Pole position: Walkinshaw
Fastest lap: Williams in 1.22,6 (C-D); Spice in 1.22,6 (A-B)
Distance: 20 laps
Average speed: 131,26 kmh (C-D); 126,76 kmh (A-B)
Weather: Intermittent rain during class A-B
Ruleset: Group 1B
Car info: 1976 Cars
The up to 1600 cc section of the Keith Prowse RAC National Gp1 class produced a few surprises to enliven the proceedings. Win Percy's Celica GT took its customary first place into Riches on the first lap followed by team-mate Barrie Williams, who spun off at Sear corner next time round and resumed last. Williams then made a determined comeback through the field to regain second place on the sixth lap and then set after Percy. He whittled away Percy's lead to the extent that the two cars started the last lap nose-to-tail, but although Williams pulled alongside to stage a dramatic finish, Whizzo was running to team orders and had to let Percy win anyway so that the latter still has a (slim) chance of sharing the overall championship. Bernard Unett's works 1.3-litre Avenger inherited third overall, but this time Unett did not have the 1300 cc class all his own way. Marc Smith's Renault 5 TS battled mightily with Unett and Edwards until the fifth lap when Smith collided with the Toyota at the Esses: the Renault was sent bouncing across the rough stuff, unfortunately causing enough damage to the suspension to eventually force its retirement. Intermittent rain made the over 1600 cc race a very spectacular race as the 14 starters fought to control their cars on slick tyres. Only one actually succumbed to the elements and went off into the barriers (at Riches), that being Richard Lloyd's Opel Commodore GSE which had earlier spent many laps in the pits with a misfire. From pole position Tom Walkinshaw made a very slow start owing to a slipping clutch on the Bill Shaw Capri 2, enabling Gordon Spice to build up a substantial lead from the first lap. Walkinshaw quickly caught up to take over second place from Gerry Marshall's Vauxhall Magnum (which had blown an engine in practice) on the sixth lap. Walkinshaw then set after Spice, but before he could make much impression, his Capri punctured a rear tyre and he lost a lap in the pits having it changed. After unlapping himself from Spice, Walkinshaw eventually came home eighth but Gordon still had a faster lap to his credit. Marshall's Vauxhall had quite a lead in the 2.3 litre section on the opening lap from Dave Brodie's Mazda RX-3 and Andy Rouse's Sprint with Brodie having the first of quite a number of spins at the Esses on the second lap. Rouse gradually-reeled in Marshall until they were right together by the seventh lap, both driving superbly as the track became more slippery. On the 10th lap Rouse took Marshall for the first time, but two laps later the Vauxhall, proving quicker in a straight line, went back in front. The Magnum and Dolomite were being put in some of those amazing angles as their epic battle continued and Rouse retook the lead at Russell on the 16th lap, with Marshall challenging back at the Esses last time round. But it was Rouse's race and afterwards Marshall discovered that an alternator wire had come adrift. |
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Touring Cars class C-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 | Samuri Racing with Toyota GB Toyota Celica GT |
Win Percy, GB |
1588 | L4 | B | 20 laps, 28.12,4 | |||||
| 2 | 2 | Samuri Racing with Toyota GB Toyota Celica GT |
Barrie Williams, GB |
1588 | L4 | B | 20 | 1.22,6 | ||||
| 3 | 1 | Mopar Chrysler Avenger 1300 GT |
Bernard Unett, GB |
1295 | L4 | A | 20 laps, 29.11,6 | 1.25,8 | ||||
| 4 | 2 | Alfa Romeo 1300 GT Junior |
Peter Hilliard, GB |
1290 | L4 | A | 20 | |||||
| 3 | Renault R 17 TS |
Maggie Anderson, GB |
1565 | L4 | B | |||||||
| 3 | Alfa Romeo Alfasud Ti |
Jon Dooley, GB |
1186 | B4 | A | |||||||
| 4 | Mini 1275 GT |
David Hedges |
1275 | L4 | A | |||||||
| DNF | Toyota Celica GT |
Jim Edwards |
1588 | L4 | B | 17 | ||||||
| DNF | Renault R 5 TS |
Marc Smith, GB |
1289 | L4 | A | 4 | ||||||
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Touring Cars class A-B
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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 | Wisharts Garages Ford Capri II 3.0 |
Gordon Spice, GB |
2993 | V6 | D | 20 laps, 29.12,2 | 2? | 1.22,6 | |||
| 2 | 1 | British Leyland Triumph Dolomite Sprint |
Andy Rouse, GB |
1998 | L4 | C | 20 laps, 29.20,0 | |||||
| 3 | 2 | Dealer Team Vauxhall Vauxhall Firenza Magnum 2300 |
Gerry Marshall, GB |
2279 | L4 | C | 20 | 1.23,8 | ||||
| 4 | 2 | Tricentrol Ford Capri II 3.0 |
Chris Craft, GB |
2993 | V6 | D | 20 laps, 29.12,2 | |||||
| 5 | 3 | Esso Uniflo Ford Capri II 3.0 |
Vince Woodman, GB |
2993 | V6 | D | Gearbox | |||||
| 6? | 4 | Triplex Ford Capri II 3.0 |
Colin Vandervell, GB |
2993 | V6 | D | ||||||
| 7? | 3 | Vauxhall Firenza Magnum 2300 |
Tim Stock, GB |
2279 | L4 | C | ||||||
| 8 | 5 | Team Castrol Ford Capri II 3.0 |
Tom Walkinshaw, GB |
2993 | V6 | D | 20 | 1 | Puncture | |||
| 4 | Mazda Savanna RX-3 |
Roger Dowe, GB |
2 x 491 | R2 | C | |||||||
| 11 | ? | Mazda Dealer Team Mazda Savanna RX-3 |
Dave Brodie, GB |
2 x 491 | R2 | C | 3? | |||||
| DNF | Ottershaw Motors Opel Commodore GS/E |
Richard Lloyd, GB |
2784 | L6 | D | Accident | ||||||