• Third running of inspirational event attracts biggest entry yet
• Victorious all-female crew – a Rally the Globe first
• Three days of epic action and four-wheeled family fun 
• 2025 Generations Rally confirmed for Harrogate

The third running of Rally the Globe’s award-winning Generations Rally proved every bit as popular and successful as the two previous editions of what is an innovative and inspirational event established specifically to spread the passion for historic motorsport to a younger age group.

What’s more, last weekend’s efficacious escapade made history not only with the biggest entry ever experienced to date for a Rally the Globe fixture but also with an all-female crew taking top honours for the very first time in the club’s history.

After highly-acclaimed forerunners set in the Lake District and on the edge of the North Pennines, for 2024 the much-loved Generations Rally – now with enthusiastic support from Classic Insurance Services – was based further south at the Carden Park Hotel & Spa set in the heart of the Cheshire countryside.

The compact single hotel, three-day schedule was in total contrast to Rally the Globe’s two previous Marathon style adventures which had seen participants traversing the Great Outdoors of the North American continent and exploring the Oriental wonders of South East Asia.

The much-admired Generations Rally format, though, is well-conceived and designed to encourage newcomers by making participation as simple as possible… and it is a proven winner. This year’s entry was not just over-subscribed but also, as hoped, the massive line-up of evocative cars were all crewed by members of two distinct generations – many from the same family.

The eye-catching array of 90 pre-1986 cars taking the start ranged from a battalion of Bentleys from the 1920s right up to more modern classics from the 1980s such as a Range Rover, Ford Capri, Mini Mayfair plus a phalanx of Porsche 911s. With an intriguing mix of Aston Martins, Frazer Nashes, Jaguars, MGs, Rileys, Triumphs and Volvos filling the years in between, there really was an eclectic mix of magical machinery spiced up further by a few rarities such as a Bristol 405, Fiat Dino Coupe and even a Morris Ital.

Following the completion of technical scrutineering and pre-event paperwork exchanges on Friday morning, the first cars were flagged away from a sunny, if chilly, Carden Park at 12:45 with participants heading towards the opening two Tests held at the Oulton Park circuit. Two Regularities followed as well as a return to Oulton Park and a final closed roads section in the perfectly manicured grounds of Carden Hall.

As the dust settled, Graham Goodwin navigated by his daughter’s boyfriend Tommy Stevenson led the Pre-War class aboard the former’s #3 1925 Bentley Supersports while father and son team of Roger and Leigh Powley headed the Classic category in their #76 1972 Porsche 911 E.

After what had been designed as a gentle introduction to the enjoyments of endurance rallying, by Saturday crews were considered qualified enough to tackle five trickier Regularities and two Tests along an epic 173-mile route across the Welsh border which included a spectacular lap of the Berwyn Mountains and a trip to the Eryri Snowdonia National Park. The weather added further to the challenge with a typically springtime mix of sunshine, heavy showers, and brief but bruising hailstorms.

When the intrepid crews returned to base for a well-deserved dinner on Saturday evening, the pair of Powleys still led among the Classics with the #26 1938 Triumph Dolomite expertly driven by Charlotte de Montmorency with her aunt Philippa Bailey on the maps was now ahead of the big Bentleys among the Pre-War contenders.

Ensuring an early finish with time for prize-giving in the afternoon and for UK based entrants to travel home, Sunday’s shorter 95-mile route included four further Tests and three Regularities.

After some serious number-crunching, the final results were declared with just two seconds between the top two crews in both major categories, thus underlining just how closely-contested the rally had been.

Making Rally the Globe history with top honours among the Pre-War contenders, de Montmorency and Bailey held off the fast finishing #4 1926 Bentley Supersports of father and daughter Nick and Jess Sleep with the erstwhile leaders Goodwin and Stevensen ensuring there were two Bentleys in the top three.

“We’ve had class wins before but this is our first overall and it’s a big first for me and a big first for Charlotte,” enthused a champagne-drenched Bailey. “It’s been such a beautifully run event. We didn’t do anything remarkable; we were consistent and we kept it steady and simple. We didn’t overcomplicate anything and tried to have a laugh along the way.”

In the equally fiercely-fought Classic class, the Powleys were pipped at the post by the rival #77 1972 Porsche 911 of Jack and Simon Brien with the #47 Triumph TR4 of Tomasz and Michal Dzitko finishing third to complete a father and sons podium.

Simon Brien is no stranger to champagne but was equally delighted with his result. “This is great for us; we won the Carrera Riviera last year which was a real highlight but this one is also special. It was short and sharp but very enjoyable. Jack’s navigation was pretty handy, too, and we were on it during the Tests where we split the driving.” “It’s been a great weekend,” confirmed son Jack.

Adding to the celebrations, two discretionary awards were also presented. The ‘Spirit of the Rally’ trophy went to Wendy O’Donohoe who embraced the generations concept by bringing her large, multi-generational motorsport family to the event while the ‘Against All Odds’ accolade was given to George and Angus Johnson. Their plucky little 750cc Austin 7 Ulster was the smallest car in the event and battled bravely to keep up with the big-hearted crowds around them.

The ‘Spirit of the Rally’ award was presented enthusiastically by those at Classic Insurance Services who really appreciated their involvement in the event.

“We had a brilliant weekend!” confirmed Carole Pearson, Head of Classic Insurance Services. “It was great to see the thrill and excitement that each of the crews experienced on the rally in their fantastic cars. As a leading Private Client insurer, we are dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of these vehicles and securing them for future generations – values shared by everyone on the rally and particularly demonstrated by the winner of the Classic Insurance Services sponsored award ‘Spirit of the Rally’.

After such a record-breaking weekend, it was no surprise to find Rally the Globe’s delighted Rally Director, Fred Gallagher, in high spirits as he welcomed crews back to the Carden Park Hotel and received numerous plaudits from delighted participants.

“In three short years, we’ve built something of a must-do event,” admitted Gallagher. “As well as the fantastic competitors who bring themselves and their remarkable cars, I’d like to thank the entire Rally the Globe team, for their efforts. Mark Appleton and Anthony Preston for finding the roads and Brynmor Pierce, the Chief Marshal, for putting together the superb team of volunteers who timed our every move.”

Once again, as Clerk of the Course, the unflappable Appleton had overseen another trouble-free event and he was understandably delighted with the super-successful sporting side of the weekend. “We’ve had an epic route, some challenging weather and some testing competition but everyone has thrown themselves into it and had a great time as a result,” he reported. “It’s especially good to see the next generation of enthusiasts coming through the ranks. There was a waiting list for this rally and we’ve already had a lot of interest in next year’s edition that will be based in Harrogate.”

In the meantime, the Rally the Globe team has three more standout events lined up for the remainder of the year. Next up is the Vintage Shamrock (6-9 May) which is organised in partnership with Irish Racing Green. Two continental ventures then swiftly follow: Carrera Bavaria (16-26 June) and Austria to Athens Challenge (29 September – 13 October).

Rally the Globe’s next endurance style event has been confirmed as the Islands of Japan Marathon (pencilled in for 24 September – 21 October 2025). While the Generations Rally was fully-subscribed, a limited number of entries are still available for other forthcoming events.