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Old 1 Apr 2006, 19:15 (Ref:1567089)   #10
Jesper OH
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Join Date: Jan 2003
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Taastrup, Denmark
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Jesper OH should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
The Kaj Bornebusch car was most probably an ex-TWR car. All white on red 17" Speedline rims, like the TWR-Pacific "sponsored" ETCC entries of 1986. Kaj himself drove this car in Sweden and other nordic contries during 1987, but might have bought the car the year before. A picture from the 1986 Anderstorp-ETCC race suggest 4 Rovers on the grid - 2 Bastos cars and 2 white ones, of which I think one would be the Pacific-car, while the other could be the Bornebusch-car.

There was a third Rover in Australia as well. British Production Saloon Car entry for Barry Robinson/John Jefferey in the 1985 Bathurst race.

The German Rovers were entered by Frieder Nickel of Autotechnich Nickel (ATN), and as far as I know build in Germany, although the engines of at least the '86 car was from TWR. The first car was entered at least as early as 1983 (pre-DTM), with Armin Hahne winning the final round of the Deutsche Rennstrecken-Pokal. For '84 and '85 Austin Rover Deutschland sponsored the DTM effort. Olaf Manthey and Jörg van Ommen was signed as drivers for the first DTM (known as DPM at the time). Van Ommen took three poles from the first six races, but crashed a lot and was subsequently dropped by the team. Dieter Selzer replaced him for the remainder of the season, while Manthey finished 2nd in the championship.
Cut to a one car effort for '85, with Manthey again finishing 2nd, while Walter Mertes drove a few races in the second car.
1986 was a private ATN effort sponsored by Toshiba with Kurt Thiim as driver and eventually champion. Thiim and ATN started the 1987-DTM with this car as well, before their Alfa 75 Turbo was ready, if it ever were! Peter John drove a Vitesse in the '87 Norisring DTM-race, which most probably the ex-Thiim car.

Of the Japanese effort my notes suggests an Austin Rover Japan (sponsored by Dunlop) entry for Suguro Akaike as main driver. Partnered by Jeff Allam for the '86 Fuji 500 and Swede Eje Elgh for the first four races of '87. Kenny Acheson replaced Elgh for the sixth round, while no Rover appears for round 5, which also counted for the World Touring Car Championship. Best result for this six race campain was forth at Sugo on September 20 1987.

Curious about those two Belgian Spa '88-entries. Blue as main color, but not painted/decorated to the same scheme (I have only seen these cars during Eurosport TV reports)

Recently I found an ex-TWR Vitesse on a Spanish web address (which I've at the moment have forgotten) Fits the description of the Bornebusch-car above but with Ronal rims.

Best regards
Jesper
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