English rally drivers who competed in Belgian events

Hi,

First sorry for my approximate English but I'm living in Belgium and it's not easy for me to speak and write your language. I hope you''l understand the subject of my topic. I look for English drivers who came in my country to run rallies in the seventies and the eighties. I think to English drivers who ran the Criterium Lucien Bianchi during these years.

Kind regards.

Gildé

Gilde

I was part of a service crew for a friend's Gp1 Triumph Dolomite Sprint on the 1980 Circuit des Ardennes. In 1981 I drove in both the Ardennes based at Dinant and also the Omloop van Vlanderen based at Roeselare in a Gp1 Mini 1275GT.

Hi,

Witch is the name of your friend with the Dolomite ? Did he finished the race ?

The Criterium Bianchi was not too popular with UK amateur crews, partly because there never seemed to be any deals for entry, accommodation etc. Timing probably didn't help in some of those years because I think it was a week or two before Omloop Van Vlaanderen and that had better deals and was closer to the channel ports. Among the rallies I did in Belgium one or more times in the early 80s were Flanders (Vlaanderen), Ypres (Ieper) (losing its appeal around then because UK "co-ordinators" were messing with the deals and, in my view, effectively taking money from the amateurs to benefit the semi-professionals), TAC (again suffering the same problem as Ypres by 84), 12 Heures de Marche and Wallonie. Earlier on, I co-drove on the 12 Heures De Panne (only a few metres into Belgium and the closest event for UK competitors).
To help with English, glide, never call a rally a "race"! - it upsets some UK rally people, probably because of the insurance implications that have always applied in the UK. (I know in French it can be "course" for both!).

Edited by RS2000, 11 October 2009 - 19:23.

As for English (or UK) drivers who went to Belgium to live and compete in rallies, Simon Everett is the only one I can think of. Group 1 RS2000 in 1981, Group 4 Chevette HSR in 1982 and GpB Nissan 240 RS, followed by Tre Gazelle-hired Lancia 037, in 1983.

Hi,

Witch is the name of your friend with the Dolomite ? Did he finished the race ?

My friend with the Gp1 Dolomite Sprint was Peter Banham and he did the Circuit des Ardennes in 1980 and 1981. I'm sure that he finished both events.

The busiest UK driver in Belgium was probably James Prochowski, who was Scottish although living in middle England. He competed there many times being Belgian Gp N champion in 1989, Mark Lovell was the GpA champion. Unfortunately my source can only work from memory and James himself has passed away.

About the Criterium Lucien Bianchi, in the seventies Leyland was an official partner of the organisation and the factory sent an official crew in 1976 (Brian CULCETH) and in 1977 (Bernard BANNING). I don't know their result but I sent a letter yesterday to Brian CULCETH and I hope receive an answer. I think to WINDSOR on an escort groupe 4 who finished 15th in 1978. Simon EVERETT arrived in our country in 1980 with an Escort groupe 1. He had no money but he became professional driver these year. Marc DUEZ found small budget for him and at the end of the year he obtained a budget from TUBORG, the danish beer. In 1982, he drove a vauxall Chevette with the help of TUBORG and he finished second of the Bianchi Rally, and Terry KABY with the same car finished third. In 1981 Malcolm WILSON and Terry HARRYMAN finished third with an Escort group 4 ROTHMANS and Terry PANKHURST and Roger FREEMAN finished 2nd of the group 1 and 10th général. I think Bianchi Rally was only a story of English drivers. Do someone know David APPLEBY who came with a Rover Vitesse ?

Regards.

Gildé

About the Criterium Lucien Bianchi, in the seventies Leyland was an official partner of the organisation and the factory sent an official crew in 1976 (Brian CULCETH) and in 1977 (Bernard BANNING). I don't know their result but I sent a letter yesterday to Brian CULCETH and I hope receive an answer.

Hi, Gildé,

On the '76 Critérium Lucien Bianchi theme, the works British Leyland entry was the Dolomite Sprint registered MYX 175P and driven by Brian Culcheth / Jonathan Syer. They retired with blown head gasket. This entry was given the #1 by the organisers.


Carles.

Thank you very much for this information Carles

Johnston Syer, not Jonathan. Brian Culcheth appeared not so long ago on UK TV in one of the "Country Ways"/"Coastal Ways" type programmes, bird watching near his Porlock home. Nothing whatsoever was mentioned about his long International rally career!

Edited by RS2000, 13 October 2009 - 19:12.

Do someone know David APPLEBY who came with a Rover Vitesse ?

Is that the sometime Metro 6R4 specialist? http://www.davidappl...ng.com/history/

Unless I'm mixing him up with another Dave Appleby, I think I remember him having a Group A Rover sometime around 1986/7?

Edited by Kevan, 13 October 2009 - 20:13.

...and talking of Rovers on the Bianchi- in 1983, a certain Mr Walkinshaw turned up with one (was this the international debut for the Group A Vitesse? It certainly pre-dates the Tony Pond/Computervision period by a good couple of years)
http://img181.images...26/rover8su.jpg

The venture didn't end well....
http://img181.images.../tmp1088cr9.jpg

Yes it's the first rally of Tom Walkinshaw and the Rover. The next year Marc DUEZ used this car in an internationnal programme.

