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RALLY
ORGANISERS WORKING WITH LOCAL RESIDENTS TO BENEFIT COMMUNITY
Organisers of this year’s SunCoast Classic
rally to be held in July have moved quickly to allay fears of local residents
in the Mt Glorious and Samford areas regarding the running of the rally through
the area on Friday 6th July.
The rally is also set to significantly benefit local businesses and service
clubs during its stop over for a lunch break in Samford, where the rally will
deliver a financial benefit of at least $12,000.
While being conscious of residents concerns general manager of rally organiser,
Silverstone Events, Mr Bob Carpenter stressed that the SunCoast Classic has
been organised with safety and responsibility as its cornerstones.
Mr Carpenter also emphasised that Silverstone Events has established an
unblemished record over the past decade running the Classic Adelaide rally
through sensitive heritage listed areas of the Adelaide Hills and Barossa
Valley working closely with local residents and councils.
“SunCoast Rally is not about promoting hooning on local roads, it is about
owners of classic and thoroughbred cars using their vehicles in a responsible
environment under controlled and safe conditions,” said Mr Carpenter.
“I would also like to refute any claims that this event is “totally
irresponsible” as reported in the local press recently,” he added.
The SunCoast Classic is run under very strict CAMS guidelines with
approximately half of the cars competing in regularity and touring categories,
which require them to adhere to very strict limited average speeds.
Outside the closed road special stages competitors will have to travel on open
public roads with the general public and adhere to all road rules and speed
limits with the possibility of heavy monetary fines imposed by the organisers,
loss of penalties and the threat of disqualification from the event, in
addition to any penalties imposed by police.
“As well as incurring the same police penalties including demerit points
competitors caught speeding are liable to heavy fines imposed by us and will
find themselves out of the competition altogether if they do no obey road
rules”.
“Like any responsible road user I would be encouraging strong policing of local
roads at all times to discourage “hooning” and speeding in the Mt
Glorious area when the roads are opened to all motorists,” he added.
Mr Carpenter also rejects claims that recent tree lopping activity on the
Northbrook Parkway was carried out for the rally.
“The speculation reported in the local media that tree clearing and lopping by
Energex and the Department of Main Roads is in any way connected to the
SunCoast Classic is incorrect, we have made no such requests nor would we do so
in the future”.
“Our camera crews will generally only be
located at accessible road junctions and readily available locations on
stages”.
“Similarly, spectator points on Special Stages will be positioned only where
there is access from a joining road and only where there is already room to
safely accommodate people”.
“There are no such suitable spectator
locations on either of the special stages in the Mount Glorious area, so no
public access spectator points are planned on either stage.” he said.
Mr Carpenter also emphasized that only one 19 km section of the Northbrook
Parkway would be closed for a special stage on July 6th between 9.37am and
1.37pm, and that the closed road section will not run through any residential
areas, finishing before Alex Road and the Mount Glorious village.
“Only four properties along the Mt Glorious stage are directly affected because
the stage passes their access roads and some of which are not regularly
occupied”.
Mr Carpenter urged any local residents with questions or concerns about the
running of the SunCoast Classic to contact him at Silverstone Events in Coolum
to discuss the rally on 07 5446 3777.
For any media inquiries, please contact:
Jon Thomson
Thomson PR
Cris Gillespie
Thomson PR
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