One of the most popular events in the British Rallying calendar, organised by Sixty & Worcs Motor Club, based in Newtown, Wales. The Woodpecker Rally first ran in 1983 and was the first forest rally organised by the Sixty and Worcestershire Motor Club. The rally started in Kidderminster and used the Wyre Forest complex which had never been used for rallying before. Opening these stages for rallying became something of a trend in the early years of the event, as was selecting the best quality roads available. In 1988 the rally moved to Ludlow and the following year the towns famous Castle became the event's showpiece, presenting one of the most picturesque starts for any rally in the country for a number of years. The modern Woodpecker Rally has become famous for its smooth flowing stages around Ludlow, most of which are only used once a year on this event. The nearby Haye Park stage is used both in the morning and the afternoon of the rally, while the classic Radnor test poses a formidable challenge as the meat of the event. The Radnor stage can give competitors one of the longest stages used in British club rallying and also allows some flexibility in routes, and can be split into two stages if required. The rally has grown considerably in size and reputation over the years. Growing from a modest Clubmans rally attracting 57 entries the event now sees up to 180 competitors crossing the start line of one of the most popular events in the British Rallying calendar.
