Lombard Finance - who sponsored the RAC Rally and helpedto build Britain's round of the World Rally Championship intoa world-class event - are returning to rallying.
The Lombard name will appear the doors of over 100 carswhich are due to drive around the UK in November, whenthe inaugural Revival Rally aims to re-create an authenticLombard RAC Rally-style route.
"We are not organising any aspect of the event, but aredelighted to be associated with a rally that will serve asa reminder of our heritage, and rekindle reminders of howrallying used to be," said Lombard Marketing Manager NeilEdwards. "The doors of every rally car will carry theLombard name in the traditional blue typeface of the 1980s."
Lombard first sponsored the RAC Rally (as Lombank) in1960, when the first off-road special stage appeared in theroad book. Lombard went on to become the title sponsor, arelationship which continued until 1994.
The rally quickly became a forest-based event, blended withaction for spectators at stately homes, parks, hillclimbs,race circuits, military training grounds and seasidepromenades.
The Revival Rally on 25/27 November aims to offer driversa similar combination, along with a traditional 'secret' route,which (unlike modern rallies) allows no prior practice orpacenotes.
More than 110 cars have already entered November's eventwhich starts from York and finishes in Cheltenham, covering1,200 miles via Scarborough, Carlisle and Chester. Just fivevacancies remain on the entry list.
Care competing on the Revival Rally are limited a maximumengine size of 1400cc if running on petrol, or 1950cc fordiesels. They must run with standard engines, transmissionsand brakes, with no turbochargers allowed. These newregulations have been framed by the Motor Sports Association(the UK governing body) and are known as Endurance Rallying.
"There are two reasons to be involved: the Lombard route andstyle of event are being recreated in an authentic way, goingright round the UK, and secondly, the cars are models we canall identify with - showroom-standard models which can bebought using Lombard Finance - two sound justifications to seeus returning to rallying," said Neil Edwards.
"This is great news," said former Lombard RAC Rally winnerNeil Wilson, who who sat alongside Henri Toivonen in 1985 andis the latest entrant for the Revival Rally (driving a standardFord Puma). "Everyone will be calling it the Lombard RevivalRally - and with a highly authentic route, with more than 40different venues for the competition, it promises to be a veryreal revival in every way."
