format for the event which will play host to both the Prestone MSA British Rally Championship (BRC) and ARR Craib MSA Scottish Rally Championship (SRC) on the 19th and 20th May.
The Dumfries and Galloway Council supported event will not only see a shift from its traditional June date, but will also move to a new home at Lockerbie Lorry Park offering competitors and fans a “Rally Village” environment for the weekend. The new venue will also play host to Rally HQ, documentation and Parc Ferme for the event.
Thanks to a long affinity with the event, Dumfries town centre will host the ceremonial start on Friday 19th before British Rally Championship crews head into the forest to contest a special test under the cover of dusk.
Saturday 20th will see competitors from the Scottish Rally Championship join the event to contest around 45 stage miles and finish during the late afternoon. The BRC crews will then return to the forests to tackle the remaining stages which make up their 75 competitive miles before a ceremonial finish back in Lockerbie later that day.
The 72nd running of the event will see around crews from across the world tackle classic Scottish stages in the Dumfries and Galloway region and Clerk of the Course Jonathan Lord is excited for the new-look 2017 format.
“The RSAC Scottish Rally was the first event in 2016 to bring the BRC and SRC together and it proved to be a fantastic spectacle for both crews and rally fans,” he said.
“This year, the changes we have made to the format will certainly be an exciting prospect. A stage for the BRC crews on Friday night will undoubtedly draw the crowds and create a fantastic atmosphere. It will be a real challenge for the competitors too and we have picked some prime stages for them during the weekend. It’s shaping up to be one of the best Scottish Rallies yet.”
Councillor Colin Smyth, Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Events Champion said: “The town centre events and forest stages of the 2017 Scottish Rally are really exciting. The event is becoming more and more accessible to the public and there are so many great opportunities to view the Rally, including the new Friday stage that has been announced. I’d like to congratulate the organisers on their 21st Scottish Rally here in Dumfries and Galloway, and wish them every success in May.”
Assistant Clerk of the Course, Craig Webster also added: “I’m really looking forward to the new venues we are using this year. As ever though we need help staffing and running the event and I would urge marshals and radio crews to register through the website at www.scottishrally.co.uk.”
The RSAC Scottish Rally is also a round of the C2RallyParts.co.uk Ecosse Challenge, the Border Challenge and Five of Clubs Rally Championship.
Event regulations will be available shortly on the website and spectator information will be available closer to the rally.
You can find more information on the RSAC Scottish Rally at www.scottishrally.co.uk or keep up to date with event information via social media:
www.facebook.com/scottishrally
www.twitter.com/scottishrally