19 replies to this topic

[Paul Hurdsfield]

Who remembers the Rallycross at Oulton and what year was it ?
I think they held two rounds in the same year, I managed to attend one.
I dont think they ever came back, was just a two off ?
Anyway a few pics for your perusal


















Paul

[Alan Cox]

I remember it, Paul. I did the photos for one round for the Chester Observer, but have no idea where the negs have got to. I seem to recall that Holmes Chapel "garagiste" Rob Gibson, with a Porsche 911 (he's not the white one - No 21 - in your top photo is he?), was one of the stars of the event. Can't even remember the year with any certainty.

[Valvert]

Thanks for the great photos!
First meeting was in Feb 1984. The event was won by Denis Atkinson in a Porsche, looks like the red no.6 in the photo. Rob Gibson always drove a yellow version if I'm correct.
The trackmap has the start somwhere between Old Hall and Cascades (named Star corner), then all the way to Island Bend and back, a gravel section at what looks like presentday Hislop's, back on the tarmac and immidiately right again on a gravel section called The Cliff which reconnects at Star Corner.

This info is taken from "Drive It, the complete book of Rallycross" which was published in '84 I think.

[rx-guru]

Never been to Oulton Park myself.

The Porsche 911 (Hitachi) in pic one is Dave Wallis.
The Porsche 911 (no 6) Dennis Atkinson in pic one and two is correct.
The Ford Escort RS1800 Turbo (STP) with 420bhp Zakspeed engine in pic four is John Welch.

As I can find only one RX date for 1984 (July 7) in my 'Rallycross Yearbook 83/84' (published in March 1984) I guess they did RX only in 1984, organised by the Longton & District MC.

[Paul Hurdsfield]

Thanks chaps, I'm glad you enjoyed them

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by Alan Cox
I remember it, Paul. I did the photos for one round for the Chester Observer, but have no idea where the negs have got to. I seem to recall that Holmes Chapel "garagiste" Rob Gibson, with a Porsche 911 (he's not the white one - No 21 - in your top photo is he?), was one of the stars of the event. Can't even remember the year with any certainty.

Pretty certain Gibson's Porker was yellow and 3rd of March 1984 rings a bell!

[Paul Hurdsfield]

One thing I do remember was John Welch's Zakspeed Escort, as it came off the loose onto the tarmac and got some traction, it looked like it was fired from a catapult

[rx-guru]

Originally posted by Paul Hurdsfield
One thing I do remember was John Welch's Zakspeed Escort, as it came off the loose onto the tarmac and got some traction, it looked like it was fired from a catapult

You should have seen his later Mk3 Xtrac Escort with a 560bhp Zakker. 2.5s from zero to 100kms (or about 62mls)… Martin Schanche, who built the first one, used to call it "ridin’ the rocket" by then.

AFAIR Rob Gibson’s cars were allways yellow. He had a Porsche 914 early, followed by a 911 and in the late 1980s and early 1990s a MG Metro 6R4. His best year was 1991, when he made it to 5th overall in the FIA European Rallycross Championship.

[Paul Hurdsfield]

I really used to enjoy the televised Rallycross, usually from Lydden or Brands and occasionally Croft.
Lots of Big names from the Rally world would join in as well.
I think it was on World of sport on a Saturday. It's a shame it's not on anymore :

[Brynmor]

I remember going to this, from memory we stood near cascades the rallycross circuit used the 'old' section of track which was still useable then, seem to recall the entry to the meeting was very small though??? It was and the pictures above confirm run with a mix of Rallycross and Grasstrack cars hence the Class 7 to 10 specials etc etc...

Always some good rallying at OP back in the day too, but all sadly long gone...

[rx-guru]

Originally posted by Paul Hurdsfield
I really used to enjoy the televised Rallycross, usually from Lydden or Brands and occasionally Croft.
Lots of Big names from the Rally world would join in as well.
I think it was on World of sport on a Saturday. It's a shame it's not on anymore :

Robert Reed (ITV) started RX on February 4 1967 at Lydden for World of Sport. About two years later the BBC took over with Grandstand, after ITV had dropped RX.

[Toolbox]

Longton and District Motor club ran the Rally Cross meetings at Oulton. We had run them at Aintree for a couple of seasons and were, I think asked to run one at Oulton. I remember it well as I had the honour of being the starter for a nuber of events.

I have to say we didn't get on with the British Rallycross championship Organisers too well, I recall hearing a conversation about he would instrut me "how to drop the flag"!! I had always raised it the droped radomly between 1 to 3 seconds, whats wrong with that. It's annoyed me for a long time, nice to get it off my chest.

LDMC also ran the first NAT A (or what ever it was then) rallycross at Croft, Darlington and Dist MC hadn't run at that level and the RAC said we could run it with them.

[benoitford]

hi, any photos of rs200 rallycross please ?
database rs200 www.rs200.com

[alansart]

Originally posted by Paul Hurdsfield
I really used to enjoy the televised Rallycross, usually from Lydden or Brands and occasionally Croft.
Lots of Big names from the Rally world would join in as well.
I think it was on World of sport on a Saturday. It's a shame it's not on anymore :

And Cadwell Park. Great TV viewing

[rx-guru]

Originally posted by benoitford
hi, any photos of rs200 rallycross please ?
database rs200 www.rs200.com

If you want to publish a book about the RS200s in RX with lousy internet pics you will perhaps find some here under "Historique": http://www.fanderallycross.com/

But if you want top class pics you need to contact German snapper Eddi Laumanns, his Belgian counterpart Johnny Loix or their British colleague Tim Whittington.

[benoitford]

""But if you want top class pics you need to contact German snapper Eddi Laumanns, his Belgian counterpart Johnny Loix or their British colleague Tim Whittington.""

OK, you have contact number please ? or email ?

[rx-guru]

Originally posted by alansart


And Cadwell Park. Great TV viewing

Quote from an interview Tim Whittington did in 1992 for Motoring News with Bud Smith († 1994), "the motor sport man who translated Robert Reed’s [the ITV man who thought up Rallycross] ideas into succesful events":

[…] However, when, in November of 1969, Cadwell Park did stage its first event Smith had created what he still regards as being the finest Rallycross track ever. "Cadwell Park, in my opinion, is the best Rallycross track there ever was. It had everything, uphill, downhill, nice tarmac, hairpins. Without doubt that was the best of the circuits." […]

[rx-guru]

Originally posted by benoitford
""But if you want top class pics you need to contact German snapper Eddi Laumanns, his Belgian counterpart Johnny Loix or their British colleague Tim Whittington.""

OK, you have contact number please ? or email ?

All to be found here: http://www.rallycross.de/erpa/

[benoitford]

thank you, you deserve a free book when finish

[Brynmor]

Just found this on youtube...

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related