A local pal of my brother & I - Nick Webster - had a nasty accident on a Belgian event in his Vauxhall Astra around twenty years ago. Although he was pretty badly injured Nick made an almost complete recovery, now suffering only a slight limp.

Johnston Syer, not Jonathan. Brian Culcheth appeared not so long ago on UK TV in one of the "Country Ways"/"Coastal Ways" type programmes, bird watching near his Porlock home. Nothing whatsoever was mentioned about his long International rally career!

Of course!. It's been a typo...


Carles.

[quote name='gilde' date='Oct 12 2009, 19:08' post='3921590']
Simon EVERETT arrived in our country in 1980 with an Escort groupe 1. He had no money [quote]
And, according to him, owed a lot of money too for the car, which had been newly-built for the RAC at the end of 1980 and from which it retired with a bent axle after hitting a pile of logs. I'm not sure he ever lived down the humourous comments about leaving the country!

And, according to him, owed a lot of money too for the car, which had been newly-built for the RAC at the end of 1980 and from which it retired with a bent axle after hitting a pile of logs. I'm not sure he ever lived down the humourous comments about leaving the country!

Simon had so many humorous comments to live down, I doubt that any more would have bothered him. Was the Escort, the MK2 not repaired for the RAC having been rolled after its warm up event.

There are a lot of legends around Simon EVERETT. He arrived in Belgium January 1980 with just 90£, an Escort group 1 prepared by Burton and a dress. just before the first round (Boucles de Spa) he took out for a drive spectators on the special stage of Francorchamps. Many £ for a moment of pleasure and he won 900£, the budget for the rally. He won 800£ for his rank into this rally. He is working as a barman the week before the second round (Circuit des Ardennes) et found a budget for this rally. Simon was an artist to find money. Some belgians drivers hoped the budget of Tuborg, Simon came and won this budget, a veritable artist. Simon saw people he has'nt money but found always budget for rallies. Some people saw him training with a Rolls Royce !! Perhaps a legend, I don't know......

Gildé

The busiest UK driver in Belgium was probably James Prochowski, who was Scottish although living in middle England. He competed there many times being Belgian Gp N champion in 1989, Mark Lovell was the GpA champion. Unfortunately my source can only work from memory and James himself has passed away.

I didn't know he'd passed away. He also used to race in UK production saloons, sponsored by the band UB40 if I recall correctly.

Peter

I remember james PROCHOWSKI who ran the Bianchi in 1988 if my memory is well. He used a Ford Sierra Cosworth group N but I don't remember his result this year. I thought he had a familial link with the singer of UB40 but I'm not sure.

Gildé

There are a lot of legends around Simon EVERETT. He arrived in Belgium January 1980 with just 90£, an Escort group 1 prepared by Burton and a dress. just before the first round (Boucles de Spa) he took out for a drive spectators on the special stage of Francorchamps. Many £ for a moment of pleasure and he won 900£, the budget for the rally. He won 800£ for his rank into this rally. He is working as a barman the week before the second round (Circuit des Ardennes) et found a budget for this rally. Simon was an artist to find money. Some belgians drivers hoped the budget of Tuborg, Simon came and won this budget, a veritable artist. Simon saw people he has'nt money but found always budget for rallies. Some people saw him training with a Rolls Royce !! Perhaps a legend, I don't know......
Gildé

The engine may have been Burton-built (unusual if it was, as the likes of Neil Brown were normally linked to all the good Gp1 RS2 motors) but the car was built by Roscoe Engineering in Liverpool with a lot of Gartrac parts, according to SE. I don't know who made the dress.
I detected a lot of ill-feeling by some of the Belgian motorsports press over the Tuborg money, as they thought it should have gone to Jean-Louis Dumont - I saw no evidence of anyone else having issues with SE (other than one scrutineer! - Marcel Servais?). Was this so, Gilde?
I think the last I saw of him he was using a "cherrypicker" borrowed from the Tielt town council to lift out an engine after the TAC Rally.

The RR was possibly his fathers. Getting a loan of it would be a bit surprising having rolled his mothers Fiat 126/500/127 (can't remember which model) while practicing for a 12 car rally.

James P was definately sponsored by UB40.

I didn't know he'd passed away. He also used to race in UK production saloons, sponsored by the band UB40 if I recall correctly.

Peter

James Prochowski passed away early in 2006, due to leukaemia.

In rallying, he was probably best known for the Group N Cosworths Gilde mentioned, and before that, his Nissan 240RS
http://images.forum-.....onie 1986.jpg the 'DEP' logo behind the rear wheel-arch is presumably 'DEP International', UB40's record label and recording studio


As you said, he also raced production saloons (Sierra Cosworths mainly?) with UB40 sponsorship. He drove an MG ZT in the Britcar Silverstone 24 hours in 2005, which I think may have been his last event- the UB40 sponsorship was in evidence again
http://archive.daily...ar24_news11.htm


Talking of Nissans- a couple of Tuborg-sponsored cars- both Simon Everett?
http://images.forum-...DEverett283.jpg
http://images.forum-...2...pa 83a.jpg

Edited by Kevan, 17 October 2009 - 10:31.