Alister McRae top bills next month's Rallyday at Castle Combe

	The Rallyday at Castle Combe Circuit is now in its 9th year and has established itself as a must see event for many Welsh motor sport enthusiasts. This week saw the press launch for the 2009 event with the organising team unveiling a number of innovations for the event, which takes place on 19 September. Among the rally personalities who will be on hand for the event, Alister McRae must surely have the longest trip to make as he comes over from his new home in Perth, Western Australia.
The action starts at 9am on Saturday 19 September and adult tickets are £10 in advance or £15 on the day, with children up to 16 free for advance bookings or £3 on the day. Castle Combe circuit is signposted from M4 junction 18. You can find more information on www.rallyday.com.
Alister will be driving the Mitsubishi World Rally Car from 2005 as well as the latest Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX Group N rally car. The McRae Enduro rally raid car will also be there as centrepiece of an extensive Rally Raid section, which is a new addition to the show. Details of the Ford WRC team’s attendance were still being confirmed as the launch took place but the organisers were hopeful that father and son pairing of Malcolm and Matthew Wilson would both be on hand. Meanwhile, for nostalgia lovers, Former World Rally Champion Stig Blomqvist will be on hand to demonstrate the awesome Audi Quattro E2 on the event’s feature rally stage. Among the event’s more novel innovations this year is a “Strictly Sideways” competition in which rally drivers will be judged on entertainment value around the circuit rather than outright speed. The marks of 4 celebrity judges will be combined with the reaction of the 10,000 strong crowd, measured on noise meters strategically placed around the circuit, to establish an inaugural Strictly Sideways champion.