Kumho Tyres Scottish Rally plans for September
Kumho Tyres Scottish Rally plans to run on September date The Royal Scottish Automobile Club (Motor Sport) Ltd, organiser of the Kumho Tyres Scottish Rally, has expressed confidence that the event will go ahead on its revised dates Saturday and Sunday, September 15 and 16. Scotland's biggest annual motor sport event had been due to take place in June, but was postponed because of the foot-and-mouth epidemic. Now, having consulted with the authorities in the area, the RSAC is proceeding with plans to run on the new dates. Commenting, Jonathan Lord, the RSAC's Clerk of the Course, said: "We have been in discussion with Dumfries and Galloway Council, the agricultural authorities and Forest Enterprise. Their current advice is that we should be clear to run the Kumho Tyres Scottish Rally in September and that we should press ahead with the organisation. "We shall, of course, monitor the situation with the authorities over the coming weeks and, if the current advice should change, we will take the appropriate action. But, at the moment, It looks as though competitors, officials and spectators can look forward to the Kumho Tyres Scottish Rally bringing back top-class rallying to the UK after a rather bleak season." The Kumho Tyres Scottish Rally could also provide a much needed boost to the tourism industry in Dumfries and Galloway. The rally attracts many thousands of competitors, support crew, officials and spectators and as one of the biggest events in the area Dumfries and Galloway Council estimate that it generates at least £1 million of additional business. Although the British Rally Championship and the Scottish Rally Championship have both been cancelled, Jonathan Lord is confident that the rally will live up to its reputation and attract a strong entry: "Having lost most of the events in the 2001 season," he explains, "rally competitors and enthusiasts will be particularly keen to get back into the forests. The Kumho Tyres Scottish Rally is also a round of the popular Formula Rally series, which has managed to run an abridged programme this year and, so, a strong entry is assured." The Kumho Tyres Scottish Rally will be based in Dumfries, with financial and operational support from Dumfries and Galloway Council. Final details of the rescheduled event are being finalised, but it is envisaged that it will follow the schedule proposed for June. From the start in Dumfries, on the morning of Saturday, September 15, crews will tackle competitive sections in the Forest of Ae and other classic rally stages in the area. After an overnight rest halt in Dumfries, competitors will restart on Sunday morning, heading west into the final day's sections in the Dumfries and Galloway forests. … Further information on the Kumho Tyres Scottish Rally is available from the Royal Scottish Automobile Club (Motor Sport) Ltd, 11 Blythswood Square, Glasgow G2 4AG. Telephone 0141 204 4999. Fax 0141 204 4949. E-mail rsac_motorsport@compuserve.com. … The Kumho Tyres Scottish Rally website is at http://www.rsacmotorsport.co.uk/scottishrally/