NEWS FROM THE ROGER ALBERT CLARK RALLY MOTOR CLUB

Saturday 13 December 2025

RACRMC wins 'organising team of the year' award

The team from the Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club has been named as 'organising team of the year' by Motorsport UK following the Kielder Carlisle Stages in April.

In mid-January it became clear that the damage caused by winter storms would put the Welsh forests out of action in the early part of 2025 and leave a gap for the opening round of the British Rally Championship, due to run on April 11.

On behalf of the Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club, Colin Heppenstall stepped in and offered to organise an event in the Kielder complex, despite having just 12 weeks to organise a complete special stage rally.

With the support of Forestry England, the team was able to put a successful event together and maintain the opening date for the British Rally Championship, as well as hosting the Fuchs British Historic Rally Championship and the Pirelli Welsh Rally Championships, which were also due to be part of the cancelled Severn Valley Stages in Wales on April 11.

Although most rallies take up to 12 months to organise, the RACRMC team was able to put together an event in record time and offer 100 competitors a compact 50-stage mile event in a dry and dusty Kielder complex. The event ran smoothly with no major incidents or delays and prompted positive reports from competitors and senior officials alike.

Colin Heppenstall said: "It was quite a challenge to put together a British championship event in such a short period of time, but thanks to the co-operation and support of many people, we did it. Receiving the 'organising team of the year' award is a tremendous accolade for each and every member of the team who worked hard and pulled together to make the event happen.”

Paul Lawrence