ON THE ROAD – NRR
NATIONAL ROAD RALLY 2026
Calling all riders of road-legal bikes….
The NATIONAL ROAD RALLY is BACK for 2026
After missing last year due to a loss of manpower, the ACU have relaunched the National Road Rally, which is being run over the weekend of Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th July this year.
PUT THESE DATES IN YOUR DIARY
Entries will open at the end of April.
For those of you that have ridden the National Road Rally before, you sort of know what I am talking about – but wait! all is not the same as it has been in the past – this is not just a re-launch of the same-old-same-old, it is the launch of a re-modelled version.
This should be a more attractive proposal for new riders with enjoyable entry-level challenges and a change to the challenge for the veterans. It has brought about the return of the OVERNIGHT run in addition to the daytime Saturday and Sunday runs, though without the onerous task of the clubs being responsible for the controls to recruit a team to man the controls.
Thanks to the use of a Phone App to log the visits to the controls, there is no more paperwork or photographs to record top-secret unique numbers of the controls. No more looking for posters that someone has forgotten to display.
The App knows that you are there and when you confirm it on your phone you are logged into it.
This App has been used for the Welsh and Scottish Rallies for a number of years, so is proven technology.
Admittedly, the downside is that you don’t get to meet any people running controls or offering cups of tea, but it also means you don’t feel bad about declining such offers and miss out on treats when you are running against the clock!
The options to be available are:
One Day Rally - Saturday - 12 hours
Start 09:00 - Finish 21:00.
One Day Rally - Sunday – 12 hours
Start 06:00 - Finish 18:00
Weekend Rally - Doing both Saturday and Sunday – Start & Finish times as above.
OVERNIGHT Rally – 20 hours
Start 14:00 Saturday – Finish 10:00 Sunday
Within the framework of the above, there will also be different levels of award to aim for. These will involve visiting different numbers of controls within the time limits and conforming to the matrix showing the required links between controls that must be followed.
The Matrix will be released about a week before the event – but rumour has it that it will be basically the same matrix as used in 2024, though some controls may not be in exactly the same place – for example the Guildford Control organised by the Witley & DMCC will not be at the Harley dealership who couldn’t accommodate overnight visitors and will be at the Shell 24-hour petrol station nearby – don’t worry, route planning is easier than it sounds!
And as I have the 2024 Rally Matrix and the Saturday route we rode, I may start some experimental route planning before the official 2026 matrix is released.
I am looking forward to riding this event again. Unfortunately, the Sunday Rally will clash with the Brooklands show so some of our stalwarts will probably go to Brooklands rather than ride the Rally on Sunday. We did this in 2024 and found a really rewarding route though the New Forest that we all enjoyed.
I am undecided myself, and I am tempted by the overnight rally. This was normally the option I rode pre-Covid. I would not, however, want to ride it alone, so is there anyone out there interested in it?
I am also riding to France on Tuesday 7th July so this might feature in my final decision-making process as to which rally to enter.
Gordon Ayshford
Updates from the ACU:
https://www.acu.org.uk/news/2026/01/national-road-rally-45-july/
