The UK's largest motor rally for standard cars, the Lombard Rally, will kick off this week, with event getting underway on Thursday ahead of four days of action.
Organised by The Endurance Rally Association, the Lombard Rally is a competition for the true rally enthusiast, with the 2007 event racing across Wales including stages in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire. There will be both day and night stages.
The event formally begins at the Heritage Motor Museum in Gaydon on Thursday evening and will be started by
GMTV presenter Penny Smith. Contestants finish the first day in Gloucester at the Holiday Inn and head off bright and early on day two to race across Wales.
From there the rally moves through stages in Malvern, Llandovery, Llandidrod Wells and Anglesey before the final stage concludes at the Velodrome Olympic Stadium in Newport on Sunday 11 November.
The official charity for the Lombard Rally this year is
TreeHouse, a national charity for autism education. Their aim is to transform through education, the lives of children with autism and the lives of their families. Trustee Matthew Punshon and
TreeHouse mum Jane McDermott will be taking part in the event with their own rally car sponsored by Lombard.
Used Car Roadshow presenters, Penny Mallory and Jason Dawe are also entering as a team in a Rover 25, driving on behalf of
Talk Talk and raising funds for
TreeHouse.
Ex-national ladies champion rally driver Penny will be driving with Jason, former
Top Gear presenter, navigating. It's Jason's first rally and Penny's first Endurance event.
“Once again we have the chance to race over some of the historic rally routes of Great Britain taking in some breath taking scenery, hill-climbs, circuits and famous forest sections from the golden-era of the rally,” race director Philip Young said. “This is the ultimate clubman's rally with four long days and nights combining to produce the toughest rally in Britain.
“Anticipation is high and we look forward to welcoming the entrants to Gaydon and then hearing of their experiences when they finish at the Velodrome in Newport four days later.”
