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ADAC Eifel Rallye Festival 2018 - History comes to life

The entry list for the 2018 ADAC Eifel Rallye Festival (July 19 - 21, 2018) has been published and it features more than 170 historic rally cars from six decades and, among them, 45 of the much-loved Group B supercars. The quantity and quality of cars coming to Daun is simply unrivalled, especially in terms of originality. All cars of the main field resemble a famous rally car from the past. Thus every sponsor sticker is in the right place and the colour scheme matches with its role model not only on the outside, but also on the inside. With the engines also being mostly to contemporary specification, their sound is just as authentic as their looks. It is only the smartphones of the spectators which will remind you that you have not been beamed back to the year 1965, 1973 or 1986.

The originality and variety of cars attending the Eifel Rallye Festival made it, within just a few years, to become one of the biggest events for classic rally cars in the world. The entry list is already booked out months beforehand and spectators flock to Daun from all over Europe. Even Australians and New Zealanders have already taken the long pilgrimage to Daun.

They are not only attracted by the Ford Escorts, Audi Quattros and Lancia Deltas, but also by their former drivers who take part in the event. This year's entry includes the 1984 and 1985 World Rally Champions Stig Blomqvist and Timo Salonen as well as Luis Moya, the man who navigated Carlos Sainz to two WRC titles. The line-up will be supplemented by former European Rally Champion Jochi Kleint, German champions Harald Demuth and Matthias Kahle, five-time British champion Jimmy McRae, Spanish title holder Salvador Cañellas, Africa specialist Rudi Stohl and many other renowned drivers including Mike Kirkland and Jayant Shah from East Africa.

Pride of Lions: Loeb Racing completes unique Pikes Peak Peugeot collection
Just before the entries closed, nine-times World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb presented the organisers of the Eifel Rallye Festival with a nice surprise. Although the Frenchman cannot participate himself, he will send his winning car from the 2013 "Race to the Clouds", the unique Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak, to be exhibited in the Rally Mile in Daun. Until last weekend he held the track record at the hill-climb race which has now been taken over by Romain Dumas in the electrically powered Volkswagen I.D. R. Loeb's 208 will be joined by the 205 and 405 T16 hill-climb racers so that it will be the very first time that all three generations of Pikes Peak Peugeots have been in one place at the same time. But that's not all: Daun will also see the reunification of all factory-entered Pikes Peak models from Audi and VW with the only exception being that of the current winning car from this year.

Rudi Stohl: a globetrotter in a rally car
A 19.99 km hill-climb course would be as nothing for him since Rudi Stohl was very much a marathon man and one of the most successful privateers in the WRC history. He took part in more than 60 World Championship events and it was only once (the Safari 1986 for Audi) that he was a full factory driver. His greatest successes were two podium finishes on the Rallye Côte d'Ivoire and the runner-up spot in the 1986 Group A World Championship. But Stohl is particularly proud of another vice-title: "I competed in the Safari Rally twenty times, of the overseas drivers only Rauno Aaltonen has done three more Safaris."

The rally globetrotter from Austria has taken part in events across all continents and has seen a lot in those days: "One of the highlights of my career was certainly the prize giving ceremony at the Himalaya Rally held by Indira Gandhi." In the Vulkaneifel, Stohl will be driving his former Audi 90 quattro and looks forward to it: "So far I've heard only positive things about the Festival. I am very happy to meet many friends there, some of whom I have not seen for more than twenty years."

Reini Sampl: a rally driver with a handicap
Reini Sampl, a former downhill skier, proves day after day that fun in life does not have to end with paraplegia. The Austrian suffered a serious skiing accident in 1996 and has been confined to a wheelchair ever since, but this does not stop him from performing a wide variety of sports disciplines including wheelchair basketball, handbike riding and handicapped skiing. He even took part three times in the Paralympics as a mono skier.

In 2007, the Austrian became a brand ambassador for Audi in the area of development and support of car conversions for handicapped people. This involves lectures, seminars and even driver training. During the winter, he holds driver training sessions on ice and snow. Thus it was only natural that he also started rallying: "Driving a rally car is more than just driving a car. It is the most holistic challenge as it also involves writing the right notes, relying on your co-driver - in my case, Tina Annemüller - and coping with changing road conditions. And to be fast without any room for mistakes."

Last year, Sampl won his class in the Austrian Rally Championship at the wheel of a specially-prepared Audi TT in which he can accelerate and brake using his hands. Sampl says: "It is simply great when you can enjoy life and be competitive despite such a handicap and not just take part out of compassion." Although there is no competition, he is looking forward to his first appearance at the Eifel Rally Festival. "Everybody always says it's a must to have been there. I am looking forward to a mega weekend with all the cool cars and stars."

Second chance for a co-drive with Jochi Kleint in a twin-engined Pikes Peak Golf
After the successful auctioning of a co-drive with Jochi Kleint in the newly-restored 1986 Pikes Peak Golf from Wolf-Dieter Ihle's collection, Volkswagen now pile up the fire and offer a ride in their 1987 Pikes Peak car. This prototype is one of the most extreme Golfs ever built. It is based on a space frame chassis and powered by two 1.8-litre turbocharged engines each with 326 bhp. During the 1987 Race to the Clouds, Kleint was faster than the overall winner, Walter Röhrl, at the half-way point but retired shortly before the summit.

The co-drive will take place during the shakedown of the Eifel Rallye Festival in the new, 5.4-kilometre 'Maubach-Arena'. It will be auctioned on eBay from July 1st, 2018. The proceeds of the auction will be given to a charity project called 'Vor-Tour der Hoffnung' that collects donations for children in need and particularly children suffering with cancer.

Order now: pre-sale for tickets and programmes ends July 06
Spectators who are keen to visit the Eifel Rallye Festival can obtain their weekend tickets and programmes from the official online shop no matter in what European country they are living. While visiting the 'Rally Mile' in the heart of Daun is free of charge, there are various admission tickets needed for those who like to see the action on the special stages. The pre-sale of weekend tickets and programmes is open until July 06, 2018 from http://www.eifel-rallye-festival.de/en/rallye-shop.html.

Eifel Rallye Festival - Time Table

Thursday, 19.07.2018
15:00 - 19:00 hrs, Shakedown at the 'Maubach Arena' near Hörscheid
from 20:30 hrs, Welcome Evening in the Rally Mile, Open Air Cinema with film-maker Helmut Deimel

Friday, 20.07.2018
From 08:00 hrs, Scrutineering in the Rally Mile
11:00 - 12:00 hrs, Autograph Session with the VIP drivers
From 14:20 hrs, Super Stage with jump, water splash and gravel action
From 19.30 hrs, proWIN Hilgerath stage in Sarmersbach at night including the 'Festival Parade'

Saturday, 22.07.2017
08:30 - 17:00 hrs, Tarmac Stages in the Vulkaneifel region
inbetween, Rally Mile in Daun with various attractions
From 19:30 hrs, Rally Party & Prize Giving

More information on: www.eifel-rallye-festival.de

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