History Help

[tommbris]

A friend of mine always tests my motor racing knowledge and I always know the answer so he knows I'm correct but recently when he learned my rallying knowledge was hit and miss, he gave me this humdinger of a question:

Prior to 2006, when was the last time the RAC Rally was a round of the British Rally Championship?

I didn't know the answer at all and he didn't know so could someone help me? Also another question he gave me was:

Who and when scored the last RAC Rally victory for a 2WD car?

I'm pretty sure it's Henri Toivonen in a Talbot Sunbeam, 1980. Is that right because I'm fairly certain it is.

[MrJan]

Wasn't there an RAC in the 90s when it wasn't a round of the WRC and nothing decent entered it? Was only when I was just watching rallying but vaguely remember something like that, i'm sure someone can correct me

[FAL]

1980 was the last 2wd win. (and a 1000 plagues of locusts on all those involved in ever allowing 4wd in rallying).
96 (or was it 97?) was not a WRC round (plenty of decent entries who fell off in the snow) - but that wasn't the question.
No idea when last a BRC round. To be honest the BRC has a very limited history as a significant championship. Late 70s/early 80s saw most real competition?). Couldn't tell you who was even in it in more recent years...
Just been discussing on another forum that in the 60s the RAC championship was usually won as an aside by whoever won the MN championship as events were largely the same.
Suggest this type of question is best asked on the History Thread (which is in the WRC section as it has to be somewhere but covers national championships etc).

[MrJan]

96 (or was it 97?) was not a WRC round (plenty of decent entries who fell off in the snow) - but that wasn't the question.


Being able to read I am quite aware what the question was. I thought that if the WRC boys weren't entered there might not have been that many 4 wheel drive entries and a 2 wheel drive could have won. Like I said my rallying history is a bit sketchy so wasn't sure. Was it the year that Martin Brundle entered?

[tommbris]

Hmm, well my suspicions on 1980 being the last 2WD RAC win seems justified but why couldn't the BRC at least have a history page/archive?

[Steve Boyd]

I seem to remember that the 'F2' year for the RAC was 1996 & it was won by Armin Schwarz & the only reason I remember was because he won the Manx International earlier in the year & I was in the results team on both events.
(Now someone's going to tell me I'm wrong & prove I'm getting 'old timers' disease!)

[Whinlatter]

96.... in the snow, Vatanen knocked a wheel back on the Michelin Pilot Escort Cozzy in Kershope, Kankkunen rolled the Celica in Wauchope, seem to remember the third Celica was piloted by Ian Duncan.... or was it Fujimoto? And of course Stig got the Felicia kit car onto the podium. :)

As for last time it was in the BRC, I know it wasn't during the F2 'golden era' cos most years it was settled on the Manx. Since those cars disappeared I couldn't even tell you who won the BRC, except for Milner in the old Corolla one year..... :s

[MrJan]

What was the year that Gyndaff (I think) totalled it on a tree stump. It was either Evans in a silver and burgandy Escort or Rowe in the Megane (maybe). Wow, haven't I got a superb memory :rolleyes:

[Martin Liddle]

(Now someone's going to tell me I'm wrong & prove I'm getting 'old timers' disease!)

Steve

I think there is already ample proof that you have been suffering from an acute case of 'old timers' disease for some considerable time :-)

[Zico]

What was the year that Gyndaff (I think) totalled it on a tree stump. It was either Evans in a silver and burgandy Escort or Rowe in the Megane (maybe). Wow, haven't I got a superb memory :rolleyes:

Yes, Gwyndaff totalled his F2 RS2000 on a tree stump after hitting ice, I remember that quite well.. it was a heavy impact.

[Steve Boyd]

Steve

I think there is already ample proof that you have been suffering from an acute case of 'old timers' disease for some considerable time :-)

Thanks Martin - must be something I caught in a results room :-)

[c4]

[quote="tommbris"]A friend of mine always tests my motor racing knowledge and I always know the answer so he knows I'm correct but recently when he learned my rallying knowledge was hit and miss, he gave me this humdinger of a question:

Prior to 2006, when was the last time the RAC Rally was a round of the British Rally Championship?

1976 AFAIK or remember. I know in 1977 it was the first year of the open championship.

[Martin Liddle]

Thanks Martin - must be something I caught in a results room :-)

Probably. Nasty places full of dodgy people.

[BDunnell]

1976 AFAIK or remember. I know in 1977 it was the first year of the open championship.

Sorry to bring up an old 'zombie' thread, but the answer to this can definitely be dated later than that, at least to 1978. In this two-part video (originally made for Ford, I believe) of the 1978 RAC, there are numerous references to it having been a Sedan Championship round.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=scKvPPC_TgE
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rfrtjoGrtvM

Now, does anyone know whether it was a round in 1979, too?

[c4]

Sorry to bring up an old 'zombie' thread, but the answer to this can definitely be dated later than that, at least to 1978. In this two-part video (originally made for Ford, I believe) of the 1978 RAC, there are numerous references to it having been a Sedan Championship round.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=scKvPPC_TgE
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rfrtjoGrtvM

Now, does anyone know whether it was a round in 1979, too?

You're right BDunnell it was a round in '78, your knowledge of the Open Championship is always first rate.

Don't think it was in 1979 but someone else will know better than me.

[farquar wrc]

What was the year that Gyndaff (I think) totalled it on a tree stump. It was either Evans in a silver and burgandy Escort or Rowe in the Megane (maybe). Wow, haven't I got a superb memory :rolleyes:

Robbie Head was in the Megane

[MrJan]

Robbie Head was in the Megane

Aaah right. Only remember Rowe because two Meganes did the Sunseeker once and whenever they interviewed him it sounded like he couldn't wait to get away from the event :D

[Zeakiwi]

World Rallying 2 does list the RAC as a round of the Open Championship in 1979. Pentti as champion.

[petom]

I competed on the Rothmans Open Series in 1981 and also on the Lombard RAC that year. The RAC was not a round of the Open Series in 1981 so it looks like either 1979 or 1980 was the last year in the Open Series.
Tom Bradley

[Martin Liddle]

The RAC was not a round of the Open Series in 1981 so it looks like either 1979 or 1980 was the last year in the Open Series.

The regulations for the 1979 Phonepower Welsh Rally list the Sedan Open Championship rounds as:

21/24 February Mintex International
13/17 April Benson & Hedges Circuit of Ireland
10/12 May Phonepower Welsh International
9/13 June Esso Lombard Scottish
9/12 August Burmah International
13/15 September Manx International
18/22 November Lombard RAC