Classical Gas
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Classic Touring Car Racing Club, CTCRC, meeting at Oulton Park on 21 June 2008, organised by the BARC North WestNeil Masters the Conditions and Wins Group One from the Back of the Grid.
Oulton was a case of triumphantly overcoming adversity for Neil and his team. While others were starting their practice sessions Neil and his cars were stuck on the A14 with a broken down race transporter. Friends and family were summoned. An alternative vehicle was bought up from Stevenage and Team 76 arrived at Oulton Park at noon, starting both races from the back of the grid.
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| Dave Nixon's Mazda RX3 holding off David Howard and Steve Primett into the first corner at Old Hall. (Picture by Alistair Bray) | Len Allgood heading the rest of the pack. Thats Neil behind James Christie in the orange Avenger. (Picture by Alistair Bray) |
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| James Christie follows martin Doherty (Cortina Mk3) and Tim Dodwell (Mini) into cascades. As always Tim drove his car to the event. (Picture by Alistair Bray) | Keith Wright regains the track as Steve Primett and David Howard go past. (Picture by Alistair Bray) |
Unfortunately Qualifying eliminated several of the strong Post Historic entry. Keith Calver's gearbox blew, the resulting spillage added to the already slippery track conditions, causing Tony Crudgington to spin into the wall opposite the pits, damaging the Dolomite sufficiently that he couldn't start. Neither could Keith, nor fellow Mini driver Steve Young who had yet more technical problems. All this left three gaps amongst the first seven places on the grid.
The rain had stopped by the time the red lights went out. Dave Nixon (Mazda RX3) made the most of his pole slot to lead the David Howard's XJ12 into the first corner at Old Hall. Neil gad a great getaway from the back of the grid, making up six or seven places at the start and quite a few more as the lap went on to end the first lap in eleventh place, just behind the Lotus Cortina of Les Nash. That situation didn't last very long as Les soon retired, shortly followed by the other two Lotus Cortinas of Roger Stanford and Tom Lailey De Ville.
By now Neil was comfortably in front of class rivals William Jenkins (BMW 3.0 CSL) and Martin Doherty (Cortina Mk3) and, thinking championship, eased off a little to finish ninth overall. Meanwhile, up front both Steve Primett (Escort RS2000) and David Howard passed Dave Nixon on the first lap and soon pulled away from the rapid Mazda RX3. Steve stayed just in front of David until the seventh lap when he had to succumb to the pressure from the big Jag.
That was to be the end of the action as the red flag came out after Len Allgood demolished the chicane. This was a shame for Len as he was running well in fourth position at the time. There was a little confusion on the podium before Steve Primett was given the winners laurel wreath under the "count back one lap" rule.
Neil wins overall after starting from the back of the grid.
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| Roger Bowman (Jaguar XJS) and David Hickton (Opel Ascona) head the field out of the first corner.(Picture by Alistair Bray) | Neil closing in on Jim McLoughlin. (Picture by Alistair Bray) |
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| David Hickton following Neil who has taken the lead (Picture by Alistair Bray). | The race was red flagged when Richard Langeveld went off. |
By the time the Group 1 race started the rain had stopped and a dry line had started to emerge. However, the track was still slippery and many of the powerful RWD cars were slow of the line as their wheels spun helplessly. Pole man David Howard was the biggest looser, slipping back to fifth at the exit from Old Hall, behind Roger Bowman, the ex-Brian Stevens XJS repaired after its shunt at Brands, David Hickton, Mark Fowler and Jim McLoughlin.
Roger was finding the big Jag a bit of a handful in the slippery conditions and David Hickton soon got past in his Opel Ascona. Neil made his expected good start, gaining half a dozen places before the first corner, passing another six or seven during the remainder of the lap one and was seventh overall as they crossed the line.
Neil was by far the quickest car on the track, circulating two seconds faster than the next fastest man, fellow rain master Jim McLoughlin in his Capri. Neil was up to third at the end of lap two, just behind David Hickton and Jim McLoughlin. It was only a matter of time now and Neil was soon past to take the lead and pull away.
The track was starting to dry now. Neil had a 2.2 second lead and was lapping in the 1m 59's, still a second a lap faster than Jim. But further down the field Roger Bowman, Roger Stanford (BMW 2002), David Howard and Mark Fowler (Ford Capri) were also lapping in the 1m 59's, could Neil hang on?
The question was never answered as Richard Langeveld ran out of talent while circulating at the back of the field, slamming his Escort into the barrier right under the nose of the Clerk of the Course. The red flag came out with Neil the winner followed by Jim and David.
Page added 25 June 2008
