PRESS RELEASE: 31st January 2022

RALLY DAY RETURNS ON 21st SEPTEMBER 2022

Wiltshire’s Castle Combe Circuit has announced the 2022 date for its much-loved Rallyday event, which will take place on Saturday, 17 September.

The event – one of the largest shows dedicated to rallying in Europe – attracts countless stars and cars from throughout the history of the thrilling sport, with attractions both in the vast static display areas as well as out on the circuit. Also present will be a vast trade village are, dedicated club car displays and public track time.

 

 

 

PRESS RELEASE 25th September 2021

RALLY DAY RETURNS WITH ONE OF THE BEST

Hyundai Motorsport driver Craig Breen stars on Rallyday’s return

Richard Burns parade provides a fitting tribute to Englishman’s 2001 title

LEGENDS stage a massive hit with the Castle Combe crowds

It’s like it had never been away. Rallyday returned to make September feel like September again on Saturday.

Forced off the calendar due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the organisers of Europe’s biggest one-day rally show were determined to show fans what they’d been missing for the last two years.

They certainly did that. Craig Breen, Mark Higgins, Nicky Grist, Ian Gwynne and a long list of other stars aligned to make Rallyday 2021 one of the most popular and certainly the most poignant yet.

Twenty years on from Richard Burns’ 2001 World Rally Championship title, the Englishman’s sister Jo drove into the event in her brother’s Subaru Impreza RB320 and set the tone for the day perfectly.

The atmosphere for the parade of Burns cars at lunchtime was incredible, with admiration, adoration and absolute respect for what Richard and co-driver Robert Reid achieved two decades and two months ago.

A LEGENDS stage entry packed with the stuff of a rally fan’s dreams was a great way to follow the parades. Watching an ex-Hannu Mikkola Audi quattro E2 being followed into the stage by some of the finest factory rally cars ever made was what Rallyday was all about.

Castle Combe managing director Graham Marshallsay said: “We really couldn’t have wished for a better return for Rallyday. It’s been the perfect day.

“The quality of the cars we’ve had here has been quite unbelievable and to have Craig Breen stopping in to catch up with everybody on his way to Rally Finland next week was incredible.

“Rallyday is all about a real mix of everything rallying from the grass roots right to the top of the WRC. We’ve achieved that again with Rallyday – there was truly something for everybody. I can’t thank Jo [Burns] enough for coming to join us on what’s been a very, very special day to remember Richard.

“There are, of course, a whole lot more people to thank – especially Tom [Williams] and Mark [Higgins] – to thank for what they did to help with our tribute to Richard.

“Ian Gwynne worked his magic on the LEGENDS stage as well. Walking down the line of cars waiting to go in at 1230 was a proper who’s who and what’s what of the World Rally Championship down the years. And the response from the crowd, the cheers when iconic car after iconic car is something I’ll remember for a very long time.

“But the biggest thanks goes to the fans and the marshals – without those guys none of this would have been possible. We know it wasn’t the perfect Rallyday – how can it be without signing and selfie sessions? But without applying those COVID protocols, we would all have been sitting at home and not watching the world’s finest rally cars and drivers.

“Thank you. What a day. What a Rallyday!”

 

 

PRESS RELEASE 24th September 2019

CARS AND STARS ENJOY THE SUNSHINE AT RALLYDAY

Rallyday took some of the rarest cars in the sport’s history and put World Rally Champions and heroes behind the wheel to make Saturday’s event one of the most spectacular in its 19-year history.

With Group 4, Group B and Group A machinery worth in excess of £10m in attendance at Castle Combe, rally fans were treated to an extraordinary display of cars which surprised even the likes of Hyundai Motorsport WRC star Craig Breen and 1994 world champion Didier Auriol.

Having arrived with his own MG Metro 6R4 and appreciated cars like the ex-Tony Pond 1985 RAC Metro parked alongside, Craig said: “It’s something very rare to get a collection of cars together like these here at Rallyday and to get them out on the track is even more special.

“I’m delighted to have been here and I’ll definitely be back to have another snoop around some more of these cars.”

As the new-for-2019 Legend Stage began at lunchtime, fans packed the side of the stage to watch as the history of the sport unfolded before them. As well as a fleet of ex-McRae machinery, there was the stunning sight of a Lancia Delta S4, driven by Edoardo Bresolin.

Another Rallyday debutant, Bresolin said: “It’s so nice to bring this car to show the people. I think they feel the same about the S4 like me, it’s magic.”

Auriol starred in slightly younger Deltas, driving the beautiful HF Integrale, Lancia’s last ever rally car in the WRC.

“I knew the reputation of Rallyday,” Auriol said. “And Miki [Biasion, former Lancia team-mate and fellow world champion] came here last year and told me it’s a really friendly event – but it’s so nice. Fantastic cars and so many people. I want to come back.”

This year’s Rallyday featured more headline-grabbing cars from the WRC than ever before and supporting them were some of the sport’s finest examples of clubmen-spec machinery.

Rallyday was delighted to welcome three generations of McRaes for the first time, as Jimmy, his son Alister and his son Max lined up to enjoy themselves. Predictably, rallying’s most famous family went down a storm – with five-time British Rally Champion Jimmy delighted to be the McRae busiest at the family autograph session.

Alister said: “I’ve been here a couple of times before, but not for about 10 years. It’s really impressive how it’s grown and to see so many great cars out here is amazing. It’s been fantastic to get out in a car like a proper Prodrive BMW M3 and to be told there’s nothing below 4,000rpm and you can take it up to 9,000!”

Alister’s son Max loved his first taste of Rallyday too. He added: “It’s been amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it. I got to go around with Craig in his Metro – that’s a fast car! I didn’t expect it to be so quick and he certainly knows how to drive it; he was faster than the car!”

Ian Gwynne’s BGMsport firm was at the heart of the event, bringing 23 vehicles, many of which belonged to DirtFish owner and American-based rally enthusiast Steve Rimmer.

Rallyday organiser Tom Davis said: “The idea behind the Legend Stage was to take the best of the best in the sport and put it in front of the people on a stage designed around the route the RAC Rally took when it came here in 1983. That has gone better than I could possibly have ever imagined.

“There are a lot of people to thank for this year’s event, not least our sponsors VP Racing Fuels and SuperPro. And the McRae family, Craig, Didier, Rally Replay for bringing so many Lancias – including that beautiful Delta S4 – and, of course, BGMsport and Steve Rimmer for his amazing cars. Steve talks about wanting to share his collection with like-minded folk and he’s certainly put a smile on thousands of faces today.

“As well as those guys, there are a whole lot more clubs and clubmen who come here and make this whole day possible. As much as we love the stars and their cars, we have to thank everybody for their efforts.”

- Keep your eyes peeled over at Rallyday's website – www.rallyday.com – for news on 2020's instalment of the event.