Drivers and cars from the six decades of the British Rally Championship were at Chatsworth in Derbyshire on Thursday to launch its 50th year.
The Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship also had cars and drivers representing the four classes, while the Suzuki Swift Sport Cup launched its series within the BRC [see separate story].
Champions and cars vied for prominence at the event against the stunning backdrop of the stately home and surrounding parkland.
Although the winning Austin Healey Sprite from 1959 was in pristine condition, 1966 Champion driver Roy Fidler was also looking good and had plenty to reminisce over with 1971 champion co-driver Martin Holmes.
They were joined by triple champion co-driver Bryan Thomas, who's winning ways spanned two decades, taking the title in 1994, 2000 and 2005.
Sadly the 1980s and 1990s saw the loss of four British champions in the form of Richard Burns,
Colin McRae, Roger Freeman and Mark Lovell. But they were all remembered and fittingly the Ford RS200 that was driven by Lovell and Freeman to 1986 victory was represented at the launch.
Joining his 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer was current BRC title holder Guy Wilks, this decade further represented by 2004 champion and 2008 hopeful David Higgins.
1998 victor Martin Rowe posed alongside the rest of the line-up and while Barrie
Williams was never crowned champion, he was the first driver to win an International event in a Mini, bringing the very car that took that 1965 Welsh win, Minis also taking 1962, ‘63 and '70 BRC victories.
Youngster Stuart Jones arrived with his MG Super 2000 for the 2008 line-up alongside Martin Roberts' Citroën C2R2 and Danish BRC newcomer Niki Bjerg's Suzuki Swift.
Wilks posed with his Lancer and Steve Graham sent his second Astra Diesel, while the Pirelli Star Driver winner Darren Gass's Lancer was also there for the photo call, both he and Graham were unable to attend in person.
