THE RALLY SHOW @ CHATSWORTH - 7-8 Jun 08

HOTTING UP FOR 7 JUNE - Ari Vatanen to attend

Posted: May 13, 2008 2:31 PM

Added to the list of names of rally champions, both World and national, who will be attending the Rally Show at Chatsworth over the weekend of 7/8 June is that of Ari Vatanen, World Champion in 1981 and British Open Champion in 1980.

Vatanen, whose principal occupation these days is as a Member of the European Parliament, will be at the Rally Show on Saturday only; as still the most evocative rally driver of the 1980s in Ford Escorts, Opel Manta 400s and Peugeot 205 T16s, he is bound to be a big draw, especially for the autograph hunters.

During the two days of the Rally Show, nine rallies are taking place, catering for older rally cars as well as the most modern ones currently competing in the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship.

Entries in the older events are filling up fast, with the first event already full, but there is always one exception. There is a special event for Ford Escort Mk1s sponsored by Tonhire, whose proprietor Roy Edwards is practically synonymous with the marque. The owners of Mexicos, Twin Cams, RS2000s and RS1600s still have a chance to strut their stuff in front of the crowds if they get their entry in soon.

In the prestige event of the weekend, the final event on Sunday for the CG Neill Trophy, where WRCars, Group N and GT cars battle it out, it may be the GT cars which will attract the most attention. David Appleby is back with his phenomenal Aston Martin Rally GT and he will be going head-to-head with German driver, Olaf Dobberkau in his alarmingly quick German championship Porsche 996 GT3. This is a contest which has not previously been seen on a rally stage in the British Isles.

This not the end of the story by any means. The past champions - Ari Vatanen, Stig Blomqvist, Marcus Gronholm, Jimmy McRae, Russell Brookes, David Llewellin, Billy Coleman, Guy Wilks to mention just a few of the 30-plus title winners - and the events are only parts of a very busy weekend for the spectator.

The History of Rallying this year features cars, some of them original winners, from the British Rally Championships of the past 50 years. These range from Triumph TR3a, Austin Healey Sebring Sprite and Volkswagen Beetle, through Ford Escorts, Opel Manta 400s and Audi quattros, to the Hyundai Accent WRC which won the championship in 2004.

Then there are the Stage Sessions, where owners of rally-type cars participate in untimed runs over the stages. If that sounds boring, bear in mind that there are probably more Lancia Stratos doing the stage sessions at Chatsworth than Lancia had in their workshop back in the 1970s!

Between the main events, any number of things are going on out on the stages, ranging from old and precious rally cars to stuntman Terry Grant with his mind-blowing car control (especially when he is not even in the car!), runs by Alister McRae's new Enduro machine and exhibitions of new S2000 machinery - the rally cars of the future.

Away from the serious action, there is plenty more to see, from wandering round the paddock for a close-up of the cars and drivers or - if rally cars lose their attraction - the magnificent house and gardens of Chatsworth itself.

A jaded spectator craving action might feel like trying his hand at driving a trials car: a special course up a not-too-steep hill has been laid out and multiple British Champion Julian Fack will be on hand to instruct you before you pay your money and see if you can guide a trials car to the top. Your subsequent knowledge of fiddle brakes and hand throttle technique should raise your standing in the local saloon bar, even if you don't make it all the way up the hill. . .

To cap it all, there is a fun fair, plus a trade exhibition area featuring everything "from handbags to hydraulics". Children under the age of 16 get free admission on Saturday. The Rally Show at Chatsworth is building up fast to be an un-missable event for rally enthusiasts as well as an excellent day out for everyone else.

Rally stars gather at Chatsworth

Posted: April 30, 2008 4:29 PM

British and World Rally Champions Stig Blomqvist and Ari Vatanen will join other BRC stars and Champions to celebrate the British Rally Championship’s 50th anniversary at the Rally Show, Chatsworth in early June.

Marcus Grönholm, who will also be present, may never have won the British series, but it is testament to its success that five other World Rally Champions first took victory on Britain’s premier domestic Championship.

The theme for the weekend of 7th & 8th of June is the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the BRC and 2008’s Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship contenders will also be there in force to contest four rallies on the Chatsworth stages.

