RAC Rally Leominster Base Confirmed
The Herefordshire town of Leominster will be the focus of British motor sport in November when the 2017 Roger Albert Clark Rally is based at Brightwells.
The rally’s involvement in Leominster was officially launched at Brightwells yesterday (15th of August) with officials from Leominster Town Council meeting the team at Brightwells and representatives from the Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club.
The expansive facilities at Brightwells on the outskirts of the Herefordshire town will be the base for all pre-event activities on Thursday 9th November and will then host the rally cars at the end of the opening leg on Friday 10th November.
Bringing this major sporting event to Leominster is projected to put more than Ł100,000 into the local economy at a quiet time of the year for the tourism industry. Hotels and businesses in and around the town are expected to benefit significantly from the event, which will deliver at least 1000 hotel nights as well as money into pubs, restaurants, garages and other retailers. Some overseas crews and event officials will arrive in the area during Wednesday 8th November.
The Roger Albert Clark Rally will be the biggest and toughest special stage rally in Britain for 20 years and has a particular focus on cars from up to 1981. It is expected that around 120 cars from across the UK and Europe will start the rally, which opens with special stages on forest roads in Wales on Friday (10 November). The competing cars will return to Brightwells in the late afternoon of Friday for a main service halt before the entire event moves north.
Brightwells has extensive links with the classic car market as a leading auction house within a business first started in 1846. As well as classic cars, auctions for 4x4s, cars, vans, plant, machinery, fine art and antiques are all part of the business mix at the company’s impressive Easter Court facility.
Rally manager Colin Heppenstall said he was delighted to be starting the rally at Brightwells in Leominster. “The facilities at Brightwells are perfect for all the pre-event scrutineering and documentation,” said Heppenstall. “The enthusiastic support of everyone at Brightwells has allowed us to bring the event to Leominster and make a significant contribution to the local economy.”
Richard Binnersley, Joint Managing Director of Brightwells, said: “It will be a hugely exciting weekend for rally fans to enjoy, bringing people in who will follow the event around the country. The business community and Leominster Town Council are very eager to welcome plenty of visitors and are looking forward to providing some of our renowned Herefordshire hospitality and fare to our guests.”
