Two very special Motor Sporting events 
 for
Vintage, Historic & Classic Cars

The Scottish Malts Classic Reliability Trial and Tour has become one of the premier classic car events in the UK. To celebrate the tenth running of the event and in response to numerous requests for HERO to return to Ireland, the �Malts�, as it has become known around the world, will be incorporated in 2008 into a special event to be known as the Celtic Malts.

Two events in one, crews can choose to start in Belfast and compete on the full six day event, or join up with the Irish starters when they cross into Scotland and compete on the four day Scottish Malts. The route through Scotland will be common to both events and all crews will have the same stop-overs, test venues, lunch halts and attend the same prize giving dinner at Stirling Castle - a highlight of the 2007 event.

The Celtic Malts Trial & Tour

Following the established format of having documentation and scrutineering on the Sunday, crews will start from Belfast on Monday 28th April, and compete for two days in Northern Ireland and the northern most part of the Republic. The first day will take competitors to Letterkenny for the over-night stop. On Tuesday the 29th April the leg will include a visit to Bushmills Distillery and a control close to Giant�s Causeway. Whilst the Causeway is a good walk from the nearest car park, the more energetic of you should be able to do it in the time allowed. Crews will continue on to Belfast for a night�s sleep before taking the breakfast high-speed ferry on Wednesday to Stranraer for the first of four days in Scotland.

The Scottish Malts Trial & Tour

Those of you who may not be keen on ferry crossings may choose to compete on the traditional Scottish Malts. Although being run as a separate competition to the Celtic Malts, both events will share a common route and follow an identical format in Scotland. Scrutineering and Documentation will take place on Tuesday 29th April and the Scottish starters will join up with the Irish starters on Wednesday 30th April on a leg which will take all crews to the overnight halt at Fort William.

The Route through Scotland

The restart on Thursday 1st May will take all crews via the spectacular scenery around Loch Ness for the first of two nights at Inverness. Legs Four and Five will take Trial and Tour entrants to the North East and into Speyside for the ever popular �distillery day�; the event once again coinciding with the world famous Whisky Festival.

The Event Format

The long established tradition of siting main controls and tests at stately homes, castles and distilleries will continue, as will the distribution of ten miniatures at specific locations for display in the �Malts� rack hand made especially for the event and issued to all crews that cross the finishing line. The provisional programme for 2008 takes in favourite and established locations such as the Speyside Cooperage, Blair Castle, Balnagown, Balmoral, Johnstons of Elgin, and distilleries such as Edradour, The Macallan, Glenturret, Glenlivit, Glenfiddich, Glenfarclas and Aberlour as well as venues new for 2008.

The 2008 Malts will follow the successful format of past events with competitors covering approximately 200 � 230 miles each day through some of the most spectacular scenery Scotland and Ireland can offer. The time schedule is not too demanding, and lateness penalties don�t apply at the end of each leg provided, of course, you are within the maximum lateness allowed for your class.

Navigation will be by means of a detailed road book using easy-to-follow Tulip diagrams utilising HERO�s simple Jogularity system. Rallymaps will once again make available to all entrants their comprehensive map-book

As usual there will be a number of special driving tests on private land. These are enjoyable manoeuvrability tests against the clock mainly on asphalt. On these, you are pitted only against the other cars in your class � drivers of slower or more sedate vehicles will not be expected to pit themselves against a Mini Cooper S or a Porsche.

Each day there will be two or three regularity sections, intended to provide competitors with demanding but enjoyable driving and where you have to maintain a moderate set speed. We may put in a short piece of forest section to add to the interest but as always this will be carefully selected to provide a smooth and non car breaking surface.

Categories & Awards

As with all HERO events, entrants will be divided into six age categories from vintage to modern classics, further divided into classes defined by body type and engine size.

Competitors on the Celtic and Scottish Malts Reliability Trials will compete for separate Gold, Silver and Bronze medals; awarded to crews who do well against the standard set for cars in their own class. Class and overall awards will also be presented to the best performing crews in both events. Regarded by regular entrants as the most coveted award, the Marque Team Trophy will be awarded to the best team of three cars of the same make and model. Amongst other awards presented to eligible crews will be:

• National, Ecurie & Golden Oldie Team Prizes
• The Ladies� Prize
• The Charity Shield
• The Veteran�s Prize & Concours awards
• Absolute Beginner
• The Test Pilot�s & Clockwatcher�s Trophies
• Most appropriately dress crew
• Spirit of the Rally

The Classic Tour

Those looking for a less demanding and gentler drive are invited to compete in either of the Classic Car Tours. Main Controls and lunch halts common to both sections of the events will ensure that you are as much a part of the Malts as the competitive crews. Tour entrants cover a shorter route, around 150 miles per day, and are provided with a specially printed map book, detailed but simple route directions, and touring notes of places of interest along the way. You are free to visit whichever attractions you wish along the way, but make sure you arrive at the hotel in time for dinner! Following requests from crews expressing an interest in learning more about Reliability Trials, entrants on the Classic Tour will have the opportunity on one particular day to drive roads used by entrants on the Trial (at a time when those crews will not be using that section)

Accommodation

As always accommodation will be at the best hotels available in the areas used for overnight stops. Whilst we cannot always guarantee to be able to find four star hotels, each hotel selected will be clean, comfortable, offer good food and will have been checked by event officials. The package includes accommodation for the night before the start of each event.

The Package

The entry fee for 2008 includes the following:

Rally participation
Lunch on each day of competition
Five or Seven nights� accommodation depending on the event entered (crew of two sharing � supplements available for single rooms)
Evening meals
Welcome dinner
Awards presentation banquet at Stirling Castle
Social gathering with a planned visit to a distillery
Finishers� awards in the form of two Malts Racks and ten whisky miniatures
Generous awards list
Rally Plates and side number plates
Detailed Road Book for Trial competitors
Route instructions and comprehensive map-book for Tour entrants
Tenth Anniversary Souvenirs and apparel
Ferry crossing
 

How to Enter

Due to the popularity of the Malts reserve entries have already been taken and so to secure your place on this most enjoyable of events, complete the entry form (available from the HERO office and on-line at our web site) and return with your payment without delay. As in the past, generous discounts are offered to those who book early.