Classic Touring Car Racing Club, CTCRC, meeting at  Brands Hatch on 25 August  2008, organised by the BARC

Two Wins for David Howard on an Incident Packed Day. Class Wins for Neil after Gear Box problems with the Fiesta

Red Flags, Safety Cars, problems with the Results. The Group 1 race had it all. Neil managed to stay clear of all the drama to pick up a well deserved class win after having to change the Fiesta' gearbox overnight. David Howard won overall with Jim McLoughlin coming second, doing his championship chances no harm at all.

Neil and Tony Scott Andrews pass Phil Waller's stricken Avenger. Shortly afterwards the Rover lost all its oil causing the race to be red flagged. There were more incidents after the restart. David Hickton had some nasty damage to his immaculate Opel Ascona after being nudged off at Druids and Brian Stevens and Tim Scott Andrews ended up in the gravel at paddock, bringing out the Safety Car. (Picture by Alistair Bray)

Post Historic

Resounding win for David Howard.

David had a lights to flag win. Steve Primett made a very slow start and was back in fourth on the first lap so it was Mark Lucock who provided the early challenge to David. However, once Steve got going he made up ground and was through to 2nd by half way. Neil made a good start and finished 5th overall, despite a coming together with Tony Crudgington on the first lap which left the Capri with rubber marks on the door.

Pole sitter Steve Primett made a slow start, and it was second fastest man David Howard who powered his Jaguar XJ12 through Paddock Hill Bend, into a lead he was to hold all the way though the race. Behind David, Mark Lucock (Ecort RS2000) was fending off the close attention of Brian Stevens in his XJ12. Steve Primett was right on Brians bootlid and ran very wide at Druids on lap three to fly round Graham Hill Bend and pass the Jaguar on the Cooper Straight. Two laps later he performed a similar manoeuvre to overtake Mark. By now David had a five second gap and although Steve was lapping faster, and closing towards the end, he had to settle for second place.

Mark came third, just in front of Jason Christies similar Escort RS 2000, Neil Bray in his Capri and Brian Stevens, the four being covered by less than two seconds. Mark Osborne had been having a good run and was in front of this group before retiring on lap eleven.

Neil had an early battle with Tony Crudgington, the pair trying to go round Druids side-by-side, touching in the process. James Christie had made a good start in his Avenger and was just behind, having an enormous sideways moment and was lucky to avoid being collected by class rival Roger Stanford in his Lotus Cortina. Tony fell back after an excursion onto the grass at McLaren on lap four and soon Neil was having to fend off Jason. He managed to do so for a few laps before Jason slipped through.

Brian Stevens had been tussling with Mark Lucock for much of the race, but started to struggle with the big Jaguar towards the end and Neil managed to pass him on the last lap to take fifth place overall and win his class.

David Howard's Post Race Interview

Results

Fastest Laps

Full Results from tsl-timing
 

Group 1

Another win for David Howard who stayed out of trouble during an incident packed race.

David led off the line followed by Jim McLoughlin. Mark Fowler quickly recovered from a slow start to get up to second when the red flag came out half way through the race. After the restart David Hickton was soon in the gravel at Druids bringing out a safety car and David beat Jim in a one lap sprint to the line.

This was really a race of three parts. The first part up to red flag. The period from the restart to the safety car, and finally a one lap sprint at the end.

David Howard led the first lap from pole in his Jaguar XJ12, followed by Jim McLoughlin (Capri), who came up from fifth on the grid, and Mark Fowler (Capri). Behind them Tony Crudgington attempted to go round Druids side-by-side with another Capri, Adrian Fuller this time, and spun in the process. On the second lap Jim went straight on at Surtees, going straight across the grass and rejoining the circuit behind Mark where the Grand Prix circuit comes in at Clearways.

Neil was having an uneventful race, taking things easy as he became re-accustomed to a Quaife diff, after changing the gearbox when he lost third and fourth during qualifying. Suddenly the red flags came out on lap seven. Phil Waller had a heart stopping moment exiting Paddock Hill Bend, ending up firmly stuck in the kitty litter. Simultaneously Tony Scott Andrews spun on his own oil at Surtees, depositing a fair amount on the track in the process. Nearly everyone following spun or went across the grass, including the leaders when they came past again.

David Howard and Mark Fowler were side by side on the grid for the restart, but Mark stalled his engine and Jim McLoughlin shot past David to lead the first lap with Roger Stanford third, followed by David Hickton (Opel Ascona) and Alan Roper (Rover SD1). Next time round David powered past Jim as they entered Paddock. Then Brian Stevens and Tim Scott Andrews went off at Paddock, apparently on the gravel that had not been swept from the circuit following Phil Wallers off. Up at Druids David Hickton was tapped from behind and went straight into the barriers. All this bought out the safety car. By the time the track was clear and the safety car pulled in David Howard won the sprint to the flag for his second victory of the day.

David Howard, Jim McLoghlin and Roger Stanford in their post-race interviews.

Re-Started Race Results

Fastest Laps

Full Results from tsl-timing

Pre 93

Full Results from tsl-timing

Adrian Fuller enjoying the communal Sunday Night meal.