MILEAGE CUT FOR RED DRAGON RALLY

Route reworked to avoid extra costs from Natural Resources Wales

The Red Dragon Rally, round six of the MSA British Historic Rally Championship, will run with a shortened route next month as a result of the proposed increase in forestry charges.

The August 20 event organisers, Port Talbot MC, had planned to include some forest roads managed by Natural Resource Wales, but have now substantially revised the route to avoid NRW land and run within the privately-owned Walters Arena complex.

Ten stage miles will be cut from a planned 45-mile route and the entry fee will be £355. The event will start at 1030hrs and finish just after 1400hrs. Saturday morning scrutineering will allow some crews to avoid hotel costs.

“No agreement is yet in place between NRW and the MSA and NRW would not agree to an extension of the current charges. This is the reason we moved to Walters,” said clerk of the course Alan Stoneman. “We certainly hope to return to running a full event in 2017 with stages in Walters Arena and on NRW roads.”

Colin Heppenstall, BHRC manager, put the proposal to registered contenders and 53 per cent of contenders voted to support the event and keep it as a round of the BHRC.

“We have the support of the MSA to retain the revised event but we needed to consult our competitors,” said Heppenstall. “We will support the event and plan to return in 2017.”

The event will again include a modern element to run alongside historic contenders.