EMULATING THE GOLDEN DAYS OF BRITISH RALLYING
15/01/2024The 2023 Roger Albert Clark Rally, marked the fifteenth edition of the event that set out to recreate the essence of the golden era of British Rallying. In the late seventies and eighties, the RAC Rally of Great Britain, as it was known back then, presented a distinctive challenge for the world’s top rally drivers. Spanning across England, Scotland, and Wales over multiple days, the rally encompassed visits to various stately homes, motorsport venues, and forestry roads. The RAC Rally has therefore always been renowned as one of the most demanding and iconic events in the world of rallying.
“Unique and Unrivalled”
The Roger Albert Clark Rally holds a special place in the hearts of rally enthusiasts, as it is eloquently and affectionately named after one of Britain’s most beloved and successful rally drivers of that era. Colin Heppenstall and the Roger Albert Clark Motor Club initiated this remarkable event in 2004, marking its inaugural rally. Over the course of two decades, this distinctive and unparalleled rally has evolved into what is widely recognized as “Britain’s most challenging special stage rally for a generation.” It has therefore become the highlight of many rallying enthusiasts’ calendars, capturing their enthusiasm and passion for the sport.
Photos By Andy Cook – Xlerate.Media
“Groundbreaking”
The recent edition in November 2023 can be used to measure its success story. The event achieved groundbreaking levels in various aspects, such as the unprecedented challenge it presented in terms of length and number of special stages, which hadn’t been witnessed in British rallying for decades. Additionally, the event garnered a substantial following, received extensive media coverage, and attracted high-quality entries from both domestic and international participants.
Xlerate had the opportunity to speak with Colin Heppenstall, the mastermind behind this exceptional motorsport event, to gain insights and to reflect on the most recent edition of the rally.
Q: The Roger Albert Clark Rally back in November was an incredible success on so many counts Colin, you must be pleased?
“Very much so, It’s 20 years cumulating into what everyone is regarding as the best event out of all the 20 years. 5 full days, 350 stage miles, 33 stages, and it all ran to plan and worked as it should have worked, you couldn’t have asked for better”.
Apart from the notable length and challenge of the rally, the entry list it attracted was also a significant highlight of the event. The rally managed to draw a highly impressive and competitive lineup of participants, further adding to its overall appeal and significance.
“We had a great entry and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves” Colin goes on to add “It was the largest entry, around 155 starters and we received 205 entry applications in total. It was nice to get some world rally drivers who wanted to come and do the event, having Kris Meeke and Oliver Solberg, just adds another level and another dimension to the event”
Photos: Kris Meeke / Oliver Solberg / Chris Ingram | By Andrew Scott
“I think it has wetted quite a few appetites of current and past WRC drivers; we’ve had some talking about it for years, saying they’re going to come and do it, but now some have come and done it. It just generates a lot more interest, I’m sure that in 2025 will have perhaps four to six current or ex-WRC drivers, it’s good for the sport, it’s good for the spectators, it’s good for the marshals and it’s good for everyone”.
‘A Fan Favourite’
While the MK1 and MK2 Ford Escorts filled more than 50% of the entry, there was, however, a notable unique presence amongst them. Seb Perez’s 2.4-litre V6 Lancia Stratos undeniably took centre stage, reminiscent of the golden era with legends like Sandro Munari and Björn Waldegård. After undergoing a meticulous restoration following a fire incident in Ypres, the Stratos made a remarkable comeback to the British stages once again, having last appeared on the 2017 Roger Albert Clark Rally. Metaphorically setting social media ablaze, the Stratos ignited a frenzy, with thousands of pictures and videos being shared worldwide with fans attempting to capture the sights and the thrilling sounds of its V6 howl.
Photo: Seb Perez – Lancia Stratos | By Andrew Scott
In addition to the diverse range of cars participating in the event, the V8 category featured former European Rally Champion Chris Ingram at the wheel of a newly constructed Triumph TR7 prepared by David Appleby Engineering. Furthermore, the field included six Porsche 911s, overseen by Porsche specialist Richard Tuthill. Notably, Richard himself would personally drive one of the 911s and TV Personality Chris Harris from BBC Top Gear also. The rally showcased a wide variety of cars that catered to different eras and preferences, all within the confines of historic rallying machinery.
