Rallyday parade to remember Burns
The Richard Burns Foundation will have a major presence at this year's Rallyday, with Stig Blomqvist, the 1984 World Rally champion, one of several star drivers set to get behind the wheel of a car belonging to the Richard Burns Collection.
Burns, who lost his brave battle with cancer in November 2005, four years after becoming England's only World Rally champion, was a regular at the Castle Combe event and made his last public appearance at the Wiltshire venue in August 2005.
He will be remembered by a parade of his carefully maintained rally cars, which include the Subaru Impreza WRC he used to win the world title in 2001, and the Peugeot 205 GTI he drove during the formative years of his career.
Legend Blomqvist is one of six drivers taking part in the parade, which will also feature the Group A and Group N Subaru Legacys Burns campaigned in the National and British rally championships, the Peugeot 309 GTI he upgraded to following his stint in the 205, and the Peugeot 206 WRC he drove during his aborted 2003 world championship campaign, which was curtailed when he became ill. The other drivers assisting Blomqvist have yet to be finalised although Intercontinental Rally Challenge event winner Guy Wilks is set to pedal one of the machines.
The six cars will be on static display at the Richard Burns Foundation area in the Castle Combe paddock before and after the parade, where volunteers from the charity, which helps young people affected by brain cancer and other neurological disorders, by giving them the means to face the future with confidence, will be accepting donations. RBF merchandise will also be on sale and visitors to Rallyday purchasing a programme will receive a ?5 clothing discount on presentation of a voucher.
As part of the fundraising effort, the Richard Burns Foundation has teamed-up with Skoda UK Motorsport to auction off a passenger ride alongside Intercontinental Rally Challenge event winner Guy Wilks in a Skoda Fabia Super 2000.
"Rallyday always had a special place in Richard's heart and we're delighted to be working with the Rallyday organisers to put on display of the six cars that meant so much to Richard," said Zoe Scott, Richard's former partner and now a key member of the RBF organising team. "As well as bringing back some wonderful memories we are hoping to arrange more vital funds for the Richard Burns Foundation to help those suffering from brain cancer and other neurological disorders."
Rallyday takes place at the Castle Combe race circuit near Chippenham in Wiltshire on Saturday September 18. For more information, please visit www.rallyday.com
