Regulations for the Merrick Forest Stages Rally in south-west Scotland on September 6 are now available on-line.
The organisers have been keen to build on the success of last year's encouraging first running of the 'Merrick' - when it was awarded the Chairman's Cup for the best event in the Scottish Rally Championship.
The rally will follow a similar format to last year, but with even fewer road miles.
The total route is approximately 110 miles, including 6 special stages totalling about 44 miles on forestry roads.
Both scrutineering and signing-on will be based in the town of Newton Stewart itself, rather than Bladnoch Distillery as in previous years, making the event even more compact.
Once again, servicing will take place at the purpose-built central service area close to the Glentrool Forest complex.
For the first time, the rally will start and finish in Newton Stewart town centre, with the main thoroughfare closed off to normal traffic to allow spectators a close-up view of the cars and crews.
The 'Merrick' is the penultimate round of the County Saab MSA Scottish Championship and the Beatsons Scottish Borders Rally Championship.
The Glentrool Mini Rally will run in conjunction with the main event, and offers competitors a reduced mileage event of approximately 30 stage miles, which forms the counter in the Palmerston Furniture Five of Clubs Championship.
In addition this year, the event will also count as a round of the Motoscope Northern Historic Championship - providing a much needed boost to the historic section of the event which, as in 2007, will start ahead of the main field.
There will also be a Trophy Rally for those competitors who retire early, giving them the opportunity of a run through the final stage of the renowned Glentrool forest.
The 'Merrick' is jointly organised by the Machars Car Club and the Scottish Sporting Car Club, and once again has the support of local rally competitor Ian Bendall, as well as a number of other businesses from the area.
To download the regulations go to:
www.merrickstages.co.uk
![David Bogie. Toyota Corolla WRC. Granite City. County Saab Scottish Rally Championship. [Pic credit: RALLY-PHOTO.COM]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/439118.jpg)
