Plymouth MC helps run several Speed events

Plymouth Motor Club has used its positive collaborations with other Clubs in the region to reboot a long-lost Road Rally .

This month saw the return of the Plymouth Rally , an overnight event that last took place 20 years ago . Successfully resurrected by Plymouth Motor Club , it is the perfect example of how success breeds success and demonstrates how a bit of positive local collaboration between Clubs can help regenerate motorsport within a region .

Plymouth MC was formed in 1908 . It was built on strong grassroots foundations , and it is most recognised in the region for its Speed events . It runs the annual Werrington Hill Climb in May , collaborates with other Clubs on the Wiscombe Park Hill Climb , and is also involved in the Watergate Bay Sprint .

Peter Locke , the co-ordinator of the two-day Bank Holiday Werrington Hill Climb , says Speed events have boomed in popularity in the South West since the COVID-19 pandemic and he explains : “ Hill Climbs and Sprints have always been popular down here but in recent years the interest has really taken off .

“ I think that is partly because there are no race circuits for people to go to in the region and also because there are fewer and fewer Stage Rallies down here and they are very expensive things to do , so we ’ ve found that quite a lot of people with those kinds of cars have started to enter them in Hill Climbs and Sprints instead .”

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Evolving Participants

This is becoming such a popular trend that the regional championship , which is run by the Association of Southwest Motor Clubs ( ASWMC ), has even introduced a class specifically for Stage Rally cars . It has also encouraged a growing number of long-time Stage Rally participants to keep their passion going later on in life .

Locke explains : “ They are great for people to come and test their cars before they do a Stage Rally but because they are shorter events , they ’ re also good for people who have been Stage Rallying for a long time , but these days perhaps don ’ t want to tackle a whole Stage Rally . They have still got the car , so they come out and use the car in a Hill Climb or a Sprint .

“ As a Club , we are now involved in the organisation of three different Speed events in the region during the year , and the Werrington Park Hill Climb is now three years away from its 50th anniversary . It is one of the longer hills in the Southwest and is such a popular event , a lot of people want a place on the list and entries always fill up in record time .”

Locke says the event is so popular it could be run more often but there are challenges to doing so and he adds : “ People ask me every year if we could do more , but the landowner is not keen on having another weekend and , quite honestly ,

Revolution - March 2025