This film is from the C.H. Wood collection and follows several European rally drivers as they compete in the 27th RAC Rally in the United Kingdom. There is footage of the cars, the event grounds as well as car repairs and interviews with some of the champions. Title-Toyota A rally car speeds along a track and around corners past spectators who line the wood land track. Rally driver, Henry Liddon, provides the voiceover for this film and begins by saying that the RAC Rally is considered to be...

This film is from the C.H. Wood collection and follows several European rally drivers as they compete in the 27th RAC Rally in the United Kingdom. There is footage of the cars, the event grounds as well as car repairs and interviews with some of the champions. Title-Toyota A rally car speeds along a track and around corners past spectators who line the wood land track. Rally driver, Henry Liddon, provides the voiceover for this film and begins by saying that the RAC Rally is considered to be one of the toughest rallies in the world because of the changing track, the competition and the large spectator interest. This is followed by several shots of cars skidding and swerving as they race along a muddy track. Henry says that he wants to tell the story of the 27th RAC Rally from `my side of the car'. Title-My side of the car. Title-A C.H. Wood Production. Title-Story- Henry Liddon This section begins in the Toyota teams Europe Competitions Department where the rally cars are being prepared for the competition by the mechanics. Some of them are welding parts of the cars, putting on new tyres and adjusting the engines. The narrator mentions two of the drivers on the Toyota team: Tapio Rainio from Finland and Swede Leif Asterhag. The next shot opens in a ferry port in Hull where a convoy of cars with rally cars on trailers, make their way onto a North Sea Ferry. At Chester's North Gate Arena, the crowd have gathered for the rally, and as the rally cars from other teams drive in, they run after them and try to get autographs. Henry Liddon is on camera answering questions about the Toyota cars on Tapio's behalf. They also talk to Swedish champion Bjorn Waldegaard and Tony Pomm from the UK. As the different drivers are being interviewed, spectators crowd around and try to see get into the shot of the camera. The narrator says that on the Sunday morning, the start of the rally, the streets of Chester are crowded with spectators. A car drives along the road followed by others and the narrator mentions the various drivers inside including; Jean Luc Perrier and Michele Viale of France. There is also footage of the narrator, Henry Liddon and his driving partner, Tapio Rainio getting ready to start the competition. At the start of the track itself, the cars are given a count-down, one-by-one before they can start off. The narrator mentions last year's winner, Hannu Mikkola, Marco Elin, Bjorn Waldegaard and Harry Vettenin to name a few. As the cars drive off, the scene changes to the track where the cars speed around bends and along the road. There is a long sequence of shots starting with the count down and them speeding off and then following the various drivers along the course. The narrator talks about the teams and their progression in the race and how well they are driving. The cars drive along the open track, through the woodland and through large sections of water. In a garage in Yorkshire, a mechanic gets under Waldegaard's car, as the narrator says that they were having trouble with it out on the track. They talk to competition manager Peter Ashcroft who tells them what the driver damaged. The following section of the rally takes place at night and the cars have added many lights onto the fronts of their cars. The spectators can be seen along the route and many camera flashes light up the dark. The narrator informs us that it is midnight at a section of the race called Scotch Corner, and the drivers and mechanics make the final checks before they drive along the forest track. The drivers joke about with each other and with their managers and then they get into their cars. A group of mechanics have tipped up one of the cars and are carrying out final repairs on the cars before the race. The voiceover says that the track is tricky as there is snow and ice but that as the drivers make their way into Scotland they can look forward to a good breakfast in Carlisle. There is a sequence of shots of the cars racing around the track as it gets brighter and brighter. The interviewer talks to Hannu Mikkola, when he stops at Carlisle, as well as some of the other drivers as they arrive at Carlisle. Some of the spectators look into the cars as they pass by. The narrator mentions Roger Clarke and Walter Rohrl who are filmed driving along the track, followed by shots of more of the drivers speeding along another section of the course. There are many more shots of different cars on different parts of the course. This is followed by a shot of a crowd of spectators making their way by foot along a forest road. The voiceover says that it always amazes him how many people turn up to watch the rally races. He says that this time approximately two million people attended the various sections of the rally. On the last night of the rally they make their way into central Wales. It is night again and Henry talks to the camera about the impending fog while the other drivers wander about and let the mechanics get to work on the cars. As the cars race it gets lighter and lighter and the one of the sections of the track takes them along a road overlooking the sea. Henry's car stops and he talks to the interviewer about how he has enjoyed the rally. At the finish line in Chester Hannu Mikkola comes in first and he is cheered by the crowd and gets out of the car to wave at them. Henry and Tapio come in second and they also get out and wave to the crowd. The voiceover says that in two days they are off to Africa for the Bandama Rally. Title-Toyota.