HOTTING UP FOR 7 JUNE

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.

Full details are on our website at http://www.therallyshow.org, including photos and videos of last year's action.

For further information, please contact: The Rally Show Ltd PO Box 6168 Reading RG19 9DS Tel: 01189 710424 Fax: 01189 710331 Email: office@therallyshow.org