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In
a last minute amendment to the route for the 2009 Down Rally
the organisers, Rathfriland Motor Club, have been able to
negotiate an extension to Stages 6 & 8 in Castlewellan
Forest Park.
The additional miles became available when it was noted
that the protected Red Kite population within the Forest
complex had decided to move away which allowed the Forest
Service to make available a section of Forest which was
previously 'out of bounds'.
"Its
great to be able to extend the stage from the original 2.2
miles to just under 4.5 miles. It all happened very late
in the planning process and it has meant a rewrite of the
Event Safety Plan, the Road Book and an amendment to the
schedule, but it will be worth the extra effort" commented
Andy Gilmore, the Clerk of the Course.
"Having
been through all the stages over the weekend to finalise
the setup plans and to allow the Patterson Safety Notes
to be made we know that the roads are in perfect condition
and we are confident that anyone who enters the event will
enjoy the challenge of the tests here in South Down"
Supplementary
Regulations and Entry Forms are still available to download
for the event which is the penultimate round of the MSA
Hankook Northern Ireland Stage Rally Championship and
a candidate event for the 2010 Petro Systems Southern
Forestry Championship.
To
assist competitors with any queries, the event organisers
have again published a Rally Guide 1 which includes
all the information prospective competitors need to successfully
enter and compete on the event.
The
F&M Contracts Down Rally 2009 will follow the
revised schedule with 4 stages tackled twice. The event
will be divided into four loops, punctuated by a service
after every 2 stages.
Saturday morning sees the running of the Rostrevor and Tollymore
loop of stages, both tests repeated and after lunchtime
crews will attack the Drumkeeragh and the newly extended
Castlewellan Stage, just a short distance from the centralised
Service Park within Castlewellan Forest Park. Again these
stages will be repeated with the winning crews scheduled
to spray the champagne at the finish in the Lower Square
in Castlewellan around 5pm.
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