If you were rallying in the 1970s, you may recall the classic West Essex Car Club Cloverleaf road rallies, which used to run in Norfolk, with 120 flared-arch, multi-coloured, advertising-strewn, spot-lighted, road-race machines covering 300 miles. No more.

The location is new and the cars now need to be standard, clean and quiet, but the name and the organising team have been revived. Their objectives are to confirm the organisational reputation of 30 years ago and to raise funds for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

The Cambridge area will play host to the 150-mile tour through four counties, with over 100 miles of regularities and 12 special tests. The most memorable part of the day should be the visit to a disused MoD airfield, with an off-road regularity and long tests.

Masterminded by Paul Hernaman and Ray Crowther - winners of the 2006 HRCR Clubmans Championship - the day has been designed to balance the contributions of driver and navigator. Navigators will be provided with clearly-marked maps of the route. Pacing the driver to the average speed schedule will be the key task, with the added security that the two worst public road regularity penalties will be dropped to forgive a mistake or to obviate a baulking. Meanwhile, drivers will be having fun with a series of new and unusual tests of their skills.

With the promise of slick paperwork, timely scrutineering, rapid results, a superb rally HQ and a friendly and attentive organising team, West Essex Car Club hopes to welcome competitors, marshals and spectators (albeit only by marshalling) to Abington Hall Conference Centre on 12 August.

The entry list has already attracted several leading competitors, including celebrated navigators Nigel Raeburn and Dave Kirkham - winners of the event 40 and 30 years ago respectively.

A principal sponsor is still being sought to aid the promoter`s fund-raising ambitions.

The Cloverleaf is a dual permit event. The main event - the Cloverleaf Historic Rally - is a National B event for historic cars, a qualifying round in the 2007 HRCR Clubmans Championship. The subsidiary event - the Cloverleaf Clubmans Rally - is for competitors without a competition licence or an historic car. Being held during National Motorsport Week, the Clubmans Rally will be attractive to newcomers to rallying, who wish to sample a smooth-surface, daytime regularity and special test rally.

For further information, please contact...

The Cloverleaf Rallies
Ray Crowther, Clerk of the Course
Email: ray@cloverleaf.wecc.co.uk
Website: cloverleaf.wecc.co.uk

Multiple Sclerosis Society
Website: www.mssociety.org.uk/ms_events/community_events/cloverleaf_rally.html

National Motorsport Week
Website: www.nationalmotorsportweek.co.uk

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