Over 60 teams will take part in the 4th edition of the regularity rally called "The Poppy" in Ieper (Ypres), Belgium on March 21, 2015. It has an international flair with teams from all over Europe. In 2013, there were even participants from Canada and Japan!
Short but intense
In addition to the regularity stages, where the teams have to maintain as constant a speed as possible over a certain distance, there are also various driving tests. Even though the Poppy Rally is relatively short, it is intense and challenging, as navigation becomes increasingly difficult as the rally progresses.
600 km through Belgium
The event starts in Poperinge near Ieper (Ypres), where the car inspection will take place on Friday, March 20. The teams can also prepare for a practice section if they wish. The actual rally then starts the next morning at 08:30, when the participants leave Poperinge and set off on their 600km route through the rally Mecca of Ypres. Many top teams from Europe will be there.
Interesting field of participants
Among the entries for 2015 are the flying Dutchmen Jan Ebus and Jan Berkhof as well as Peter Naaktgeboren and Bart den Hartog, also with a lot of rally experience and also from Holland. Other names on the entry list include Howard Warren with Brian Goff in a Porsche 911 and Ryan Pickering with the experienced Kevin Haselden in a Mini Cooper S. Paul Crosby and Andy Pulland are the dark horses of this year's event and they too are going for the win, as it would be their first European victory.
Further information can be found at www.heroevents.eu/events/poppy.
