New spectator stage in Wales
October’s Dayinsure Wales Rally GB will kick off with a brand new spectator stage on Thursday evening.
The 1.7km floodlit course will be created at the Tir Prince Raceway in the rally's host county of Conwy in north Wales. It will incorporate parts of Tir Prince’s trotting track and surrounding parkland and will also feature a jump and donut.
The stage will be the curtain raiser before three full days of competition on Friday, Saturday and Sunday [27 - 29 October] and organisers have planned a full evening of entertainment including autograph sessions, interviews and a funfair to bring in the crowds.
“It’s going to be a great night out,” the rally's managing director Ben Taylor said. “Rallying is an amazing sport, but it can be difficult for people to get to see it, so we are always looking for innovative ways to bring it to new audiences.
“The stage at Tir Prince will be a great first, bringing the action to the heart of this busy region and getting the event off to the best possible start. With many people on half-term holidays, the area will be buzzing; I have no doubt that we’ll get an amazing crowd for this memorable event.”
Rally organisers also confirmed that Sunday's opening pass through the Gwydir stage has been dropped from the itinerary. The decision was taken after teams complained that the schedule didn't allow enough of a break after a late finish on Saturday night. Sunday's action will instead start almost two hours later than planned with the Alwen stage at 0854hrs.
