Regular readers of The Bulletin, car enthusiasts, and many other people on this island and beyond will have heard the name Russell Stevens. And with good reason. Russell was a dedicated car nut, a great character, and the main driver behind Driving Mallorca, a club for real car enthusiasts who, whether their choice of vehicle is classic, modern or just plain quirky, enjoy driving for the sheer pleasure of it. Russell sadly died in a tragic accident in June of this year, yet his influence was such that many of the people he touched, car people or not, have endeavored to fulfil his dreams. And one of those dreams was to hold the first Driving Mallorca closed-road rally.
So the concept of Rallysprint Driving Mallorca was born, championed by two club members in particular, who worked tirelessly to turn this dream into a reality. And that reality was finally achieved last weekend.
This exciting event kicked off on the Friday evening, with the sign-on process and scrutineering at Rally HQ, The Boathouse Restaurant, on Palma’s Paseo Maritimo. The following day involved an intense programme of pre-determined driving routes, and the domination of one of the most challenging roads on Mallorca, the Coll de Soller.
With the support of the official motor sport bodies in the region, the FAIB, local councils, emergency services and the Guardia Civil, the roads were closed and marshals and timekeepers deployed. And the mountains soon resounded with the sound of some beautiful, historic and high-performance cars being put through their paces. With cars being driven the way they were designed to be driven, this event certainly achieved one key vision of Russell Stevens.
The spectacle ended where it had begun, many hours before, at The Boathouse. And what a reception the returning participants had. With a dedicated bar, BBQ and huge screen showing the Rugby World Cup final, the party soon took off. The stories soon started to flow too, as the drivers and their copilots relaxed and reflected on their adventures.
The prize-giving was a highlight of course, and trophies were awarded to the best performers in three major categories, with the ultimate prize, The Russell Stevens Trophy, being secured by the best-performing car on the stage. This event will most certainly be repeated next year, so if you wish to take part, watch this space, or come along to the regular Cars & Lifestyle Shows at the Boathouse, every Wednesday from 6pm onwards.
These events are becoming the "place to be" for anyone even remotely interested in cars. Driving Mallorca can be found at www.drivingmallorca.com and on Facebook by searching for Club Driving Mallorca.
This event was sponsored by ICAZAR Architects, Rotorflug Helicopters and CARTEC, to whom the organisers would like to express their heartfelt thanks and appreciation.
Foundation "Herzkinder" can be found at www.herzkinder-bolivien.at and donations are always welcomed.