Kicks Off With Rallye Sunseeker

Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship Kicks Off With Rallye Sunseeker

The highly anticipated, Rallye Sunseeker has finally arrived, with the two-day Turbo Dynamics sponsored event beginning this Friday.

Better known as the opening round of the Pirelli MSA Gravel Rally Championship, Rallye Sunseeker takes place in the South of England with talented rally teams travelling from across the UK, Ireland and Europe to compete.

Competitors for this year’s event include five-time winner, Marcus Dodd with his co-driver Andrew Bargery and Wyedean Forest Rally winner, Andy Burton.

Turbo Dynamics sponsored, Hants Fire & Rescue Rally Team will also be competing, with retained Firefighter, Mark Daniels behind the wheel and Hollie Sarah Roberton as newly appointed Navigator. Roberton is daughter to 1988 British National Rally Champion, Ian Roberton.

The famous event returns to the seaside town of Bournemouth for its 23rd year, with the preparations kicking off on Friday at Littledown Centre. Spectators will be able to watch the scrutineering of cars from 9:30am with commentators providing blow by blow news of the proceedings and driver interviews. Admission is £3 per adult.

By 5:30pm the rally teams will have made their way to Pier Approach, ready to begin the competition. Bournemouth based band, the Monuments will be playing to the eagerly awaiting audience while final checks are put into place. At 6:00pm, commentators, Robin Bradford and Alan Hyde will set the scene for the evening while demonstration runs are made by Metro 6R4s.

Following the demonstrations and a check of the course, the rally teams will start competing in the Lower Gardens at 7:00pm, driving towards Pier Approach before taking the under-cliff road to Boscombe. The cars will start at 30 second intervals in reverse order of seeding, which means that as the night draws on, the pace will get faster and faster!

Rallye Sunseeker key sponsors, Christchurch based, Turbo Dynamics will be present on the night with two gorgeous Turbo Dynamics girls who will be handing out goodie bags and posing for photographs at Pier Approach. The evening is free to attend.

Continuing the two-day event, on Saturday the teams will compete across Wareham and Ringwood, racing through forest roads and tracks.

The seeding will return to normal for this part of the event, with the fastest cars leaving first. There will be car parking at each venue (Forest, Somerley and Elliotthire Canford Arena) with tickets costing £10-20, available upon arrival.

The place to be on Saturday however, will be Somerley Park near Ringwood. Home to the Motorfair, there will be trade and retail stands present, as well as a variety of vehicle displays, including Turbo Dynamics’ turbocharged cars display.

The turbocharging specialists will have record-breaking Mick Begley’s Nissan Skyline on display this year, which is powered by impressive twin hybrid GT3542 units that have been supplied and fully blueprinted by Turbo Dynamics. The company will also be showcasing one of their own turbocharged cars, a Renault Mégane Sport. The Metro 6R4s will also be on display at Somerley.

Turbo Dynamics Managing Director, Peter Marsh said of the company’s sponsorship, “We are pleased to be sponsoring Rallye Sunseeker for our third year running.

“This event regularly attracts the cream of the country’s rally crews and as suppliers of turbos to some of the fastest rally cars in the country through our network of distributors, it is a privilege to be involved. This rally is not only important locally, but also a key rally in the national calendar.”

Further attractions at Somerley Park include, Turbo Dynamics sponsored, Hants Fire & Rescue Rally Team’s display. Along with the rally team, Hampshire’s Fire and Rescue Service’s vehicle extrication team will be in attendance, holding two dramatic demonstrations to display their specialist rescue techniques.

As Saturday, draws to a close the rally teams will then return to the finish ramp in Bournemouth square. Pirelli will be present at this point, bringing with them a Rally Car Simulator. The Simulator will enable fans to get a taste of what the rally teams have experienced over the two days.

The Rallye Sunseeker awards, following the event, will include a trophy from event sponsors, Turbo Dynamics for the Highest Placed Novice Crew with a Turbo Dynamics turbocharged car.