The event was notable, or perhaps notorious, for the fire which destroyed a fair bit of Pat Doran’s Q8 Ford RS200 which was there, as I recall, for demo runs only.

So, on a bright sunny morning, I headed off to Silverstone - a familiar half hour run - with the roof down on the MX5 and RadMac on the radio. On arrival we were sent to park outside the circuit to then wait for the shuttle bus to the Wing where the event was based. Not my preferred approach as it effectively meant I needed to carry all my kit all day – and it was all used as you will see below.

Last years report from the PistonClick site had given me a few hints having been to the event last November and so I headed off to the jump first. The sun would be behind me so that would be the correct place – right ? 

Well, yes, for the first car through but then the dust created blocked out any other cars and better still the persistent breeze was into our faces. Thus, many of my early photos had a dusty haze to them.

The jump does provide a good spot to get the cars heading towards the jump, in the air and then landing for the next corner a rather tight right hand bend. 

The 70-200mm zoom was fine here. Eventually, it was decided to water the track although this was probably several runs too late for us snappers. This did improve matters, except that they forgot to water the joker lap loop first time.

We also got to see how “dead” cars are recovered – the ignominy of the fork lift truck !

Once all the classes had been through, I headed to the north end of the circuit but there is heavy fencing here that is almost impossible to pan through. There is one narrow gap that can be used to get the cars heading into the first turn but shooting into the sun.

After the lunch break, I moved to the other side of the track, initially sitting in the large grandstand which is set a fair way back necessitating the 200-500 zoom which I used for the rest of the day.

Thereafter, I walked to the southern end of the track where there are a number of views – the cars on the grid ready for the next race, the tight right hander and the far side of the circuit and the jump.

What did I make of rallycross in 2019 ? The grids seemed a little slim - not helped, as the commentary team pointed out, by the first round of another championship elsewhere on the same day. That can’t be good planning in anyone’s world.

Whilst the jump can be very spectacular with only a short braking zone before the next right-hand turn, the circuit seems to be somewhat slow overall and could benefit from using more of the tarmac Stowe Circuit. 

The Juniors and Swifts looked fairly pedestrian although I am sure it doesn’t feel that way behind the wheel.

I am also a little sanguine about the much vaunted “come and see the Group B monsters” that this, and other events, often highlight. They were indeed spectacular in period but are, sadly, rarely driven to the max these days - for understandable reasons.

I’m glad I went and was pleased with a number of the photos you see here but with a busy calendar, I don’t expect to be following this particular championship round the country.