, ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁drivers ▁such ▁as ▁Pent ti ▁A i rik k ala , ▁Tony ▁P ond , ▁Russell ▁Brook es ▁and ▁Jimmy ▁Mc R ae ▁it ▁and ▁its ▁successor ▁version , ▁the ▁Che v ette ▁H SR , ▁won ▁many ▁events ▁in ▁Britain ▁and ▁Europe . ▁ ▁A i rik k ala ▁won ▁the ▁British ▁R ally ▁Championship ▁in ▁a ▁Che v ette ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁ ▁The ▁Che v ette ▁was ▁retired ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁and ▁effort ▁was ▁concentr ated ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁few ▁years ▁on ▁the ▁Group ▁B ▁Op el ▁M anta ▁ 4 0 0 . ▁ ▁However , ▁the ▁V aux hall ▁A stra ▁and ▁V aux hall ▁Nova ▁were ▁campaign ed ▁in ▁the ▁lower ▁power ▁classes ▁during ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 8 0 s , ▁and ▁became ▁popular ▁am ateurs ' ▁cars ▁thanks ▁to ▁their ▁reli ability , ▁ease ▁of ▁tun ing ▁and ▁ready ▁supply ▁of ▁parts . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁b anning ▁of ▁Group ▁B ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁the ▁Group ▁A ▁A stra ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁fore front . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁two - lit re , ▁front - w heel - drive ▁car ▁it ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁challenge ▁the ▁four - w heel - drive ▁cars ▁for ▁out right ▁victory , ▁but ▁did ▁score ▁top ▁ten ▁pla c ings ▁on ▁several ▁World ▁Championship ▁events . ▁ ▁Louise ▁A it ken - W alk er ▁won ▁the ▁ladies ' ▁World ▁Championship