Video: Group B Monsters on the 1985 RAC Rally

First, some numbers: 155 crews tackling 65 special stages, ranging from a 1.1-mile slither around Wollaton Park in Nottingham, to a 25.5-mile eye-opener in North Yorkshire’s Dalby Forest.

Yes, the 1985 Lombard RAC Rally, the 147^th World Rally Championship qualifier since 1973, which took place 30 years ago last week, was all set to be a belter. Curtain closer to that year’s 12-round WRC season, it would pit some of the great names from the sport’s history against each other in flame-spitting Group B monsters over 530 miles of challenging terrain.

Allow us to indulge you in the leading players on what was a mouth-watering entry list…

No    Driver/Co-driver                                        Car

1       Timo Salonen/Seppo Harjanne                    Peugeot 205 T16 E2

2       Hannu Mikkola/Arne Hertz                         Audi Quattro Sport S1

3       Markku Alen/Ilkka Kivimaki                         Lancia Delta S4

4       Walter Rohrl/Phil Short                               Audi Quattro Sport S1

5       Juha Kankkunen/Fred Gallagher               Toyota Celica TC Turbo

6       Henri Toivonen/Neil Wilson                       Lancia Delta S4

7       Bjorn Waldegaard/Hans Thorszelius        Toyota Celica TC Turbo

8       Per Eklund/Bjorn Cederberg                      Audi Quattro A2

9       Ingvar Carlsson/Benny Melander              Mazda RX-7

10     Tony Pond/Rob Arthur                                 MG Metro 6R4

11     Russell Brookes/Mike Broad                     Opel Manta 400

12     Kalle Grundel/Terry Harryman                    Peugeot 205 T16 E2

13     Malcolm Wilson/Nigel Harris                     MG Metro 6R4

14     Jimmy McRae/Ian Grindrod                        Opel Manta 400

15     Mikael Sundstrom/Paul White                   Peugeot 205 T16

16     Erwin Weber/Gunther Wanger                   Opel Manta 400

17     Terry Kaby/Kevin Gormley                          Nissan 240 RS

20     Mikael Ericsson/Claes Billstam                 Audi 80 Quattro

24     Mats Jonsson/Johnny Johansson             Opel Ascona

25     Rod Millen/Brian Rainbow                          Mazda RX-7

27     Pentti Airikkala/Ronan McNamee              Vauxhall Astra GT/E

28     Mark Lovell/Peter Davis                              Ford Escort RS Turbo

The epic adventure played out across Britain during the final week of November in 1985. Set your computer to full screen, turn up the volume and settle back into a golden era of rallying in which hero crews and stunning machinery wowed the hardy ‘bobbleraks’ who lined the legendary route in their tens of thousands.

1985 RAC Rally Part 2

1985 RAC Rally Part 3