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Greatest Group B show in history about to get underway

For the ADAC Eifel Rallye Festival taking place next weekend, a total of 64 Group B and Group S cars will make their way to the beautiful Vulkaneifel region in the very west of Germany setting an all-time record. The number of cars coming to Daun from July 21-23 even tops the best WRC rounds of the mid-80s. In the heyday of Group B rallying, that record was set by the 1000 Lakes Rally of 1984 where 63 Group B cars entered.

But it is not just the pure number of cars that sets new standards, it is also the quality. While the Group B entry on the Finnish WRC round in 1984 was completed by seven Ladas, eight Citroen Visas and 21 Ford Escorts, the Eifel Rallye Festival brings together the real supercars in large numbers. No WRC round could ever claim to have had the participation of five Lancia Delta S4s, as many Peugeot 205 T16 Evos and four Audi Sport Quattro E2s. "The Eifel Rallye Festival will be a pleasure for the eyes and ears of all rally aficionados", says Peter Schlömer, Chief Organiser of the three-day demonstration event. "I am sure that this event will not be forgotten easily by the spectators. We can't wait for the Festival to get underway."

Although the Group B cars might be in the limelight, the Eifel Rallye Festival has much more to offer. The field of more than 150 cars is like a "Best Of" from six decades of rally history. The portfolio ranges from Lancia Stratoses to Wartburgs and from Mini Coopers to World Rally Cars. The eldest car taking part in the event is an 1958 MG A while the newest is a Lamborghini Gallardo 5.0 V10 that is a part of the 'Youngtimer' group that starts ahead of all the other cars.

The drivers taking part in the Eifel Rallye Festival come from seventeen countries and four continents. Some of the most colourful characters are Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani from Qatar driving a car that has shown its best performance in desert-like terrain, a Citroën SM Proto. Making their way all the way from the Iberian Peninsula to Germany are Antonio Pinto dos Santos/Nuno Rodriguez da Silva in their Renault 4 GTL. On their home WRC round, the Portuguese crew were real crowd pleasers many years ago with this particular R4. Now they want to win the hearts of the Festival audience. "They were busier waving to the crowds than driving their tiny Renault, but they got as much applause as Sébastien Loeb or Colin McRae", remembers Reinhard Klein, the WRC photographer and head of the Slowly Sideways group.

Wanted! The best pictures of the 2017 Eifel Rallye Festival
Have you captured a spectacular action shot, a funny moment in the Rally Mile or the beauty of the Vulkaneifel region? Then send us your pictures and secure your chance to win a prize in our photographic competition. As in 2015, the competition will be held in co-operation with the magazine "Oldtimer Markt". This means that the editors of Europe's biggest classic car magazine will select, award and also print their favourite images taken by you, the spectators, at the 2016 Eifel Rallye Festival. And of course, they will always publish the photographer's name with them. The top prize in the competition is a once in a lifetime experience: The winner will become the co-driver of multiple German Rally Champion Matthias Kahle in a Škoda 130 RS for one stage of the 2017 Eifel Rallye Festival. The closing time for the submission and receipt of photos is midnight on July 31st, 2016. Further information on all the prizes and how to take part can be found on our web site: www.eifel-rallye-festival.de/en/Photo_Contest.html

Eifel Rallye Festival 2016 - The Schedule

Thursday, 21.07.2016
15:00 - 19:00 h: Shakedown at the ‚Mantaloch' in Brück
from 20:30 h: Welcome Evening presented by the Autostadt including Open Air Cinema with films by Helmut Deimel

Friday, 22.07.2016
From 08:00 h: Scrutineering, Rally Mile in Daun
11:00 - 12:00 h: Autograph session with many star drivers
from 14:20 h: All-gravel Bosch Super Stage with water splash, jump and great sideways action
from 19.00 h: Night stage Hilgerath at Sarmersbach including the new 'Festival Parade' for very precious rally cars

Saturday, 23.07.2016
08:30 - 17:00 h: Tarmac stages in the Vulkaneifel region
All day: Rally Mile in Daun with many attractions
from 19:30 h: Rally Party & Prize Giving in Daun

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