RACE PREVIEW // 2009 TEMPEST RALLY

Local rally crews take to the forests and military ranges surrounding Aldershot UK on Saturday, November 7th for the 2009 JLT South Of England Tempest Rally. The event which started life as a "Classic" rally has been based in the Hampshire town since 2003 and is now a round of the MSA English Rally Championship. This year as well as competing, the Jardine Lloyd Thompson Rally Team are the title sponsor.

Former competitors who have graced the Tempest stages have included the late Tony Pond and former World Rally Champion Richard Burns along with one of the original "Flying Finns" Pennti Airikkala who sadly lost his battle against liver disease this September.

This year local driver Peter Egerton from Burley along with his co-driver Jamie Edwards are again entered for the event. Egerton drives for UK rally ace Marcus Dodd's HPM Motorsport Team who are based in Poole Dorset, and will again be at the wheel of a Hyundai Accent World Rally Car for the single day event. Peter who began rallying some 20 years ago returned to the sport in 2004 driving a group N Subaru before making the switch to the fearsome 300bhp Accent WRC car. Dodd (above) who has been competing since the age of 17 this year secured his third British Gravel Rally Championship title in as many years and is recognised as one of the best rally drivers in the UK. Marcus who with co-driver Andrew Bargery won the event last year will again be running as the top seed in the 4 wheel drive section of the rally albeit with Alun Cook stepping in as co-driver... [read more]

The rally comprises of separate events for both two and four wheel drive machinery and as in the last two years "Tempest 2" and "Tempest 4" will tackle the same stages but will cover them at different times of the day effectively meaning both types of cars get to use some of the stages first while they are at their fastest.

Along with the more traditional rally machinery the Tempest sees the UK Armed Forces Rally Team compete with surprisingly rapid 4x4 Land Rover's. The team which has been competing at events both here and overseas for the last ten years switched from the Land Rover Defender to the more powerful Wolf (Below) in 2005. The goal of the Armed Forces Rally Team is to act as the pinnacle for the British Armed Forces Motoring Association (BAFMA) to which all advanced drivers from across the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force wish to aspire.

The Rally which is based at the Pegasus Village will see competitors head off to the special stages from 9am with the days action drawing to a close at approximately 16.30hrs

Spectator forest stages include "Warren Heath” and "Yateley" which are run twice along with the short Rushmoor Arena "Special" stage.

More Information can be found here

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Photo/Editorial: Neil Tozer