Many of the UK’s most famous, challenging and popular forestry stages will once again come together to form the 2024 Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship.
Next year’s series will begin with the Get Jerky Rally North Wales on Saturday 16 March. Organised by Wolverhampton & South Staffs Car Club, this year’s event featured a fantastic start and finish ceremony in the centre of Welshpool, with stages in Dyfnant and Dyfi forest complex.
Round 2 will be the Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages on Saturday 13 April. Organised by Midland Manor Motor Club, the event will feature stages in Myherin, Sarnau, Sweet Lamb and Hafren forests and be based at the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd.
Next up will be a visit to Bala for the Plains Rally on Saturday 18 May. Organised by Knutsford & District Motor Club, the event features stages in the Aberhirnant, Llangower and Alwen forests.
The Nicky Grist Stages will host Round 4 on Saturday 13 July. Organised by Quinton Motor Club, the event is based in the centre of Builth Wells with stages in Llyn Login, Crychan, Halfway and Monument, situated in and around the nearby Epynt military range.
Round 5 will be the Phil Price Memorial Woodpecker Stages. Organised by Sixty and Worcestershire Motor Club, this year’s event had an exciting new format with stages in Cwmysgawen, Ceri and Haye Park forests and next year the event will take place on Saturday 7 September.
The sixth and penultimate round will be the Visit Conwy Cambrian Rally. Based in Llandudno, the North Wales Car Club organised event brings competitors some of the very best former Wales Rally GB stages, including Clocaenog, Brenig and Alwen.
The seventh and final round will be the Wyedean Rally on Saturday 16 November, organised by the Forest of Dean Motor Club.
“It’s fantastic to see at the start of my fifteenth year as Secretary of the Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship some of the ideas planned for 2024 coming together so well,” says Dave Evison.
“Organisers are taking rallying to the people, with more town centre starts and ceremonial finishes planned. Whilst some events have moved their rally base in recent years, others are looking to do so with the aim to bring more stages on board, all of which is proving very popular with contenders.
“All this takes a tremendous amount of planning and organisation on top of an ever-increasing workload. Next year will see another event celebrate a fantastic fiftieth anniversary and the organisers are planning to celebrate this achievement in style. All we can say at the moment is to watch this space.
“2024 will no doubt bring plenty of challenges and also plenty to celebrate. We hope our many loyal competitors will come and join us again for the ride and, along with we hope many newcomers, they will enjoy competing on some world class stages Wales has to offer.”
Further details on the Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship can be found online at: wnrc.wamc.org.uk.