ADRIAN FLUX TROPHY FOR TRANSATLANTIC PRE ‘ 66 TOURING CARS
Friday 17:50 - 18:17 RACE 20 Sunday 18:15 - 19:00
Without underestimating the contribution of BMW and Alfa Romeo to touring car racing on the continent , tin-top racing on the British Isles in the mid-sixties was all about Britain versus America .
Within the class structure that was in use in the British Saloon Car Championship , the lightweight products from Dagenham and Longbridge were able to take on V8-engined Detroit metal on equal terms , resulting in the Transatlantic thrash that the title of this race rightfully alludes to . Even though cars from continental Europe will be represented in the race , the Masters Pre-66 Touring Car series that supplies the packed grid for the Adrian Flux Trophy for Transatlantic Pre-66 Touring Cars is dominated by British and American cars that ran in the British championship between 1963 and 1965 .
Mirroring the BSCC ’ s four-class system of the era , the big cars fight each other in the over 2-litre THA class that is monopolised by Americana . The bulk of the entry is made up from the Ford Mustang and its predecessor , the Ford Falcon . Due to their peculiar homologation – originally for rallying – Falcons are allowed more leeway , so will usually compete right at the front , the only downside of their rally homologation being that they have to use narrow tyres . At least seven Falcons will be present , led by the Julian Thomas / Calum Lockie and Sam and John Tordoff examples .
In its notchback shape , however , the Mustang has equally taken overall victories on the power circuit that is Silverstone . A dozen of those , if not more , are anxious to leave as many Falcons behind as they can . Especially look for the Mustang in red-and-gold Alan
Mann Racing colours shared by Steve Soper and Henry Mann , with ‘ Soperman ’ a sure candidate for pole position . Another multiple touring car champion Andy Priaulx joins Alex Taylor in the yellow peril from Rassler Racing and will aim to dethrone the man with whom he shares a highly successful past as a BMW works driver .
Meanwhile , Craig Davies has been a frontrunner for years in Masters Pre-66 Touring Cars , and loyal Classic visitors will surely remember his gentlemanly act from 2019 , when he outbraked himself into Vale to punt out BTCC race winner Jake Hill , only to drop back later in the race to allow Hill ’ s stricken Mustang to claim its rightful win . Even more remarkable , Davies did so while riding shotgun to Hill ’ s car to defend against the threat from Andy Wolfe ’ s fast-approaching Cortina . And it ’ s not just Falcons and Mustangs , as you will be pleased to see and hear Gregor Fisken ’ s mighty Ford Galaxie as well as Kiwi Roger Wills in the rumbling giant with probably the best racing car name you could think of – the Mercury Comet Cyclone .
The THB class is generally the battleground for BMW 1800 tiSAs , and it ’ s no different this time with Robin Ellis and Harry Barton ’ s examples fighting for class honours . However , because of the perennial underrepresentation of 2-litre tin-tops in the series , much of the attention is usually on the
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