Event History
Previous winners (as the Kent Forestry Stages Rally)
| Year | Driver/Co-driver | Car |
| 2007 | ?? | ?? |
| 2006 | Will Nicholls/Nick Broom | Subaru Impreza |
| 2005 | Will Nicholls/Nick Broom | Subaru Impreza WRX |
| 2004 | Will Nicholls/Nick Broom | Subaru Impreza WRX |
| 2003 | Will Nicholls/Nick Broom | Subaru Impreza WRX |
| 2001 | Francois Duval/Jean-Marc Fortin | Ford Puma |
| 2000 | Phil Morgan/Martin Douglas | Subaru Impreza |
| 1999 | David Higgins/Chris Patterson | Subaru Impreza |
| 1998 | David Higgins/Paul Barrett | Subaru Impreza |
| 1997 | David Higgins/Paul Barrett | Subaru Impreza |
| 1996 | Stephen French/Dick Lines | Escort RS |
| 1994 | Brendon Crealy/Steve Harris | Toyota Celica |
| 1991 | Jason Bird/Aaron Bird | Escort RS |
| 1989 | Stephen French/Ian Gunn | Avenger |
| 1987 | Graham Standen/Bill Cook | Talbot Sunbeam |
History
The Rally of Kent has its roots back in 1987 and the first Kent Forestry Stages Rally run by Bexley Light Car Club.
The Kent forests had been used for special stage rallies as far back as the mid-1960s, but they had fallen into disuse for this purpose some years before.
From small beginnings (using only one area of Forestry Commission land every other year) the rally grew into annual event using all three of the main Kent forests every year, and when sponsorship was secured from Barretts of Canterbury in 1997 its future was assured.
After the running of the 1999 event, the Bexley Light Car Club received an invitation to participate in a new stage rally championship due to start in 2001, Formula Rally. The result was a much expanded event, the Rally of Kent, for the Formula Rally Super 1600 cars – which include manufacturers teams and privateers; a slightly shorter event, the Ashford Rally (so named in recognition of the tremendous support given to the organisers by Ashford Borough Council) for the Ford, Peugeot and Volkswagen one-make championships, and, to keep faith with the clubmen who have supported our event over the years, the traditional Kent Forestry Stages Rally.
The great expansion of the event meant that more resources would be needed to ensure its success, so a co-promotion agreement was entered into between Bexley Light Car Club and two neighbouring clubs, Maidstone & Mid Kent Motor Club and Sevenoaks & District Motor Club for the running of the 2001 event.
Another innovative format has been created for the 2002 event, where two separate rallies are run over the weekend of 12/13 October and combined to make a two day event for the Rally of Kent.
This is an event not to be missed, Don’t just take our word for it, read what these competitors had to say about the forests…
“Excellent event really good stages and good paperwork. Loved it. It was my driver’s first event for 20years so he was feeling his feet again. First stage nightmare and I thought he was trying to kill me, but he got better as the day went on and achieved what he set out to do which was finish. Never done the event before but really impressed with it.” – Bryan Hull – Co-driver (2003)
“Had great fun – Nice Stages” – Phil Budgen/Ashley Fowler (2003)
“Best Kent Stages ever” – Dick Slaughter (2003)
“This has to be one of the best events we have ever taken part in. Stages were superb, organisation superb. This should easily be a round of a bigger championship” – Will Nicholls/ Nick Broom (2003)
“The Kent Forestry Stages is probably rallying’s best kept secret. The stages are equal to the best that Wales has to offer… only smoother! Whatever other events you have on your calendar, make sure that the Kent Forestry Stages is on it” – Steve French (1997)
“Really enjoyable, high quality, forest stages. The event was superbly organised and never seemed to stop.” – Mark Higgins (1996)