The Rally Show at Chatsworth’s History of Rallying demonstration features examples, some of them the actual cars, of the rally cars that won the BRC during its fifty-year history. These range from an ex-works Triumph TR3a and John Sprinzel’s original Austin Healey Sprite, through VW’s (including one of Bill Bengry’s original Beetles), Lotus Cortina, Mini Cooper, Triumph 2000, Hillman Imp, Escort Twin Cam and RS1800, Vauxhall Chevette, Opels, Audis, Hyundai WRC and the current Mitsubishi Evo.

The celebration of the BRC’s birthday also means that many of the winning drivers and co-drivers from down the years will also be at Chatsworth on that June weekend. Among the drivers are names like Eric Jackson, Roy Fidler, John Bloxham, Will Sparrow, Chris Sclater, Billy Coleman, Russell Brookes, Pentti Airikkala, Jimmy McRae, David Llewellin, Gwyndaf Evans, Mark Higgins, Martin Rowe, Marko Ipatti, Jonny Milner, David Higgins and of course the reigning champion Guy Wilks.

One name missing from that list, but who will be there, is Malcolm Wilson, who is not only attending the Show but bringing a Focus WRC from M-Sport for Marcus Grönholm to drive. Among the co-drivers hoping to attend are Brian Melia, Alan Taylor, Don Barrow, John Brown, Ian Grindrod, Mike Nicholson, Mike Broad, Phil Short, Robert Reid, and Phil Mills.

Champion co-drivers Stuart Turner and David Richards, who both went on to be highly successful rally team managers, will also be at Chatsworth. Indeed they will able to celebrate more than just their success in the BRC since Chatsworth is paying homage during the weekend to the fortieth anniversary of the Ford Escort’s debut in rallying back on the San Remo Rally in 1968.

Turner was the man behind the phenomenal success of the BMC Mini Coopers in the 1960s and was then at the helm of Ford Competitions during the even more amazing achievements of the Escort including its East African Safari victory in 1972 and complete dominance of the British rally scene. The actual car that won the Safari will be at Chatsworth.

For Richards too, the Escort was an iconic car as, sitting alongside Vatanen, he won first the BRC and then the World Championship titles before going on to mastermind Subaru’s three WRC Manufacturer titles in the mid-1990s as well as Colin McRae’s and Richard Burn’s drivers titles in 1995 and 2001 respectively.

There is still some room in all nine rally events – they range from Historic through Post-Historic to modern-day World Rally cars and of course the classes comprising the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship – for competitors to get entries in the next three weeks and benefit from the cheap additional ticket deal for competitors. After that, it will be difficult and certainly more expensive.

The same applies to drivers who want to enter their rally-type cars in the popular stage sessions. Entry forms, regulations and applications for additional tickets can all be found on the Show web site.

The attractions out on the two tarmac stages – different for Saturday and Sunday – include no fewer than nine competitive rallies, the History of Rallying demonstrations, displays by stunt innovator Terry Grant, exhibitions by various exotic rally machinery and several stage sessions open to privately owned cars. The quantity and quality of the cars in action as well as all the trade and club stands plus the fact that the June date provides longer daylight hours, means that the Rally Show at Chatsworth 2008 will be superb value for the enthusiastic rally fan and his family. Indeed, the Saturday has been designated a Family Day with accompanied children admitted free of charge and with additional attractions for the young.

The whole weekend should be equally attractive to enthusiasts and to those who are coming to the sport for the first time. Tickets, including those for the BRC party on Saturday night, can be bought now by booking via the show website at

Rally Show @ Chatsworth

THE STARS GATHER

Posted: April 25, 2008 8:52 PM

As well as the 21st Century's double World Rally Champion, Marcus Gronholm, the Rally Show at Chatsworth on 7/8 June will be visited by at least one World Rally Champion from the 20th Century: Stig Blomqvist, World Champion in 1984 at the wheel of an Audi quattro, is scheduled to make an appearance at the Show.

It is no coincidence that Blomqvist was also British Rally Champion in 1983. The theme for the whole weekend is a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the BRC. The Tesco 99 Octane British Rally Championship contenders will be there in force and will contest four rallies over the Chatsworth stages in the course of the weekend.

The Rally Show at Chatsworth's "History of Rallying" demonstration features examples, some of them the actual cars, of the rally cars which won the BRC during its 50-year history. These range from an ex-works Triumph TR3a and John Sprinzel's original Austin Healey Sprite (PMO200), through Volkswagens (including one of Bill Bengry's original Beetles), Lotus Cortina, Mini Cooper, Triumph 2000, Hillman Imp, Escort Twin Cam and RS1800, Vauxhall Chevette, Opels and Audis, up to a modern Hyundai WRC.

