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Round 1 – April 12 1987, Silverstone
Support race to the FIA International F3000 championship opening round and was the first meeting where the new left-right chikane before Woodcote was used, presumably replacing the Woodcote chikane. British F3, Formula Ford and Renault 5 Elf Turbo UK Cup also on the bill.
Tim Harvey taking the start only to loose his engine on the second lap, thus leaving Dennis Leech and Andy Rouse to fight over the lead untill the Ford settled things two thirds of the way for a premier BTCC win for the new Sierra RS Cosworth.
David Carvell won what was initially a four way battle for third in his Rover, while the Sierras of Peter Hall and Graham Goode clashed at the new chikane on the very last lap. This was still good enough to net forth and fifth as sixth placed Graham Scarborough had a misfire throughout most of the race.
In the classes Mark Hales was pushed in the early going but won convincingly in the end. Jon Dooley pushed the Escort over the early laps in his new Alfa 75 Turbo, only to fall off the pace with failing boost pressure. Alfa teammate Rob Kirby was a spectator as his 75 wasn't ready in time.
Colin Pearcy was only class C starter when a Renault 5 GT Turbo failed to make the start.
Chris Hodgetts led a 1-2-3 CHMS Toyota succes but only because Geoff Kimber-Smith dropped out from second late in the race.
Roger Saunders won the supporting Renault 5 cup-race only to be disqualified ”for having a modified wastegate valve seat and a machined carburettor” in his Bedford Tyres/Unique entered car, according to Autosport. Was this Saunders own team?
Of other tid-bits the 2009 World Touring Car Champion Gabriele Tarquini finished 10th in the F3000 race while fellow WTCC competitor Alain Menu finished 6th in the Formula Ford race. Gary Brabham won the F3 race.
Grid:
1.Andy Rouse, 1:39.87 – class A pole
2.Dennis Leech, 1:42.84
3.Tim Harvey, 1:42.93
4.Peter Hall, 1:43.68
5.Graham Scarborough, 1:44.72
6.Graham Goode, 1:45.62
7.David Carvell, 1:46.32
8.Mark Hales, 1:48.22 – class B pole
9.Chris Hodgetts, 1:49.74 – class D pole
10.Colin Pearcy, 1:51.87 – class C pole
11.Jon Dooley, 1:52.30
12.Alan Minshaw, 1:53.69
13.Geoff Kimber-Smith, 1:53.92
14.Tony Crudgington, unknown – DNS
15.Paul Longfield, 1:57.25
16.unknown Renault 5, unknown time – DNS
17.unknown Mitsubishi, unknown time – DNS
18.Kevin Eaton, 2:35.53
An educated guess would suggest that 18 cars were present for the first round of the 1987 British group A series, 15 of those started the race. From the race report a standing start from a 2-2-2-etc. grid format seems likely.
Result:
1./ #1 / Andy Rouse / Rouse / A / Ford Sierra RS Cosworth / 15 laps / 25m58.83s / FL
2./ #4 / Dennis Leech / Leech / A / Rover Vitesse / 15 laps / 26m00.43s
3./ #? / David Carvell / unknown / A / Rover Vitesse / 15 laps / 26m20.88s
4./ #2 / Peter Hall / Rouse / A / Ford Sierra RS Cosworth / 15 laps / 26m27.29s
5./ #6 / Graham Goode / Goode / A / Ford Sierra RS Cosworth / 15 laps / 26m36.48s
6./ #3 / Graham Scarborough / unknown / A / Rover Vitesse / 15 laps / 27m05.59s
7./ #? / Mark Hales / Drury / B / Ford Escort RS Turbo / 15 laps / 27m33.56s / FL
8./ #66 / Chris Hodgetts / Hodgetts / D / Toyota Corolla GT / 15 laps / 27m34.28 / FL
9./ #31 / Jon Dooley / Dooley / B / Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo / 14 laps
10./ #? / Alan Minshaw / Hodgetts / D / Toyota Corolla GT / 14 laps
11./ #55 / Colin Pearcy / Pearcy? / C / MG Metro Turbo / 14 laps / FL
12./ #? / Paul Longfield / Hodgetts / D / Toyota Corolla GT / 14 laps
DNFs
#? / Geoff Kimber-Smith / Kimber-Smith / D / Toyota Corolla GT /12 laps / engine
#? / Kevin Eaton / Eaton? / B / Nissan Bluebird Turbo / 2 laps / unknown
#8 / Tim Harvey / Maguire / A / Rover Vitesse / 1 lap / engine
DNS's
#? / Tony Crudgington / Crudgington / D / Toyota Corolla GT / electrics
#? / Graham Rose? / unknown / A / Mitsubishi Starion Turbo / water leak / prod. Saloon
#? / unknown / unknown / C / Renault 5 GT Turbo / unknown / cup car
DNA
#30 / Rob Kirby / Dooley / B / Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo / car not ready
Championship positions – Autosport
1.Andy Rouse, 10 points
1.Chris Hodgetts, 10 points
3.Mark Hales, 7 points
4.Dennis Leech, 6 points
4.Alan Minshaw, 6 points
6.Colin Pearcy, 5 points
..the rest are my calculations
7.David Carvell, 4 points
7.Jon Dooley, 4 points
7.Paul Longfield, 4 points
10.Peter Hall, 3 points
11.Graham Goode, 2 points
12.Graham Scarborough, 1 point
Seems as if four starters appeared in a class a full set of 9 points for a class win were up for graps. Three starters would drop the winning points figure to 6, while 1 (perhaps 2) would result in 4 points for a win.
Jesper
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