Photos: Chris Harris – Porche 911 / Chris Ingram – Triumph TR7 / Richard Tutill – Porche 911 | By Andy Cook – Xlerate.Media
The combination of factors, including the extensive duration of the rally in terms of days and stages, the diverse locations it visited, and the impressive entry list, generated significant excitement among rallying enthusiasts. As a result, we witnessed a substantial turnout of spectators of all ages, who eagerly came to witness the rally. Starting in South Wales and traversing through Mid Wales, Scotland, and the renowned Kielder Forest complex on the Anglo-Scottish borders, the rally provided fans from across the mainland UK with a chance to immerse themselves in the thrilling action both on and off the stages.
“The Interest In The Sport Is Still There”
“Just the spectator numbers alone gave you that idea of the interest in the sport, which IS still there!” Colin states, “At the start of the event in Carmarthen, we must have had probably over 5000 people lining the high street. The Police had closed the road off for us, there were so many people and they were three or four deep lining both sides, it was very very good” he recalls.
Photos: Ceremonial Start, Carmarthen, Wales | By Andrew Scott
Current World Rally driver Oliver Solberg, son of 2003 World Rally Champion Petter comes from a rallying family, by competing at the 2023 event he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his Grand Father who competed at the original RAC, Oliver commented:
“It was incredible to see the amount of people attending the event, such a cool sight to see that many back in the forests in the UK!
Oliver Solberg
Q: So was the format, in terms of the number of days and stages the sweet spot for the event do you think?
“Previously we’ve been four and a half days, going for five full days it really worked. It allowed them (the competitors) to start in the daylight on day one rather than at night, which is what we’ve done previously. This gave them a chance to get their eyes in and get a pace that they were happy with and that worked really well”.
“I think 5 days is right, I don’t think it should be any more, even though some people say “Can we make it a whole week?” It is a week in reality because you’ve got to be down for scrutineering the day before and most people stop another day after the event to recover, so yeah, I think 5 days is a sweet spot. We’ve finally got the event up to 350 stage miles, again, I think that is about the right figure as well, so I’m not looking at changing the type of format moving forward. 5 days, 350 miles is right”.
“The BIG One”
Q: And what about the Big One, the stage that closed the event on Monday?
“The Big one did work very well, it took a lot of planning, it had its own safety book which was issued to all of the marshals on the stage with regards to how it was going to work, and the competitors also had their own instructions with regards to what they had to do on that stage”.
“The Big One” generated considerable discussion within the rallying community upon its announcement. While some competitors seemed indifferent towards it, there were those who eagerly embraced the immense challenge it presented. On the other hand, some participants may have felt a sense of apprehension or fear towards the stage. Either way, the diverse reactions among competitors added to the overall buzz surrounding “The Big One.”
Photos: The Big One, The Final Day of the 2023 Roger Albert Clark Rally | By Andrew Scott
“Trust Me, I’ll Get It Right”
“It was the longest stage for something like 30 years, there’s nobody at Motorsport UK that has ever approved anything like that.” Heppenstall reveals “It was over 20 miles, so I had to get it approved, It was more of a case of trust me, I’ll get it right. I’ll do the relevant paperwork and everything else, the safety delicate will approve it and they (Motorsport UK) went with it and it worked fine; hopefully, we’ll do something like that again next time”.
In terms of the media coverage, that played a significant role in bringing the event to life. Notably, the increased level of in-stage live streaming and end-of-day post-rally reports by Wayne Goldring, Paul Woodford, and the Special Stage team, who collaborated with Matt Cotton and Bex Hinton from MCR for the event, which received positive feedback. These initiatives effectively enhanced the overall experience and reception of the event for the fans.
