Regulations for Cork Motor Clubs popular two day event, the Quality Hotels West Cork Rally are now available to download from www.corkmotorclub.com. This will be the 32nd running of the rally and it takes place on the 20th & 21st March next. For the eighth time in succession the rally will be sponsored by the Quality Hotel Clonakilty which will be also be the Rally HQ..
There is a special atmosphere in Clonakilty and its surrounding areas around St.Patricks weekend which is helped by the influx of crews and spectators from all parts of Ireland and Britain. Darren McCarthy will be Clerk of the Course for the second time and hoping to build on what was a very successful event in 2009, when he even managed to get the weather perfect for the weekend.
Cork Motor Club is pleased to announce that the entry fee is held at the 2009 price of €630 which is excellent value for 16 stages and 240km of competition mileage. Road mileage at 170km is again very low this year while service will be centralised as usual near Clonakilty.
As usual the rally is the first round of the Southern 4 Rally Championship, while this year sees the event being the first and second rounds of both the Mitsubishi Evo Challenge and the Honda Cup. The Bones O’Connor Modified Challenge is back for a fourth year in 2010 where many crews will be bidding to take the crown from John Dalton. Dalton won the 2WD category every year since 2005. This challenge incorporates cars from classes 9-15 (details on classes to be found on www.motorsportireland.com) and has been very competitive in its first three years.
There will also be a Historic Rally which will begin on Stage 5 on day one; the cost of entry here is €480 while the Junior Rally will cover the last four stages of the event at a cost of €330. After the success of the scheme in 2008 & 2009, junior competitors are also reminded that if they go marshalling on the Saturday stages then they will get a refund of €100 on their entry fee. Both crew members have to take part to avail of this.
General Manager of the Quality Hotel Clonakilty, David Henry says “We are delighted to be involved as title sponsor of the Quality Hotels West Cork Rally for the eighth time, and great accommodation packages are available for rally weekend”. Information on accommodation may be sourced by contacting the Quality Hotel on 023 8836400, (00 353 23 8836400 from the UK) or logging onto their website at www.qualityclonakiltyhotel.com. For more rally details please log onto www.corkmotorclub.com or www.westcorkrally.com.