Preview: Lombard Rally Festival 2024
The glory days of rallying will soon return… to Ayrshire
David Milloy
The sights and sounds of the golden age of rallying will roar into Ayrshire on the weekend of 31st August/1st September, as the grounds of Craufurdland Castle play host to the Lombard Rally Festival.
The Festival celebrates the days in the 1970s and 1980s when the Lombard RAC Rally was part of the World Rally Championship. Run on gravel roads in England, Scotland and Wales, it attracted not only the best rally cars and drivers in the world but also massive crowds, with hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts braving the cold, wet November weather to catch a glimpse of their rally heroes in action.
The years in which Lombard sponsored the rally, from 1974 to 1992, arguably represent the sport’s finest era, a period in which the cars contesting the World Rally Championship evolved from relatively straightforward 2-wheel drive cars, such as the Ford Escort RS 1800 and Fiat 131 Abarth, to the fire-breathing, four-wheel drive turbocharged Group B cars, like the Lancia Delta S4 and Peugeot 205 T16, which dominated the sport in the mid-1980s until being banned on safety grounds.
It was an era in which the names of the top rally drivers tripped off the tongues of motorsport enthusiasts: Hannu Mikkola, Markku Alén, Roger Clark, Ari Vatanen, Walter Röhrl, Juha Kankunnen, Stig Blomquist, Michèle Mouton, Tony Pond, Timo Salonen, Björn Waldergård and Henri Toivonen. There was Scottish interest too, with Jimmy McRae, who won the British Rally Championship five times and twice finished the Lombard RAC Rally in third position. On the car front, the Linwood-built Avenger and Sunbeam competed at the highest level. Indeed, the latter won the 1980 Lombard RAC Rally in the hands of the brilliant young Finn, Henri Toivonen, and took the World Rally Championship for Manufacturers the following year.
And then there was Colin McRae, who competed in the Lombard RAC Rally in its final years before going on to win its successor, the Network Q Rally of Great Britain, three times in the 1990s.
It’s a hugely evocative era, and one that remains close to the hearts of motorsport enthusiasts.
Held for the first time in Scotland, the Lombard Rally Festival will recreate the spirit of those halcyon days. A specially created tarmac and gravel rally stage in the castle grounds shall be used for untimed demonstration runs by a multitude of cars and drivers. Amongst the latter will be former works drivers Bror Danielsson, Ola Strömberg, and Harri Toivonen (younger brother of Henri), who will respectively demonstrate an Opel Kadett, a Saab 99, and a Talbot Sunbeam. They will be joined by a number of well-known Scottish rally drivers from the 1970s and 1980s and a mouthwatering line-up of classic rally cars. The younger generation will be represented at the Festival by competitors from the Junior Ecosse 1000 Challenge, including Lucy Cree from Kilmarnock.
Also in attendance will be Barry Lee, who enjoyed a hugely successful career at oval hot rod racing, rallying, rallycross, and saloon car racing, winning over 1400 oval races and four Hot Rod World Championships in addition to a host of other wins and championship titles at autocross, rallycross, and circuit racing.
The Festival will also play host to a classic and sports car show on the Sunday, and those attending will be able to purchase passenger rides in one of three rally cars, with the funds raised going to the Cash 4 Kids charity. The Festival is geared up to cater for visitors of all ages, with children’s entertainment and a food court amongst its attractions. VIP hospitality packages, which will include meals at The Laird’s Table, Craufurdland Castle’s celebrated waterside restaurant, can be purchased, and those interested in staying overnight (Saturday to Sunday) will be pleased to learn that camping and caravan parking will also be available onsite.
Further information, updated on a regular basis, and event tickets are available from the event’s website: www.lombardrallybath.co.uk
