The seeded entry list and route for the 15th RAC Rally has been announced ahead of the five day rally on November 23-27. Showing its ever growing popularity, a record number of 163 cars are due to tackle the marathon event. The route was unveiled back at the start of the month, which starts from Carmarthen on Thursday morning, covering classic UK stages over Scotland, borders and Wales. Heading the main field away will be three time winner Martin McCormack and co-driver Barney Mitchell in their Ford Escort Mk2.
Ensuring a star studded entry, Kris Meeke, Oliver Solberg and Osian Pryce complete the top four, again in MK2 Escorts. The remainder of the top 10 includes Jason Pritchard, Richard Tuthill, Roger Chilman, Chris Ingram, Paul Barrett and Matthew Robinson in the best quality entry in the 20 year story of the Roger Albert Clarke Rally.
Split into two groups, the first group of cars will run in reverse order, which will be the under 1600cc cars and all Category 1 historic cars. The main field of 118 cars running in seeded order will then follow. A re-seed at the end of each day to reflect the latest overall positions will also take place.
In all, 24 manufacturers are represented in the entry list, from 12 countries. 9 former British Historic Rally champions, 8 former RAC Rally winners and nine former Roger Albert Clark Open Rally winners are on the entry list. A total of 28 cars will contest the Open Rally, while seven Category 1 pre-68 historics will be in the first part of the field.
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Rally manager Colin Heppenstall said: “We are delighted to unveil the biggest and most competitive entry so far in the 20 year history of the Roger Albert Clark Rally. We thank everyone who has supported the event to give us such an incredible entry and the level of competition, both overall and across the classes, is going to be immense.”
The seeded entry list is available here: www.rallies.info/webentry/2023/rac/entries.php?type=s
Thursday offers 46 stage miles, effectively a BTRDA rally for starters. Rally manager Colin Heppenstall said: “The first day is a relatively easy lead in for everybody, especially the new crews and the foreign crews. The idea is to get people to the end of the event and Thursday will just ease them in,” says Heppenstall.
With 77 miles, including 12 miles of Myherin and 16 miles in the main Hafren stage, Friday is where the true nature of the rally will be felt before the transport section to Carlisle ahead of Saturday’s new look leg in south-west Scotland.
Saturday morning starts straight into the Ae stage that everyone knows well. The Ae and Dalbeattie stages are both single use. Then a move on to brand new stages for this event, and some of them haven't been used for a long time. “It’s our first time going into the Galloway forests. We've worked with the local forester who has welcomed us with open arms and allowed us to have forests that haven't been used for quite some time. It's really good to have a forester who is willing to work with organisers to come up with something new for an event" says Heppenstall.
Sunday will be the toughest day of the rally. It’s the longest day with 88 stage miles and every stage is over 10 miles long. The first four miles of Mount Common have never been used and the last two miles have not been used for many years.
Monday is perhaps even more intense and is certainly the sting in the tail with 76 stage miles before a 1530hrs finish in Carlisle.
The route in detail (Released Oct 4)
Wednesday November 22
Ceremonial start, Carmarthen town centre 1900
Thursday November 23 (47 stage miles)
Miles Time
SS1 Crychan 1 10.75 0944
SS2 No spectators 3.10 1011
SS3 Walters Arena 1 8.00 1208
SS4 No spectators 3.00 1306
SS5 Crychan 2 10.75 1348
SS6 No spectators 3.10 1415
SS7 Walters Arena 2 8.00 1537
Friday November 24 (77 stage miles)
SS8 Esgair Berfaud 5.19 0920
SS9 Myherin 1 11.66 1100
SS10 Hafren 1 16.13 1228
SS11 Hafren South 1 8.31 1303
SS12 Myherin 2 11.66 1447
SS13 Hafren 2 16.13 1605
SS14 Hafren South 2 8.31 1640
Saturday November 25 (66 stage miles)
SS15 Ae 8.50 0839
SS16 Dalbeattie 4.60 1008
SS17 Glen Gap 1 7.00 1037
SS18 Glencaird Hill 1 10.75 1255
SS19 Arroch Hill 1 8.85 1332
SS20 Glen Gap 2 7.00 1517
SS21 Glencaird Hill 2 10.75 1655
SS22 Arroch Hill 2 8.85 1732
Sunday November 26 (88 stage miles)
SS23 Kershope 1 16.81 0834
SS24 Kershope 2 16.81 1140
SS25 Mount Common 1 16.57 1246
SS26 Harwood 1 10.86 1407
SS27 Mount Common 2 16.57 1648
SS28 Harwood 2 10.86 1809
Monday November 27 (77 stage miles)
SS29 Shepherdshield 6.50 0844
SS30 Pundershaw 14.18 0907
SS31 Roughside 10.09 0937
SS32 Hopehouse 8.08 1006
SS33/34/35 tba 37.89 1250
Updated route info will be updated as released by the organisers.
Please keep in mind motorsport can be dangerous. Use common sense when deciding where to stand, think about where cars are likely to go off and if your lacking in common sense, refer to the marshals. You risk stages being cancelled and ruining the event due to your poor decision. Think Clever!
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