1981 Lombard RAC Rally - 'In at the deep end' documentary

Рет қаралды 35,040

4 жыл бұрын

BBC TV presenter and rallying novice Chris Searle teams up with double RAC Rally winner Roger Clark to tackle the 1981 running of the event in a Ford Escort RS.
During the build-up to the rally, Chris takes advice from Jackie Stewart, Stirling Moss and John Taylor.
Originally broadcast on BBC One in 1982. Converted from VHS TV recording. For VHS Rallies' exclusive range of classic rallying t-shirts, hoodies and mugs, visit vhsrallies.teemill.com

Пікірлер: 67

@pureboxofscartcables Жыл бұрын

Chris Searle was a hero when I was a boy. He did everything I wanted to do when I grew up.

@AntonyClayton-eq1ul Жыл бұрын

Machynlleth two hour rest halt: me and my 'oppo were stood near the nearside front of the car, watching the mechanics working. Car up on axle stands. Amazing scene. Departure time coming up and the crew was summoned. Came to the car, Mr Searle biting into an apple. Offered Roger a bite - shook his head. Mechanics got them into the car. Finishing up jobs. Jacked the car down. Mechanic indicated start up. Roger turned the key, and there was a loud click, and nothing. Pandemonium broke out. Mechanics rushing to pick up tools and rush to the car. Said mechanic acted liked he'd been electric shocked. Recovered, and grabbed a club hammer, forced himself under the car and started hammering the starter motor. Had to jack the car up again as I recall, and fiddle with the starter. After a minute got it to work. Scenes of urgent desperation since Rogers time to leave had passed. Eased his way out, then roared of up Bank Lane at competive speed, to the time control. Picked up the penalty for two minutes late. Will be in my memory till I die.

@gasgas991 5 ай бұрын

Been looking for this for years, many thanks.

@ashterfadgadget817 4 жыл бұрын

That was brilliant. I remember watching it when it aired for the first time and I've often thought about it since. Great to watch it again!

@f2cmadmaxx 4 жыл бұрын

Haha, they keep dubbing quattro over the top of the escort sometimes :D

@fraserconnell21 5 ай бұрын

What a nice man Roger was. 😊 great memories too.👏👏👏👏👏👍🏼👍🏼

@djmossssomjd8496 8 ай бұрын

Couldn't have chosen a better car to learn in!!

@trevorsellors9280 4 жыл бұрын

Many thanks for showing this. Pure history.Loved it.

@VHSRallies 4 жыл бұрын

You're very welcome. Thanks for the positive feedback.

@stuartmason7803 4 жыл бұрын

What a treat to see this. Thanks for uploading it for us.

@VHSRallies 4 жыл бұрын

You're welcome. Thanks for the positive feedback. :)

@rb5stevenumber903 3 жыл бұрын

God. Seems a long time ago. I was out spectating on the whole of the rally. Good to see it again, brings back good memories of how the RAC used to be when it was a long event, and no pace notes! I wonder how Chris would have coped with them. I remember the service at llandudno, chris got out of the car and looked totally knackered. 👍

@scoobyking555cm 4 жыл бұрын

Epic I remember watching this back in the day, it seems very dated now but still great to see again 👍🏁

@VHSRallies 4 жыл бұрын

Good to bring back some memories. Thanks for the positive feedback. :)

@weedaviec 10 ай бұрын

Watched this after seeing another Roger Clark compilation. Clark did incredibly well to finish so high in the field with a total novice. You don't get the feeling he didn't relish the attention of a constant camera crew or Searle's company but the footage did not mark him as a prima donna as others seem to have indicated on the other video.

@AntonyClayton-eq1ul 8 ай бұрын

10 place finish, from 34th was a mark of the man. I thought. The 'flexing of the professional muscles' Motoring News featured; in his test of the top finishing cars after his RAC rally win in 1976.🏁

@cr6911 3 жыл бұрын

Absolutely fantastic 80s incidental music. I wish music was still like this rather than the overbearing scores you get these days. 😉

@sarahtaggart7397 4 жыл бұрын

Brilliant , thanks for showing all of in at the deep end I have been waiting a long time for the final part it to be uploaded ! Cheers !

@VHSRallies 4 жыл бұрын

You're welcome.

@callanezequiel563 2 жыл бұрын

you probably dont care at all but does someone know a tool to log back into an instagram account?? I was stupid lost my password. I would appreciate any tips you can give me!

