Station Garage Mitsubishi
Granite City Rally 2009
SPECTATOR INFORMATION
Programmes
Full Details including Colour Maps, and location of Car Parks are included in the Programme - £3.00
Available from Wed 22 April : Station Garage Aberdeen, Station Garage Torphins, Autosave Inverurie, Strathcathro Services,
Western Pub Laurencekirk, A W Autotech Ardarroch Road, Aberdeen, Autosave, Riverside Drive, Five Mile Garage Kingswells.
Thistle Hotel Altens from Friday afternoon and Friday
night
Scrutineering Friday 24 April 18:00 - 21:00 - John Clark BMW, West Tullos, Aberdeen.
Programmes will also be on Sale at all of the designated Car Parks
There is a small charge (£3.00 per
car) for Spectator Car Parks in the forests with all the proceeds going to
charity. Programmes will be on sale at all Car Parks for £3
Start Duthie Park 2WD 09:01 - 4WD 10:12
SS1 Durris 1 - 2WD 09:36 - 4WD 10:47
SS1 is a short sprint to start the
rally, around Cairn mon Earn and is a new configuration that has not been used
before. The competitors enter from the North side atBruntyairds Wood
and exit onto theSlug Road.
This is last years stage 6 in reverse.
Car Park
‘A’
This year Forest Enterprise have allowed
us to establish a Car Park in the forest leading to Junction 8. Access is from
the forest entrance at Meikle Tuloch MR 45/782948. Follow the arrows to the Car
Park, from there a short walk takes you to the stage. There will be a burger
van and toilets at the car park.
From the South Deeside Road B9077
turn left at the Drumoak crossroads towards Woodlands of Durris and follow the
road past the school to Meikle Tulloch, about 2.5 miles. From theSlug Road turn
off at MR 762923 near Lochton and follow
the road for 2.5 miles toMeikle
Tulloch. Please drive reasonably,
and with care, as the roads are narrow.
SS2 Fetteresso 1 - 2WD 10:18 - 4WD 11:29
The first
section away from the start is very tight and twisty, opening out at Junction 9
into a fast flowing section uphill to a hairpin left at Junction 11 and then a long
sweeping corner at Junction 12 before the run into the finish.
The
Spectator viewing point is at Junction 11 which should show some interesting
action as the cars swing around the bends and head off at high speed, and there
will beone Spectator Car Park.
Car Park ‘B’
This car
park gives access to the stage in the forest at Junction 11.
The car park is on a Forestry road
near Hill of Hobseat and is accessed from theSlug Road, through the Forestry car park
at MR 45/791893. On entering the forest, turn left to go to Junction 11 and follow the arrows along the forest road
for about I mile to the Spectator area.
Service Area Stracathro - 2WD 11:44 - 4WD 12:59
SS3 Glenfarquahar -
There are
no spectator access points into this stage.
SS4 Drumtochty
There are
no spectator access points into this stage.
SS5 Fetteresso 2 2WD 13:30 - 4WD 14:41
The penultimate stage is ten miles
long using most of the north end ofFetteresso
Forest.
It incorporates very fast flowing
roads in the first half leading into more twisty, technical areas in the back
half.
There will be a Spectator Car Park,
near the end of the Stage, where access can be gained to the last corner and
the finish of the stage.
Car Park ‘C’
This is at Hill of Swanley and is
reached via the Forestry entrance atUpper Swanley
(MR 45/830873). There will be a one way system, exiting near Swanley Cottages,
which is also the competitors exit from the start of the stage, so take care
when leaving. Please note there will be no parking allowed on the public road
,Police cones will be in place , and will be enforced.
From the South turn off the A90
just past the flyover at the sign to Spurryhillock, take first right,
signposted Auchenblae,after 50yds and follow the road round for three-quarters
of a mile and turn right at the sign post to Riccarton and Banchory, the car
park is on the left a mile up this road.
From the North turn off the A90 on
the Stonehaven bypass at the sign for Spurryhillock and then right after about
a third of a mile into the industrial estate, signposted Kirkton of Fetteresso,
follow the road over the flyover round past the Cemetery and turn left after
about a mile, signposted Auchenblae,just before the road rejoins the A90, from
there follow the instructions above.
Take care if you leave the car park
early as once the stage is live there will be rally traffic joining you as you
exit the forest.
From the car park it is only a 15
minute walk along the forest road to reach the last corner of the stage.
SS6 Durris 2WD 13:55 - 4WD 15:06
SS6 is a short sprint to end the
rally, around Cairn mon Earn and is a new configuration first used in 2008. The
competitors enter off theSlug
Road using the forest road that has been used for
Spectator Parking in previous years. This is SS1 in reverse.
Car Park ‘D’
This car
park gives access to the stage in the forest at Junction 4 where the cars come downhill
towards the junction from the right, turn hairpin right and power away up the road.
The car park is on Forestry roads below
Cairn mon Earn and is accessed from theSlug Road. Coming from Stonehaven take
the right fork (hairpin left coming from Banchory) at the top of the Slug and proceed
for 250 metres and take the first forest access on the right. On entering the
forest, follow the arrows along the
forest road for about 0.75 mile to the car park.
Car Park
‘A’
As for SS1 but with the cars
approaching from the opposite direction towards a sharp right junction, some
interesting action can be expected as competitors strive for the last few
seconds advantage over their rivals!
Finish Thistle Hotel 2WD 14:37 - 4WD 15:48
Be Careful, Be Safe
Watching Stage Rallying is very exciting, the cars
swing round corners, tail out, fly over jumps and ‘ditch hook’ to get around
the bends as fast as possible. But, all this action means that, once committed,
the drivers cannot change their intended direction without risk of a major
accident. To find spectators walking on the stage in front of them, is
extremely disconcerting to say the least, and very dangerous for the spectators.
Please observe the following:
DO NOT walk on the stages once the stage is live, you are
putting yourself and the competitors at risk,
DO NOT stand in the prohibited areas.
DO NOT take dogs into the forest with you, if one gets
loose and runs in front of a car the result can be imagined. ( A
dog was killed on a rally in 2006 – it could have been much worse as the
competing crew and spectators were endangered)
DO please follow the marshals instructions, they are there to
help keep you safe, not spoil your enjoyment.
DO wear sensible clothing and walking boots or good stout
shoes, these forests are not Union Street and the going is sometimes rough.
DO be careful if you have small children with you, if a car goes off it happens very fast and you need
to be able to react as quickly. Far better to be in a safe place in the first
instance.
Remember cars not only slide around corners, they send a shower of stones
and rocks out behind them as the power goes on. If you are in the firing line you can get hurt so stand where you
are safe.
The Spectator Control car will come through the
stages about 20 minutes ahead of the competitors to keep you informed as to the
progress of the rally. Be aware that if you, and others, are in an unsafe
position the Safety Officer has the authority to delay a stage, and in an extreme situation, request
its cancellation.
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