Interest is as high as ever for the 2011 Alpine Rally, organisers have already received more than 240 registrations from potential competitors around Australia and expect that number to rise to 300.
Registrations for the 2011 Alpine Rally are available on the website. There are many stories of cars being built for the event with the most notable so far being the Grant Walker prepared Escort RS1800 of previous winner Geoff Portman.
The weekend of November 25, 26 & 27 will see Lakes Entrance play host to 110 of the best classic and 2-wheel drive rally cars and crews in Australia competing over some of the best rally roads this country has to offer. There will be 450km of competitive stages that are sure to challenge and excite crews and spectators alike.
A major addition, carried over from the 2009 event, will be a prologue run over three stages on the Friday afternoon. Times from this prologue will determine starting order for the Saturday morning. There will be an informal function at Lakes Entertainment Centre on Friday evening where the start times will be released.
Crews will head further east than in previous years with a lunch break at Cann River before tackling a number of new stages. The night-time stages on Saturday have been shortened considerably with the dropping of the bitumen stage from Orbost to Buchan, and crews will experience a much earlier finish time on Saturday night.
Sunday will be considerably tougher than in previous years with more competitive distance, which means crews will need to pace themselves to get to the finish where a function will once again be held at Lakes Entrance Golf Club.
There are several conditions for acceptance into the event:
•   Both crew members need to be a member of the HRA to compete.
•   Crews will need to supply at least ONE official who will require a vehicle and a drivers’ licence (a current CAMS officiating licence is not compulsory). This person must not have been nominated by anyone else. Service crews who are required to service competing cars are not suitable as they will usually be at the control locations for up to five hours. Â
•   This year’s event will have no guaranteed starters. As soon as entries open, the quicker you get them in the better your chances of starting the event. The event is by invitation only
We are intending to run up to 110 cars this year. It is envisaged that Supplementary Regulations will be available by mid-September and they will be forwarded to all those who have registered.
Make sure you have a place to stay, so book early. Accommodation is being handled by the East Gippsland Visitor Centre and can be organised by calling 1800 637 060 or visiting www.discovereastgippsland.com.au
To join the HRA please contact Kate Officer on membership@hra.org.au
Payment of membership fees is now available online at www.hra.org.au
If you are intending to compete, official or make a weekend of exciting spectating you can stay up to date with all the latest developments on our website www.alpinerally.org.au Â
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