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This sounds like a must for the year
Rallying legends will be ‘on the loose’ on Goodwood’s spectacular new Forest Rally Stage
17/3/2005
The forest on the hillside above Goodwood House will throng to the sound of historic rally cars as Goodwood brings an exciting new feature to the Festival of Speed. A three-kilometre loose-surface rally course has been cut into the wooded area close to the hillclimb finish line, and around 30 cars from the history of rallying will provide a thrilling demonstration of sideways driving throughout all three days of the event. The new course begins at the top of the hill, next to the paddock where the racing cars gather after their run on the hillclimb. A dedicated rally car paddock on the grassland close to Goodwood Racecourse will bring the atmosphere of a WRC service area to the West Sussex downland.
Each rally car will run alone on the course, powering downhill through the beech woodland until emerging into the sunshine at the top of the Activities Field, whereby it power-slides around a 180-degree open corner and returns along the same course to the start/finish area. Spectators will be able to see the cars in the open at the top and bottom of the course, or follow a woodland trail alongside the stage to get a close-up view of the cars in action in the trees.
Cars will range from early Sixties machines like the Mini Cooper S and Saab 96 through to more contemporary machinery such as Lancia Delta Integrale and Subaru Impreza WRC. The ubiquitous Ford Escort Mk1 and Mk2 will take part alongside such legendary Group 4 machines as the Lancia Stratos and Porsche 911. And awesome fire-breathing Group B rally cars – so bad they were banned in the 1980s – will be out in force. Expect to see Audi Quattro, Lancia Rallye 037, Peugeot 205 T16, MG Metro 6R4, Ford RS200, Opel Manta 400 and Nissan 240RS.
With so many of the world’s great rally drivers expected to attend the Festival, there are sure to be some emotive reunions of star and car, whether it’s Hannu Mikkola or Stig Blomqvist in an Audi Quattro, Sandro Munari in a Lancia Stratos, Malcolm Wilson in an MG Metro 6R4, Rauno Aaltonen in a Mini Cooper or Erik ‘on the roof’ Carlsson in a Saab 96.
Lord March said: ‘I am thrilled about this fabulous new development. I have been around the course myself and it is going to be a real challenge, even for the top drivers. It has long been our intention to pay proper homage at the Festival to one of Britain’s biggest and most exciting spectator sports and I am confident that Goodwood’s Forest Rally Stage will bring back a hint of the great old Kielder stages that we all remember so fondly from the Rally of Great Britain. I can’t wait to see the awesome Group B cars send the mud and gravel flying in their natural environment.’
Rallying legends will be ‘on the loose’ on Goodwood’s spectacular new Forest Rally Stage
17/3/2005
The forest on the hillside above Goodwood House will throng to the sound of historic rally cars as Goodwood brings an exciting new feature to the Festival of Speed. A three-kilometre loose-surface rally course has been cut into the wooded area close to the hillclimb finish line, and around 30 cars from the history of rallying will provide a thrilling demonstration of sideways driving throughout all three days of the event. The new course begins at the top of the hill, next to the paddock where the racing cars gather after their run on the hillclimb. A dedicated rally car paddock on the grassland close to Goodwood Racecourse will bring the atmosphere of a WRC service area to the West Sussex downland.
Each rally car will run alone on the course, powering downhill through the beech woodland until emerging into the sunshine at the top of the Activities Field, whereby it power-slides around a 180-degree open corner and returns along the same course to the start/finish area. Spectators will be able to see the cars in the open at the top and bottom of the course, or follow a woodland trail alongside the stage to get a close-up view of the cars in action in the trees.
Cars will range from early Sixties machines like the Mini Cooper S and Saab 96 through to more contemporary machinery such as Lancia Delta Integrale and Subaru Impreza WRC. The ubiquitous Ford Escort Mk1 and Mk2 will take part alongside such legendary Group 4 machines as the Lancia Stratos and Porsche 911. And awesome fire-breathing Group B rally cars – so bad they were banned in the 1980s – will be out in force. Expect to see Audi Quattro, Lancia Rallye 037, Peugeot 205 T16, MG Metro 6R4, Ford RS200, Opel Manta 400 and Nissan 240RS.
With so many of the world’s great rally drivers expected to attend the Festival, there are sure to be some emotive reunions of star and car, whether it’s Hannu Mikkola or Stig Blomqvist in an Audi Quattro, Sandro Munari in a Lancia Stratos, Malcolm Wilson in an MG Metro 6R4, Rauno Aaltonen in a Mini Cooper or Erik ‘on the roof’ Carlsson in a Saab 96.
Lord March said: ‘I am thrilled about this fabulous new development. I have been around the course myself and it is going to be a real challenge, even for the top drivers. It has long been our intention to pay proper homage at the Festival to one of Britain’s biggest and most exciting spectator sports and I am confident that Goodwood’s Forest Rally Stage will bring back a hint of the great old Kielder stages that we all remember so fondly from the Rally of Great Britain. I can’t wait to see the awesome Group B cars send the mud and gravel flying in their natural environment.’
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