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Roger Albert Clark Rally - 13-16 Nov 09

Posted: November 13, 2009 5:42 PM - 14147 Hits

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First Stage Friday evening: 6:30pm

Smith gets late call-up for Roger Albert Clark Rally

Posted: November 12, 2009 9:38 AM

Steven Smith, twice British Historic Rally champion, has had a late call-up to contest this weekend's Roger Albert Clark Rally in the Escort Mk1 originally entered for Peter Egerton.

The deal only came together yesterday (Tuesday) after Peter sustained a back injury while competing on the Tempest Rally on Saturday. A heavy compression in his WRC Hyundai caused a back injury and left him unable to tackle four days of rallying on the Roger Albert Clark Rally.

Instead, he generously offered his car to Smith and so car 32 will have a different driver when the rally starts in Pickering on Friday evening. "I've not been on gravel since the Trackrod in September 2008 and I've not been in an Escort since 2006, so I've got my excuses lined up," said Smith.

"I have to say a very big thank you to Peter for making this possible and I'm sorry he can’t do the Roger Albert, as it is one of his favourite events," said Smith. "Hopefully I can get my eye in on the Friday night stages and get used to the car. Class C3 will be very strong and it is people like Russell Morgan and Ken Forster who will be on the pace," said Smith.

Smith has contested the rally once before, when he drove the VK-backed Escort owned by Steve Perez in 2006. That year he slid off the road in the snow of Ae, albeit without any damage.

XS Racing will tend the Pinto-powered Escort, the team that has took Smith to his 2008 BHRC crown. Patrick Walsh will remain as co-driver, as originally planned.

For more details about the Roger Albert Clark Rally, please visit

Roger's 1975 Escort to contest Roger Albert Clark Rally

Posted: November 11, 2009 2:51 PM

The 'Cossack' liveried Ford Escort Mk2 that Roger Clark drove to second place on the 1975 RAC Rally, 'LAR 800P' will return to competition on this weekend's Roger Albert Clark Rally in the hands of Andrew Siddall.

XS Racing has restored the car for Yorkshireman Siddall, a regular contender on the event. It has been prepared to FIA specification and will compete on the Roger Albert alongside 'LAR 601P', the ex-Timo Makinen car now in the hands of Dave Watkins. In 1975, the two cars finished one-two on the RAC Rally.

The famous car finished second on its debut event, the 1975 RAC Rally. Now, 34 years later, it will return to competition on the event run in memory of Clark, with backing from Siddall and Hilton Products.

"It's the best rally of the year," said Siddall. "But I'm on a big learning curve for this event with the BDA-powered Mk2." Siddall will be partnered as usual by Captain Thompson and last year they finished eighth overall and first in class in Siddall's Pinto-powered Escort Mk1.

XS Racing will enter a four-car team on the Roger Albert Clark Rally, and joining Siddall/Thompson will be Peter Smith/Russ Langthorne (Porsche 911), Peter Egerton/Patrick Walsh (Escort Mk1) and Guy Smith/Howard Pridmore (Escort Mk1).

While Peter Smith and Peter Egerton campaign the cars they have rallied regularly this season, Guy Smith is on a massive learning curve in what will be only his third ever rally. The 2003 Le Mans winner is competing alongside his father Peter and has his sights set on finishing as he accumulates more rallying experience.

Team boss John Cropper says that the Roger Albert Clark Rally is the toughest on the calendar for both the crews and the support team. "It's the biggest event of the year for us and we'll have a team of 15 to look after the cars. There will be seven guys in the service vans and then two people in each of the four management cars," said Cropper. "It is a tough rally, but I hope that all four cars will have good runs. We've got a strong team."

Best ever entry for Roger Albert Clark Rally

Posted: November 8, 2009 9:34 AM

The strongest entry in the event's history is how experts are billing the 2009 Roger Albert Clark Rally, which starts in Pickering (Yorkshire) on Friday 13 November.  

Among the field are previous winners Stig Blomqvist (2004) and Steve Bannister (2007), former British Rally Champion Gwyndaf Evans, former British Historic Rally Champions Steve Perez and David Stokes, British rallying legends Steve Bannister, Phil Collins, Bob Bean and Jeremy Easson, pace-setting Irishmen Martin McCormack and Seamus O'Connell and top Belgian driver Stefaan Stouf.  