Certainly, the locations visited by rallying often tend to be remote, which can pose challenges in terms of limited access and signal availability. Additionally, environmental factors such as weather conditions need to be taken into consideration. While there are technological solutions available to address these issues, it is important to note that implementing such solutions may come at a cost and require the expertise of a “Tech Guru” to make it all work.
“You Can’t Beat That”
“We realised that we wanted to enhance it to something that’s not been done before, so I gave a very good brief to Wayne at Special Stage. He worked very hard during the year, he tried lots of new bits out on different events just to see if they would work or not, and then brought it all together at the event.”, “I think we got some of the best coverage that any event has had, we had 19 hours of live TV over the 5 days, you can’t beat that, 19 hours is brilliant!”
Photos: Special Stage TV Crew Interviewing Oliver Solberg | By Andrew Scott
Similar to previous years, the end-of-day rally reports program, hosted by the enthusiastic rally fan Paul Woodford, evoked a sense of nostalgia. The creation of the content and the coordination required to ensure its timely completion for the live broadcast was another significant undertaking by the team.
“At the end of the day, it’s a historic event, to recreate what we used to have in the late 70s and 80s and the traditional old rally report was part of that, so we brought that back a few years ago and we are just building on that moving forward.”
But it really was more than just an enthusiastic bloke with a microphone in some make-shift studio wearing a vintage rally-themed tie and jacket! It was fun to watch, the content was spot on, it was relevant and insightful and it gave the viewer exactly what they wanted. With its blend of rally action and light entertainment, it hit the mark right down to the program’s opening title theme tune. How can we ever forget the eighties electro-synth-pop sounds of Duel, Propaganda?
Undoubtedly, the extensive coverage and its positive reception have set a high standard for other motorsport events and Championships in the UK. However, replicating its success will not be a simple task. The level of effort and dedication put into it, along with the ability to connect with fans who were unable to attend the event, has raised the bar significantly. It will require considerable effort and at least the same level of innovation for other events and Championships to match or surpass this level of coverage and fan engagement.
“Media coverage is very expensive, the British Historic Rally Championship can’t afford that type of coverage, but the RAC Rally can because we budget for it.” Heppenstall states “If I needed to budget for that type of coverage in the Championship, I’d have to find another sponsor who’s going to give me at least another ten grand and also consider raising the signing fees by double at least! so the cost becomes not feasible. There will be some coverage for the BHRC, but just the normal coverage, it won’t be to that level we’ve had at the RAC, mainly because it is just not economical”.
Photos By: Andrew Scott
In order to preserve the allure of the rally and acknowledge the significant effort required to organize a multi-region, multi-venue stage rallying event of this magnitude, the Rally has transitioned to a bi-annual occurrence in recent years. This decision ensures that the event remains a special occasion that participants and enthusiasts eagerly anticipate, while also recognizing the immense amount of work involved in its successful execution.
The format of the 2023 edition of the Roger Albert Clark Rally has proven to be highly successful and there is no intention to deviate from it. It was successful and well-received by participants and enthusiasts alike. While there may be some rotation in the order of areas for starting and ending the rally, such as Wales, Scotland, and the North of England, it is safe to say that the rally has discovered an ideal recipe for success
Photo: Martin McCormack & Barney Mitchell – 2023 Winners | By Andrew Scott
After five intense days of drama-filled competition, Martin McCormack added his name to the trophy for the third time and said:
“It’s been one of the biggest rallies I’ve ever done. We’ve been pretty much flat out for five days solid. It means so much to have won the rally for a third time”
Martin McCormack
The Roger Albert Clark Rally continues to set the standard not only in Historic Rallying but also in Special Stage Rallying here in the UK, and it is hoped that this success will continue for years to come.
Absolutely, Colin, the team, and everyone involved in the event no matter their capacity, deserve applause for their hard work, determination, and efforts in making it a resounding success. The support from Sponsors, Motor Clubs, Motorsport UK, Competitors, and Fans have also played a crucial role in the event’s success, and it is important for everyone to continue rallying behind this truly fantastic event.
We simply can’t wait for the next instalment.