The celebration of the BRC's birthday also means that many of the winning drivers and co-drivers from down the years will be at Chatsworth on that June weekend. Among the drivers are names like Eric Jackson, Roy Fidler, John Bloxham, Will Sparrow, Chris Sclater, Billy Coleman, Russell Brookes, Pentti Airikkala, Jimmy McRae, David Llewellin, Gwyndaf Evans, Mark Higgins, Martin Rowe, Marko Ipatti, Jonny Milner and David Higgins.

One name missing from that list, but who will also be there is Malcolm Wilson - not only attending the Show, but bringing a Ford Focus WRC from his M-Sport company for Gronholm to drive.

Among the co-drivers hoping to attend are Brian Melia, Alan Taylor, Don Barrow, John Brown, Ian Grindrod, Mike Nicholson, Mike Broad, Phil Short, Robert Reid, and Phil Mills.

Both Stuart Turner and David Richards - champion co-drivers first and later highly-successful rally team managers - will also be at Chatsworth.
Indeed, they will able to celebrate more than just their success in the BRC, since Chatsworth is paying homage during the weekend to the 40th anniversary of the Ford Escort's debut in rallying, on the San Remo Rally in 1968.

Turner was the man behind the phenomenal success of the BMC Mini Coopers in the 1960s and he was at the helm of Ford Competitions during the even more amazing achievements of the Escort, including its East African Safari victory in 1972 and its complete dominance of the British rally scene. The actual car which won the Safari will be at Chatsworth.

For Richards, too, the Escort was an iconic car: sitting alongside Ari Vatanen, he won first the BRC and then the World Rally Championship, before going on to mastermind Subaru's three WRC Manufacturer titles in the mid-1990s, as well as Drivers titles for Colin McRae and Richard Burns in 1995 and 2001 respectively.

There is still some room in all nine of the rally events. These range from Historic, through Post-Historic, to modern-day WRCars and, of course, the classes comprising the 2008 Tesco 99 Octane British Rally Championship.

Competitors can get entries in the next three weeks and benefit from the cheap additional ticket deal for competitors. After that, it will be difficult and certainly more expensive. The same applies to drivers who want to enter rally-type cars in the popular stage sessions. Entry forms, regulations and applications for additional tickets can all be found on the Show website

Attractions out on the two asphalt stages - different for Saturday and Sunday - include no fewer than nine competitive rallies, the "History of Rallying" demonstrations, displays by stunt innovator Terry Grant, exhibitions of various exotic rally machinery and stage sessions open to privately-owned cars.

The quantity and quality of cars in action, as well as all the trade and club stands, plus the fact that the June date provides longer daylight hours, means that the Rally Show at Chatsworth 2008 will offer superb value for the enthusiastic rally fan and his or her family. Indeed, Saturday has been designated Family Day, with accompanied children admitted free of charge and with additional attractions for the younger spectators.

The whole weekend should be equally attractive to enthusiasts and to those coming to the sport for the first time. Tickets can be bought now, by booking via the show website at

Rally Show @ Chatsworth

FINNISH THRILLS AT CHATSWORTH - Marcus Gronholm to attend & compete

Posted: March 26, 2008 1:03 PM

Thrilling news for all British rally fans is that double World Rally Champion, Marcus Gronholm, will be one of the famous names attending - and participating in - the Rally Show at Chatsworth.

Mark Deans (Ford's Motorsport Director) and Malcolm Wilson (Managing Director of M-Sport) were both at Race Retro earlier this month to confirm to Malcolm Neill that the Finnish superstar will be coming to Chatsworth on 7/8 June and will be driving a Ford Focus WRC.

"I am delighted that we have been able to arrange this," said Wilson. "I had planned to go to the show, as I had an invitation as a past winner of the British Rally Championship, but to be able to take Marcus there and let him drive one of our latest cars is just terrific. In the two years that he drove for us, he won 12 World Championship rallies, a performance that helped Ford and M-Sport to win two consecutive Manufacturer titles."

Certainly, all those fans who have supported him since his first appearance here, driving a Toyota Corolla WRC on the 1997 RAC Rally, will welcome Gronholm's presence back in the UK. Gronholm was always one of the most spectacular drivers in the World Championship and he was equally entertaining out of the car, as he described his own triumphs or disasters to TV interviewers.

