Pole position: Woodman in 1.55,8
Fastest lap: Graham in 1.45,2 = 145,93 kmh
Distance: 20 laps, stopped after 18 laps
Average speed: 140,09 kmh
Weather: Dry start, then rain
Ruleset: Group 1B
Car info: 1974 Cars
More excitement than usual was anticipated for this final Gp1 round, for upon it hinged the result of the Castrol Championship. Basically, Bernard Unett was assured of the title so long as he won his class, and even if he didn't Rouse had to win his own class to take it from him. In the manufacturers' section, a Dolomite had only to finish second in class to settle the result. The danger was that even after the race the championship may not have been decided, it could have depended on what the RAC decided about the Snetterton Dolomite switch. Practice took place on a damp, very slippery track on Sunday morning, and many were the incidents on the slippery surface. Vince Woodman was fastest in his Esso Uniflo/VMW Motors sponsored Camaro, which with the benefit of its superior Firestone intermediates got round in 1.55,8. Having to choose between slicks or wets, Stuart Graham was 1.2s slower, but Barrie Williams was the one raising the eyebrows as he flung the Team Castrol Mazda round in 1.57,4 to complete the front row. Graham beat Woodman off the line with Hine nosing through into a momentary third place before Rouse slotted ahead at Paddock. These four were chased out onto Bottom Straight by Blackburn and Walkinshaw, with Unett naturally falling rapidly back to join the other 1600s. But next time round Lloyd rumbled into the pits, a victim of low oil pressure. Simultaneously Walkinshaw passed Rouse, yet could not get away from the smaller car, and as Williams passed Hine on the same lap all eyes turned to the battle for third place. In the bottom half of the order Unett had fallen to third in the 1600 cc class, being some way behind the Avengers of team-mate Roger Bell and of Jenny Birrell at this stage. As Graham and Woodman continued in solitary splendour at the head of the field, "Whizzo" made ever greater efforts to catch Rouse, reeling the Dolomite in with a new class lap record of 1.49,6. |
Touring Cars class A-D
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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 | Fabergé Racing Chevrolet Camaro Z28 |
Stuart Graham, GB |
5736 | V8 | D | 18 laps, 32.52,6 | 2 | 1.57,0 | 1.45,2 | ||
2 | 2 | VMW Motors - Team Esso Uniflo Chevrolet Camaro Z28 |
Vince Woodman, GB |
5736 | V8 | D | 18 laps, 33.12 | 1 | 1.55,8 | |||
3 | 1 | Shellsport Ford Capri 3000 GT |
Tom Walkinshaw, GB |
2993 | V6 | C | 18 laps, 34.13,0 | 6 | 1.50,2 | |||
4 | 1 | Team Castrol Mazda Savanna RX-3 |
Barrie Williams, GB |
2 x 491 | R2 | B | 18 laps, 34.20,0 | 3 | 1.57,4 | 1.49,6 | ||
5 | 2 | Team Broadspeed Castrol Triumph Dolomite Sprint |
Tony Dron, GB |
1998 | L4 | B | 18 | |||||
6 | 2 | Hermetite Products Ford Capri 3000 GT |
Holman “Les” Blackburn, GB |
2993 | V6 | C | 18 | 7 | ||||
7 | 3 | Roller Chain Distributors Ltd Triumph Dolomite Sprint |
John Handley, GB |
1998 | L4 | B | 18 | |||||
8 | 3 | BMW 3.0 Si |
Tony Lanfranchi, GB |
2985 | L6 | C | 17 | 9 | ||||
9 | 4 | Shellsport Arden Triumph Dolomite Sprint |
Chris Craft, GB |
1998 | L4 | B | 17 | |||||
10 | 3 | Glazepta Products Ltd. Chevrolet Camaro Z28 |
Jon Fletcher, GB |
5736 | V8 | D | 17 | |||||
1 | 70 | Dealer Team Toyota Toyota Celica GT |
John Markey, GB |
1588 | L4 | A | 17 laps, 34.32,6 | |||||
2 | Hillman Avenger 1600 GT |
Alec Poole, IRL |
1594 | L4 | A | 17 | ||||||
3 | VW Passat TS |
Melvyn Adams, GB |
1470 | L4 | A | |||||||
Ford Escort Mk.I RS 2000 |
Alan Foster, GB |
1993 | L4 | B | ||||||||
BMW 2002 TII |
Mike Chittenden, GB |
1990 | L4 | B | ||||||||
Team Broadspeed Castrol Triumph Dolomite Sprint |
Andy Rouse, GB |
1998 | L4 | B | 4 | 1.57,8 | ||||||
Bill Shaw Racing/Shellsport Triumph Dolomite Sprint |
John Hine, GB |
1998 | L4 | B | 5 | |||||||
DNRT Marlboro Team Opel Commodore GS/E |
Huub Vermeulen, NL |
2784 | L6 | C | 10 | |||||||
12 | Chevrolet Camaro Z28 |
Malcolm Wayne, GB |
5736 | V8 | D | |||||||
DNF | A.J. Rivers Simoniz Racing Chevrolet Camaro Z28 |
Richard Lloyd, GB |
7443? | V8 | D | Oil pressure | ||||||
DNF | Chevrolet Camaro Z28 |
Les Nash, GB |
5736 | V8 | D | Gearbox | ||||||
DNF | Roger Clark Cars/Esso Uniflo Alfa Romeo 1600 GT Junior |
Stan Clark, GB |
1570 | L4 | A | Blown engine | ||||||
DNF | Chrysler Dealer Team Hillman Avenger 1600 GT |
Bernard Unett, GB |
1594 | L4 | A | 15 | 8 | 1.53,6 | Mass accident | |||
DNF | Chrysler Dealer Team Hillman Avenger 1600 GT |
Roger Bell, GB |
1594 | L4 | A | 15 | Mass accident | |||||
DNF | Halesfield Motors (Telford) Ltd. Hillman Avenger 1600 GT |
Jenny Birrell, GB |
1594 | L4 | A | 15 | Mass accident | |||||
DNF | Adlards of Brixton Ford Capri 3000 GT |
Martin Birrane, IRL |
2993 | V6 | C | 15 | Mass accident | |||||
DNS | Dealer Opel Team Opel Commodore GS/E |
Peter Hanson, GB |
2784 | L6 | C | Because of an accident, not enough practice laps |