Perez motorsport family take on R.A.C rally
Chesterfield’s Perez motorsport family take to the Welsh forests this weekend as they turn out in force to compete in the Roger Albert Clark Rally.
The family team of father Steve Perez and his 18 year old son Seb Perez will take to the mud and tricky conditions for the 4 day rally that starts on Friday and finishes next Monday at Kielder Waterside.
The Perez duo start the rally in two different rally cars, 2014 and 2010 BTRDA Gold Star Rally Champion Steve Perez will compete in his stunning Lancia Stratos HF rally car that has been in action throughout the year on many European Historic Rallies
The Stratos will thrill rally fans from far afield, the R.A.C being the ideal event to bring the car back to the forests of Britain.
Seb will take to the forests in a Mk2 Ford Escort that he was out on the Wales Rally GB just under two weeks ago that saw him finish 22nd and 4th in his class on the National Rally that ran alongside the World Rally Championship event.
Rallying and Motorsport is not new to the family, Perez junior started competing in the Kick Energy Junior 1000 Rally Championship at the wheel of a Nissan Micra rally car back in 2013 before moving to circuit racing,
During the last 3 years he has been busy circuit racing in Ginetta Juniors and last year finished tenth overhaul in Michelin Ginetta GT4 Supercup Championship 2017, his first year and the bigger and faster race cars.
Father Steve has been a rally driver now for over 20 years and has also tried circuit racing too, this year alone has seen Steve finish second on the Rallye Vall de Sant Pere on the Balearic Islands in his Ford Focus RS WRC 04 in September and take third and first in class in Oris Rally Clásico-Puerto Portals Mallorca in March as well numerous European Historic Rally Championship events in the Stratos HF
Both rally cars at the weekend will be sponsored by dads Chesterfield’s Global Brands business and Amigos Tequila Flavoured Beer.
Both Father and Son Steve and Seb were amongst the first competitors to confirm they would take part in the rally back in January 2017
The rally that recreates The famous RAC Rallies of the 1970’s and Steve Perez has been a loyal supporter of the rally and originally had his Lanca Stratos built in order to contest the event some years ago.
Perez said ” “It’s a great format rally and whilst in Europe i have told many people about the rally,” he said. “Lots of people talk still about the R.A.C. Rally”
He added ” “It’ll be one of Seb’s first major gravel rallies in the Escort after doing Wales Rally GB last month, He followed me doing it in the Stratos for many years and he’s really excited about doing it himself.”
The rally dates back to 2004 in the name of the famous rally driver of the same name in his honour who was a British rally driver during the 1960s and ’70s, and the first competitor from his country to win a World Rally Championship (WRC) event when he triumphed at the 1976 RAC Rally
Competitors are limited to vehicles released prior to 1982, and traces a route through stages in Scotland and northern England which are no longer part of the modern itinerary
Before the rally heads into the Welsh forests, the cars will tackle two special stages on the famous Shelsley Walsh hill climb course. It is believed to be the first time in the venue’s 112-year history that it has been used competitively downhill.
After that the rally moves into the forests with well know rally stages including Radnor, Epynt, Kielder, Twiglees and Falstone, the cars will compete over 4 days and nights with 32 special stages.
The event includes 44 miles in Wales on Friday, 95 miles in Southern Kielder on Saturday, 94 miles in Scotland on Sunday and a final sting in the tail of 68 miles in the central block of Kielder on Monday morning. The concluding leg will feature two 20-mile and two 12-mile stages making it the longest special stage rally in Britain for 22 years
Not since the 1995 Network Q RAC Rally, which featured 317 stage miles, has a UK special stage rally taken in 300 stage miles. The current Wales Rally GB has a competitive route of around 200 stage miles.
You can follow all the rally action over the weekend on the event website www.racrally.org and keep an eye on how the Perez duo are doing.
