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Thruxton Rothmans 5000

Thruxton, Great-Britain

Date: 27/5/1974
Track length: 3.792 m
Attendance:
Entries accepted:
Starters:
Finishers:

Pole position: Graham in 1.30,0
Fastest lap: Graham in 1.30,4 = 150,98 kmh

Distance: 20 laps
Average speed: 145,59 kmh
Weather:
Ruleset: Group 1B
Car info: 1974 Cars

 

Stuart Graham's Camaro was again quickest in practice with a lap in 90 seconds dead, no less than 2.2 seconds faster than Richard Lloyd's Camaro. The latter was admittedly suffering from a misfire.

The race got off to a somewhat shambolic start, for Woodman's car stuck in bottom gear while Hanson's clutch failed on the line. Amazingly, everyone missed them. The Opel retired after a few laps at the back, having a misfire too, and Woodman withdrew when John Handley's Triumph ran into him to puncture a tyre as well. Stuart Graham came round in the lead with Lloyd and Nash in his wake, but after only three circuits Nash's car pitted due to overheating and a tour later Graham spun out with a run wheel bearing - a bearing borrowed from Lloyd after a similar failure in practice! This left Lloyd with a very convincing advantage which he extended to 40s by the finish. Rouse was left second but had Williams practically in his boot until after five laps the Mazda started to chunk its tyres again. Gradually Whizzo eased off to finish a secure fourth, second in class and well clear of any rivals after the opening spurt, with a new class lap record in his pocket to boot.
Handed his class by Hanson's early demise, Walkinshaw overtook the Mazda for third and then began to haul in the flying Broadspeed Dolomite. It took him until the last lap before the bigger car eventually caught and passed the agile Triumph, Walkinshaw taking second place from Rouse by the finest of margins.
Holman Blackburn (Capri), Tim Stock (Magnum), Rob Mason (Dolomite), Bell and Unett duelled mightily for nineteen laps, but on the last lap Blackburn spun at Church and Mason lost it at the chicane, almost collecting Stock. Unett nipped through to win the small class and finished tenth overall, just 1.2 seconds ahead of team-mate Bell.


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   A.J. Rivers Simoniz Racing
Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Richard Lloyd, GB
5736 V8 D 20 laps, 31.15,0 2 1.32,2    
2 1   Shellsport
Ford Capri 3000 GT
Tom Walkinshaw, GB
2993 V6 C 20 laps, 31.55,4 9   1.34,4  
3 1   Team Broadspeed Castrol
Triumph Dolomite Sprint
Andy Rouse, GB
1998 L4 B 20 laps, 31.55,4 6 1.34,0 1.34,2  
4 2   Team Castrol
Mazda Savanna RX-3
Barrie Williams, GB
2 x 491 R2 B 20 4 1.33,8    
5 3   Team Broadspeed Castrol
Triumph Dolomite Sprint
Tony Dron, GB
1998 L4 B 20        
6 4   Roller Chain Distributors Ltd
Triumph Dolomite Sprint
John Handley, GB
1998 L4 B 20        
7 2   Van Der Steen
BMW 3.0 CSi
Tony Lanfranchi, GB
2985 L6 C 20 7      
  3    
Ford Capri 3000 GT
John Brindley, GB
2993 V6 C 20        
  2    
Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Bob Ridgard, ZA
5736 V8 D         Handling
10 1   Chrysler Dealer Team
Hillman Avenger 1600 GT
Bernard Unett, GB
1594 L4 A 19 laps, 31.41,0 (2) 1.38,0 1.38,0  
11? 2   Chrysler Dealer Team
Hillman Avenger 1600 GT
Roger Bell, GB
1594 L4 A 19 laps, 31.42,2 (1) 1.37,8    
  3   Roger Clark Cars/Esso Uniflo
Alfa Romeo 1600 GT Junior
Stan Clark, GB
1570 L4 A 19        
  3    
Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Les Nash, GB
5736 V8 D   8      
       
Vauxhall Firenza Magnum 2300
Gerry Marshall, GB
2279 L4 B         Electrics
      Hermetite Products
Ford Capri 3000 GT
Holman “Les” Blackburn, GB
2993 V6 C   10      
       
Vauxhall Firenza Magnum 2300
Tim Stock, GB
2279 L4 B          
      Shellsport Arden
Triumph Dolomite Sprint
Rob Mason, GB
1998 L4 B          
DNF     Castrol
Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Stuart Graham, GB
5736 V8 D 3 1 1.30,0 1.30,4 Wheel bearing
DNF     VMW Motors - Team Esso Uniflo
Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Vince Woodman, GB
5736 V8 D   3     Puncture
DNF     Dealer Opel Team
Opel Commodore GS/E
Peter Hanson, GB
2784 L6 C   5 1.34,0   Clutch/misfire
DNS      
Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV
John Lyon, GB
1962 L4 B         Accident in practice