With The Rally Show's "access-all-areas" policy, which enables the paying public to mingle with the cars and drivers in Chatsworth's open paddocks, enthusiasts get far better access to their heroes than at any other venue.

With the added attractions of the Tesco 99 Octane British Rally Championship contenders; a range of historic cars celebrating the 50th anniversary of the BRC; four additional events - one of which features Ford Escort Mk1s in honour of that model's 40th anniversary; and several stage sessions all showing their speed on the two asphalt stages - there are different routes for Saturday and Sunday - the action should be almost continuous. And with the date now in June rather than September, daylight hours are longer, so the spectators will get more rallying for their money.

For any serious rally fan, being at Chatsworth in June is going to be an unforgettable experience, while the variety and visual appeal of the attractions should also suit those who are coming to the sport for the first time.

Rally Show @ Chatsworth

CHATSWORTH HOSTS THE TESCO 99 BRITISH RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP /THE RALLY SHOW AT CHATSWORTH 2008 BIGGER, BETTER AND EVEN MORE FRIENDLY

Posted: February 21, 2008 11:01 AM

• REGULATIONS AVAILABLE THIS WEEKEND
• CHATSWORTH HOSTS THE TESCO 99 BRITISH RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
• THE RALLY SHOW AT CHATSWORTH 2008 BIGGER, BETTER AND EVEN MORE FRIENDLY

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21/02/08
REGULATIONS AVAILABLE THIS WEEKEND This weekend sees the publication of regulations for the nine stage events which are being run as part of The Rally Show at Chatsworth 2008.

Simultaneously, the entry lists for those events will open and - if the spate of entries for the Stage Sessions is anything to go by (over half the places available for them are already filled) - anyone wishing to get an entry on the full-blown stage events will need to get their paperwork in quickly.

Fortunately, some of this can be done online at the Show's web page, through which more than 30 drivers have already got their names down. But the full details and entry fees have to go by post and it is their arrival which will finally decide who get the places on the starting list.

Of the nine events being held over the weekend of 7/8 June, four are restricted to registered teams and drivers from the Tesco 99 British Rally Championship, all of whom stand to gain bonus points for competing in the events at Chatsworth.

Other events are scheduled for Historic & Classic Cars, Post-Historic Cars, All-Comers Cars (ie: MSA Vehicle Regulations), and - the top event - for World Rally Cars, S2000s and Group N4 cars, for which the C.G.Neill Trophy is awarded. There is one additional event to mark the 40th anniversary of the Ford Escort in rallying: this is split into four classes for Mexicos, Twin Cams, RS2000s and RS1600s, all Mk1s.

The on-stage activity will, as last year, include the popular History of Rallying feature. This year, the theme is 50 years of the British Rally Championship. Already, invitations are on their way to a wide spectrum of machinery, starting with traditional British sports cars like the Triumph TR3a and Austin Healey Sprite, then going via exotic Group B cars to modern cars which were competing just a few years ago.

At the same time, the Chatsworth organisers are making every effort to get past winners of the British Rally Championship to attend. There has been some suggestion that a special rally could see them competing against each other, but a supply of suitable machines for such an event has so far not been forthcoming.

As well as the main rally activity, the asphalt stages of Chatsworth Park will see other entertainments laid on as a kind of dessert for spectators. These will include demonstrations by various high-performance rally machines, as well as a display by the truly amazing Terry Grant. This gentleman has astounded crowds at events like the Race of Champions, with stunts performed with a Legend race car and a Mitsubishi Evo 9 rally car. The kind of thing which Terry does is to get the car doing a succession of 360-degree donuts, then get out and climb onto the roof - or even step away from the car altogether. If you have not seen him in action, do not miss his daily shows at Chatsworth.

Add to all this an access-all-areas policy, which sees the paying public mixing directly with the cars, their drivers and with the stars of rallying past and present, and one can understand why being at Chatsworth is a unforgettable experience.

Tickets can be bought now by booking via the show website below
; for those tickets bought before 31 March, each buyer's name goes into a draw to win one of six rally car rides on the stages during the event. And, like the entries to drive on the stages, tickets too are going fast, with bookings already double what they were this time last year. So there really is. . . no time to lose!

Rally Show @ Chatsworth

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23/01/08
CHATSWORTH HOSTS THE TESCO 99 BRITISH RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the British Rally Championship, the Rally Show at Chatsworth - together with the organisers of the Tesco 99 British Rally Championship - have arranged for four of the nine stage events which will form part of the Show to qualify for BRC points.

