Network Q RAC Rally 23-25 November 1996

"The new timetable creates many benefits." said Rally Manager Malcolm Neill. "With only 26 actual venues, pre-event reconnaissance has been cut to five days, allowing us to run the whole event, from the start of reconnaissance to the end of the prizegiving, in ten days.

"Within this compact format, we are delighted to have retained our traditional Sunday, which plays such an important role in bringing Britain's biggest annual sporting event to the people."

Entries open with the publication of regulations in August. The basic entry fee for an amateur driver will be just over £1,000 (including a service pack). Pre-event reconnaissance starts on Saturday 16 November and ends on Wednesday 20 November. The Network Q RAC Rally Show takes place at Chester Racecourse from 14:00 to 19:30 on Friday 22 November, with scrutineering (not open to the public) from 15:30 to 21:30 the same day.

The 1996 Network Q RAC Rally starts from Chester Racecourse at 07:00 on Saturday 23 November. Leg 1 covers 126 miles on ten special stages in Scotland and northern England, including the 37-mile (59 kilometres) Pundershaw stage, the longest in the FIA World Rally Championship. After two laps of a brand new spectator 'superspecial' at Croft Circuit, the first leg ends in Leeds City at 23:00.

Leg 2 leaves Leeds at 07:30 and follows the traditional Sunday pattern of mixed-surface spectator stages, including Leeds, Rother Valley, Clumber Park, Donington (two stages), Chatsworth, Tatton and Oulton Park (two stages). The second leg covers 33 miles on nine special stages, ending at Chester Racecourse at 18:10.

The final leg leaves Chester just after midnight on Monday morning and covers 137 miles on 12 special stages, including the very best Forest Commission roads in Wales. The first car is due to finish at Chester Racecourse at 17:00, where - following the success of last year's pioneering experiment - all prizewinners will receive their trophies on the finish ramp. The event covers a total of 1200 miles (1932 kilometres), including 296 miles (477 kms) on 31 special stages. The average stage length will be 9.6 miles (15 kms).

Spectator charges will be £5 per car at all Forestry Commission stages and £7 per person (£1 for children under 16) at all other stages.

The above information provided courtesy of Colin Wilson  of the RACMSA