THE Somerset Stages Rally - voted BTRDA Rally of Year in 2015 - this week open entry to around 160 of the UK’s best rally drivers, who will descend on Minehead for the April 2 event.

Playing host to the Ravenol BTRDA Rally Series, the event comes back to the town after its successful return last year.

Offering 40 stage miles of forest roads across Croydon, Chargot, Timberscombe, Kennisham and Knowle, the rally includes the unique 3.73-mile test along the all-asphalt Porlock Toll Road -run twice - which always provides a challenge for the predominately loose surface contenders.

Once again the Beach Hotel will play host to rally headquarters during the event and the teams will base themselves along Minehead seafront for the scheduled service stops throughout the day.

Teams competing in the biggest rally series in the country will contest the April event as part of the seven round BTRDA championship, and event organisers Burnham-on-Sea and Minehead Motor Clubs are overjoyed to be back at the resort for 2016.

“Minehead really does provide the event with great character and the organising committee are indebted to Somerset County Council and Minehead Town Council for allowing us back again this year,” said clerk of the course Jason Hayes.

“We truly believe the key to our BTRDA award was down to the town really adopting the rally as its own and we think that shone through last year.

“It will be a tough task to make it better still in 2016 but we are working as hard as we can to make that happen.

“We have faced a few challenges over the last few months due to various forestry works but we now have a route that should appeal to crews across the board.”

The Somerset Stages will also play host to a wide range of other championships including the MAXXIS Tyres MSA English Rally Championship, the second year of the BTRDA Rally Challenge and the REIS ASWMC Loose Surface Stage Rally Championship.

A broad range of crews will head to the only forest rally in the South West, including top-flight world rally cars, a host of crowd-pleasing historic rally cars and the ultra-competitive 1400 screamers.

There will be opportunities for fans to get a slice of the action with a spectator stage in the Kennisham forest complex offering the chance to see the action twice during the day.

More information will be published closer to the event at www.somersetstagesrally.com and you can keep up to date with all the latest news on the event Facebook and Twitter feeds.