Blast in the Park - Classic Touring Car Racing Club meeting on 1 & 2 September 2007 organised by MSV

Roger Stanford Wins Post Historic on the Last Corner

Neil had an excellent Post Historic race, keeping on the island in the very slippery conditions at the end of the day. Roger Stanford won, passing Steve Primett on the very last corner. The boss was back in Group 1, Pete Halford winning in fine style.

Post Historic

It was to be a long Sunday for PHTC competitors as they had early morning qualifying and an early evening race. This provided plenty of time for socialising, aided by some very nice club hospitality facilities, and in some cases plenty of time to get sick motors fixed. James Christie had an exhaust manifold gasket blow in qualifying, which was easily changed. Len Allgood had bigger problems as a big hole had appeared in his exhaust manifold. Matt Irons helped Len remove it and one of Roger Stanford's team welded it for him. The next problem was that once the manifold was removed Len saw the alternator brackets were broken. One could be welded but the other had disappeared. Len found a piece of bar and with the help of Neil's drills and Matt Irons made a new one.

Mark Osborne had more terminal problems and had to go back to Wales without a race. There was no David Thomas either. With his championship all but secure, he decided to put all his effort into his Grp1 challenge and ran with an IDA (or similar). This gave him more pace to contend with the Capri Mk 2/3 hotshots but was not eligible for Post Historic.

It was nice to see Dave Nixon back behind the wheel of his RX3 to provide a really varied grid in class C, which provided four different makes in the fastest six. There was an interloper though. Al Weyman had a storming qualifying session. The Camaro ran really well and Al was third fastest behind Roger Stanford (BMW 2002) and Steve Primett (Escort RS2000).

It had been really nice sunny weather all day, up until the Post Historic's gathered on the Melbourne loop, which served as the assembly area. There was fine drizzle when the cars got to the grid, then a long delay while the wreckage from the previous race was removed. When the lights went out there was just a hint of moisture in the air. Roger Stanford shot away to lead Stephen Primett into Redgate. They were followed by Dave Nixon, who had stormed up from the third row, and Al Weyman who had got the big yellow Camaro off the line despite anxieties over the clutch.

Behind them the pack were jostling for position. Neil had a good start but found the way ahead blocked by cars and class rival William Jenkins got alongside in his BMW CSL. David Howard got caught up in the melee and went onto the grass, dropping back down the field in the process.

Steve Primett passed Roger Stanford during the first lap to lead across the line, followed by Roger, Dave Nixon and the ultra-smooth Nigel Garrett in his rapid Dolomite. Behind them, Al Weyman spun exiting the Esses. Most of the field managed to get past the gyrating Camaro except William Jenkins who got sideways as he swerved to avoid Al and went spinning on the grass, fortunate to stop just before the classic machine hit the wall.

By the third lap, Steve had pulled out nearly three seconds on Roger. Nigel Garrett had passed Dave Nixon and was closing on the BMW. Mark Lucock came next, followed by Neil and Tony Crudgington whose Dolomite was running fine, with no sign of the qualifying misfire after last minute attention to its electrics in the assembly area. It was spitting with rain now and Tony soon slipped past Neil. Around the same time, the other Tony (Crates) got his under-steering Lotus Cortina onto the grass at the Swantz Curves.

Tony (Crudgington) was really flying, passing Mark Lucock and a lap later Dave Nixon. Neil was just behind this group. Just two laps from the end the drizzle turned to light rain and the track started to become slippery. Mark Lucock and Dave Nixon touched. Mark went on the grass and dropped back. Neil almost got by but decided that discretion was the better part of valour and didn't risk it.

Len Allgood had problems and pulled in to retire with oil dripping ominously onto the ground. Up at the front Roger Stanford suddenly closed right up to Steve Primett and got by on the Esses on the very last lap to take the chequered flag that waited just a few hundred yards ahead. Another eventful and exciting Post Historic race.

Click here for results

Group 1

Neil finished 16th overall and 2nd in class behind Don Hughes in an un-eventful race for the Fiesta. Steve Barber non-started after the XR3's engine blew in qualifying.

Stacy Vickers got the jump off the line on Pete Halford, who made his usual slow start. Once the Camaro was on the move the wily Canadian displayed all his usual racecraft to pass the RX7 half way through the race and tease out the win. They were followed by Brian Stevens in his XJS.

Don Hughes had to start from the back of the grid after problems in qualifying but made a great start to get ahead of Neil for the class lead before the first bend. Neil managed to hang on to the Golf's bootlid all the way around the first lap, pursued by David Howard (Escort RS2000) and Al Weyman (Camaro). On the second circuit Neil couldn't stay right up close to Don and first David Howard and then Al Weyman got into the gap.

Meanwhile Don pulled away to finish nearly twenty seconds ahead on Neil at the end, passing David Margalies, who was checking out the Hammerite Capri for David Weir. In the process. Neil and Al stayed close for a while, using the very different characteristics of their cars to pas and re-pass each other, until Al pulled away at the end. Then John Strickland slipped the Toyo shod Alfa 33 past Neil on the last lap.

David Thomas, running an uprated carb on an engine he built himself, finished fourth and won the Capri battle from Jim McLoughlin (Ric Wood) Mark Fowler (John Wade) and Richard Austin (in Alan Daffins Faberge car). Martin West lost touch with this group after an excursion earlier in the proceedings.

Click Here for Results