Wolverhampton & South Staffordshire Car Club Ltd, organisers of the Welshpool-based Morris Lubricants Rally North Wales - originally planned for Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 April and subsequently postponed due to adverse weather conditions - will not be run in 2013.
Event Manager Kevin Witton explains the reasons for the cancellation; "Despite lengthy discussions with the Motor Sports Association, their Rally Championship Steering Group and the five championship organisers who had confirmed our event as one of their qualifying rounds, we simply could not find a suitable alternative date to run our event in 2013".
Mark Taylor, Manager, MSA British Rally Championship, said: "It's a real shame the rally won't run this year, as it is one of the more popular events in the rally calendar. It's also a blow to the organising team, who have worked tirelessly over the past nine months preparing for the event. To find an alternative date at this stage would have been an almost impossible task; rather than go off half-cocked, I think this is a good decision. I have spoken to the organising team and have assured them that Rally North Wales will be a counting round of the 2014 MSA British Rally Championship and we look forward to continuing to work closely with the Club in preparing for next season."
MSA Steering Group Chairman Mike Broad summed up the organisers invidious situation: "The Morris Lubricants Rally North Wales is the only rally that qualified for four of the biggest stage rally championships in the UK and it has been an impossible task to find a new date that worked for everyone involved.
"Other issues not solely relating to date availability had to be taken in to account. For example, the allocation of forest stages, venues for service parks in both Welshpool and Dolgellau, and the start/finish facilities in Welshpool. It has not been an easy decision for the Wolverhampton club and I am sure, having given full refunds to every one of the 140 entrants, they will have lost a considerable amount of money through this enforced cancellation.
"I have a tremendous amount of sympathy for Kevin and his volunteer team and am delighted to hear that they have already been assured of a place in the 2014 MSA British Rally Championship."