@deaconkameron2308 2 жыл бұрын

@Callan Ezequiel instablaster =)

@callanezequiel563 2 жыл бұрын

@Deacon Kameron thanks for your reply. I got to the site through google and Im trying it out now. Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

@callanezequiel563 2 жыл бұрын

@Deacon Kameron It worked and I now got access to my account again. Im so happy! Thank you so much, you really help me out!

@sueclapham108 4 жыл бұрын

Great to see the Orme at the end.

@RallyingSightsSounds 4 жыл бұрын

Great to finally see the end! I'm glad Roger cheered up a bit when it was over...

@VHSRallies 4 жыл бұрын

Yes, smiles before and after. Not many during the event...

@mfgt4595 Жыл бұрын

He was over the hill by then, he was in a fiesta a year or so earlier that says it all. But showed himself being a tit having the strops. He knew full well that a novice had no chance on the RAC. Nobody held a gun to his head to do the show. Their finish was all Clarky could expect even with an expert co driver.

@charltt 10 ай бұрын

This has always bothered me a bit, Roger's attitude when Chris seemed to be trying hard. But in mitigation, Clark's great career was coming to an end (he knew it and it had been nearly 20 years at the top by then) and they were doing well in the event. In those days it was also a hard slog - 5 days with little sleep. I don't think I would be too nice in those circumstances. Clark probably wanted maximum effort until the end. Finally, if you are running well in a topline event after a few years in the wilderness, wouldn't you wonder a bit about the stage time lost where Searle drove instead of Clark? Could they have been higher? Clark had a winning mentality and wanted/needed a good result in what might have been his last chance of a good result.

@QuorkEx Ай бұрын

Such a great series, back in the day. Do a revival version for stock

@smilodontiger5675 4 жыл бұрын

I wish I could get the whole series. I remember the bookie edition particularly.

@paulanderson7796 6 ай бұрын

250 bhp is routine for larger diesel powered family cars these days. How things have changed.

@ianmcmillan1411 12 күн бұрын

WOW, what a fascinating journey!! Thanks for sharing all this detail.. OMGosh, 8 hours sleep in 4 nights? That's cruelty to innocent humans, there should be a law against it.. still can't believe a rally champion like Roger Clarke takes a rookie Navigator, how did that happen? Absolutely no criticism of the rookie Navigator, I would have been 💩'ing my pants were I in his shoes!!.. WELL DONE Chris, for your first rally, that was epic☀🚀

@daveg8htfadlibaudio250 Жыл бұрын

What fantastic video, I watched it years ago as I have on VHS ****

@VHSRallies Жыл бұрын

If you have it on VHS - and maybe other rally videos - then perhaps we should talk conversions...

@daveg8htfadlibaudio250 Жыл бұрын

@@VHSRallies I will take a look and see what I can find.

@Axesent77 2 жыл бұрын

Brilliant!

@bazman788 3 жыл бұрын

A great watch.

@philipcurnow7990 2 жыл бұрын

Chester at the very beginning before the titles. I remember watching this as a youth but a much better tv episode now.

@Spartanm333 11 ай бұрын

This was excellent thank you. FYI I was a rally enthusiast and young Police Traffic driver when this occurred. The Police Inspector comes across rather dry and not entirely convincing from a speed / pursuit point of view. I would suggest that this was controlled by the PR officer as the inspector shows little of the vehicle capability or Police driver training. Our Police response Rover 3500 V8 Vitesses were built by Tom Walkinshaw Racing with early Lucas fuel injection. They were lowered with upgraded suspension and wheels / tyres, a full aerodynamic kit and in the region of 260 BHP through the rear wheels. First gear 45 mph, second gear 79 mph on a motorway slip road and on to 155 + nothing much could compete with them. There was an extension to the advanced driver course for the fire arms teams not shown here including diplomat protection informed by the SAS (yes, retired sneaky beaky officers) - this included defensive driving, hand brake turns, reverse U- turns at speed and a slalom course that had to be completed in a set time to pass. The course was 3 months driving at pace on all surfaces, weathers and country lanes. I would have put an experienced Traffic ARV driver in my force against anyone in a 'real world' urban setting. The Inspector got one thing right at the end - more than not the target vehicle either gave up or ran out of road - rare to lose a pursuit. In the years that followed the ARVs became even more discreet including de-badged Sierra Cosworths, Mitsubishi Evos and Subaru Impreza Pro Drive WRX vehicles. The training also kept improving with annual refreshers. It was exciting stuff for a 23 year old. PIC: www.flickr.com/photos/s11aun/17210619716/sizes/h/ Thanks for the video.

