14 Jul New England Forest Rally Challenges the Best ARA has to Offer

Article originally written for American Rally Association here.

Newry, Maine (July 21, 2017)

After a one month break, the American Rally Association is back for round 5 of the ARA National Championship, the New England Forest Rally. The two day event sees teams challenge 105 miles of back roads and logging trails roads of Western Maine and Northern New Hampshire. Loved by many, the wide and flowing roads of New England feature a variety of surfaces, turns, and technical challenges.

NEFR starts off fast and stays that way. From Parc Expose at Sunday River Ski Resort, competitors make their way to what is arguably the most famous stage of the rally, Concord Pond. This 5.75 mile stage resembles a Finnish rally road and packs a lot of challenge into its length. This fast, twisting, road features several jumps over crests, sending cars sideways in the air while they navigate corners. The stage also features the fan favorite Concorde Pond Jump, a high speed left 6 curve that sends cars flying past excited spectators. New for this year, a second running of the stage, adding even more excitement to Friday afternoon.

On Saturday, the rally moves northeast and across state lines into Errol, New Hampshire. With the change in location comes a change in the character of NEFR’s stage roads from residential backroads to logging access trails. Saturday’s stages see drivers tackle a variety of wide flowing roads, tight rocky roads, and rutted dirt roads; sometimes all three in a single stage. Two 40 mile laps of Aziscohos Lake broken up into 3 stages wind their way through Maine, into New Hampshire, and back into Maine; all the while trying to avoid NEFR’s infamous embedded boulders and stage-side rocks.

The day ends with a podium celebration and dinner at Sunday River.

Follow the New England Forest Rally live all weekend on the American Rally Association Facebook page and with ARA Live Timing and Scoring presented by Team O’Neil Rally School.

To follow the rally with even more ease, download the ARA Rally App on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Stay informed with access to ARA news and keep up with ARA teams on the social media feed.

For even more NEFR news, follow New England Forest Rally on Facebook and Instagram and be sure to follow ARA on our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Our Facebook Livestream schedule this weekend:

Friday July 21:
9:45am – Pre-Rally Press Conference Live
1:30pm – Concord Pond Front Runners
2:20pm – Service 1 Live
7:15pm – Parc Fermé Live

Saturday July 22:
7:30am – Parc Expose Live
12:30pm – Service 1 Live
8:00pm – Podium Ceremony Live

Photo Credit: Pete Kuncis (Top)

About American Rally Association (ARA)

We are a member driven organization dedicated to the sport of stage rally by providing a transparent and inclusive sanctioning body. A 501 (c)(3) non-profit, ARA is lead by elected and appointed board members who deliver a framework for safety, competition, promotion, and educational forums for all aspects of the sport. The common goal of our members, volunteers, and organization is a thriving stage rally program in America.