Rallycross racing underway at the Kent circuit where the sport began

Abby Hook's been taken for a spin round Lydden Hill Race Circuit by local rallycross supercar driver Tristan Ovenden.

Transcript

00:00The Lydden Legend Festival, the birthplace of rallycross, celebrating the glory of classic

00:25rally machinery.

00:27It's a sport that started right here in Kent, right here at Lydden Hill Circuit back in

00:321967, making it the oldest rallycross circuit in the world. And Kent's very own Tristan

00:39Obindon is going to show me what it's like the other side of the safety barriers. And

00:43actually, I'm incredibly lucky because not many people get to ride in that car. I've

00:48got my crash helmet, which we like.

00:51What do you prefer, on the tarmac or on the dirt?

00:57Tough question.

01:00The dirt's really good here now, with the jump.

01:04Before they changed the circuit, it was really fast. It was like tarmac all the way around

01:09really, which is cool, but it's more fun now.

01:27How was it?

01:28Oh my goodness. It felt like we were so out of control, but so in control at the same

01:34time. There's nothing like that. That was insane. That felt like 200 miles an hour is

01:40like 105 top speed, but it's more about the drifting and the skill.

01:46You look quick out there.

01:47Yeah, get me one of those. That's wicked.

01:50I've been coming here since I was tiny. It's our home race, so it's always special. This

01:54weekend particularly, though, being a Legends Festival, it's going to be amazing. It's going

01:58to be absolutely fantastic. It'll probably be the biggest meeting of the year, we think,

02:02here. I've watched Rallycross since I can remember, so to now be in it at this level

02:07is my dream come true.

02:10And that dream is apparent across the paddock. This weekend, a range of cars will be out

02:14on track, headlined by Group B and four WD Monsters, with stars from the racing world,

02:21supercar features and a round of the Retro Rallycross Championship. The aim? To highlight

02:26the rich racing history Lydden Hill holds.

02:30There's no in-companies cars here. All we're here for display and fun, to put a show on.

02:35So this is all about a show. We base this on a bit of everything like Goodwood, Festival

02:41of Speed. So this is a smaller version of rallying and rallycross. It's what we've done.

02:48We've got a great history from the 50s of having rallycross started here. Rallying is

02:53obviously in partnership with us, so we brought it all together to make this what you're seeing

02:58today.

03:00The short, sharp style of racing is different to that of more popular motorsports like Formula

03:04One and touring cars. Six laps, six cars every six or seven minutes, created back in 1967,

03:12born between Canterbury and Dover.

03:15Abbey Hook for KMTV at Lydden Hill Race Circuit.