RE: Time for Tea? 1980s Rallycross

RE: Time for Tea? 1980s Rallycross

Wednesday 21st November 2012

Time for Tea? 1980s Rallycross

Flame-spitting monsters of world rallying duke it out. In Kent.



The appeal of today's Time for Tea? video can be summarised in very few words. Rallycross should of course pique some interest, especially taking place at Lydden Hill. The year 1987 gives it some nostalgic appeal. The cars? Two Ford RS200s, a Peugeot 205 T16 and a Metro 6R4.

For those who haven't already scrolled straight to the video, it makes for hugely exciting motorsport. There are spectacularly fast launches when the lights go out, oversteer, flames on the overrun, and a last-second swap for the lead. All this, of course, takes place in one intense sprint race, a refreshing antidote to the drawn-out affairs found in other motorsports.

So, where's the TV coverage now? ITV4 dedicates whole Sunday afternoons to the BTCC and its support races whilst also showing DTM highlights on Saturday mornings, so clearly the demand and capacity for motorsport is there. Moreover, with conventional rallying at present struggling for TV viewers, could rallycross perhaps raise its profile by using recent WRC/IRC cars? On top of all that, there's the simple appeal in rallycross of seeing cars race on gravel and tarmac against each other rather than just the clock. Rather than just seeing rallying on one corner, you get a whole circuit.

But maybe that campaign is for another day. For now, we'll have to be content with a YouTube archive of classic races with some iconic cars. If one clip becomes half a dozen, PistonHeads cannot be held responsible! Enjoy the video.

 

 

Author
Discussion

DazBock

Original Poster:

825 posts

191 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
"So, where's the TV coverage now?"

It's on Channel 4 on a Saturday and Sunday morning as part of the GT series 'support' racing. I discovered it by putting the GT series on series link.

It's on their version of iPlayer too - http://www.channel4.com/programmes/motor-sport/epi...

GranCab

2,902 posts

145 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
What an amazing finish ....

crostonian

2,427 posts

171 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
Was it Will Gollop who always had some crazily tuned Escort, did Stig Blomqvist and Per Eklund also take part? Apart from F1 and the RAC rally once a year it was one of the only motorsport events on TV back in the mid 80s.

dublet

283 posts

210 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
Epic.

Quikcurl

381 posts

155 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
I really want to have a go at this.

Especially if it's in an RS200./

billzeebub

3,862 posts

198 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
sensational. One of the most exciting forms of motorsport ever

Byronwww

392 posts

138 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
There is a fairly new support series in the US called global rally cross, with added x-games style(like shortcuts and big jumps).

Thought it would be rubbish but it's actually pretty entertaining.

Loeb and Gronholm are onboard as well as Ken Block and Dave Mirra.

http://www.global-rallycross.com/

soad

32,825 posts

175 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
Sure looks great. Hits the spot nicely. cloud9

rtz62

3,340 posts

154 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
Simply the best.
I remember Schanche coming out with his x-trac Escort, it was light years ahead of the competition; those were the days!

Mark-C

5,007 posts

204 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
Rallycross? To me that means Keith Ripp, a hump, a Mini and the legendary Murray Walker ....

Enjoy smile

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gilxT4wEedM

NotNormal

2,357 posts

213 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
Used to always attend these events with my father when I was younger (mainly and Brands Hatch). Was always such an awesome day of motorsport action smile

falkster

4,258 posts

202 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
crostonian said:
Was it Will Gollop who always had some crazily tuned Escort, did Stig Blomqvist and Per Eklund also take part? Apart from F1 and the RAC rally once a year it was one of the only motorsport events on TV back in the mid 80s.
Will Gollop was usually in a 6R4 or Peugeot. The crazy Escorts or RS200 could have been Martin Schanche (sp?).

rtz62

3,340 posts

154 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
Schanche had the x-Trac mk4 escorts with 4wd and a fk-off great turbo.
Gollop was noted mainly for his development of the 6r4.

coppice

8,561 posts

143 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
The 80s stuff was wonderful but don't think of it as being of historical interest only; the recent Rallycross GP at Croft was excellent- lots of action from 500bhp +4wd supercars. Just don't swallow the tired old cliche about getting to 100 quicker than any F1 car. Not on slippy mud and tarmac they don't ...and not with 400kg more and 250bhp less, 4wd or not

EDLT

15,421 posts

205 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
DazBock said:
"So, where's the TV coverage now?"

It's on Channel 4 on a Saturday and Sunday morning as part of the GT series 'support' racing. I discovered it by putting the GT series on series link.

It's on their version of iPlayer too - http://www.channel4.com/programmes/motor-sport/epi...
And previous seasons are on Youtube, as part of Channel 4's british motorsport program https://www.youtube.com/show/britishformula3

Excellent journalism by PH.

sjg

7,444 posts

264 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
I believe both Channel 4 and Motors TV show quite a bit of current rallycross.

Nothing like actually going and watching in person - circuits like Lydden are superb for spectators and the short races with lots of classes means you get to see 50+ races over the day, as soon as one is finished the next are getting ready to go.

gforceg

3,524 posts

178 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
Motors TV on Sky shows a fair bit of (mainly) northern European rallycross too. When did the "joker lap" come in?

steveww

15 posts

226 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
Makes you realise how boring F1 is.

BelperJim

2,500 posts

182 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
Metro 6r4 noise gives me goosebumps everytime biggrin

DanielSan

18,745 posts

166 months

Wednesday 21st November 2012
quotequote all
gforceg said:
Motors TV on Sky shows a fair bit of (mainly) northern European rallycross too. When did the "joker lap" come in?
They show some of the British rounds live aswell.