A FATHER and son business has taken their love for rally to the next level by sponsoring the Wyedean Forest Rally.

Rob and Ross Weir of laundry equipment manufacturers, HJ Weir Engineering Co Ltd and Weir Laundry Equipment Co Ltd, have agreed to sponsor the ever-popular annual car racing event for the next three years.

The 60-year-old managing director said: "It's good to support a local motor club at a local event. It's a well-organised event – they are all volunteers and they put a lot of work into it."

For the last four years, GMF Motor Factors has sponsored the event but stepped down when Ian and Adrian McNally took the business in a different direction.

Rob, who has been a keen rally driver since his "younger days", got the bug back for rally driving in 2012 when he was joined by his son and co-driver, Ross, in the Wyedean Forest Rally. Ironically, the rally was his final event before retiring and the one that later got him back into driving. They have since enjoyed considerable success, most notably at the Sol Rally in Barbados where, two years in a row, they have been placed second in their M8-A category in 2012 and International Historic 2013.

"Two years ago the Forest of Dean Motor Club approached us to see if we had a suitable facility in which carry out 'scrutineering' for the rally," Rob continued. "We accommodated them and provided warehouse facilities. When we watched the rally that year, Ross said that I should have another go. I got the bug back and decided to do something reckless - just at the age when most people are packing it in."

Chairman of the Forest of Dean Motoring Club, Paul Willetts said: "I wish to pass my gratitude on to Ian and Adrian for their support over the last four years. They were the main driving force behind sponsoring the rally and so when they stepped away from the business to take it a different direction the rally sponsor stopped.

"We are very pleased to have Ross and Rob onboard. I have known Rob since the 1970s and he has always been very interested in the work we do and mentioned several times that if the opportunity arises to sponsor us he would be interested. There is nothing better than having a competitor and somebody who's interested in the rally onboard."

The rally which will be known as the Weir Engineering Wyedean Forest Rally takes place on February 15 2014.