North Humberside Forest Rally - CANCELLED

Statement issued on 31st Deember 2009

Posted: January 1, 2010 1:39 AM

"Following negotiation with the Forestry Commission in North Yorkshire, it has become apparent that it will not be possible for North Humberside MC's North Humberside Forest Rally to run on 31 January 2010, and it seems unlikely (due to lack of available dates) that a suitable alternative date can be found later in the year.

Ian James (Clerk of the Course) commented:
"It is with regret that the organisers have decided not to continue with the 2010 event. However we still intend to promote a similar event in 2011 within the North Yorkshire forests".

For the reasons expanded on below the Forestry Commission is not able to offer sufficient stage mileage in a small enough number of venues to the NHFR organisers for them to believe that it is economically viable to run an event that has no major championships other than regional association championships and would therefore be expecting no more than 60 entries in 2010.

The Forestry Commission's decision to withdraw the use of stages accessed via the Dalby Forest Drive from all events other than Rally Yorkshire has meant that event organisers have been forced to use other forests more intensively.

Also in order to attract competitors in these times of economic uncertainty organisers have reduced the number of venues and increased second usage in order to reduce forest charges and the high fixed costs (rescue, recovery, doctor and timing equipment) that each additional venue needs. These costs form the major part of the organising club's costs for a forest event.

This has meant that stages have become longer so as to provide the mileage in the most effective way and in so doing the larger forest areas are used more heavily. This has been the case in all of Langdale, Cropton and Gale Rigg forests. The surface of the tracks has suffered in Langdale and Cropton thereby restricting the available mileage and in Gale Rigg the mileage is restricted by the need to put roads used for harvesting out of bounds to rallies.

In the last quarter of 2009, Langdale was used by all three of Rally Yorkshire, the Malton Forest Rally and the Roger Albert Clark Rally.

The NHFR is a non-sponsored event and the costs involved in running an event to the format dictated by the mileage available (that would be mainly single usage) could not be passed on to the competitor. The entry fee would be too high to be attractive for the mileage offered and the club cannot afford to pay costs that could not be passed on to competitors."

North Humberside Motor Club

Details

Posted: December 14, 2009 3:13 PM

The NHFR organisers are planning to run this event in Langdale Forest on Sunday 31st January 2010.
Looking at 40 to 45 Stage miles with limited road mileage using two stages three times, twice in one direction then once reversed.

Club Website

Posted: December 14, 2009 3:13 PM

North Humberside Motor Club