To celebrate the 50th running of the popular Rallynuts Stages Rally, organisers Midland Manor Motor Club will offer competitors and fans alike one of the most impressive events on the rallying calendar in 2024.
In a nod to the rally’s impressive history which has run since the early 1970s, organisers of the 13 April occasion have introduced a widespread number of changes to the format which has in turn, attracted an impressive list of rally championships to the mid-Wales-based event.
60 stage miles for all
For next year’s rally half-century milestone, the rally will run a one-day gravel event across what is considered some of the best stages in the country but will be extended to offer over 60 competitive miles for all crews. In a remarkable move by the organisers, they will offer impressive mileage at a similar price to the traditional 45 mile-event rates, seen at most forest rallies in the UK.
New name, same great rally
Thought to be one of the longest -single-day loose surface events in many years, the event will also be renamed for 2024, heralding back to its much-loved roots and will be known at the Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages. The event will continue its long-term partnership with established racewear and accessory firm Rallynuts Motorsport who enter their eighth year as title sponsors.
Rally returns to its roots with Llandrindod Wells move
The rally will also return to its spiritual home of Llandrindod Wells where the imposing gaze of the Metropole Hotel will look over the new ceremonial start and finish celebrations during the weekend, a location which hosted many rallies over the decades and indeed became the Severn Valley Stages’ new home after it moved away from Kidderminster many years ago.
Llandrindod Wells will welcome a number of crews for the Ceremonial Start on Friday [12 April] evening with an autograph session and a chance for fans to get up close and personal to the cars and stars predicted to line up to tackle the event.
On Saturday [13 April] they will head away from the Metropole Hotel time control to attempt a range of world-famous stages including Myherin, Hafren and Sweet Lamb. The town will also host a mid-event re-group whilst the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells houses the event service area and pre-event technical checks. After a long day in the stages, Llandrindod Wells provides the perfect location for the traditional finish celebrations and champagne spray in front of fans.
New championships join seasoned regulars
This exciting new proposition means it welcomes back an impressive list of championships next year, including the MRF Tyres BTRDA Rally Series, Motorsport UK Pirelli Welsh Rally Championship, West Wales Rally Spares HRCR Stage Masters, T.C.S Plant Rally Challenge and Bowler Defender Challenge.
The offering has also attracted the attention of two British championships as the Probite British Rally Championship will head to the rally for the very first time, and 2024 sees the return of the Fuchs Lubricants British Historic Rally Championship, its first appearance since 2017. The rally will also welcome the new single-make MG3 Challenge and Stellantis Motorsport Cup.
“We don’t think there has been anything in UK rallying quite like what we are offering for next year’s Rallynuts Severn Valley Stages,” says Route Clerk of the Course, Chris Ashley.
“The organising committee had been thinking for some time about how to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the event as there are not many rallies still going with that history behind them. We wanted to ensure we gave a nod to our extensive heritage of the past whilst giving our competitors something a little special and the fans on and off the stages something exciting too and I believe we have achieved just that.”
“Midland Manor Motor Club with subsidise the entry fee to ensure all competitors will enjoy one of the longest one-day gravel events in recent times at a cost that is familiar for a 45-mile rally so they can celebrate our anniversary with us. And returning to our roots in Llandrindod Wells and the Metropole Hotel for the start and finish ceremonies also ensures we bring back some of the features of the past for our current generation to enjoy.”
“Just looking at the lineup of championships that will be heading for the event in April is a real honour to see. Of course, the stages we have on offer are famous across the world and speak for themselves; we hope that it will be a rally weekend that everyone will remember in years to come.”
More information on the event and format will be released in the coming weeks. Follow the event’s social media feeds for all the latest news;
www.facebook.com/RallynutsStagesRally
www.twitter.com/rallynutsstages
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