Rally Round At The Bay
Illawarra Mercury
Saturday July 24, 1999
Around 100 cars will be stirring up the dust on forest roads around Batemans Bay today as the 1999 Copy Press Bay Stages Rally gets underway.
The event has attracted the cream of NSW rallying, all vying for crucial championship points.
Promoted by the North Shore Sporting Car Club, the event is round four of the Silicon Graphics NSW Rally championship and round five of the NSW Clubman Series.
Entrants will be asked to cover a 300km rally route and will compete over 11 stages - five daylight and six at night.
Rally director Stewart Nicholls said early controversy about the race route had taken its toll on this year's event but he was confident it would still be a great success.
Nicholls said some competitors thought the Bay Stages would be cancelled after a small number of residents complained about the high-speed rally passing their homes.
The Bay Stages will get underway from the Clyde River car park in Batemans Bay at noon.
Three spectator points have been set up for those wanting to get a first-hand look at the action.
© 1999 Illawarra Mercury