Added to the list of names of rally champions, both World and national, who will be attending the Rally Show at Chatsworth next month 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 and 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 however. The past champions - 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.
