*** The Stages Finally Get Named ***

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It has been a long journey for the entire team, starting way back in October of last year. We must continually thank the team for their tireless efforts in inspecting every metre of each stage, with safety always being paramount in their assessments.

As many of you know, the work has been carried out in consultation with parish councils, individual residents, and regional authorities. Tweaks and changes to the routes have been ongoing to ensure that we deliver the very best in motorsport, benefiting as many people as possible. The professionalism of the team in presenting documentation, action plans, and communication logs to the councils and local authorities has been exceptional.

But here we are, with 99% of the stages confirmed. Even at this stage, the work continues, with everyone constantly checking and double-checking the details.

We couldn’t have achieved this without the knowledge and support of our sponsors, who have sponsored individual stages. Some sponsors are involved because they live on the stage, others because they have customers on the stages, or simply because they wanted to support the rally personally. From the Press Office’s perspective, it’s been torturous not being able to thank our sponsors sooner.

We are also in the final stages of organising two official spectator stages, media locations, and a spectator parking area at the Service Park in Much Marcle, which we will announce closer to the date.

Once again, a big thank you to our sponsors:

-> Our Stage Sponsors (Not in any particular order)
Castlemorton – R.A.Swann & SFP Store
Petty France – MAR Motorsport Ltd
Hole in the Wall – Moran Motorhomes & R.J. Mathews Haulage
Marcle Hill – AlliSport Ltd & ANDY LANDY Motorsport .

Okle Green – R A Swann Ltd & Rallynuts Motorsport
Redmarley – Hartpury Farms

Ceremonial Start – Ledbury Town Centre – Hawk Security
Service Area – Much Marcle – Rallynuts Motorsport

And, of course, a special thank you to Hills Ford for being our valued title sponsor this year, and for providing us with hire vans for our safety and stage setup kit over the weekend.

** Learn from the best **

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Silverstone Rally School will be holding a raffle at the Hills Ford Stages Open Day on Sunday.

Free to enter, you could win a Half Day Experience Voucher!

The winner will be picked by Car 1 at the ceremonial start in Ledbury Town Centre on the the Saturday afternoon on the 14th September

Silverstone Rally School for more information about becoming a rally driver, or just haveing a great day

Silverstone Rally School

** Come & see them having live servicing demonstrations at our open day **

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Harper Adams University Joins Hills Ford Stages to Boost “Get Involved” Mission

We’re thrilled to announce an exciting collaboration with Harper Adams University for the Hills Ford Stages open day on August 11th at Ledbury Rugby Club. Known for producing top-notch technicians for Hills Ford, Harper Adams will showcase their “Rallying the Wright Way” programme, which offers a deep dive into motorsport and rallying careers.

Visitors will witness live servicing demonstrations under the expert guidance of Charlie Wright. This programme highlights the evolution of motorsport careers, showcasing that today’s technicians and engineers are highly skilled professionals who undergo extensive training to master the complexities of modern vehicles.

The “Rallying the Wright Way” initiative is an applied education project where Harper Adams students manage a competitive rally team using an M-Sport Fiesta R2T. This hands-on experience covers all aspects of rally logistics, engineering, and car preparation, while also offering opportunities in marketing and media production. Students engage with real-world skills and professional challenges, making it an exceptional learning platform.

This year, the programme includes exciting opportunities for students to connect with the M-Sport World Rally Team, potentially leading to placements or graduate positions. Two dissertation projects will be closely linked to the team, reflecting the programme’s commitment to integrating academic and practical experience.

Dan Lister, Clerk of the Course, emphasizes, “The Hills Ford Stages is not only about the event itself but also about making a positive impact on the community throughout the year. This partnership with Harper Adams University highlights our dedication to fostering local talent and providing valuable career pathways.”

Rich Millener from M-Sport adds, “Harper Adams students are significantly better from day one, thanks to their hands-on training and experience.”

This open day is an excellent chance to explore career opportunities in motorsport and rallying. Visit us on August 11th to learn more about how you can “Get Involved” and see the impressive work of the “Rallying the Wright Way” team.

For more details, visit Harper Adams University.

**We hope the pictures make you smile too. **

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We hope the pictures make you smile.

It was a proud day for us all to see our two Road Smart rally ambassadors, Sandra and James, take to the wheel at the Silverstone Rally School last week. (Apologies for the delay; a lot has been happening behind the scenes at rally HQ.)

The day started with Sandra and James feeling a bit unsure of what to expect. However, as soon as Izzie and Mike from the school took over, you could see our ambassadors begin to relax, and the lessons commenced.

