Saturday February 4:
Scrutineering 2.30pm to 6pm. Free admission.
The cars prepare for action at Motorpark, Terryland, Galway. Scrutineering is an important part of rallying as cars are inspected for eligibility and safety. It is also an opportunity for the casual spectator to get close to the cars and drivers.
Saturday February 4:
Ceremonial start 7.30pm. Free admission.
The official rally start takes in Eyre Square from 8pm. The top seeds, the top historic cars and top local drivers will all be present. The club has also organised street entertainment for young and old.
Sunday February 5:
Dyke Road Spectator Stage 9.30am. Admission free.
The first competitive timed stage of the rally will be the Dyke Road Spectator Stage. The action commences from 9.30am. Viewing is available from the perimeter of the Dyke Road car park, and also from the Quincentenary Bridge. Spectators are advised to arrive early, obey the officials, and park only where permitted.
Competitors will then cover nine more timed sections on closed roads in the Headford area. The teams will service the cars at the Trading Post on the outskirts of Headford between midday and 3pm.
Sunday February 5:
Rally finish.
The winner will be declared at approximately 5pm at Eyre Square. All finishers will cross the finish ramp in this first round of the 2012 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.
Full details of the route, maps, timings, entries, and where to see the cars in action are contained in the official rally programme which will be available in many city and county filling stations, the Clayton Hotel, and from Safety Direct on the Tuam Road, Galway.
A full list of outlets is available on the rally website on www.galwayinternational rally.com.
Television coverage
The 2012 Safety Direct Galway International Rally will be televised for broadcasting on a number of TV channels in the coming weeks. UTV will feature a 30 minute programme on Thursday February 16. Programmes will also be shown on TG4 on Tuesday February 21 and on Motors TV from mid-February.
Traffic management
Clerk of the course Victor Farrell is appealing to all spectators to obey marshals at all times and to respect private property.
The public are advised to expect traffic delays at the following times and locations:
Headford will experience significant additional traffic between 12 noon and 4pm on Sunday February 5, particularly near the Trading Post on the outskirts of the town. All drivers should allow extra time for journeys or take alternative routes.
Diversions will also be in place in Eyre Square on Saturday 4 from 7pm to 9pm and on Sunday between 4.30pm and 7pm. Spectators are asked to obey gardai and park only where permitted.
Additional traffic will also be experienced in the area of the Dyke Road on Sunday between 9am and 12 noon during the running of the Spectator Stage, and in the vicinity of Motorpark in Terryland between 2pm and 7pm on Saturday.
