2015 Roger Albert Clark Rally CANCELLED

Just spotted this one..

http://www.rogeralbertclarkrally.org/RAC_2015/2015_news.htm#Roger_Albert_Clark_Rally_cancelled

CD

Crikey! That's not good!!

Where does that leave the rally in the future? It's good to see there's a strong desire to run the rally again in the future and 'nothing is off the table' when considering the rally's future, but it needs the support of competitors to make it viable.

Thanks for sharing the (bad) news, Chris, and keep us posted.

Cheers, Steve

Great shame but it's like all motorsport the entries are getting lower and costs getting higher.

Last years event shone a light on something they had been turning a blind eye to. With so much in-car footage now available its well nigh impossible to run a true map reading event when the route has to be made public in advance. Competitors be they drivers or co-drivers have a knowledge of stages and this cannot be avoided- it is an inbuilt advantage which discourages new or foreign entrants. The sport is competitive by its nature and any and every legitimate advantage one can get over ones competitors is taken. Some naive individuals still believe that everyone goes into the woods on an equal standing - they didn't 30 years ago and they certainly don't now. The event has fallen between a multitude of stools.

James

Interesting insider knowledge there.

Apparently they lost all the Yorkshire stages because of the enormous amount of litter that was left after the event?

Will be interseting to see how next years Historic championship goes as the whole series is being run by the RAC organisers

Chris

As someone who has had some involvement in all 10 of the previous runnings of this great event I'm as sad as anyone re the news. Colin H and his team are true enthusiasts so this will come as a massive blow to all involved.

Personally I find the comments about litter in the Yorkshire woods interesting as we now have 3 surviving events in God's own county that this does not necessarily appear to be an issue with however the FC's opposition to our sport in some local quarters is quite well documented so maybe this has been a convenient peg to hang things on.

Over and above that there has been an almost perfect storm this year that has contributed to the lack of entries it would seem. Firstly the revised running order insisted on by the RACMSA for well documented reasons has seen an almost overnight disappearance of the Class 1-3 cars like the Saabs and other older machinery that traditionally swelled the numbers. Add to that the bi-annual running of the Classic Safari as well as the Killarney Historic rallies and the National part of Wales Rally GB all around the same time as the RAC has seen many previous competitors have to chose which events to do so this must have had an effect.

Hopefully something good will come out of this and I wish everyone involved with the RAC better luck in the future.

Ref the litter bit this was from their own Roger Albert website see para 5 http://www.rogeralbertclarkrally.org/RAC_2015/2015_news.htm#Roger_Albert_Clark_Rally_cancelled

Chris

Chris
Had read that bit already and it has been a topic of conversation on the main British rally forum. I just feel personally that there is more to it as major efforts were made to clear up in previous years. There is no excuse for littering it appears however that one rally amongst all the other users of the Yorkshire forests has been singled out for "special" treatment.

Indeed no excuse at all.

Are the other rallies using the same forests still being allowed to run?

Chris

Yes Malton was a couple of weeks ago and Trackrod at the end of September. Riponian uses the woods at the top of Sutton Bank and that runs early March.

I trust there was a fair amount of rubbish left behind after Rally GB however I haven't heard of this been cited as a threat to rallying in Wales so IMO it does look like local opposition in Yarkshire...

As someone who has benefited from the hours of dedication and hard work put in by Colin and his team I have nothing but admiration and thanks and I extend that to Sal and all the others who dedicate their time energies and no doubt resources so that the likes of me can have fun. I am also one of the lucky ones who experienced the original 5 day RAC. Unfortunately the Roger Albert has lost the novelty for some and is failing to attract new recruits. It needs a radical overhaul. The concept of endurance, full chase and a press on regardless attitude is what attracted many but just like the Circuit of Ireland of old it may just not be viable anymore or at least there may not be enough willing entrants to make it viable. The problem as i see it is that there are two classes of entrant - those at the top end wanting a result and the rest who regard it as an adventure. The top end gets publicity and are the ones spectators want to watch and for my money they will have to be allowed notes in some format to level the overwhelming level of local knowledge that exists. The guys further back should be given the option and divided into the haves and have nots. I hope its not lost for good but I agree that its squeezed by a number of competing attractions for competitors.