Rally Day (Castle Combe) - (Sat) 20 Sep 14

Bjorn Waldegard will not be attending.

Posted: August 16, 2014 9:42 PM

Bjorn Waldegard cannot make it to Rallyday due to ill health.

Harri Toivonen and Markko Märtin added to Rallyday 2014 bill

Posted: August 14, 2014 10:46 AM

Rallyday is pleased to reveal that Harri Toivonen and Markko Märtin will both join the line-up at the fourteenth edition of the UK’s Premier Rally Car Show that will take place on Saturday 20th September 2014 at Wiltshire’s Castle Combe Circuit.

The Toivonen name is synonymous with rallying and motorsport and Harri will be there as part of the celebrations to mark the 30th anniversary of the Metro 6R4, the car that has gone on to become one of Britain's best loved rally cars of all time.

The Finn drove the 6R4 during 1986, the same year that his older brother, Henri, who was surely destined for greatness, was tragically killed while leading the Tour de Corse FIA World Rally Championship event in Corsica. Harri and Henri’s father, Pauli incidentally was also well known for his exploits in rallying and was crowned the European Rally Champion in 1968 with Porsche.

“I'm thrilled to come to Rallyday 2014 to celebrate the Metro 6R4 and spend a day with all my old friends, team-mate Dai Llewellin and all fans of the car - I hope there will be some of my fans there also! I would like to thank the organisers for inviting me there to have fun with all of you,” said Harri.

Markko meanwhile is also a name that will be very familiar to rally fans. The Estonian competed in the WRC from 2000 to 2005 with Subaru, Ford and Peugeot. He won five events in total and finished third in the Championship in 2004.

Martin, who now owns his own successfully rally team in Estonia, is scheduled to drive an ex-Colin McRae Subaru Impreza WRC in the headline Castrol Edge Feature Stage. He will also be there in his role as a patron for the Richard Burns Foundation as he was a close friend of the 2001 World Rally Champion.

“It will be something new for me. I have never been to the event, but I have read a lot about it. It will be nice to come and experience it myself. I still miss some of the crowd and the atmosphere from 10-15 years ago,” he said.

“It will also be great fun and a great experience to drive one of McRae’s old cars. I know the old Imprezas and Legacys are special - they are cars every rally fan has memories of. It will be good to drive one of them. Seeing lots of old historic cars you don’t see every day is always nice – and just to hear them is special. In some ways for me it is more interesting than seeing the current cars.” In addition to Harri and Markko’s attendance, plans are in place for the brand new Mitsubishi R5 to be launched at the event. The car has been designed, built and developed by Swedish motorsport engineer Tomas Weng and his team at M-Part and it is based on a Mitsubishi Mirage.

The project began at the start of 2013 and, although the car made its public debut as a rolling shell in Sweden last summer, Rallyday will be the first time the car has appeared outside Scandinavia.

Provided the final elements of the project can be completed, the car will be seen in action publically for the very first time on the Castrol Edge Feature Stage.

The R5 project has also been approved by Mitsubishi and, although full homologation is yet to be confirmed, M-Part has received a huge number of enquiries for the car. Full production is expected to commence this autumn, with the first batch of cars delivered in time for the start of the 2015 season.

Rallyday organisers Darin Frow and Jo Stubbings believe the addition of Harri and Markko further compliments this year’s line-up that also includes 1979 World Rally Champion Björn Waldegård, unofficial 1978 World Rally Champion Markku Alén, and British Rally Champions David Llewellin and Gwyndaf Evans.

“Rallyday has always been a very personal event for me and Jo - especially since we lost Brian [Stubbings - Rallyday co-founder] last year. The Metro 6R4 and the Toivonen name were both at the top of Brian's lists so I'm overwhelmed that Harri has accepted our invitation to be a part of our 6R4 celebration at this year's show. It's guaranteed to be one of this year's highlights!” Darin said.

“Of course Rallyday tries to cover all bases including the more recent cars and WRC drivers, so we're thrilled to welcome Markko to his first Rallyday. With the Richard Burns Foundation being one of Rallyday's long supported charities, and Markko being an RBF patron, there’s added reason to celebrate his attendance at this year’s show and it will be great for the fans to meet him on the RBF stand and get his autograph.

“In many cases the rally cars themselves are celebrities too, and this will certainly be the case with the new Mitsubishi R5. Having a new car officially launched at the show is a first for Rallyday and I’m sure everyone will be eagerly anticipating the unveiling.”