"To be honest, I'm absolutely ecstatic about the level and quality of the entry," said rally manager Colin Heppenstall. The leading drivers echo that view, and they all consider the entry to be the best yet in the six-year history of the rally.  

"It's going to be the most competitive for a few years," said Steve Perez, who will return to his 1974 Lancia Stratos after contesting Rally GB last month in his state-of-the-art Ford Focus World Rally Car.  

"Without question it is the best entry we could have wished for; it is going to be magic," said David Stokes, who has supported the event from the beginning and finished second overall last year.  

Making his debut on the rally and tipped by many as a strong contender for overall victory is Welsh ace Gwyndaf Evans, who will drive the Ford Escort entered by the team of former World Rally Champion co-driver Phil Mills.  

"Our first priority is to enjoy the event," said Gwyndaf, who first competed on the original Lombard RAC Rally in 1987. "We're using some fantastic stages, although it's while since I was in places like Ae in Scotland. But we'll be doing our best."  

In total, over 60 cars will gather at Pickering on Friday ahead of the opening special stages on Friday evening. After a full day of rallying in Yorkshire on Saturday, the action moves to South Scotland and Cumbria on Sunday before concluding in the notorious Kielder forest on Monday. The champagne spraying will be in Carlisle City Centre early on Monday afternoon. Spectators are welcome at many locations and full details are at the event website

Seeded Entry List

Posted: November 3, 2009 3:16 PM

Roger Albert Clark Rally and Boucles de Spa link up

Posted: October 28, 2009 6:18 PM

Two of the most popular and demanding historic rallies in Europe have formed a unique partnership, which will result in the winner of the Roger Albert Clark Rally having the chance to compete in the Boucles de Spa 0n 20 February 2010. In a reciprocal arrangement, the winner of the Boucles de Spa will be able to contest the 2010 Roger Albert Clark Rally.  

The organisers of the two events, both rightly recognised as their country's top historic event, have formed an alliance to cross-promote their events to competitors across Europe.  

The winner of next month's Roger Albert Clark Rally will earn a free entry into the famous Belgian event. In return, the Boucles de Spa winner will get a free entry into next year's Roger Albert Clark.  

"We're delighted to form this partnership with one of the most successful historic rallies in Europe," said Colin Heppenstall, rally manager of the Roger Albert Clark. "I visited Spa last February and was hugely impressed with the quality and quantity of entry. We've been working for some time to increase the foreign entry in the Roger Albert Clark and this partnership will be a major boost for those plans."  

Now firmly established as a must-do event on the British rallying calendar, the Roger Albert Clark Rally re-creates the classic RAC Rallies of the 1960s and 1970s, covering four days in November and taking in classic gravel stages in Yorkshire, Kielder, Scotland and Cumbria.  

Meanwhile, the Boucles de Spa is the biggest historic event on the Belgian calendar and attracts a superb field of over 200 cars, including many famous names from rallying's recent history. In 2009, it ran in very snowy conditions as it took in challenging sections around the town of Spa-Francorchamps.

Le Mans winner enters Roger Albert Clark Rally

Posted: October 28, 2009 3:29 PM

Guy Smith, winner at Le Mans in 2003 for Bentley, will tackle the 2009 Roger Albert Clark Rally alongside his father Peter in what will be Guy's third-ever rally.

The world-renowned sports car racer will contest the four-day rally in a historic specification Ford Escort RS2000, while Peter will be in his regular Porsche 911 for his first attempt at the 13-16 November rally.

"It's in at the deep end," said Guy. "I'm just doing it for fun and the aim is to try and get round without crashing.
It will be like doing four or five rallies in one go. It's a bit of a busman's holiday and it is something we can do together for fun."

Guy made his rallying debut in June, having been encouraged to try the sport by Peter. After a long break from rallying, Peter returned to historic events in April 2008 and contested a full BHRC season this year in the Porsche.
XS Racing will look after both cars, with Howard Pridmore alongside Guy and Russ Langthorne, as usual, on the maps for Peter.

"I've not done this event before," said Peter. "I did the Clubmans RAC in 1978. It will be an adventure and it is perfect for me that it starts in Yorkshire!"

