The newest special stage rally on the UK calendar will run this weekend (November 23-24) as the inaugural Rally Anglo Caledonian starts from a base in Carlisle. A strong entry and great competition across the differing elements of the rally will get the brand new event off to a flying start.

The event, which incorporates the final round of the Fuchs British Historic Rally Championship and the Asset Alliance Scottish Rally Championship, is being organised by the Roger Albert Clark Rally Motor Club with the team responsible for the biennial Roger Albert Clark Rally.

The new event will feature two full days of competition, with Saturday stages running in the Kielder complex before the action moves to southern Scotland on Sunday. In total, around 120 competitors will take part across the two days, with around 80 contesting the full event which runs over 140 special stage miles.

Running over both days as a double-header, is the final round of the British Historic Rally Championship, which had come down to a straight fight between Seb Perez in his Porsche 911SC and Mark Higgins in the Triumph TR7 V8. Sadly, the much anticipated showdown is off after Higgins suffered a shoulder injury in his workshop this morning.

However, the pace at the front of the historic field will still be mighty as ranged against Perez will be the Fiat 131 of Nick Elliot and a gaggle of rapid Ford Escort Mk2s, including Matthew Robinson, Ben Friend, Adrian Hetherington, Rudi Lancaster and David Henderson.

Running across the first six stages of Sunday will be the final round of the Scottish Rally Championship. Although the title has already been settled, a good entry is headed by John Wink in his Hyundai i20 R5, Jock Armstrong (Skoda Fabia), Mark McCulloch (Proton Satria) and Stephen Petch (Ford Fiesta Rally2).

Alongside the two-day event will be the Anglo Rally, which is a 45-mile event running across the first five stages on Saturday with an entry headed by John Bannister (Subaru Impreza). Sunday’s SRC event, running over 45 stage miles, is the Caledonian Rally. On Saturday the main service area will be at Kielder Greenside in the heart of the Kielder forest, while on Sunday the service area and event finish will be in Lockerbie.

Rally manager Colin Heppenstall said, ”We’re delighted to bring this new event to the calendar and the competitor response has been very good. We’re particularly pleased to have some historic entries from overseas, and we look forward to welcoming them to Carlisle.”