Tickets for Rallyday 2014 are on sale now, with advance tickets for adults costing £15 (if booked before 5th September) or £20 on the day. Accompanied children under 16 go FREE.

Clubman’s Rally Teams, Car Clubs, 4x4 Clubs, and Trade Exhibitors can secure the few remaining spaces at the show by downloading booking forms on the website.

For more information please visit: www.rallyday.com

You can also keep up-to-date on everything to do with Rallyday via Twitter: @RallydayUK https://twitter.com/#!/RallydayUK - and via our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/RallydayUK

Markku Alén to make first appearance at Rallyday

Posted: August 14, 2014 10:46 AM

Rallyday is delighted to announce that legendary rally driver Markku Alén will attend the fourteenth edition of the UK’s Premier Rally Car Show that will take place on Saturday 20th September 2014 at Wiltshire’s Castle Combe Circuit.

Alén, who won 19 FIA World Rally Championship events during his career and who also took the FIA Driver’s Cup in 1978, the year before the WRC Drivers’ Championship was established, will be making his very first appearance at the event and will be reunited with two cars he campaigned during his illustrious career.

The Finn is currently scheduled to drive a Lancia Delta S4 - as he drove in the mid-1980s - and the Toyota Celica GT4 that took him to fourth on the 1992 Lombard RAC Rally.

The 63-year-old will demonstrate both cars in the headline Castrol Edge Feature Stage and like the other stars already confirmed will also appear on the main Rallyday interview stage to reflect on his career, no doubt explaining how he was World Rally Champion for eleven days in 1986, before the results of the Sanremo Rally, which he won, were annulled. He then famously boycotted the 1987 Monte Carlo Rally in protest.

“I’m really looking forward to coming to Rallyday for the first time. I have heard so much about the event and can’t wait to see it for myself. It will also be great to drive the Delta S4 and the Celica GT4 again. I have some fond - and also not so fond memories of those cars! It should be a great day,” said Markku, who joins one of a number of star drivers already confirmed, including 1979 World Rally Champion Björn Waldegård and British Rally Champions David Llewellin and Gwyndaf Evans.

Rallyday organisers Darin Frow and Jo Stubbings are both very happy to add Alén’s name to the long list of rally celebrities that have attended the event since its inception, and which includes the late Colin McRae, 1995 World Rally Champion, as well as in more recent years 2003 World Rally Champion Petter Solberg and reigning World Rally Champion, Sébastien Ogier.

“It's very rare to see Markku in the UK so Jo and I are overjoyed that he's accepted our invitation to attend Rallyday 2014,” said Darin. “His visit coincides perfectly with the strong Italian line-up at this year's show and to have the opportunity to see him once again behind the wheel of an original Delta S4 as well as the actual Toyota Celica GT4 he drove to fourth place on the '92 Lombard RAC Rally will be unforgettable. Fans will also get the chance to meet him at a scheduled autograph session so it's going to be a very memorable day for everyone.” Tickets for Rallyday 2014 are on sale now, with advance tickets for adults costing £15 (if booked before 5th September) or £20 on the day. Accompanied children under 16 go FREE.

Clubman’s Rally Teams, Car Clubs, 4x4 Clubs, and Trade Exhibitors can secure the few remaining spaces at the show by downloading booking forms on the website.

For more information please visit: www.rallyday.com

You can also keep up-to-date on everything to do with Rallyday via Twitter: @RallydayUK https://twitter.com/#!/RallydayUK - and via our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/RallydayUK

Björn Waldegård takes Rallyday to new Stratos-phere

Posted: June 25, 2014 11:32 AM

Rallyday is thrilled to confirm that 1979 World Rally Champion Björn Waldegård will star at the fourteenth edition of the UK’s Premier Rally Car Show that will take place on Saturday 20th September 2014 at Wiltshire’s Castle Combe Circuit.

Waldegård, who won 16 FIA World Rally Championship events during his career, will help celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Lancia Stratos, arguably the most beautiful rally car ever built.

The Swede will drive a Lancia Stratos HF similar to that he drove in 1975, when he won the Swedish and Sanremo rallies, taking to the circuit as part of a specific Stratos parade and driving in the headline Castrol Feature Stage, which saw a record 55 incredible cars in action in 2013.

Waldegård will also appear on the main Rallyday interview stage where he will recall some of the highlights from his time in the sport, which will be followed by an autograph session.