Guy recently took his family for a day out to Scarborough and took the opportunity to have a look at Oliver's Mount, which features prominently on the opening day of the Roger Albert Clark. "That's tarmac, so we should be OK on that bit!"

Superb stages for the Roger Albert Clark Rally

Posted: October 14, 2009 3:18 PM

The best condition ever for the special stages is how Colin Heppenstall, rally manager for the Roger Albert Clark Rally, has described the stages for the 2009 event following a major route survey at the end of September.

Heppenstall drove the entire stage route and believes that competitors are in for a real treat as the gravel stages will be in prime condition for the 13-16 November event.

"The stages in Kielder and Scotland have all been re-graded since the last rally," said Heppenstall. "It is the best I've ever seen these stages and the Scottish stages have had four months to settle since they were re-graded."

Heppenstall was also able to report superb conditions in Greystoke Forest, which is used twice on the afternoon of the second day. Heppenstall confirmed that the stage has just been completely re-graded to a very high standard, ahead of the 13-16 November event.

Meanwhile, with exactly a month to go before the rally starts in Pickering, entries for the main event and the five support rallies continue to build. With a surge of entries expected in the final countdown towards the rally, the main event already has a 45-car field with at least another 10 entries expected. Entries are also coming in for the support events:

The Kall Kwik Rally, which runs in Yorkshire on Saturday;
The De Lacy Night Rally, which runs in Kielder on Saturday night;
The Clubman's Rally, which runs on Sunday in the Ae complex;
The Greystoke Challenge on Sunday afternoon;
Te Kielder Challenge on Monday.

For more details about the Roger Albert Clark Rally, and the five support rallies, please visit

Updated List of Entries Received

Posted: October 9, 2009 12:41 PM

Mason and Wild set for Roger Albert Clark Rally

Posted: October 1, 2009 4:19 PM

Tim Mason and Graham Wild are gearing up for another challenge on the Roger Albert Clark Rally this November and are aiming at a top six finish in their Porsche 911.

Leeds-based Mason and Wild, who now lives on the Isle of Man, have shown excellent pace on the last three Roger Albert Clark Rallies, but have yet to secure the result that their speed deserves.

However, they now hope that their bad luck is behind them after a very early departure from the Trackrod Historic Cup on Saturday, 26 September. A broken driveshaft put them out within seconds of the start of the opening special stage in Dalby forest.

Wild calculated that their rally lasted just 130 yards. It was the first time they had run an in-car camera for the TV coverage of the British Historic Rally Championship, and it seems that the curse of the camera struck early.

However, Wild says that there is a positive side of the early retirement on the Trackrod. "We've got eight new tyres and a tank of fuel ready for the Roger Albert Clark Rally, so we'll get it right for that," he said.

Latest List of Received Entries

Posted: September 28, 2009 11:22 AM

Shaw ready for Roger Albert Clark Rally return

Posted: September 14, 2009 2:22 PM

Martin Shaw and Ian Prout will contest the 2009 Roger Albert Clark Rally in Shaw's well-known Ford Escort Mk2, and Shaw says that the event is the closest rally to the original Lombard RAC Rally he tackled three times in the 1990s.

"The entry is in and the team is keen to do it again," said the Huddersfield-based driver, who tackled the Roger Albert Clark for the first time in 2008 in his 1400cc Escort Mk2. Partnered by Dave Evans, he finished fifth overall in the Open category and won his class by a substantial margin.

Now, Shaw and regular co-driver Prout are gearing up for the 2009 rally. "We committed to this year's event right at the start," said Shaw, who competed on the Lombard RAC Rally in 1994, 1995 and 1996 in a Lada. "The Roger Albert is the nearest you can get to that event. We marshalled on the earlier Roger Alberts and my service crew was really keen to do the event. Last year we got round with barely putting a spanner on the car."

For Prout, it will be a switch from reading route notes to working from maps. "He's got to learn how to do maps again," said Shaw.

They are hoping to contest the Trackrod Rally Yorkshire in late September as a final shakedown ahead of the November event.

