Reigning British champion Billy Coleman got his 1975 season off to a great start with victory on the Mintex Dales Rally in the Thomas Motors Ford Escort RS1600.
Coleman, navigated by John Davenport, fought off some stiff opposition in the Yorkshire Dales from the likes of Roger Clark who ended up retiring his Mk1 Escort RS1600, Tony Drummond, after putting up a determined challenge in another Escort RS and Jack Tordoff in his Porsche Carrera.
Russell Brookes would win Group 1 in an Andrews Heat for Hire (the car would feature the famous 'Truck Yellow' colour scheme for the first time on the next round, the Circuit of Ireland) Ford Escort RS2000 and finished 8th overall. Colin Malkin also contested the event in his renowned Chrysler Avenger.
The Mintex was Coleman's first outing as a works Ford of Britain Competition Department entrant, after winning the 1974 RAC British Rally Championship with a privately operated team. He would finish second in the '75 series behind the great Roger Clark.
Rare unseen video footage of the 1975 Mintex Rally by slatgrille and uploaded to MotorsportMad
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