“I remember Rallyday as a very pleasant happening. To be able to go back feels very good and to celebrate the Lancia Stratos 40th Anniversary will be fantastic. I look forward to having a drive in one again,” said Björn, who has attended Rallyday only once before back in 2005, when he headlined along with the likes of the late Colin McRae, 1995 World Rally Champion, Colin’s brother Alister, and then Mitsubishi works driver, Gigi Galli.

In addition Rallyday 2014 will also mark the 30th birthday of the Metro 6R4, the car that has gone on to become one of Britain's best loved rally cars of all time. David Llewellin, 1989 and 1990 British Rally Champion will be a big part of those festivities and he will be in action behind the wheel of various cars including a Metro 6R4. The anniversary will also include a reunion from the teams who built the original car, which organisers expect to be a very special part of the show.

“Rallyday has become one of those dates on the calendar that I always try to keep free. It is a great day and for me to get back in the old cars is always a moment I look forward to,” said David. “Obviously this year’s show will be a bit more special due to the Metro 6R4 celebrations. The 6R4 was a big part of my career and I have got very fond memories of it because it gave me my first International win on the Circuit of Ireland back in 1986. It was of course part of the Group B era too and that is something we all look back upon with great fondness. The 6R4 was a big part of that.”

Meanwhile, other highlights this year will include an ultra rare collection of period works rally cars from the bygone days of the British Leyland Motor Company. These will take pride of place in the main paddock and feature cars from the 1960s and 1970s including ex-works variants of the Morris Marina, Austin 1800 and Austin Maxi, Triumph Dolomite Sprint and TR7 V8 and of course the infamous Mini Cooper.

Rallyday organisers Darin Frow and Jo Stubbings are pleased with the way the event is shaping up.

“We’ve actually been champing at the bit to host the Stratos and 6R4 anniversaries since before Rallyday 2013 so to see these start to come together with genuine cars and be able to welcome back Björn and Dai is perfect. We have also had an incredible response from the teams who built the original 6R4 too, so the reunion will be very special,” Darin said. “There is lots more in the pipeline as well and it will be crazy if it all happens, especially as this will in addition to the usual action from the SuperPro Clubmans Stage, the Cooper Tires 4x4 Zone with Race2Recovery and extended Challenge demo course, Rallycross, Autotests and track sessions. We will be releasing further updates as they are confirmed through the Rallyday site and our official Facebook and Twitter pages.”

Tickets for Rallyday 2014 are on sale now, with advance tickets for adults costing £15 (if booked before 5th September) or £20 on the day. Accompanied children under 16 go FREE.

Clubman’s Rally Teams, Car Clubs, 4x4 Clubs, and Trade Exhibitors can secure space at the show by downloading booking forms on the website.

For more information please visit the event website - link below

Rallyday 2014 date confirmed

Posted: February 1, 2014 4:32 PM

Rallyday is delighted to announce that next year’s fourteenth edition of the event will take place on Saturday 20th September 2014 at Wiltshire’s Castle Combe Circuit.

Rallyday is the UK’s Premier Rally Car Show and is now well established on the motorsport calendar.

This year’s event was a roaring success, with over 10,000 spectators turning out to see Volkswagen driver, Sébastien Ogier, the 2013 World Rally Champion, sample a genuine ex-works Group B Audi quattro A2 - the first time the Frenchman had ever driven a historic rally car.

Ogier, who recently won Wales Rally GB, Britain’s round of the World Rally Championship, taking his ninth win of the season, was one of a number of stars to take part in the headline Castrol Feature Stage, which saw a record number of 55 incredible cars in action.

Other notable names at the event included 1984 World Rally Champion Stig Blomqvist, Welshman Elfyn Evans, who took his debut WRC2 win on Rally GB, as well as the likes of Guy Wilks (2007 and 2008 British Rally Champion), Paddy Hopkirk (Mini Cooper driving legend and winner of the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally), plus David Llewllin (1989 and 1990 British Rally Champion), Russell Brookes (1977 British Rally Champion), Nicky Grist (Colin McRae’s former co-driver) and Prodrive’s David Lapworth.

In addition, Rallyday 2013 also ran the SuperPro Clubman’s Rally Stage non-stop for eight hours, while there were demos from the world of Autotesting, Autograss and Rallycross and the largest ever Cooper Tires 4x4 Zone, which once again included a strong presence from Race2Recovery.

More Details on the event website:

Rally Car Day (Castle Combe)

Website / Details

Posted: February 1, 2014 4:31 PM

Rally Car Day (Castle Combe)