Rallycross - help my fading memory!

[Del]

I've got quite into modern rallycross, since one of my favourite drivers Sebastien Loeb rocked up, and it got me to thinking about ye olde days of rallycross, when it used to be on Saturday lunchtime telly. This would have been late 70s/early 80s, pre the group B cars coming in.
The only name I can remember clearly is Martin Schanche (sp?) and I know that he drove Escorts, and I very clearly remember a yellow Mini going up a bank, immediately after Murray Walker declaring that the driver was now ahead and with a clear windscreen...but what other drivers would there have been driving what machinery? I'm sure I remember Beetles, and maybe 911s? Possibly Skoda Rapids?
I'm trying to work out what's behind the Escort in this pic, with very little success.


(By the way, if anyone wants to see the new stuff, it's live from Silverstone on FreeSports tomorrow at 2pm.)

[frodo]

It’s an Audi Quattro - Herbert Breiteneder? There’s loads of great footage on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ3mBosyMdEokOpeqLLWC9g

[skkylinedave]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Schanche

Remember seeing him on tv 10-15 years ago and he was still racing then i think .

[coatesy351]

It was Keith Ripp who hit mabbs bank in the mini.

[sonus]

Martin Schanke is now a master mechanic making prototypes etc. My dad uses him for one off machining work. Overall very talented guy. He made much of his first 4x4 system himself. He competed against K amongst others Kjetil Bolneset, Kenneth Hansen and many many others through his long career.

[Del]

May 26, 2018 14:10:24 GMT frodo said:

It’s an Audi Quattro - Herbert Breiteneder? There’s loads of great footage on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ3mBosyMdEokOpeqLLWC9g

Cor! That's fantastic stuff in there!

[astranaut]

Remember watching him on all my Car Wars videos as a kid, his style seemed to be get out of my way or I'll take myself out taking you out

[frodo]

May 26, 2018 18:07:53 GMT Del said:

May 26, 2018 14:10:24 GMT frodo said:

It’s an Audi Quattro - Herbert Breiteneder? There’s loads of great footage on YouTube:

www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ3mBosyMdEokOpeqLLWC9g

Cor! That's fantastic stuff in there!

Yep, it’s my go-to YouTube channel for proper 80s rallycross! I was at Brands in 92 for the Grand Prix; my overriding memory was thinking Will Gollop in the Silkolene 6R4 was the coolest thing ever...

[mk2cossie]

Would Trevor Hopkins be a name from that time also?

Also the name sake for Oppys drop at Brands Hatch so I'm let to believe

[sarkie83]

Pat Doran in his RS200

[Del]

May 26, 2018 20:43:54 GMT mk2cossie said:

Would Trevor Hopkins be a name from that time also?

Also the name sake for Oppys drop at Brands Hatch so I'm let to believe

That rings a bell...

[adam73bgt]

May 26, 2018 14:05:50 GMT Del said:

I very clearly remember a yellow Mini going up a bank, immediately after Murray Walker declaring that the driver was now ahead and with a clear windscreen...

Somewhere I've got a VHS which is a compilation of various motorsports through Murray's career, I remember the clip of the mini in the rallycross bit of it, and another race where he said something along the lines of "there's now Escort's in 1st, 2nd and 3rd but that's not surprising as they're all Escort's in this race" haha

A name I vaguely recall from said video was Will Gollop, in a Metro 6R4 I think?

[keithyboy]

John Welch campaigned an Escort much like Schanche's. Per Eklund also did OK at it.

IIRC Gollop's 6R4, of which there is a picture on my garage wall, had twin turbos making it fairly brisk.

[Del]

May 27, 2018 11:13:06 GMT adam73bgt said:

Somewhere I've got a VHS which is a compilation of various motorsports through Murray's career, I remember the clip of the mini in the rallycross bit of it, and another race where he said something along the lines of "there's now Escort'

My other favourite rallycross Murrayism is 'this car is completely unique, except for the one behind which is identical'.

A name I vaguely recall from said video was Will Gollop, in a Metro 6R4 I think?

I knew Gollop in a 6R4, but didn't know what he had before the Grp B cars came in. Thanks to the YouTube channel that Frodo linked to, I've found out he was in a Saab 99!