|
Craig,
I suppose you could say that the production saloon car championships were the earlier equivalents of the National saloon car cup. But back in the days when the British saloon / Touring Car Championship had 4 classes it was often the supporting race and not really taken seriously as a type of racing that could further a career - you had to do single seaters or long distance sports cars. Drivers like Frank Gardner and Chris Craft would win in the BTCC but also take part in the main race of the day for F5000 or F1. in earlier times, many GP drivers such as Clark & Hill would compete in the supporting BTCC race. A few drivers made money in saloon racing but not many!
In 1971 for example, we had 5 ( yes five!) Formula One races in this country with the stars of the day competing: The Race of Champions at Brands, The International Trophy at Silverstone, The British GP, The Oulton Gold Cup and the Tyrrell Victory meeting at Brands in October. The BTCC was very much a support race, not only at these meetings but also to F5000, F.Atlantic and F3 around the country. We really were spoilt for choice. Special saloons and the introduction of production saloons in 1972 were seperate forms of club racing but I suppose the first recognised feeder championship to the BTCC ( as a career move) was the 1990/91 Esso Prod saloon Championships when the BTCC went single class. Drivers like Matt Neal and Patrick Watts were in Prod saloons then.
These are the Prod Saloon Championships up to the single class BTCC era. I hope I have them all here.
Note the early championships were divided into classes by the showroom price.
1972 Production Saloon Car Championship ( 4 classes - showroom price)
1973 Castrol Prod Saloon Car Championship ( 4 classes - price)
1974 Triplex Prod Saloon Car Championship ( 4 classes - price)
1974-1976 Britax Prod Saloon Car Championship ( 4 classes - price)
1975-1976 BBC Radio 1 Prod Saloon Car Championship ( 4 classes - price)
1977 BRMB Radio Prod Saloon Car Championship ( one class - up to 3000cc )
1977-1978 Britax Prod Saloon Car Championship ( 4 classes - cc)
1979 Shellsport Derwent TV Prod Saloon Car Championship ( 4 classes - cc)
Demon Tweeks 4 Shocks Prod Saloon Car Championship ( 4 classes - cc)
1980 Monroe Prod Saloon Car Championship ( 4 classes - cc)
Rolatruc 1600cc Prod Saloon Car Championship
Wilcomatic 3000cc Prod Saloon Car Championship
1981-1987 Monroe Prod Saloon Car Championship ( 4 classes - cc)
1983 Uniroyal Prod Sports & Saloon Car Championship ( 4 classes - cc)
1983-1989 Uniroyal Prod Saloon Car Championship ( 4 classes - cc)
1989 Firestone Prod Saloon Car Championship ( 3 classes - cc)
1990 Esso Saloon Car Championship ( 4 classes - cc)
1991 Esso Superlube Saloon Car Championship ( 4 classes - cc)
|