Hundreds of historic rally competitors attended the Historic Rally Car Register's fifth Open Day at the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon on Saturday, January 10.

With an air of optimism pervading the event, many existing and new competitors used the event as an opportunity to start planning their season, with stands from the range of HRCR championships, event organisers and trade exhibitors from across the spectrum of historic rallying.

Interest in the Dunlop/Gambia MSA British Historic Rally Championship ran at very encouraging levels, with a number of new competitors joining many of the established crews signing up for the season.

Also doing a brisk trade in enquiries was the new Mini 50 Cup, the HRCR stage rally series for all Minis up to 1981 that has been created to celebrate 50 years of the Mini.

Continuing the Mini theme was star guest Paddy Hopkirk, while two of the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally Mini Coopers were star exhibits along with the Liege-Rome-Liege Austin Healey of Pat Moss.

"It's been a very successful day," reported Tony Barron of the HRCR. "We've taken a record number of new memberships, which is highly encouraging in the current economic climate."