Withington farmer, Roger Chilman will be looking to try and get amongst the front runners on this year’s RAC Rally. The four day marathon, the biggest and toughest rally in the UK for over 25 years, will only be Roger’s third event this year.

He will be accompanied by Brian Thomas, a veteran of many former Lombard RAC rallies in the past, in the Securcom Morspan backed Escort RS1800.

"Make no mistake this is going to be a proper test of man and machine, it’s fantastic that the event is based around Leominster and is great for the town and its businesses. They really have embraced the rally being in the town,” said Chilman.

Ross-on-Wye garage owner Steve Bennett wheels out his Escort RS1800 with Osian Owen alongside. Bennett has a famous father in rallying folklore, his dad Bob rallied a BMW 2002 TI very successfully on the British championship in the 1970s.

Steve said:?“This is a proper event, very reminiscent of the old RAC rallies, lots of spectators wearing bobble hats and wellies, lining the stages at all hours, you’ve just got to try and keep out of trouble, but with the bulk of the mileage in Kielder, anything can happen, one slip in there and game over, but I can’t wait to get going.

Roger added:?“Day one will be interesting with two runs through Radnor, one of the best stages in the UK, and one of my favourite stages, before we head to the meat of the event in the Kielder Forest complex where the weather can throw anything at us, we’ve also got stages in darkness which just adds to the atmosphere of the event, there are few on the entry list that always go well in Kielder and know the place very well, the pace at the front will be hot, but I hope to be not too far away, despite being a bit rusty I can play myself in, and I am really looking forward to it.”

The event will be based at Brightwell’s Auction Centre in Leominster, with cars arriving from Thursday in readiness for the start Friday morning.

“It’s extremely exciting for us to welcome the rally to Brightwell’s and Leominster town council is keen to welcome visitors to the town and surrounding areas to enjoy the rally". Said Brightwell’s joint MD Richard Binnersley.

The event, which has attracted a very high quality 100 car entry from all over Europe, with many of the top HRCR British Historic championship front runners adorning the entry list.

The event opens with two superspecial stages at the Shelsey Walsh hill climb circuit, before the first of two visits to Radnor Forest with the other two stages up on the gravel of Epynt Ranges.

The cars will then return to Leominster for service before making the long journey North to Carlisle ready for Saturday’s leg.

After leaving Carlisle at 9am for the longest day of the event with nine tests in the huge Kielder Forest complex, with it’s notoriously fast narrow tracks with many crests and firebreaks to test the unwary especially the final three stages in darkness where fog, ice and snow is not uncommon, renowned worldwide it has been the graveyard of many on the old RAC rallies,with the first car returning to Carlisle just before 11pm.

Sunday sees another early start and eight stages, as the rally crosses the border into Southern Scotland for the famous stages of Castle O’Er Twigless and Greskine, before another overnight halt back in Carlisle.

Monday’s final leg sees a 7am start for just five tests in and around the Falstone complex before the first car arrives back to the finish around 3pm at the visitor centre at Kielder Water, after 300 miles of tough competition.

For further information please go to: www.racrally.org