Ford Escort
Didier SIMONIS / Viviane NIX (B/B)

Category	SLOWLY
Year	1978
Group	4

 

 

Yesterday : Russel BROOKS / Derek TUCKER - RAC Rally 1978

Russell Brookes was born in 1945 in Worcestershire. He started at the age of 18 in these club races of which the English are fond.

In 1974, he signed a partnership with Andrews - Heat for Hire, a company that rented heating and air conditioning equipment. This partnership will be a turning point in his career.

Driving a Ford Escort MK II, he was crowned British Champion in 1977. The same year he finished 3rd in the Rally of Great Britain. He will mount the RAC podium for 4 years in a row, always at the wheel of an Escort.

In 1985, he won a second national title, this time driving an Opel Manta which succeeded a Sunbeam Lotus and a Vauxhall Chevette. All these cars, as well as the one that will follow, wear the colors of the faithful partner, Andrews.

Between 1974 and 1991, the turnover of this company increased from £1.5 million to more than £60 million, which today makes it a textbook case in the field of sponsorship.

After the Legends “Boucles de Spa” in 2010, Didier SIMONIS completely restored his Ford RS 2000 with Pinto engine. The decoration is faithful to the version of the RAC Rally of 1978 where it finished 3rd. He has since taken part at the wheel in numerous demonstration events such as the Eifel Rallye Festival or the Alsace Rallye Festival.