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Silverstone Martini International - NCR Trophy

Silverstone, Great-Britain

Date: 5/6/1971
Track length:
Attendance:
Entries accepted:
Starters: 23?
Finishers: 17

Pole position: Gardner in 1.35,2
Fastest lap: Gardner and Muir in 1.35,4

Distance: 20 laps
Average speed:
Weather:
Ruleset: Group 2/70
Car info: 1971 Cars

 

Reunited after the class split last week, Saturday's Group 2 grid with Frank Gardner (SCA Freight 5.7 Chevrolet Camaro) averaging nearly 111 mph to take pole position, looked more attractive than many of late. Although Brian Muir in a similar car, backed by Wiggins Teape and prepared by Malcolm Gartlan Racing, was out for a win in this 25-lappers sponsored by Wiggins Teape, he was not able to hold Gardner and the now well-sorted SCA car - though both were credited with slashing 2.2s away from the old outright record, leaving it at 1.35,4 (110.45 mph). John Fitzpatrick and Dave Matthews in Team Broadspeed/ Castrol Escorts of 1.8 and 1.3 litres dominated their respective classes, Fitzpatrick paring another 0.4s from his record. John Turner took the Guys Automobile Engineering Imp to its first 1-litre class win after Bill McGovern was involved in a first lap fracas, suffering a shattered oil cooler on the Bevan Imp.
Although Fitzpatrick spoilt Muir's overall winning record at the first round of the RAC Saloon Car Championship, Gardner's victory is the first to deprive his fellow Australian of maximum championship points. Still, with the series halfway through Muir leads by nine points from Matthews, Fitzpatrick, McGovern and Vince Woodman tying for third place. In the paddock at Silverstone there were those who thought Ford were behind Gardner's return, for if he continues on this form an Escort would stand a much better chance of taking the title. If this were true wouldn't Gardner appear in a Mustang though...?

Touring Cars class A-D
Pos Pos in class # Team / Entrant
Car- Engine		 Drivers, Nationality Engine
vol. (cc)		 Engine
Type		 Group Distance,
time		 Qualifying position Qualifying time Fastest lap Reason out,
remarks
1 1 5 SCA Freight Ltd.
Chevrolet Camaro Z28		 Frank Gardner, AUS
 5736 V8 D 20 laps, 32.19,2 1 1.35,2 1.35,4  
2 2 1 Malcolm Gartlan Racing/Wiggings Teape Ltd.
Chevrolet Camaro Z28		 Brian Muir, AUS
 5736 V8 D 20 laps, 32.23,6 2 1.36,2 1.35,4  
3 3 4 Ovaltine Racing
Chevrolet Camaro		 Martin Thomas, GB
 5736 V8 D 20 laps, 33.18 3 1.36,8    
4 1 10 Team Broadspeed Castrol
Ford Escort RS 1600		 John Fitzpatrick, GB
 1800 L4 C 20 laps, 33.19,2 4 1.37,0 1.38,2  
5 2 11 Luton Motor Corporation
Ford Escort RS 1600		 Rod Mansfield, GB
 1800 L4 C 19 6 1.42,8    
6 3 16  
Ford Escort RS 1600		 John Bloomfield, GB
 1800 L4 C 19, 0,8 sec behind Mansfield 7 1.44,0    
7 4 15 Gerry Edmonds Racing
Ford Escort TC		 Lawrie Hickman, GB
 1594 L4 C 19 8 1.44,8    
8 5 19 Terry Drury Racing
Ford Escort RS 1600		 Terry Croker, GB
 1800 L4 C 18 9 1.47,0    
9 1 32 Melton Racing with Broadspeed
Ford Escort 1300 GT		 Dave Matthews, GB
 1298 L4 B 18 12   1.46,4  
10 6 12 Wylie's of Glasgow
Ford Escort RS 1600		 Jenny Birrell, GB
 1800 L4 C 18 5 1.42,6   Puncture at the start, wet weather replacement...
11 2 33 VMW Motors
Ford Escort 1300 GT		 Vince Woodman, GB
 1298 L4 B 18 13     Two punctures
12 7 20 Mobil Racing
Ford Escort TC		 Zekia Redjep, CY
 1594 L4 C 18 14      
13 3 25  
BMC Mini Cooper S		 Jon Mowatt, GB
 1293 L4 B 17 18      
14 1 42 Guys Automobiles
Hillman Imp		 John Turner, GB
 998 L4 A 17 17 1.52,6    
15 4 35  
Ford Escort 1300 GT		 John Littler, GB
 1298 L4 B 17 23      
16 2 43 Tony Charnell
Hillman Imp		 Melvyn Adams, GB
 998 L4 A 17 20      
17 3 41 C.A.M. Potters Bar Ltd
Hillman Imp		 Adrian Webb, GB
 998 L4 A 17 21      
    28  
BMC Mini Cooper S		 Mike Drinkwater, GB
 1293 L4 B   24      
    28  
Ford Escort 1.0		 John Robinson, GB
 997 L4 B   25      
DNF   17 Willy Kay
Ford Escort TC		 Nick May, GB
 1594 L4 C 13 11 1.47,2   Gearbox
DNF   40 George Bevan
Hillman Imp		 Bill McGovern, GB
 998 L4 A 5 16 1.50,4 1.50,6 Accident, oil cooler
DNF   36 VMW Motors
Ford Escort 1300 GT		 ? Brian Peacock, GB
? Dave Garrett, GB
 1298 L4 B   15     Ignition
DNF   14 John Willment Racing
Ford Escort RS 1600		 Mike Crabtree, GB
 1986 L4 C 5 10 1.47,0   Overheating
DNF   6  
Ford Mustang Boss 302		 Martin Birrane, IRL
 ca. 5000 V8 D   27     Head gasket
DNS   3 Castrol-Leechtune Engineering
Ford Mustang Boss 302		 Dennis Leech, GB
 ca. 5000 V8 D   22     Engine
DNS   2 Ford Motor Company
Ford Capri RS 2600		 Gerry Birrell, GB
 2873 V6 D   - 1.39,4   Head gasket
DNS   18 D.J. Bond
Ford Escort TC		 Terry Harmer, GB
 1594 L4 C   26     Oil leak
DNS   26  
BMC Mini Cooper S		 Mo Mendham, GB
 1293 L4 B   19     Oil pipe