Guys, I KNOW Spa is a great circuit (I fancy seeing Nurburgring as well), but I don't want it to spoil me for other circuits. Remember that I spend the majority of my weekends during the 7 warmer (haha) months of the year at British circuits all of which I enjoy (with the exception of Rockingham - a soul less place, I'm afraid) for their variety.
Race 17 was another race for Ginettas, so onto race 18, a 15 lapper for a small but eclectic grid of cars, ancient and modern. This was the quickest race of the day. Ollie Bryant won it in the Jade 2 and his best lap was 53.675. However, the quickest car was, not surprisingly, the Pescarolo LMP1 of Hall and Short, but they did a driver change, both for practice and sporting reasons, I suggest. They came second with I am assuming Martin putting in the best lap of 51.145 (115.36 mph). The race also saw what I believe was the race debut of the new Ginetta G5O, a very handsome new GT model destined for the GT4 category of British GT next year. It came 8th in the hands of Laurence Tomlins.
Quickest of the oldies was Ross Hyett in the big March 717 who took a comfortable 3rd from Ray Mallock (out again in his trusty Mk11B), albeit a lap down on the front two:-
Suitable, I believe, for the Revival 90s series, is the Prosport LM3000, a car much discussed both in the Historic and the GT & Sportscars forums a while back over its eligibility or otherwise for the British GT series. This one was driven by Miles Hulford to 7th place behind Nick Whale (Porsche 997 - 5th) and Harry Handkammer (BMW M3 - 6th):-
Driven by Vince Woodman, no less, the Ford Cologne Capri, finishing 10th behind the Caterham C400 of Piers Johnson:-
Apart from the March, American V8 power, rather unusually, fared badly. All three of the others were unclassified at the end. Frank Bradley (McLaren M1C), David Carrington Yates (Mustang) and here, Richard Lloyd (Camaro Z28) were the unfortunates concerned:-
At my first WHT meeting in 2005, Rob Huff had entertained us royally in the wet in the MGB. In proper 4 wheel drifts, carrying real pace through Woodcote it had been a sight to behold. Here, however, in the dry, and in this company, he was last of the classified runners, taking 12th behind the Ginetta G20 of Matt Nicoll-Jones:-
