irishcar.com

7 June 2002: Motorists will have a rare opportunity to see veteran and vintage cars dating back as far as 1889 over this weekend with the return of the Mercedes-Benz International Gordon Bennett Rally.

The rally, sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, will include up to 140 cars and will travel through Dublin, Kildare and Offaly.

Last year’s rally was cancelled due to Foot & Mouth disease. This year, the event will start at 2.30pm this afternoon from Mercedes Benz on the Naas Road to the rally base at Killashee House Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare. The route will be approximately 160 kilometres (100 miles) long and will consist of a mixture of free driving and timed sections.

Denis Dowdall, President of the Irish Veteran & Vintage Car Club said there has been a great deal of interest in this year’s event and that spectators would see a great selection of veteran and vintage cars.

“This is the 99th anniversary of the legendary race,” he said. “among the 140 participants will be Johnny Thomas of Wales in his famous Napier - the car that won the 1902 Gordon Bennett race in France. Also re-enacting the celebrated 1903 race will be Reg Plunkett with his 1899 Sperry Electric Car, Osmond Bennett in his 1901 De Dion Bouton and a 1928 Opel 8/40 PS brought over from Germany by Rudolph Goetz.”

Matt Fagan, Chief Executive of Mercedes-Benz said he is delighted to be associated with this historic annual event.

“The Gordon Bennett International Rally is a particularly appropriate sponsorship for Mercedes-Benz. The event brought world fame to the winning marque, Mercedes of Germany. In 1903 Camille Jenatzy won the Gordon Bennett Trophy race in Ireland driving a Mercedes and the following year there were further successes with more and more racing models developed,” Mr Fagan said.

Previous winners of the Mercedes-Benz Gordon Bennett International Rally include David Shephard from Australia who won in 2000 with his 1929 Bentley 4.5-litre and Dick Smith with his 1926 Rolls-Royce 20hp Park Ward, winner of the overall award in 1999 and previously in 1996.

Tomorrow, Saturday 8 June, the Rally departs from Killashee House Hotel, stopping for lunch at The Tullamore Court Hotel, Co Offaly before returning to Killashee House Hotel. On Sunday participants set out for a round trip to The Moat of Ardscull in south Kildare returning to Naas for lunch.