Jenkins builds for Roger Albert Clark Rally

Posted: September 4, 2009 10:17 PM

Dave Jenkins is the latest high-profile driver to confirm plans to enter the 2009 Roger Albert Clark Rally. The former winner of the Wyedean Rally is well advanced with the build of a Ford Escort Mk2 ahead of tackling the November event for the first time.  

Having more recently competed in a Ford Escort WRC, Jenkins says that he will be going back to his rallying roots by driving a Mk2 Escort and competing on maps rather than notes.  

"It's in the spec we used to build them," said Forest of Dean-based Jenkins, who has been rallying for 30 years. He was a West Midlands champion in the 1980s and won the 1996 Wyedean Rally in an Escort Cosworth. He sold his Escort WRC after this year's Wyedean.  

Jenkins will rally the Group 4 specification Escort in memory of his old friend and rally preparation ace Rex Paddock, who died in a microlight accident in April. Paddock started the initial work on Jenkins' new car before his death.  

He says that he will fulfil a long-held ambition when he competes on the Roger Albert Clark Rally. "It's something I've wanted to do for a long time," he said. Back in 1985, Jenkins drove his Escort as course car for the Forest of Dean stages of the Lombard RAC Rally and set top 10 times against the Group B cars. "Rex was alongside me that day, although I did know where I was going," said Jenkins.  

The fresh Mk2 is the first historic rally car from Dave Jenkins Motorsport, and they already have a second shell under preparation.  

For more details about the Roger Albert Clark Rally, please visit

Early entry surge for Roger Albert Clark Rally

Posted: July 21, 2009 8:38 PM

The response to early entries for the 2009 Roger Albert Clark Rally has surpassed all of the organisers' expectations, with entries already running well ahead of the corresponding point for 2008.  

By mid-July, the total for the main event stood at 36; in 2008 it was not until 21 October that the entry list hit the same level. Current expectations suggest that the organisers' initial target of 50 cars will be surpassed and a field of around 60 cars is now considered likely.  

"Being a little realistic, I would expect that the event will reach the initial target of 50," said rally manager Colin Heppenstall. "With adding those who have said they are going to enter to those already entered, we have the entry up to 47. It would be very nice if we reached 60."  

Heppenstall now expects a lull in entries before activity starts again in October during the final build up to the 13-16 November rally, which starts from Pickering in North Yorkshire.  

Recent entries include Alex Sabater (Ford Escort Mk2) from Spain and Stefaan Stouf (Ford Escort Mk1) from Belgium, along with Phil and Mick Squires (Ford Escort Mk2) who have supported the Roger Albert Clark Rally since it first ran in 2004.  

For more details about the Roger Albert Clark Rally, please visit

Blomqvist leads early entries for Roger Albert Clark Rally

Posted: June 25, 2009 12:09 PM

Stig Blomqvist, winner of the inaugural Roger Albert Clark Rally in 2004, will return to the event in November to try and win for the second time as the early entry list starts to include some of the big names of historic rallying.

Blomqvist, the 1984 World Rally Champion, and Ana Goni will compete in a Ford Escort Mk2 from David Sutton's team, contesting the rally for the third time having also finished second overall in 2005 to Mark Higgins. "This event is just like the RAC Rally was in the 1970s and 1980s," said Blomqvist.

However, the driver with the most consistent record on the event will be back to try and finally claim that all-important victory. Jeremy Easson has contested all five previous Roger Alberts and has finished in the top three on four of them, only retiring in 2008. Easson was within sight of winning in 2006 when a throttle problem on the final stage at Croft dropped him to third.

Now, Easson is busy building a fresh Escort Mk1 for the 2009 rally. "We want to be at the front end of the RAC," said Easson. "We’ve come close, but there are more and more competitive drivers coming to do it now. It’s a long event, but to be in a winning position you’ve got to have the right sort of kit nowadays. I like the idea of staying in category two with a Mk1 rather than going for a Mk2."

Also confirmed to be entering again in 2009 is David Stokes who, like Easson, has supported the rally since the very start. His best result so far was second to Malcolm Wilson in 2008. "It's the highlight of the year," said Stokes. "It's a very tough event and it's hard work. You've got to pace yourself."

Paul Griffiths, one of the pacesetters in 2008 during his first attempt at the rally in his Escort Mk2, has also lodged his entry. "It’s the best rally of the year. We had a great run last year and set some fastest stage times, so this year I'd like to have a clear run."