@HSRrep 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for that, like the previous post, was hoping someone would have the end of the programme. Brilliant. Would hate to be tutored by John Taylor!!

@VHSRallies 4 жыл бұрын

Yeah, JT blessed with a heavy right foot but not much patience.

@AntonyClayton-eq1ul Жыл бұрын

Ha ha, yes tell me about it. He went of in Bickly forest on the 1977 Mintex Rally. Driving the Escort with the retro spec mandated by the RACMSA (going back 10 years on development). Pushing harder than all the rest, obviously, to try and keep on the pace, went of on an ice covered 90 left (last corner before the FF) coming out the forest; spun out and went backwards over the edge of a 45' drop. Luckily only half way down. I was one who got roped in to help him get the car back up the slope, to the road, with a commandeered Land Rover. Ever watched Sergeant Bilko..? Expect the horses he rode would have felt the same way!

@robertrishel3685 4 жыл бұрын

I thought this would be silly and slightly campy in that local TV news kind of way, but it was a terrific show! It took the rallying and driving very seriously, as it should. Good show👍😉. I do have a bit of criticism; Roger Clark apparently agreed to do this, going in with the full knowledge that his co-driver would be a novice, and not previously an enthusiast of the sport, yet he was a bit of a dick to the guy. Seems to me, what this reporter did in a short time was remarkable, if he did indeed work as hard to try and prepare and learn as was implied. Not an easy thing to do.

@Sennaxm71 3 жыл бұрын

Roger could be a bit harsh at times, especially if his reputation depended on it, he was British Rally Champion back in the day, so he did have a good reputation to uphold. That said, agreed on how well Chris Serle did after a very short time learning, Co-driving is a very hard thing to do, and you have to have full confidence in your driver, and know what you're doing too, or you're both screwed. Roger could also be very cool, and was a bit of a show off, he once picked his son up from our school one day in his Cossack red RS1800 rally car, that is what started my love of Escorts.

@liverpoolscottish6430 3 жыл бұрын

@@Sennaxm71 In know a mechanical engineer who was a team mech on Roger's team when he became world champion. He told me that Roger was *very* fond of a pint, and would frequently be the last person to leave the bar the evening prior to a stage. He inferred that Roger was to some degree, 'fuelled' by alcohol on his first stage of the day! He's told me a few stories, which I dare not repeat on here! lol

@Sennaxm71 3 жыл бұрын

@@liverpoolscottish6430 Feel free to PM me with those stories, I'd love to hear them

@philrobinson981 2 жыл бұрын

Used to watch these shows regularly, This episode stood out because of the attitude of Clark towards Chris Serle when he gave out a wrong call & ended up on the main road yes Chris Serle did very well in a short space of time & honestly though at 1 stage Clark was going to belt him, Was not a fan of his he looked a bit of a miseryguts

@danross8565 4 жыл бұрын

Got the impression Rog wasn’t impressed with Chris’s driving at donington. The subject got quickly changed when he asked how his driving was!. And bleeding hell what was up with John Taylor!!

@SAXONWARLORD1000AD 3 жыл бұрын

HE WAS A BELL END

@stevegreenly2259 4 жыл бұрын

"Would you like a bite of my apple?" FFS

@VHSRallies 4 жыл бұрын

Awkward...

@christopherpartridge2915 3 жыл бұрын

@@VHSRallies qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq

@christopherpartridge2915 3 жыл бұрын

@@VHSRallies qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqq

@christopherpartridge2915 3 жыл бұрын

@@VHSRallies qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqlick my ars

@Bulletguy07 2 жыл бұрын

Blimey I couldn't imagine this happening today! I remember having a shot at navigating myself but couldn't handle it.......physically! I was badly sick after about an hours drive. I'd never suffered with car sickness since I was a child but the guy I went with told me it happens to a few navigators.....something to do with moving the head up and down.

@paulcaswell2813 2 жыл бұрын

Holding focus on the notes makes sickness even more likely, as one can't concentrate much on the road outside...

@morganeklund1035 4 жыл бұрын

Fast Ford!

@mscheeres 4 жыл бұрын

You've uploaded a fantastic set of videos! Unfortunately, it doesn't seem there is a way to contact you directly so apologies for going this way but would you be interested in trading some rally events? I have many events (from the 1950s onwards, all original tv broadcasts) you might be interested in.

@VHSRallies 4 жыл бұрын

I'm on Facebook and Twitter...