RACE PREVIEW
supremo , James Hunt at last summer ’ s event - but has so far won all four of the series races driving solo this season . Local driver Simon Garrad ’ s sister car will also be on the pace , but the Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 brigade will be digging deeper than ever to match them . Buckingham ’ s Julian Thomas and Scot Calum Lockie ( in the Racelogic founder ’ s ex-Andy Rouse Kaliber car ), father and son Sean and Daniel Brown , David Tomlin and Paul Mensley are all capable of mixing it in the four-cylinder turbocars on a dry track .
Spectacular Cologne and Broadspeed Capris powered by shrill 3.4-litre Cosworth GAA V6 engines again go door handle to door handle with bewinged BMW CSL ‘ Batmobiles ,’ reminding enthusiasts of the European Touring Car Championship . Raucous Ford BDG engined Escort RSs such as the ‘ Lairy Canary ’ of Silverstone Auctions boss Nick Whale and son Harry and Ben Gill ’ s ex-Martino Finotto Jolly Club car will be in the chase too .
Friday 10:12 - 10:39 RACE 3 Saturday 10:20 - 11:05
As BMW celebrates 50 years of its M Power brand a bevy of glorious E30 M3s , resplendent in period liveries - some prepared by in nearby Brackley - will be in the thick of the action , evoking memories of Roberto Ravaglia , Johnny Cecotto and Steve Soper in their pomp . Potent Jaguar XJS V12 models and V8 Rover Vitesses remind fans of locally based Tom Walkinshaw Racing ’ s contribution to touring car history . Wailing Alfa Romeo GTV6s bring variety , Following the debut of Mark Burton / Graham Pattle ’ s thunderous ex-Kevin Bartlett / Russell Ingall Holden Commodore VL at MRL ’ s Thruxton Historic event in June its teammate from the 1990 James Hardie 1000 at Bathurst - Australia ’ s greatest race - is under preparation to join the fray .
Ford Capri IIIs , Mustangs and Chevrolet Camaros will slug out the concurrent Tony Dron Trophy race . The U2TC ( for pre ’ 66 under 2 litre Touring Cars ) and Sixties Touring Car Challenge ( for ’ 66 – ’ 69 under 2 litre Touring Cars ) split showcases the Alfa Romeo GTAs , BMW 1800Tis and Lotus Cortinas which characterised the Pre- ’ 66 era . If you witnessed Jim Clark , Jack Sears or Sir John Whitmore three-wheeling Cortinas back then , and the bravest Mini Cooper S drivers endeavoring to run rings round them in the corners , you are in for a treat . These two series will leave the start line slightly after the main grid , to give clear running from the later , faster cars .
So , choose your vantage point around the Grand Prix circuit , watch this rolling encyclopedia pass by at high speed and don ’ t forget to take a closer look at the immaculately prepared cars in the paddock .
MARCUS PYE
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