For more details about the Roger Albert Clark Rally, please visit

Famous Escort Mk II set for Roger Albert Clark Rally

Posted: June 10, 2009 4:10 PM

The Ford Escort Mk2 used by Timo Makinen and Henry Liddon to win the 1975 RAC Rally will be one of the star entries on this year's Roger Albert Clark Rally.

'LAR 801P' was one of the first works RS1800s built and after its success on the '75 RAC Rally it was driven in 1976 by Ari Vatanen to win the British Open Rally Championship. It was later used by Roger Clark as a recce car for the East African Safari Rally, but has been used very little since the early 1980s.

Now, thanks to the commitment and expertise of Dave Watkins, the car is back in immaculate condition and is ready to go rallying. The Yorkshire Escort aficionado is determined to use the famous car in historic rallying and had set his sights on contesting the Roger Albert Clark Rally in November.

"It's as original as I can make it," said Watkins of the car that runs in the period colours of Allied Polymer. But I still want to go historic rallying with it and I want to be out on the Trackrod Rally and the Roger Albert Clark Rally."

As might be expected, the car had a dramatic time in Vatanen's hands during the 1976 season. "It had a new shell after Ari Vatanen virtually destroyed it," said Watkins. "He'd rolled it three times during the year. A friend of mine in New Zealand used to work at Boreham and he used to repair Vatanen's car. He used to dread going to work on the Monday after a rally!"

Watkins has done the Roger Albert Clark Rally twice before, and finished ninth in the 2004 in his previous ex-works Mk1 Escort, 'FEV 5H'. In 2005, he went off in into a ditch in Ae forest and retired.

For more details about the Roger Albert Clark Rally, please visit

2009 Roger Albert Clark Rally unveiled

Posted: June 4, 2009 11:42 AM

A significantly revised route, new stages and a reduced entry fee are the main points from the unveiling of the 2009 Roger Albert Clark Rally.

Now firmly established as a must-do event on the British rallying calendar, the Roger Albert Clark Rally re-creates the classic RAC Rallies of the 1960s and 1970s, covering four days in November and taking in classic gravel stages in Yorkshire, Kielder, Scotland and Cumbria.

The sixth running of the event will maintain the event's reputation as a real test of man and machine, with a forest stage on Friday evening (13 November), a daunting 13-stage leg on Saturday, stages in the Scottish borders on Sunday and the now-traditional Kielder sting-in-tail on Monday morning (16 November).

"Building upon the success of previous years, we have taken the opportunity to condense the route to reduce competitors costs while still offering great value," said rally manager Colin Heppenstall from De Lacy Motor Club. 'Two new venues have been included into this years route which has allowed us to change the format of some of the stages to offer greater variation."

The four-day adventure will start at Pickering Showground in Yorkshire for documentation and scrutineering on Friday. The competition then begins with a long stage in Langdale forest in the dark of Friday evening. On Saturday evening crews will have their first taste of Kielder, with new to the event stages in Shepherdshield and Chirdonhead.

The total road route has been trimmed by 130 miles, while stage mileage is trimmed by just 20 miles. The entry fee has been reduced by £230 to £1650 for entries received by 30 June.

Five individual support events will run alongside the main rally, including the Kall Kwik Rally on Saturday, the De Lacy Night Rally on Saturday night, the Clubman's Rally on Sunday (Ae complex), the Greystoke Challenge on Sunday afternoon and the Kielder Challenge on Monday.

Fans of the rally are now being urged to support the event by joining a new motor club that is being set up to promote the event. With the blessing of Roger Clark's family, the Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club Ltd will give competitors, marshals and spectators a unique opportunity to support the event, which draws thousands of fans into the British forests each November.

"The intention is for the club to be internet-based, with an annual meeting once a year, and three or four meeting during the year at various locations," said rally manager Colin Heppenstall.

Club membership will be just £10 and all fees will go into the promotion of the rally. The application for the club to be affiliated to the MSA will be made by the end of June.

For more details about the Roger Albert Clark Rally, and application forms for the Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club please visit the event website:

Event Website:

Posted: June 4, 2009 11:40 AM

Topics: Roger Albert Clark Rally 

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