The eighth edition of RallySpirit on the road from 2 to 4 June

RallySpirit is back with the 2023 edition running from the 2nd to the 4th of June, again in Barcelos. With more than 100 participants, the race, which includes a unique round of the European Rally-Legends Championship, will include cars from Group A, Group B, Kit-Car and WRC.

The race, organized by X Racing, presents important news for 2022 but continues to be one of the highlights of its arrival in Porto, at the end of Saturday’s stage, for a true sunset celebration in Foz do Rio Douro, in the Sobreiras Park. .

Organized by the Clube Automóvel de Santo Tirso, the race is one of the European Legends, being included in the Slow European calendar along with the Eiffel Rally and the Alsace Rallye.

RallySpirit starts at Jardim da Avenida da Liberdade, in Barcelos, from 2 pm on Friday, June 2. One of the most anticipated events will be the exhibition of all these famous machines in Campo da República (Campo da Feira), in Barcelos, from 6.30 pm on of Friday, at the time of arrival of stage 1.

But RallySpirit is not all about cars and racing. There will be a party in the Campo da Feira area, during the Support Park (21:30-23:30), with a DJ, lots of music and more entertainment.

RallySpirit 2023 is a real vintage ride. In Group B cars, we can see in action the Lancia Delta S4 and the Lancia Rally 037, both with the famous Martini Racing, along with the Audi Quattro S1 E2, Peugeot 205 T16, MG Metro 6R4, Toyota Celica. Twincam Turbo or Porsche 911 SCRS, not forgetting the Opel Manta 400, the last two also in the famous Rothmans livery.

It will also be possible to see legendary rally cars from all eras, from the Opel Ascona 400, Ford Escort MK2 RS 1800, Ford Sierra RS Cosworth or BMW M3 from the 1980s, through Group A from the 1990s, such as the Lancia Delta. Integrale, Subaru Impreza 555, Ford Escort Cosworth and Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, up to the Peugeot 306 Maxi and Renault Megane Maxi or loud Cars like the Seat Ibiza, Fiat Punto or Citroën Saxo, not to mention impressive WRCs like the Toyota Corolla.

Also important is the participation of Trabant RS800, Fiat 127, yellow Volvo P 544, Datsun 1200 and Ford Escort MK1.

New for 2023

RallySpirit has 102.98 kilometers played against the clock, over 11 stages, with Amares opening hostilities with one part of the logo of the whole race, immediately after the start parade in Praça do Comércio de Amares, where the population will appear. they want, to have close contact with all registered vehicles and competitors.

Also on Friday, new are the stages of Terras de Bouro (starting from the center of the village) and Vila Verde – the latter, also completely new, despite keeping the name of 2022. The specials of the day are fully integrated, with running links. for about three kilometers between each other.

Another attraction among the premieres of this edition is the Remote Support in Mixões da Serra, between the stages of Terras de Bouro and Vila Verde, in the revival of old meetings, in which cars stop along the connecting road. possible repairs. Immediately after the third special stage, at 17:24 in the evening, there will be a re-assembly at Jardim da Praça da República in Vila Verde, so that everyone can enjoy the close presence of the cars and drivers.

On Saturday, the classification is the same as in the 2022 edition, with a double passage through the section of Barcelos Oeste and Barcelos Sul, before the delegation goes to Porto, and a mandatory passage in front of the Famalicão City Council. This is followed by a rejoining at Praça do Município, before the 4.69 kilometers of PE Santo Tirso and the next towards Foz do Rio Douro for the ‘Sunset Party’.

On Sunday, the departure from Porto (Jardim das Sobreiras) is scheduled at 9:00 am, before the conflict, at 11:03 am, of the special qualifying stage (SS10-Bacelos North). RallySpirit 2023 ends again with the special 10.23 km Boucles de Barcelos race (starting at 11:36 am), contested by several teams following in the series.

“We are committed to putting on the road the best version of RallySpirit, because our goal is to move further and further from year to year. It is a race in which we strengthen our commitment to the city councils involved, which we feel forever. We are almost satisfied with the path we have been following and we are very confident in the future, but all this would not be possible without the participation of the participants, the public and the donors, to whom we are very grateful,” says Pedro Ortigão, one of the participants. the management of X Racing, the promoter of RallySpirit.