Some of the quickest rally drivers in the country feature on the seeded entry list for this year’s Island Stages Rally, which takes place in less than a weeks’ time on Sunday 3rd November.
50 competitors have been confirmed for this year’s event, which will see rallying action take to closed roads in and around Havenstreet for the first time.
Top entries include the likes of Rob Swann/Steve McNulty (Ford Fiesta WRC), Damian Cole/Lucie Gutteridge (Citroen C3 Rally2), Darrell Taylor/Jonathon Kennedy (Ford Fiesta R5), John Indri/Neil Chambers (Mitsubishi Mirage R5), James Labey/Robbie Hannah (Ford Fiesta Rally 2) and Sean Quigley/Colin Quigley (Ford Fiesta Rally2).
Other top drivers include the Island’s very own Will Nicholls/Nick Broom in their Fiesta Rally2, taking the top seed, and Richard Weaver/Dylan Thomas in a Fiesta R5.
Other Islanders entered include Dean Long/Barney Lower (Subaru Impreza), Wayne Hole/Chris Wilson (Ford Escort Mk1 Mexico), Kevin Richardson/Katrin Herold (Austin Mini), Simon Verstraeten/Paul Whittington (Talbot Sunbeam), Ian Thomas/Gerald Wilby (Austin Healey 3000), John Peck/Frankie Hillman (Mitsubishi Evo 5), Heidi Peck/Andy Tomlinson (Ford Fiesta) and Andy Williams/Harry Samuel (Honda Civic Type R).
The full seeded entry list can be found at https://mtc1.uk/Entry/IslandStages24/EntryList.php.
Spectators are invited to park at the IW Steam Railway and catch a shuttle bus to the top of the village, where a dedicated spectator zone will be established at The Cow Shed. There will be excellent viewing of an exciting junction as well as panoramic views along Firestone Copse Road and Rowlands Lane from the steep hill opposite. There will be catering and toilets available too.
Firestone Copse will be accessible on foot via the footpath from near the White Hart Inn in Havenstreet and via Newnham Lane, for the more intrepid rally fans. It is not recommended to try and view along Rowlands Lane as the adjacent land is private and the hedges are tall.
Ahead of a day of competitive action the rally cars can be seen in the service area at Newport Quay during scrutineering on Saturday, from 12:00-16:00.
Rally Schedule
The following schedule is approximate and may be subject to change.
- 09:00 First cars leaving Service
- 09:15-10:30 SS1 & SS2
- 10:30-11:30 Morning Service
- 11:15-12:30 SS3 & SS4
- 12:30-14:15 Lunchtime Service
- 14:00-15:15 SS5 & SS6
- 15:15-16:30 Afternoon Service
- 16:00-17:15 SS7 & SS8
- 17:30 Final cars returning to Service
- 18:00 Awards presentation
Spectator FAQs
Where should I park to view the action?
For the Spectator Area, park at the Steam Railway and use the shuttle bus which will take you through the village also stopping at the White Hart Inn. Do not park in Havenstreet, or on the closed roads leading up to the stage route – these must be kept clear for emergency access! Donations directly to the Steam Railway and shuttle bus operator for their services are welcomed.
For the Service Area, park in Newport town centre or Seaclose car park (which is free of charge at weekends!)
How long will the road closure be in place?
The closure will be between 08:00-20:00. If you arrive early to park in Firestone Copse car park you can expect to be stuck in there all day.
This is my first rally – what can I expect?
Rally spectating is quite different to many other forms of motorsport. The stages run over a large area and there are no facilities if you venture away from the defined Spectator Areas. Remember; you will be outside in November – warm clothing, waterproof coats and welly boots are a must!
The rally cars will run in a seeded order of fastest to slowest at 30 second intervals. Before they pass by you will see several Safety Cars which are marked 000, Safety Delegate, 00 and 0. These cars are there to check the stage is safe for competitors and are your warning that the stage is about to go live with competitors. Follow their instructions if necessary – failure to do so will mean the stage is delayed or cancelled altogether.
In areas with spectators but limited visibility you will find marshals use whistles to warn of approaching cars. Once all the competitors have passed by, you will see the Sweeper car, which has a chequered flag on its door panels. Keep vigilant though; there may still be vehicles moving on the stage such as recovery crews.
It is definitely worth making a stop at the Service Area to watch the teams in action repairing damage, changing tyres, or just telling tales of the action out on the stages. You can get up close to the cars and most crews will be only too happy to talk about their cars and how their rally is going.
IW Speeding Hotspots
Military Road
Beaper Shute
Briddlesford Road
Beachfield Road
Great Preston Road
Yaverland Road
Whitwell Road
Sandown High Street
Godshill High Street
To name a few.
Time for IW Council to invest in speed Camera’s/ Anpr,
seems motorists are allowed to travel at whatever speed
they want.
Wouldn’t be allowed on the mainland where there are rules.
You should give this information as an anonymous tip off.
oh please,.. do get over your obsession.
Darren, any chance you could update your OS Plan to show the actual location of the spectator area and give us some info on what facilities are available. Also some info of any charges we might expect to allow for.- thank’s