Getting into gear for the Stages Rally

The Wexford Volkswagen Stages Rally taking place on September 8 and 9, was launched by the Volkswagen Brand Ambassador Rosanna Davison at a reception in the company’s headquarters in Drinagh.

The launch was hosted by Kevin Reilly, Dealer Principal of Wexford Volkswagen which is the title sponsor of the rally for the third year running.

‘ Through our sponsorship over the past few years, we have watched the Wexford Volkswagen Stages Rally gain popularity and respect as Ireland’s only two day non-championship rally’, he said.

‘ The continued growth and success of this event each year is a true testament to the continuous hard work and dedication of everyone involved.’

Mr. Reilly said Volkswagen and rallying go hand in hand. ‘Our partnership with the Wexford Motor Club and Stages Rally helps us to support a local club here in Wexford but also to support the relationship between Volkswagen Motor Sports and international rallying. We are all looking forward to Volkswagen’s anticipated return tot he sport with the new Polo GTI R5 in Spain later this year’.

Members of the Volkswagen Ireland team were in attendance along with the Brand Ambassador Ms. Davison who was interviewed by MC Paul Caulfield from Wexford Motor Club and spoke of her involvement in Volkswagen and her love of Wexford, her father Chris de Burgh’s home place and where her grandmother Maeve Davison still resides.

Speeches were also made by the club president Tommy Moran, charkan Graham Scallan and Wexford Rally Clerk of the Course Niall McCarthy.

The Wexford Volkswagen Stages Rally will take place on Saturday and Sunday, September 8 and 9. The two-day rally will feature 15 states over 200 kilometres.

It’s the 47th staging of Ireland’s only two day non-championship rally. The event has remained free of the constraints of any national championship to evolve into the much-celebrated clubman rally that it is, attracting competitors from all over Ireland and the UK.

The format consists of three stages run three times on Saturday and two stages run three times on Sunday totalling over 200 km of smooth and technical tarmac. Scrutiny is at Hertz in Ferrybank with central service at Enniscorthy Mart on the Old Dublin road while rally headquarters are at the Riverbank House Hotel in Ferrybank.

The Stages Rally enjoys a reputation for its unique international rally atmosphere with great awards and after parties.

Former Miss World Rosanna Davidson launches the Wexford Volkswagen Wexford Stages Rally at Wexford Volkswagen in Drinagh From left: Kevin Reilly (principal, Wexford Volkswagen), Joe Connolly, guest speaker, Graham Scallan, Mark Cooper, Rosanna Davidson, John Naylor, Tommy Moran (club president), Margaret Fielding, Jason Doyle, Pat Caufield, Adrian Codd, Niall McCarthy and David Busher.