Baubles Picture Parade.

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Oh! Yeah.

[Brian A]

Bob - will you be at Silverstone this coming weekend for the HSCC finals meeting to give yourself some more material for this thread?

I'm out in the last race on Sunday - Historic Road Sports.

It's even rumoured that it's going to be dry.

[bauble]

Originally Posted by Brian A

Bob - will you be at Silverstone this coming weekend for the HSCC finals meeting to give yourself some more material for this thread?

I'm out in the last race on Sunday - Historic Road Sports.

It's even rumoured that it's going to be dry.

Sadly, no, Brian, not on my list, Chris will be there so Tripos Media are in action.

Kind regards to you both,
Bob

[bauble]

Some times all is not as it should be;

[Gerard C]

Nice pieces of counter steering here, well done!

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Club racing;

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Well worth watching;

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Mostly;

[GCCheddaris]

With the Goodwood Speedweek rapidly approaching, I thought I would post some pictures of Gerry Marshall Trophy contenders as they were raced in the RAC Touring Car Championship in period. Group 1B had taken over from Group 2 in 1974 but in 1976 a limit of 3 litres was imposed, meaning that the previously all-conquering Camaros were now outlawed.

The fourth round of the championship took place at Thruxton, supporting the Easter Monday European Formula Two race. Having qualified second Andy Rouse's works Triumph Dolomite lead the first six laps before engine problems allowed Tom Walkinshaw and his Team Castrol Capri into the lead which the Scotsman held to the end. Rouse was soon to retire promoting the scrap between Gordon Spice and Chris Craft and their Capris with Spice coming out on top to claim second.

The pictures show Andy Rouse, Chris Craft, Gerry Marshall, DTV Vauxhall Firenza Magnum, fourth overall and first in the 2300cc class, Win Percy, Toyota Celica GT, seventh overall and first in 1600cc class and Rouse's hobbled Dolomite about to be overtaken by Walkinshaw.

[GCCheddaris]

Fast forward to the 1977 season and the Tricentrol British Saloon Car Championship makes it's third visit of the season to Thruxton, supporting the Shellsport Group 8 race. Bernard Unett who had won the Championship in the two previous seasons would go on to claim a hat-trick and he would play an important part in the outcome of this race as well.

Having taken pole position, Tony Dron and his works Triumph Dolomite were beaten off the line by Stuart Graham (Ford Capri) and Gerry Marshall (DTV Vauxhall Firenza Magnum). Dron took a couple of laps to retake second from Marshall and set off in pursuit of Graham. Meanwhile a rather robust dice for the lead of the baby 1300 class between Richard Longman's Mini and Unett's Avenger was about to play a large part in the destiny of the race.

Approaching the Chicane for the fifteenth time, Graham lapped the duelling 1300 class leaders but Unett had other ideas and retook Graham as they entered the Chicane. Contact was inevitable and Graham was left broadside in the middle of the Chicane as the pursuing Dron and Gordon Spice (Ford Capri) performed miracles to avoid the stricken Capri, leaving Spice in the lead. Still the excitement wasn't over as approaching the Chicane for the final time Spice tripped over a backmarker allowing Dron to take the victory on the drag to the finish with Chris Craft completing the top three and Unett pipped Longman to victory in the tiddlers class.

The pictures show Dron, Marshall and Spice scrapping over second in the early stages of the race, Brian Muir (Triumph Dolomite) leads Tom Walkinshaw (BMW 530i), the Longman/Unett battle and Graham is unceremoniously punted out of the lead by Unett.

[Gerard C]

Fantastic race reports, thanks GC! Very much intrigued by this 530. I think I do know it but its now RHD. I never heard about several 5 Series modified by TWR.

[GCCheddaris]

I had forgotten all about Tom Walkinshaw's BMW, Ford Capris seemed to dominate the British Saloon Car Championship until the Rover SD1s came along. I drew on the late Frank de Jong's website to refresh my memory and on there the BMW is listed as a BMW 530i US so presumably it originated in the USA.

[Peter Mallett]

Although the Capri dominated I don't believe a Capri ever won the outright championship due to the class structure.

[GCCheddaris]

I think you are quite right Peter. The top class was always the most competitive and the Capri drivers would take wins and points from one another, whereas the smaller classes would often be dominated by one driver/team meaning that the overall championship fall to a driver who was often well down the field in races.

[bauble]

I still think you should work on them GC.

You should be careful what you post!

Gerard will want to know the name and telephone number of that girl in the crowd on the banking

[Gerard C]

The 530 ius is an extension from 528 i from if my memory serves. I remember reading that TW built only one 530 originally a LHD road going car. It has been extensively raced after in french Production and enter four times in 24 Hours of Spa but in RHD form. Jean Pierre Malcher pedaled it more than once with success.

A pretty girl, bauble, where zat ………

[E.B]

Originally Posted by GCCheddaris

I think you are quite right Peter. The top class was always the most competitive and the Capri drivers would take wins and points from one another, whereas the smaller classes would often be dominated by one driver/team meaning that the overall championship fall to a driver who was often well down the field in races.

You are both correct....

Outright winners from1972-89

:1972 Bill McGovern Sunbeam Imp
1973 Frank Gardner Chevrolet Camaro Z28
1974 Bernard Unett Hillman Avenger GT
1975 Andy Rouse Triumph Dolomite Sprint
1976 Bernard Unett Chrysler Avenger GT
1977 Bernard Unett Chrysler Avenger GT
1978 Richard Longman BL Mini 1275GT
1979 Richard Longman BL Mini 1275GT
1980 Win Percy Mazda RX-7
1981 Win Percy Mazda RX-7
1982 Win Percy Toyota Corolla
1983 Andy Rouse Alfa Romeo GTV6
1984 Andy Rouse Rover Vitesse
1985 Andy Rouse Ford Sierra XR4ti Turbo
1986 Chris Hodgetts Toyota Corolla GT
1987 Chris Hodgetts Toyota Corolla GT
1988 Frank Sytner BMW M3
1989 John Cleland Vauxhall Astra GTE 16v

http://www.btcc.net/history/champions/btcc-champions/

[S griffin]

John Cleland never felt he properly won the title in 89 due to the class system, as he didn’t feel right winning the title when his best result was 9th

[GCCheddaris]

Funnily enough I quite enjoyed the class based Championships. I never had a problem following battles between class competitors and, as proven by the 1977 race, lapping slower cars could throw another variable into the equation. With the BOP obsessed series we have these days, it is an art which has largely died out.

Apart from the fact that the overall champion often finished down the field in the individual races, the other problem with class based championships is one model often ended up dominant in each class. By 1965 the BSCC ended up with Mustangs dominating the top class, Lotus Cortinas the 2 litre class and Minis the smallest classes. At the end of the multi class BSCC in 1989 Sierras ruled the top class, BMW M3s and Toyota Corollas classes B & D with only class C featuring any variety with Astras taking on VW Golfs. The single class BTCC brought in not only (arguably) closer racing but also greater variety.

[S griffin]

The other problem was that those classes with low numbers would in theory have an advantage, although they did try to get around by awarding less points if a class was below a certain number

[Peter Mallett]

Nothing wrong with that, it was to encourage smaller capacity vehicles, the kind that most folks could afford at the time.

Unett's 1300 Avenger was however something special, did Weslake develop the engines?

[bauble]

MGA's; in colour;

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People keep forgetting this is a PICTURE PARADE!

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Seeing red;

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Good Day All;