Open to all cars registered up to the end of December 1930, the Irish Veteran & Vintage Car Club’s annual Gordon Bennett Rally is probably the most famous old car event in the country, having been first run in 1975. Like most others, the event didn’t take place in 2020 due to Covid-19; however, with restrictions set to ease over the coming weeks and months, the IVVCC have announced that they intend to go ahead with this year’s event in a reduced format, barring unforeseen circumstances. Instead of the usual two-day weekend of vintage motoring, the 2021 Gordon Bennett Rally will take place over a single day on Saturday the 10th of July, based in Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow and sponsored by Barretts Private Insurances & Chubb.
Clerk of the course, Frank Hussey outlined some of the changes to this year’s run, commenting: “With certain restrictions still in place we are concentrating on the event itself, with no weekend social gatherings. However, we will have compliant refreshment facilities at the start and finish, as well as a lunch halt befitting the stature of the event.”
As mentioned, since 1975 this premier event in the Irish old-vehicle calendar has commemorated the 1903 Gordon Bennett Cup Race, which attracted a world-class entry to the roads around Counties Laois, Kildare and Carlow and was acclaimed as “the race that saved motorsport”. Entries are currently rolling in for the 2021 IVVCC Gordon Bennett Rally, and further information and entry details can be found at www.ivvcc.ie.