2024 Winners Dan and Nick Darkin, photo courtesy of : M&H Photography

Regulations

Further links to follow:
Online Entry Form (entries open 12 noon 27 December 2025
Entry List, Final Instructions, Measured Distance and Results can also be found on the Virtual Notice Board

Marshal’s Registration Form (to follow)

Welcome to the Dansport Historic Rally. May I, on behalf of Matlock Motor Club, extend my thanks to Martin Phaff for establishing this event and earning its current reputation over the past 4 runnings.  With this years event we aim to stick with tradition and are keeping the outline that Martin has established so you can expect more of the same, with a few tweaks here and there that hopefully adds to your enjoyment of the event.

The date change from October to February helps us with some different tests, which were previously inaccessible to us in October. To add to the challenge, the weather will no doubt play its part in contributing to the slippery conditions—you have been warned!

This year, the Dansport Historic Rally will start at the Casa Hotel in Chesterfield on both days, enabling us to extend a warm Derbyshire welcome and allow space inside for plotting and socialising.

The popular format for the evening section remains and we aim to provide tests and regularities in the dark for a couple of hours to get us started. Based on previous competitor feedback this will be short and sharp, followed by the now traditional pie and pea supper with time to recount your tales of triumph or woe before returning to your chosen accommodation.

Sunday’s restart will again be from the Casa Hotel and the day includes tests and regularities making the total route approx 175 miles, all on OS Map 119.

The finish venue as in previous years will be at the Peak Edge Hotel, Stanedge, Chesterfield at around 4pm, for a two-course carvery accompanied by our awards presentation.

Navigation will be presented in accordance with HRCR navigational guidelines, allowing novices to test their ability against the country’s top crews.

New for this year is the Beginners class (Free RS Licence) , allowing crews to make the step up from a Tour event. All crews will receive the same roadbook, containing test diagrams, some pre-plot handouts and tulips/distances to move you between the sections but in addition, Beginners will receive an A4 printout “marked-map” of each regularity that they will be required to follow or transfer to their own map. Since you will also have all of the plotting instructions, after the event you can learn what is required to step up to the full event, just at home on the kitchen table without pressure!

The route will contain metalled and unmetalled surfaces and the more enthusiastic drivers may need a sump guard, however, based on previous feedback we have only selected the smoother whites in the Peak District.

The event will count towards the HRCR Clubmans and the ANWCC Championships. The entry is limited to 60 cars with 10 reserves as this number assists with our PR work, we expect the reserves to get a run as there are always some crews that have to drop out.

Matlock Motor Club are again indebted to our sponsors Dansport Engineering for their continued and much appreciated sponsorship of the event.