Liverpool Motor Club’s chief marshal for the upcoming Rally of the Tests has been involved in every event for the past 20 years.
Geoff Maine will be back at Oulton Park as the action-packed 750-mile race from Blackpool to Torquay, involving 49 drivers and navigators, battle it out across five days.
Oulton Park is one of the tracks used in Rally of the Tests and is supported by Liverpool Motor Club. Maine explains how the course lays out exactly the same today as when he marshalled his first race there in 2002.
“I marshalled on the very first one of the Rally of the Tests which funnily enough was from Blackpool to Torquay,” he said.
“I’ve been involved on and off ever since.”
The historic Blackpool to Torquay route is one that motor drivers all around the country look for in the racing calendar, where retro cars assembled in the mid 20th century are split into classes to complete an expected 30 tests.
Oulton Park is known for its tight corners and rapidly changing gradients on the road. The Cheshire circuit is one of the most historic courses in Britain due to its construction in the early 1950’s, hence why the anticipation for that particular section has been so high.
Maine will be safeguarding the track and explains what to expect when they welcome the competitors.
He said: “It tends to follow the original routes that they did back in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.”
Listen below for more from Geoff Maine>>>
Britain’s Paul Dyas (driver) and Martyn Taylor (navigator) came out victorious in last year’s event and will be hoping for the same outcome this time around.
The Rally of the Tests engages those from all over the globe with more people getting involved in the tests from outside the UK.
Listen below for more from Geoff Maine>>>