Brean’s annual car rally is set to roar into action later this month with more than 80 entries.
The popular event, organised by Weston Motor Club, will be held at Brean Leisure Park during the weekend of January 31st and February 1st.
Entries for the rally are already over-subscribed, and all 85 places are taken. Rod McKenna, club president and rally manager, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Over the years, the rally has been extremely popular with not only locally-based rally crews, but competitors from all around the UK. The rally has built up an enviable national reputation for its combination of competitive rallying and social activities.”
One driver, David Kynaston, (pictured right) will be out to make event history by attempting a hat-trick of wins in his Audi A3 Quatro.
David, from Exeter, was the 2008 MSA National Asphalt Rally Champion and will be accompanied at the 2009 Brean Rally by his regular co-driver, Andy Russell.
The rally will contain a range of cars, from the ever popular Ford Escorts in various guises, Vauxhall Nova’s, Corsa’s, and Peugeots, through to the more exotic, state of the art World Rally Cars, such as the Subaru Impreza, Mitsubishi Evo’s, Ford Focus and, of course, the iconic Metro 6R4, with their awesome turn of speed.
The organisers have once again ensured that spectators are well catered for, with covered seated grandstands and heated al-fresco snacks available in the spectator zone. Other indoor catering facilities will also be available within the park.
Spectators are admitted over both days of the rally by way of car parking only, which includes a souvenir rally programme. One day tickets for up to two people in a car will cost £10, while three people or more will be £15. Two day tickets for up to two in a car are £15, and three people or more will be £30.
Besides being the opening rounds of three major regional Championship series, the Brean Rally will also host the opening round of Weston Motor Club’s inaugural rally championship, ‘The Mark Lovell Stage Rally Championship’.
The series of rallies, made up of ten events predominately in the South West, is dedicated to the late Mark Lovell, who started his international rally career with Weston Motor Club.
Mark went on to win the British Rally Championship in a Ford RS200, followed by wins in the Irish Tarmacadam Rally Championship and the International Dutch Rally Drivers Championship. Mark together with his co-driver Roger Freeman were both tragically killed in 2003 whilst competing in a rally in the USA.
Rod McKenna added: “The club has, for some time, been considering ways in which it could remember Mark and this championship series is a fitting tribute to Mark, especially as he would have competed in some of the local events during his early days in the sport.”
