Time was when late autumn was the highpoint of the spectating year for many of us as the Lomard RAC Rally (as it was) toured the country from Bath (or Chester or Harrogate etc) to Yorkshire, to Scotland to Wales and all points in between. The BBC used to run regular updates on the radio and even, in the mid 1980s nightly on TV ! It lasted for about 5 days and ended on a Thursday. People took time off work. I remember in 1980 the last stages came within 100 yards of my back door and school was empty as almost everyone had disappeared into the woods to watch!
It hasn't been that way in decades, sadly but with calendars moving existing events about and new one's coming in I suddenl;y found I was at two events in recent weeks and rekindling the wellies-and-bobble-hat atmosphere of old.
RALLYE PRESCOTT ran on November 1st , the famous hillclimb venue festooned with lighting as the event ran from morning through to early evening - and the last few ‘stages’ were in full darkness. It's not often you see rally cars in the dark these days and it proved a draw for the spectators . OK it wasn't real rallying, not in the accepted sense of the term as the event comprised 8 runs up the hillclimb and no road miles in between, but it did allow everyone a chance to see some really great cars in action and still have access to the hot meals in the clubhouse!
We sold books from our usual stall, up by the footbridge, but unlike last year had brought along some LED lighting and a couple of batteries to illuminate the marquee once the sun had gone down. That worked a treat and we had a really good day, one of the best of the year in fact . Everyone seemed to enjoy the event, there were planty of new faces around . We sold a photo of the late great Russell Brooks to his young grandson and engaged in some enjoyable conversation with the like of classic rally stalwart Peter Baker (running his Daimler and telling us about his forthcoming entry in the Historic Monte Carlo), Bugatti Owners club steward John Stavely and prolific author/journalist/artist Lance Cole . I'd love to recount some of their highly amusing (and often outrageous!) tales but my lawayer tells me I'd probably better not !
Peter Baker on the startline in ‘Audrey’ his Daimler Conquest
Ian Beale, my old freind, who navigated for me when we were rallying back in the 1990s turned up and helped on the stand, as he has on numerous ocassions this year and also supplied some of the photos in this post. He added much to the conversational entertainment with a hefty element of ‘do you remember when…’ about our time on the special stages with Rover SD1s. Happy days. Ian and Lance also got into a deep discussion about Citroens. They are both avid enthusiasts of the marque.
Down in the paddock Jimmy McRae was present with one of son Colin's Subarus and Colin's daughter Holly for company .
The Colin McRae Subaru starred in the paddock/service area
There was an ex Sainz Escort Cosworth in REPSOL colours, a wonderful MkII Escort |RS1800 in Vatanen/ROTHMANS livery, a replica Toivonen RAC winning Lotus Sunbeam, what might be a real ex Brooks ANDREWS version, and a host of other tasty machinery.
Ex Sainz/Moya Escort RS Cosworth (real or replica?)
Escort RS1800 in 1981 ROTHMANS / Ari Vatanen Livery (again replica or real?)
By the time I had packed the stall up , just before the final runs, it was pitch dark but the paddock was aglow with floodlights ,lots of the trees had colour-changing lighting and the place hummed with atmosphere.
A really good event to end the season with.
A week later I was standing among the copper-coloured bracken and falling leaves, only a couple of miles from home, as the local WYEDEAN rally passed through the wood behind Yorkley (birthplace of WW1 poet F W Harvey). The sun was out, the sky was blue. the autumnal colours were spectacular and in the distance the sound of a TR7 V8 invoked memories of 1980 and seeing Tony Pond in the works BL car. I lusted after a TR7 V8 when we were rallying…could never afford one then and certainly can't know, more's the pity! My freind Stuart Harrold used to be a works team navigator in one for fellow local-hero Graham Elsmore, back in the late 70s.
The entry was quite diverse, among the Evos and the WRXs were a BMW M3 , a Volvo 240 and a surprising number of BMC Minis as well as the inevitable, but always entertaining Escort Mk1 and Mk11. The sound of a nice crisp Cosworth BDA engine echoing through the trees and that familiar quivering note as the car scrabbles for grip are so eviocative.
There was a good crowd, all being commendably sensible and standing up the banks and behind trees in safe locations. Everyone seemed to be enjoyeing the day. The only downside was someone had given their child the use of an air horn…. which they "parrrrp---parrrp"ed endlessley. Even when no cars were in sight. Surely they would get bored after a couple of hours? No! Oh well, at least it kept them occupied…
My neighbour Pauline was navigating for former winner Nick Elsmore in a WRC Skoda. Last year they finsihed 2nd overall and hopes were high, but I didn't see them go through this stage so assume they had retired .. Better luck next year!
All in all a rather good week of rallying and rally cars. It quite took me back!
