Autosport International to showcase 5 decades of Rallycross at the 2017 Live Action Arena.

• Showcase of five decades of Rallycross set to be a highlight in the 2017 Live Action Arena
• A host of Rallycross drivers and racers from throughout the sport’s history to attend
• Renowned stunt driver Terry Grant to thrill crowds with combined performance with Lee Bowers
• BTCC icons to go head-to-head in an exhilarating Time Trial
• Championship-winning Vantage GTE to be driven by Aston Martin Racing driver Darren Turner
• For tickets and further information about Autosport International, which runs from 12^th to 15^th January*, please visit www.autosportinternational.com   

The Live Action Arena at Autosport International is once again set to thrill, with a varied line up of leading motorsport drivers and racers.

Set to be a key highlight of the popular show feature is a celebration of 50 years of Rallycross. 

The segment will include 10 classic racers, such as the Porsche 911R which won the first ever Rallycross race at Lydden Circuit in 1967 and a selection of Group B icons such as the Audi Quattro.

At the wheel of the Porsche 911R will be Vic Elford, the man who took it to victory five decades ago. He will be joined in the arena by a roster of Rallycross icons including John Taylor, the first ever winner of the European Rallycross Championship and the man known as Mr Rallycross, Martin Schanche. Former competitor and owner of Team Peugeot Hansen Motorsport, Kenneth Hansen, will also be in attendance. The Swedish driver holds multiple Rallycross records and has won an FIA European Championships for Rallycross Drivers title 14 times.

Present day Rallycross will also be represented, with 2016 British Rallycross Champion, Dan Rook, winner of the 2016 British Rallycross Grand Prix, Liam Doran, and FIA World Rallycross Championship supercar competitor Andres Bakkerud, all confirmed.

Crowds of all ages will witness further thrilling action as BTCC drivers, including Gordon Shedden, Matt Neal, Colin Turkington and Andrew Jordan, go head-to-head in what is sure to be a highly competitive time trial.

Further motorsport action will come from the world of WEC. Aston Martin Racing driver Darren Turner will be taking to the Live Action Arena in the Vantage GTE #95, which won the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGTE Pro Teams.

Renowned stunt driver Terry Grant will be returning to the Live Action Arena to perform a selection of nail-biting tricks, this time joined by professional free-style stunt rider Lee Bowers. The duo will be hoping to not only keep the audience on the edge of their seats but also thrill popular vlogger, Shmee, who will be joining Terry as he performs the exciting stunts.

Always a crowd-favourite in the arena, more high-speed action will come from Autograss and BriSCA, who will be completing a series of races, in addition to a drifting demonstration.

All of these segments will be hosted by Sky F1 Lead Commentator, David Croft, alongside WTCC TV presenter, Alexandra Legouix.

Kate Woodley, Autosport International show manager, said: “We have some great motorsport content already confirmed for the Live Action Arena in January.

“With so many different aspects of motorsport represented, from grassroots to WEC, in addition to a show-stopping finale which will be kept as a surprise for visitors, we are sure there will be something for everyone.”

Former World Rally Champion Hannu Mikkola to race Audi quattro in the McRae Rally Challenge.

Former World Rally Champion Hannu Mikkola together with a number of rare and exotic Audi quattro rally cars are heading to Knockhill next month (16-17 May) - Group B machines that changed the sport in the 1980s for ever.

The “Flying Finn” and long standing co-driver Arne Hertz will be in attendance with the four-wheel-drive “supercars” that are part of demonstrations and displays at the McRae Rally Challenge, a special two-day rally event celebrating the 20^th anniversary of Colin McRae’s World Rally Championship win.

Mikkola, who celebrates his 73^rd birthday next month, was active in rallying between 1973-93 and two years after joining Audi, won the 1983 Driver’s World title achieving four wins and three second places in the revolutionary Audi quattro with Hertz.

Hannu commented: “It’s always nice to get back behind the wheel of an Audi quattro rally car and never fails to bring back special memories for me. Scotland has always been a favourite place of mine to rally in the UK, and I have been fortunate enough to do really well there too. It’s also great to support this event and celebrate a fantastic achievement in British motorsports and remember what Colin accomplished in the sport.”

Mikkola won the 1981 and ‘82 RAC Rallies, that swept through Scotland, and also claimed victory, with Phil Short, on the 1982 Scottish International Rally in an Audi A2 quattro. He missed out on the “world” crown to fellow Audi driver Stig Blomqvist that year – the Swede also claiming the British Open Championship title in 1983.

Various derivatives of the Audi quattro were also victorious in Scotland in the hands of Blomqvist (1983), Malcolm Wilson (1985) and David Llewellin (1987).

The original Audi quattro rallycar debuted in 1980 while the Audi Sport quattro S1 E2 that Mikkola drives at the Colin McRae Anniversary event was rallied in 1985. Between 1981-85, quattros won 23 WRC events and netted two WRC Manufacturers’ titles (1982/84).