BTCC Legend Jason Plato Leads a Packed Grid of Special Guests

Jason, who started his motorsport career in karting before moving onto Formula Three and Formula Renault, was  BTCC Champion in 2001 for Vauxhall and again in 2010 for Silverline Chevrolet. He finished in the top three in the Championship 12 times and holds the record for the most overall race wins in the BTCC. Jason retired after the 2022 season but can still be seen on-screen as a presenter of the motoring TV show Fifth Gear.

He will be just one of the famous faces interviewed on the Reis Live Stage by race commentator and presenter Chaz Draycott. Chaz will also be joined by British rally and saloon car racing driver Louise Aitken-Walker MBE.

Louise’s career began in 1979 when she was entered in Ford’s ‘Find a Lady Rally Driver’ competition, without her knowledge, by her two brothers and was the winner from 2000 entrants. Two years later, she finished 19th in her first rally GB. She contested the 1989 British Touring Car Championship, finishing fourth in points.

Spanning fourteen years up to 1993 when she retired, Lousie became the first woman to win a National Rally outright and the first ever British driver to win the 1990 FIA Ladies World Rally Champion. In 1990 she was awarded the prestigious Segrave Trophy, which is presented for a remarkable achievement on land, sea or through air by a British subject.

Louise will be in the Halls on Friday but will mostly be found behind the wheel of a rally car on the Reis Live Rally Stage on Saturday and Sunday.

Welsh rally driver David (Dai) Llewellin, another two time British Rally Champion, returns to the show and the rally stage with his son Tom, a former Welsh National Rally Junior Champion and British Junior Rallycross Champion.

Dai and Tom will both be driving over the weekend as well as being interviewed and taking part in group panels with the other guests with an opportunity for visitors to ask questions.

Other guests appearing include former F1 pundit now HERO-ERA communications director Tony Jardine, who will give an insight into rallying. Authors Crispian Besley, Jon Saltinstall, Tim Beavis and Guy Loveridge will take to the stage to talk about their latest books with signing sessions following their interviews.

As well as celebrating the forthcoming season, there will also be a tribute to those people we have lost from motorsport since the last Reis Race Retro was held in 2020.

Photographs of Jason Plato, Louise Aitken-Walker, David (Dai) Llewellin and Tom Llewellin © Indira Flack