Mike’s hidden skills in driver training quickly became apparent. He had a clever way of making both Sandra and James comfortable in the car, focusing on their individual skill levels without creating competition between them. The cheers from the sidelines were memorable as Sandra got the rally car more sideways with each attempt, clearly mastering the handbrake. Her fearless approach and determination were truly impressive, and it was evident that Mike had developed a special fondness for her unique style, something he will likely cherish.

James, on the other hand, required a bit more space to find his footing. Being one of the youngest qualified helicopter pilots in the UK at just 20 years old, his mental acuity was never in question. James’s quiet and humble demeanour only added to his uniqueness. As the day progressed, under Mike’s expert guidance, he began to understand the intricacies of rally driving—finding the right balance between losing and regaining traction.

Izzie provided the perfect balance to Mike’s instruction, making everyone feel welcome and ensuring we were well taken care of with food and drinks. As the afternoon continued, James nailed the figure-of-eight, demonstrating a keen understanding of maintaining balance and control, which Mike had emphasised.

Every session with Mike brought new insights and challenges, making the day special for everyone involved. The real thank you from the Hills Ford Stages team goes to Sandra and James, who, through their enthusiasm and dedication, gave us a day filled with unforgettable moments.

Truly memorable.

The Images of the day from Paul Mitchell. Capture the day in ink perfectly, thank you Paul you were a true gentleman too.! Just wait until you get to see the filming of the day. by Ben Linge, you’d be fooled into thinking these two had done all of this before. and the teaser question…. who is driving the car when? we will leave that for you to ponder.

View all the pictures of the day

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Thanks… HFS…

Paul Mitchell Photography
Ben Linge
Silverstone Rally School
IAM RoadSmart

**Sponsorship News **

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We would like to express our thanks to Mr. Dave Turner for his generous support of our marshals. Dave Turner, a good friend of the rally organisers and the owner of Volkswagen & Audi Centre, has been actively involved in the rally community. He shared his thoughts on his contribution: “Yes, this contribution is from me personally. I believe supporting the marshals is money well spent.”

Dave Turner is also known for showcasing his rallying skills over the years and understands how important our marshals are to the success of these events.

Dave has made a significant contribution towards our marshals, and we are excited to share more details in the coming days. We deeply appreciate his generosity and commitment.

** There was a minor misunderstanding in our initial communications. We initially believed that Dave’s support was on behalf of the EMCOS club, but it was, in fact, a personal contribution. We apologise for any confusion and are grateful for Dave’s personal involvement.*

Don’t forget, by being a part of the Hills Ford Stages as a marshal, there is something very special for you too. We value your support and want to thank you with not only a marshal’s goodies bag but also by entering every marshal into two free prize draws. Hills Ford has kindly donated two long weekend breaks in one of their camper vans, one for each day.

So come along, find out, and be a part of something special. Talk to the British Rally Marshals Club, register with Another Day In Orange, and be in for a chance to receive a big thank you from us at the Hills Ford Stages Team and our title sponsor, Hills Ford.

(http://www.anotherdayinorange.co.uk/hfs2024)
“The BRMC are pleased to once again be supporting the Hills Ford Stages and will have many marshals and officials out undertaking numerous roles in support of the event. We will also be running a Taster Day on the 15th of September for those wishing to get into rally marshalling but are unsure on how to do so. For further information on the Taster Day please contact the BRMC via email on recruitment@brmc.org.uk “… Al Page, Recruitment Coordinator, British Rally Marshals Club.

**Sponsorship News **

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We are excited to announce that Rally Nuts has confirmed their sponsorship of the Service Area and will also be a stage sponsor for this year’s rally. (The stages are soon to be announced) In addition to this support, Rally Nuts has generously contributed to our marshal program, helping us express our gratitude to these essential team members. We will share more details about our marshal program in the coming days.

“It’s great news to have another credible brand like Rally Nuts joining our rally. We look forward to building our relationship with them over the coming years as the rally continues to grow,” said Dan Lister, COC..

Who are Rally Nuts?
They have been trading in the Motorsport industry since 1992 and have been involved in everything from preparing race and rally cars, to on-event service and management, through to supplying International race and rally teams with products and services. Our business has evolved into a specialist retail, e-commerce and mail order company that serves customers from around the World on a daily basis

The business was originally founded by Nick James and operated from various locations over 23 years in beautiful Cornwall, down in the far South West of the UK. From there we dispatched goods to over 100 of the World’s Countries, with regular weekly shipments to over twenty of them. Rallynuts has accounts and distributorships with over sixty of the largest and most well respected companies in the Performance and Motorsport industry Worldwide.

You could say they are a company you can trust and work with to get the equipment you want and need, when you need it. Get in touch with them

About Raly Nuts

Their motorsport retail page