The 2005 Killarney Historic Stages Rally, taking place on the first weekend in December, will run to a two-day format for the first time this year. The event, which will be part of the inaugural Christmas in Killarney Festival, will commence with a town-centre start on the afternoon of Saturday, December 3rd. Two night-time stages will be run after darkness falls on Saturday evening, with a further nine stages following on Sunday, December 4th.
Announcing the decision to opt for a two-day format, the Clerk of the Course for the 2005 Killarney Historic Stages Rally, Tim Clifford, said: "Killarney & District Motor Club has been granted approval by Motorsport Ireland to run the Killarney Historic Stages Rally as a two-day event this year, and we are delighted with the decision. Night-time stages have traditionally been part of the event, but they have usually taken place late on the Sunday evening. The two-day format will allow us to run a couple of night stages at the beginning of the event, when the crews and their cars are fresher, rather than at the end."
Since its inception in 1996, the Killarney Historic Stages Rally has become one of the town's major annual events, bringing visitors and revenue to the area during the otherwise quiet winter period. The Killarney region also benefits through the exposure granted by way of televison coverage afforded yearly to the Historic Rally. Footage from last year's event was shown on RTE, BBC Scotland, Sky Sports, Setanta Sports and Fox Sports Middle East, and reports from the 2005 rally will once again be broadcast on terrestrial and satellite television channels in Ireland, the United Kingdom and further afield.
The 2005 Killarney Historic Stages Rally will be based at the Dromhall Hotel and will be supported by Randles Hotels, Killarney & West Cork; Failte Ireland; Remax Properties, Killarney & Kenmare; EPS Bison Environmental Products Division; The Christmas in Killarney Festival and Killarney Crystal.
The rally will feature as one of the early events of the Christmas in Killarney festival, which is being organised by Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce for the first time. The festival will include a large number of attractions throughout December and the Christmas period, including an ice-rink near the town centre. Full details of the festival can be obtained at www.christmasinkillarney.com .
In another significant development, the category for Classic cars is to be sub-divided into Classics and Modified Classics. Cars running to their original homologated specification (with full FIA papers)manufactured between 1st January, 1975 and 31st December, 1981, will now comprise the Classic Category, while all other Classic cars, built between 1st January, 1975 and 31st December, 1979 will run in what is to known as the Modified Classic category.
Explaining the reasoning behind the decision to split the Classic and Modified Classics, Tim Clifford, COC, said: "Currently some potential entrants who have period spec cars are put off by the fact that there are few technical limitations imposed in the Classic category, once the basic shell is produced between 1975 and 1979. A lot of the quicker Mark 2 Escorts in Ireland are now running six-speed sequential gearboxes, power steering and various other modifications.
"In splitting the category into Classic and Modified Classic, it will hopefully ensure that the drivers of the original cars will have something to chase, without the risk of being completely out-run by competitors enjoying the benefits of later technology. We're not short of Classic entries overall, we had about forty on reserve in 2004, but we would like to give everyone a fair chance. It could take some time for the new category to take off, and it may be two or three years before we get a sizable entry of homologated classics."
The 2005 Killarney Historic Stages Rally will also include a Junior Rally for the first time. This will cater for competitors under 27 years of age driving cars built before 31st December, 1979. These will be divided into classes of up to 1350 cubic capacity and over 1350cc - there will be no distinction between the various categories (Historic, Post-Historic etc.). Regulations and Entry Forms for the 2005 Killarney Historic Stages Rally are now available from:
The Secretary,Killarney Historic Stages Rally,Laharn,Faha,Killarney,Co. Kerry,Republic of Ireland.Tel. + 353 (0)64 44025 (6-9pm), E-mail killarneyhistoric@oceanfree.net
