Classical Gas

Finally BB’s Escort was reckoned to be ready and the film companies test driver took it out. Then more fiddling before BB went out on his own for some familiarisation laps. Here I must mention that he had never driven the car, nor to my recollection competed in a race before. Back on the ramp for more gearbox removal and finally, around 3pm qualification took place.

There were 20 CTCRC cars, plus BB in his Escort and a special camera car. BB’s Escort was a Mk1 with a Zetec lump and a very fancy 4 link and coil over rear end with a Watts linkage. Hardly CTCRC spec but as it was his first race and the film company didn’t want him to be last it was fair enough. He drove quite well and was 7th quickest. The orange Escort used as a special camera car was quickest. This was even more special, in addition to all the special suspension it was powered by a lightweight V8 from a TVR.

More delays as they had to take the gearbox out of BB’s Escort yet again for more fiddling and it was after 4pm when the "race" took place. They were very worried that BB’s clutch would last but it held on for the necessary 10 laps. Dave’s Hickton and Howard, Tim Scott-Andrews and Steve Cripps screamed away from the line. They were racing for real and it was pretty exciting stuff. Dave Hickton took the win and the four gave a great display. BB was slow away, well it was his first racing start, but worked his way up to 7th or 8th I think by the end. He actually drove very well and was sensible when he overtook the slower cars in front of him. Admittedly he was given a lot of slack but a respectable performance.

Behind the leading four the other CTCRC drivers indulged in some "mock" racing for the cameras and the field became split into a lot of groups of two or three "dices". Apart from Daniel Ryan and Jeremy Knight who ended up with bent cars the drivers all enjoyed this immensely and there were smiles all round at the end. After all you don’t normally get filmed by a low flying helicopter at the average Lydden clubbie.

All in all a fun day.

Neil was delighted to be invited, the criteria being a car broadly off the Mk1 Escort generation, in practice a PHTC or Group 1 car, and the ability to behave on the race track. The problem came that he was on holiday with the family in the West Country at the time. So Mike Hayward and I bought the Fiesta down to Lydden with Neils van and trailer while Neil and Alistair drove across from Weston-Super-Mare.

There were 24 racers from the CTCRC more than matched by film crew complete with their Flying TV helicopter. There was also a full complement of marshals and a fire engine and crew.

The morning was spent with BB being filmed driving round and round the circuit in a road going Camaro while the racers were being filmed getting scruitinised. While all this was going on the Escort BB was going to race was having clutch trouble and was on and off Lyddens two poster while the guys that built the car tried to get the release bearing to function. I counted the gearbox coming in and out four times during the day.

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