FODMC contributing to local charities.

The FODMC is greatful to all the local communities that the rally runs through.
As a gesture of our appreciation we always endeavour to put something back into the community.
All the proceeds and charges for the car parking have been waived by the club and forestry commission. This, as in previous years has been collected and distributed by teams from the Round Table and the Lions Club.
It is estimated that in excess of £100.000 has been collected over the years that the rally has run, all for the benefit of local people.

The Great Oaks Dean Forest Hospice were invited to attend last year, but due to the poor weather were unable to do so.
This year they arrived in Rally HQ on Friday and a collection was taken at signing on, and returned again on Saturday for the prize giving. A further collection was taken at the subsequent club de-brief meeting.
In all over £800.00 was raised for this worthwhile cause.

The Wyedean Rally is a huge undertaking , and with 150 competitors, support crews and rally officials it is inevitable that some disruption will be caused. We work hard to minimise this and are are greatful for all the support we have not only from local people but also all the emergency services and most of all the Forestry Commission, without all this help and goodwill the Rally would certainly not run.

We are therefore proud that in some small way we can put a little back to those in our community that need it most.

BURTON GETS EVEN ON THE WYEDEAN!...

Having been forced to retire following an accident on last year’s event, ANDY BURTON returned to win the Get Connected! Carless Fuels Wyedean Forest Rally for a record-breaking fifth time. Co-driven by SHELLEY ROGERSON, the Hereford driver brought his hybrid Peugeot Cosworth back to the finish at Chepstow Racecourse ahead of Coleford resident, and former event winner, NIK ELSMORE, in a Mitsubishi Lancer.

In his Group N ‘production’ specification car, Elsmore actually led the rally by a handful of seconds at one point but, as the day wore on, Burton moved ahead to put himself into the record books.

The rally was the opening round of the Silverstone Tyres Gold Star Rally Championship and WILL NICHOLLS/NICK BROOM (Subaru Impreza WRC) began the defence of their 2007 title in fine style with 3rd place overall. Event sponsor DAMIAN COLE (Hyundai Accent WRC) was 4th, just ahead of last year’s winners, HUGH HUNTER/ANDY MARCHBANK in a Ford Focus WRC.

Such was the closeness of the competition that, after 45 miles of flat-out motoring, just over one minute covered the first five crews at the finish.

The strong two-wheel drive contingent was led home by Cheltenham’s NICK ELLIOTT/DAVE PRICE in their Ford Escort MkII who were an amazing 10th overall. Irishmen FRANK KELLY/ADRIAN FRIEL were next in their similar car, while all eyes were on GRAHAM ELSMORE/STUART HARROLD, the winners of the first-ever Wyedean Forest Rally in 1975, who turned the clock back by entering this year’s event in an Escort.
Pleasing the hordes of spectators who turned out to witness their return, they finished just outside the top twenty and their efforts were rewarded with a class win.

Always a hot-bed of competition, the 1400 Championship was responsible for nearly fifty entries on this occasion and it was DARREN PINCHIN who led them home in his Proton Satria.

The CONSTANTINE brothers, MARK & ANDREW, were next in their Vauxhall Nova whilst GRAHAM MIDDLETON, who is aiming to add the 1400 Championship to his BTRDA Gold & Silver Star titles this year, started off badly when his Suzuki Ignis broke a driveshaft on the opening stage. Losing a couple of minutes to the leaders, he soldiered on to take 4th place and open his account in the series.

After the snow of last year, the 2008 ‘Wyedean’ took place in glorious sunshine.
There were no major incidents, but the pace is such that there were a considerable number of retirements. These included THEO BENGRY, from Leominster, whose return to the sport after a two-year absence was short-lived when his Mitsubishi stopped on the opening stage with a broken clutch.
1400 front-runner JULIAN WILKES (Taunton) went out on the opener when his Vauxhall Nova developed gearbox trouble.

Our Club Activities.

We have a varied and active social calendar with club meetings every two weeks, navigational exercises, driving tests, Quizzes and for the more athletic, cycle rides. Many of these activities are rounded off with a superb BBQ laid on by Ernie our Equipment officer.

Our main event of the year is the Wyedean rally, which has now celebrated its 30th birthday. This event has grown over the years and is now one of the premier events in the rallying calendar, regularly attracting the maximum of 180 entries.

The logistics of this event is staggering, running 8 or 9 stages, each with its complement of Marshals, medical and rescue staff, recovery crews and vehicles, timing crews and each with a stage commander and safety officer, not forgetting a small army of people in the HQ offices. The number we require for this single day is fast approaching 1,000.
The planning for this event starts in the autumn of the previous year.

We have very close ties with other motor clubs and often attend their venues to help in the organisation and provide marshals.
This help is reciprocated with the Wyedean Rally, which would not run without the help of all our friends from these other clubs.

We have for the past three years ran a successful Autocross which forms a round of the South West Association Championship.
We are also planning Autotests and PCT's in the coming season. These events are ideal for members as young as 14 to learn the skills needed for safe competitive driving and a platform which they could use to move on to other events.

We take health and safety very seriously and are planning additional Marshals training sessions, which will also include basic first aid and fire fighting. These skills could prove lifesaving when a situation arises on a rally stage.

We have about 150 members, half of which are fairly local, the rest are scattered around the country.Our meetings are held every fortnight in a local pub (see club page for details) and we would always welcome new faces.

Our Club.

The Forest of Dean Motor Club was formed in July 1967, and affiliated to the Royal Automobile Club later that year.
After a few busy years organising numerous Autocross meetings during the heyday of that branch of motorsport, the club organised a couple of small road rallies with a view to getting restricted status for future events.
Eventually the temptation of being based in the middle of some of the best forestry in the country proved too much and in 1975 the club organised it's first stage rally.
So the first Wyedean was held on the 12th October 1975 and offered entrants 54 stage miles for an entry fee of £27.00

 

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