As part of the celebrations for the British Rally Championship’s 50th year, some of the former Champions lined up for an historic photo in the grounds of Chatsworth at the second annual Rally Show.

The photo documents drivers and co-drivers from as far back as 1966, Roy Fidler representing the year that England last won the World Cup. With more drivers also attending later in the day, their combined Championship tally exceeded 40 wins and included the most successful driver in the history of the BRC, Jimmy McRae, who took five of the titles in the 1980s.

The line-up also includes the actual winning car from 1959, John Sprinzel’s Austin Healey Sprite being driven at the Rally Show alongside the current Championship leading Subaru Impreza. Not only does the car lead the series, but its driver David Higgins was also the 2004 British Rally Champion.

He starts the roll, of honour in the photograph which, from the top left of the back row reads like a who’s who of rallying:

David Higgins, Gwyndaf Evans, Guy Wilks, Phil Short, Phil Mills, Ari Vatanen and Chris Sclater. Then the next row from the left; Marko Ipatti, Don Barrow, Martin Holmes, David Richards, David Llewellin, Robert Reid, Mike Broad and Ian Grindrod. Finally the front row; John Bloxham, Roy Fidler, Russell Brookes, Jimmy McRae, Malcolm Wilson Will Sparrow, Nigel Raeburn and Stig Blomqvist.

Later in the day 1958/9 winning co-driver Stuart Turner was reunited with the Sprite in which he won the series almost 50 years ago. He was joined by triple Champion Mark Higgins, whose victories span two decades, as well as John Brown who navigated Colin Malkin to victory in a Hillman Imp in 1968.

With 25 former Champions attending alongside reigning title holder Guy Wilks, it was definitely an event for catching up with old friends, as well as meeting icons of the sport who swapped stories and reminisced about rallying exploits old and new.

After the line-up, some of the drivers were swamped by keen autograph hunters for nearly an hour; in the thick of the action for the duration, McRae, Wilson, Vatanen and Blomqvist, the latter pair taking World and British Rally titles.

Saturday concluded with a BRC party at which Tony Mason interviewed some of the attending stars, double World Rally Champion Marcus Grönholm amongst the early guests.

The next full round of the Tesco 99 Octane MSA British Rally Championship

is Rally Isle of Man which takes place on the Island between 17th and 19th of July.