The Preston - 14/15th December 2019
Sponsored by Preston's Garages of Writtle.
Winners of the 2019 Preston: Keith Lane / Martin Lane - Ford Ka
Andy Manston's 2019 Preston Gallery
The Preston Facebook Group. ~ Twitter
Welcome to the 41st running of the Preston Rally, sponsored as always by Preston’s Garages Ltd of Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex. This year is a very significant milestone for Preston’s Garages as they celebrate their centenary year in business, quite some achievement which we congratulate them on.
In keeping with the last 21 years, this year we will once again be supporting the East Anglian Air Ambulance charity.
Last year after 12 years, Brian Jaggs and Bob Blows stood down as Clerks of the Course, they have left the Preston in a very healthy state which we hope to develop further.
This year’s Preston Rally will follow the established format, we will continue with having make-up time between sections, this will ensure that other than mechanical failure all crews should stay within overall time limits.
The route will be around 180 miles of which over 100 will be on loose surface tracks. To cater for the demand for entries we have decided to keep the maximum number of entries to 90 following last year’s successful event.
Snetterton circuit will once again be our start and finish venue. Trailer parking will be available at Snetterton with 24 hours site security. Snetterton now has a new Esso Petrol Station at the A11 exit on the track side. As you would expect the circuit has very good scrutineering facilities as well as the Tyrells Restaurant serving food before the event and breakfast as the finish. The entry fee includes two breakfasts and two photos courtesy of M&H Photography.
The route itself will continue to be challenging, with the accurate timing used in previous years. There will be the occasional horrendously overgrown narrow bits, numerous bumps, yumps and thumps, puddles you can lose a car in and the infamous Preston mud! Unless it is frosty, mud is guaranteed. As the saying goes, it is only the depth that varies. Furthermore, all this will be within a max 8 miles of the A11. Around 180 miles in total with 3 petrol halts. Currently there will be around 21 sections with the ‘mileage that counts’ amounting to approximately 100-110 miles and as ever about 99% of that will be un-surfaced. The Preston is a ‘navigational rally’ and as such the navigator will have a significant role. To aid navigators we will once again provide relevant maps in A4 size.
As always you are all advised to prepare yourselves and your cars in the traditional ‘Preston way’. Regulars will know what this means. If you are new to the Preston, everything that you’ve heard, and more, is true!
New for this year is a trophy for the crew putting in the best performance on the forestry sections, this will be the “Mike Taylor” trophy. Mike worked at the forestry commission and was instrumental in instigating good relations for the Preston with the Forestry Commission in the early 1990s.
As always we need many marshals, so if you cannot compete, please register as a marshal using the link on the right hand side column of the website under 'Marshalling Events' or contact Luis Gutierrez-Diaz or Dave “Shaggy” Saint, their contact details are given later in these regulations. Marshalling is a vital role for any event and the Preston requires about 100, so you will be very welcome and very much appreciated. Those of you intending to enter, please try hard to get some friends to marshal.
Whatever your role, we look forward to welcoming you all on the big night!
Dave and Stefan Taylor, Clerks of the Course, on behalf of the Organising Team
The Preston Facebook Group. ~ Twitter: @Preston1andOnly
