R ALL I 22 COMP ET IT ON TO HOST GROUP B CARS
Wrc monsters will battle for a new hill climb show down in theuk in 2018
Group B rally cars will make a rare return to competition this summer in a new hillclimb competition called Ralli22.
The three-round series will cater for rally cars from a 22-year period, spanning 1982 to 2004, and will include Group B cars that were banned from rallying in 1986. Many period Group B cars have not competed in UK motorsport for 32 years. However, speed event regulations allow them to compete and series promoter Steve Davis has arranged three dates covering Prescott, Chateau Impney and Shelsley Walsh.
“We’re going to limit it to a maximum of 50 cars and will run up to 25 in each event,” said Davis. “We want to focus on the right cars and most of them will be original cars. There is a lot of enthusiasm for it.”
There will be classes for four-wheel drive, front-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive and there will be scope for owners to take part in demonstration rather than competition runs if they prefer. But it is intended to be a serious timed competition.
Ralli22 builds on successful demo events at Chateau Impney and Shelsley Walsh last summer. “There is potential to grow beyond three events in 2019,” said Davis, who added that the cars would be well-suited to any closed road hillclimbs that may be planned in the future.
The three dates take in Prescott’s Midsummer Speed Festival (June 23), Chateau Impney (July 7/8) and Shelsley’s Classic Nostalgia (July 28/29).