RAC Rally – a retrospective of various years
Report by David Harbey – Part Three 1987
1st February 2025
In part three of our RAC Rally report– a retrospective of various years. I will take a look back at the glory days of rallying. The Lombard RAC Rally 1987.
Following the demise of Group B, it was back to Group A specification for World Championship rallying in 1987. With a nominal 300bhp to hand, the Lancia Delta integrale, Sierra Cosworth and unlikely contenders like the Mitsubishi Galant replaced the 205T16, Delta S4, Metro 6R4, RS200 and quattro. I can’t recall much detail from 1987; we did Wynyard near Newcastle and Castle O’er.
The Lancia at Castle O’er shows where this intrepid photographer was standing in fashionable flat cap and Barbour. All I have in my archives from the 1987 rally is the shot of Carlos Sainz (Senior) in his Sierra disappearing into the trees.
NatWest Bank Motoring Club
I mentioned my friend Chris earlier and between us we were regular contributors to the NatWest Bank Motoring Club magazine. Called, not unimaginatively, Chequepoint ! This included getting an invite to the press day for the 1988 event Lombard North Central. Sponsors of the rally were a part of the NatWest Group). I was shooting quite a bit in black and white for use in the magazine, although the front cover was in colour where my photos featured from time to time.
RAC Press Day
Press Day was somewhere “up north”, possibly Harewood. I booked a day’s special leave and Chris and I headed off. You can see him talking to Derek Bell who was taking part in the Astra co-driven by Mike Nicholson (yes, that one from Brailsford days in part 1 of this report).
It is, perhaps, no coincidence that Nicholson’s autobiography is called – Listen to Me – the life and times of a rally co-driver.
I was still shooting black and white for the early competitors at a snowy Chatsworth. I’d started using an OM10 as well as the OM2n so I could shoot colour and black and white. The OM2n had an autowinder, too – such sophistication !
The memory starts to fail me from there. The photos and itinerary suggest we might have done a stage in the Lakes, possibly Wythop. If so, that is where a Buccaneer flew below us along Bassenthwaite.
Kielder and Harwood
Next a drive to Kershope near Kielder, with dark setting in and a lovely winter sunset.
We ended up at a snowy Harwood the next day – up near the Otterburn military ranges. Dad can be seen in his red and white bobble hat taking his shot behind Salonen’s Mazda #4
At this point work and family life meant such mad cap treks round the country were a thing of the past. I recall a quick trip to Wales for one stage in 1989, but no photos exist, so did it happen ?
We had seen and heard the glory days of Group B rallying and it was good !
All Photos are 35mm slides scanned from David Harbey and Albert Harbey archives.
RAC Rally. A retrospective of various years Part One. Click the image for more.
RAC Rally. A retrospective of various years Part Two 1986 – 1986. Click the image for more.
You can contact David via the links below.
