Eifel Rallye Festival 2013

[Tim C]

Eifel Rallye Festival – 25th to 27th July 2013


Well, we’ve had confirmation our entry has been accepted, so ...... we’re going back.

It was such an awesome event last year (even with our slight excursion and premature finish), we are really looking forward to being part of it again.

They were oversubscribed this year, with over 200 applicants for the 130 or so places.

“We (the organisers) have considered the fact that the theme for this year’s festival is ‘40 years of the World Rally Championship’. Thus any car resembling a piece of WRC history was given priority. Of those cars that do not resemble WRC history, only one entry per car model could be accepted for the Eifel Rallye Festival.”

So I think that played in our favor and it should make quite a sight with most of the cars in period livery.


“Celebrating forty years of the World Rally Championship

The theme for the third running of the ADAC Eifel Rallye Festival is the landmark reached next year by the World Rally Championship that was launched in 1973. Thus the emphasis of the weekend’s show will be the cars and drivers that have starred in rallying during that period. It is fitting that the Patron of the Festival should again be double World Champion, Walter Röhrl.

The Eifel Rallye Festival is the biggest event in the world to focus entirely on rally cars and rally drivers. For the last two years, it has attracted tens of thousands of spectators to watch some 130-plus twentieth century rally cars being driven at speed over closed special stages but not in direct competition with each other. The whole ethos of the event as well as the concept of restoration and use of old rally cars has sprung from ‘Slowly Sideways’, an informal group founded by legendary rally photographer – and a keen owner of old rally cars – Reinhard Klein. Together with the MSC Daun and with the support of the ADAC, the Festival has rapidly become The place for anyone interested in seeing older rally cars driven on stages as well as meeting some of the stars that drove them in the past and are still driving them today.

The city of Daun and the surrounding area of the Vulkaneifel region are completely taken over by the Festival for three days. The cars are on show in town when they are not driving the stages and there are many rally-related activities going on there during the three days such as film shows and autograph sessions. Out on the stages, most of which are tarmac there is plenty of action including one night stage. Also retained for next year is the BOSCH Super Stage that is 100% gravel and provides a contrast for drivers and spectators alike. With a ‘shakedown’ stage on the Thursday when members of the press and media get a chance to sample rally co-driving and more stages on the Friday and Saturday, there is plenty to see and do.”



There is quite a lot of information scattered around the site, check the news, press and downloads sections. More will appear nearer the time, especially on the info for spectators page.

http://www.eifel-rallye-festival.de/en/home.html

Although the full entry list hasn't been released yet, most of the cars are shown in the "summary car presentation" link on the homepage and is being added to every couple of days.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK4ubZPustE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK4ubZPustE

This is the photoshoot at the local airfield. Even this was a brilliant specticale, and a bit surreal to be parked up amongst so many other fantastic cars.





One or two people were considering making the trip, so I thought this might be little a reminder .

[AVE-ur20v]

So we will meet there then, looking forward!

[Tim C]

Yes, would be good to see you there Alex .

Not so far for you to travel!

[Tim C]

Entry list has been published on the website:

http://www.eifel-rallye-festival.de/en/entrylist.html

We've been listed in a group "Die Markenmeister des Rallyesports ab 1968" - which is something like The Manufacture Champions of Rally from 1968, and seems to be a line up of the championship winners by year from 68 to 97 (denoted by the start number).
Looks like we've been chosen to represent Audi for '82!
Don't know what it entials, maybe a line up or photo somewhere?

Walter is there, as usual. No Stig this year though .

Audi Tradition are bringing a long a Sport for Harald Demuth to have a play in .

http://www.audi.com/com/brand/en/com..._festival.html

[Isimmo]

is that along a short or a long and a short?

[Tim C]

Gawd, I don't know, you've got me confused now .
Perhaps they are sporting some long shorts?

[Tim C]

We're on our way, 8.25 ferry this morning .

Weather looks changeable , so fingers crossed.

[slacky]

Have a good one Tim ,
Want to go again sometime

[Tim C]

Eifel Rallye Festival 2013 lived up to all expectations. A huge selection of fantastic cars, with around 10 quattros of all types, a host of great drivers, some good weather and enjoyable stage driving.

A problem free trip down on Wednesday allowed us to set up and sign on in good time.

Most of Thursday was allocated to the recce of the stages but was followed by a late afternoon shakedown stage and allowed us some time to see Messers Rohrl, Blomqvist, and Waldegard, amongst others and some interesting cars in action.

Friday morning saw the only significant rain, which dampened the process of scrutineering but it just cleared for the photo shoot up on the airfield. As well as the usual group photo, we had the honour of being selected to represent Audi in the line up to celebrate this years theme, 40 years of the WRC. A car was picked for each of the championship winning manufacturers and organised in a large 40! We are at the top of the zero for 1982, hence our door number of 82. This group of cars (mostly) ran in order on the stages to show the progression of the championships.





Friday afternoon brought the first proper stage, the “Bosch Super Special”, 3 loops around the 3km of gravel. Great fun with some sliding around and water splash, but the jump was taken with great caution to prevent any early damage! That lead onto the evening stage, but as we were running early in the order as part of the 40 year group, it was still quite light. The spotlights were useful under the trees though where it was a little dark.

Saturday is the main day, 3 stages of 20 – 30 km in the morning, repeated in the afternoon. The fine and sunny weather provided great conditions but did make it a little warm inside the car, approaching 40 degrees with full race suit and helmet!

On the very last stage in the afternoon, the gearbox started making some very loud noises. It appears to be a failed input shaft bearing, still driveable, but we pulled off into what turned out to be right next to one of the spectator car parks. We were able to roll down the hill to a position where it could be easily recovered. After the kind assistance of a German family who gave me a lift back to town, I returned with the trailer and we were loaded up and back in good time for tea and the “Rallye Party which carried on into the early hours right outside our hotel bedroom window!

It’s a long, quite intense, tiring trip, but even with not quite making it to the end, it was a superb event with some great driving and company.


Loads of pictures to follow, but here's a couple of fave's I found on the net.

[Nicky C]

Some pics from the service area/town/"Rallye Miele".















Tim couldn't resist lining up next to this!