British & Irish Rally calendars 2023

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Jim Clark seeded entry list

https://www.rallies.info/webentry/20...ies.php?type=s

[HKSjbg]

It seems kind of perplexing to me that this year and last, the Jim Clark and Reivers both have very healthy entry lists, yet there is no 3-day ‘International’ for lack of a more appropriate term.

The Ulster is going to be 157km long this year and round three at Ypres is going to be 221km, yet round two is just 107km and probably done and dusted after an hour-ish of stage running when there could be 173km and three days of action. Is it just me or does this seem like it could have been an easy win to get a ‘bigger’ event on the BRC?

[Steve Boyd]

Running the BRC on Sunday with the Scottish Championship would require a different route & schedule to accommodate the numbers of cars. In the years I worked on results the Reivers was frequently very hard work getting the entire field through the stages at 30 second intervals within the road closure times. Delays on the first run through frequently had knock-on stage cancellations of multiple stages for the tail of the field which lead to disgruntled competitors. You have to ask yourself whether the current event organisers want the extra work that a 3-day BRC event would entail.

[HKSjbg]

Thanks for the insight! Is the scheduling issue specific to running a closed road rally in that part of the country or is it a problem possibly faced by the Argyll organisers too?

[Steve Boyd]

Thanks for the insight! Is the scheduling issue specific to running a closed road rally in that part of the country or is it a problem possibly faced by the Argyll organisers too?

It applies to all rallies on closed roads. It isn't as critical under the new legislation as it was because the order these days can be for 24 hours with the provision to be implemented in full for periods within that 24 hours.

In the past for the JCMR there were full closures for declared periods that were precisely defined and if you ran late there was the risk the closure order would run out before the tail of the field had completed the stage. A delay with a split in the field could cause stages to be cancelled for the late runners as they wouldn't get through before the road had to be opened. If the geography of the route was such that the tail couldn't catch up in that loop then you'd have no choice but to cut all remaining stages in that loop and send them back to service & re-group, sometimes missing two or three stages.

Even under the new rules, where the full closure is more flexible, you still don't want to be running late because if you've told the residents on the route that they will have full access by, say, 6pm you want to be clear by that time so you get their support for the event next year.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Live action tonight..

[J4MIE]

https://jimclarkrally.co.uk/jim-clark-rally-statement/

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Sad about the fan. At least with the delay we and the drivers got some real night rally action and a great atmosphere with lights and glowing discs.

Day 2 on Special Stage.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

The win goes to Fourmaux but not great times today... maybe just managing his lead.

3 surprising stage wins for James Ford... ironically in a Citroen !

[Sal yet again]

Not been following the rally as such but was surprised to see it all over and done by just after lunch.