Organisers of the fourth closed-road edition of the Dunoon Presents Argyll Rally, Mull Car Club, are braced for a busy week ahead as open their entries for the 21 and 22 June event on Wednesday 1 May.
A reinvigorated format, value-for-money entry fee and several top-line UK rally championships heading for the Dunoon-based event means that entries for this year’s event are expected to reach capacity as competitors from across the country aim to contest the popular all-asphalt stage rally.
Based once again at Dunoon Stadium, this year’s spectacular motorsport weekend will offer 75 stage miles of top-class roads around the Cowal Peninsula, spread over two days. After the fan-favourite run through Dunoon Town Centre on Friday [21 June], five stages in the surrounding countryside lie ahead, several under the cover of darkness and crews are set to arrive back in Dunoon just after 22:00 that evening.
Eleven special stages make up Saturday’s leg to bring the total up to 75 stage miles, and organisers have worked hard to ensure the entry fee is one of the cheapest closed-road events of the year.
But Clerk of the Course Sam Spencer is eager to reinforce that crews wishing to compete at the Argyll Rally, will not need to keep hitting `refresh` when entries open at 09:00 on Wednesday.
“It’s fantastic to see closed-road rallying is thriving in the UK at the moment but that in itself can bring some challenges when it comes to oversubscribed entries and the process involved” he says.
“We believe the Argyll Rally will be more popular than ever this year so have been working on trying to create a fair process for all competitors, giving absolutely everyone the same chance to enter. Most events employ a `fastest finger first` process which can be largely unfair and difficult to manage. So, we have commissioned a ballot process, meaning everyone has an equal opportunity to join us regardless”.
The Dunoon Presents Argyll Rally entries will open initially for 48 hours and if the maximum number of entries are received in that period, then a ballot will be carried out. Twenty entries will be at the discretion of the organisers and a reserve list will be compiled shortly after the initial 48 hours have elapsed.
This year’s event is delighted to welcome back the Asset Alliance Scottish Rally Championship, the Protyre National Asphalt Rally Championship, Scottish Tarmack Rally Championship, the AS Performance North of England Tarmacadam Rally Championship and the HRCR Mini Cup & Category 1 Championship.
It also plays host to a British-titled series for the first time in decades as the Fuchs Lubricants British Historic Rally Championship makes the trip to Dunoon.
More information on the event will be released shortly with spectator information being made available closer to the rally.
You can keep up to date on the event via their social media feeds on Facebook, Twitter or the website at www.argyllrally.co.uk
Image credit: Crayford Media