The Tesco 99 British Rally Championship kicks off in April with the Pirelli International in Cumbria; the second round in May is the Jim Clark International, held in the Scottish Borders. The BRC will next visit the Rally Show at Chatsworth in June, where all registered BRC contenders who start the event will score five class bonus points towards their end-of-year total.

To make this a very special occasion, the Show is contacting all past winners of the BRC to try and get them to Chatsworth for the weekend of 7/8 June and is organising a birthday party for the championship, to be held on the Show site on the Saturday evening.

The Championship Manager of the Tesco 99 BRC, Mark Taylor said: "We are simply delighted to be able to accept this invitation and bring the spectacle of the premier British championship to the crowds at Chatsworth. It means that all of us associated with it - competitors, rally organisers, teams and sponsors - can have a mid-summer party to celebrate 50 years of glorious British rallying."

There was excitement, too, from the Rally Show Director, Malcolm Neill, who added: "To have such an influx of top-quality modern rally cars and their drivers is a real boost for us in the second year that we have staged this unique event. And it will be a personal pleasure to have many of the people with us who have given so much to British rallying over the last 50 years.

"We are also trying to have examples of the cars which have succeeded in the BRC to demonstrate, in order to complete the picture. It should make for a very impressive party!"

All this is in addition to the regular Rally Show at Chatsworth attractions, which include competitive events for both modern and historic rally cars, demonstrations of both historic cars and exotic modern ones, stage sessions for owners of rally cars, star rally drivers from past and present, motor club and commercial displays, shops and other entertaining distractions. The whole object of the weekend is to provide a wide range of interests centred on rallying, while at the same time providing other things which will please the entire family.

Tickets for spectators are already on sale at the Show website and it is worth knowing that they can be bought at the 2007 price up to 31 January 2008. In February, entries will open officially for the various rallies and stage sessions, although anyone considering entering any of these is advised to register their name and interest on the website at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment.

More Details:

Rally Show @ Chatsworth

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16/12/07
Following the success of this year's event, the Rally Show at Chatsworth 2008 aims to offer an enhanced extravaganza of rally cars and personalities in the unique setting of a traditional rally stage.

The date has been moved to the weekend of 7/8 June, so that the longer daylight hours will enable more action, more viewing and more opportunity to savour what is a unique event in rallying.

Next year, the British Rally Championship observes its 50th anniversary and Chatsworth has been chosen as the special venue at which the celebration of that landmark will take place. The result for spectators is that they will have the bonus of seeing the BRC cars and crews in action and the leisure to meet them. There is no segregation of drivers and invited personalities at Chatsworth and spectators are free to visit all parts of the venue - with the notable exception, of course, of the special stage roads themselves.

All the features of this year's event will be present. There will be actual rallies, comprising two or more stages and open to entries from modern and historic cars. There will be demonstrations of interesting and exotic cars. Anyone who saw the Aston Martin tackle the demanding Chatsworth roads this year will appreciate the excitement which such runs can generate.

Our popular "History of Rallying" will feature genuine cars from the marques which have competed in the British Rally Championship during the past 50 years. There will be stage sessions, where anyone can enter rally cars and rally-type cars and drive the same stages under the same conditions as the professionals. In fact, the action on the stages is continuous throughout both days.

But there will be other things to do and see as well. There will be star drivers present; a little bit like the cars, these will be both old and new, and many of them will be driving cars in the events or in demonstrations. There will be static displays by car clubs, featuring all kinds and types of rally cars, plus an extensive exhibition and trade area with everything from displays of cars to shops selling rally-oriented goods. For the children, a fun fair, and - perhaps for mothers, wives and girlfriends - access to Chatsworth House and its extensive gardens and grounds.

The whole objective of the weekend is to provide a wide range of interests centred on rallying, but to also provide something which will please the entire family.

Tickets for spectators are already on sale on our website (http://www.therallyshow.org) and it is worth knowing that they can be bought at 2007 prices until 31 January 2008.

In February, entries will open for the various rallies and stage sessions, although anyone wishing to enter any of these is advised to register their name and interest on the website at the earliest opportunity.

For chance to see proper rallying with proper cars and proper drivers in a proper setting - and to have a lot of fun yourselves - make a note of 7/8 June 2008 and be there at Chatsworth.

Rally Show @ Chatsworth