RACING EXPOSURE :: Club level motorsport e-magazine

The Masters Series members blow the winter cobwebs off themselves and the cars with a track day at Goodwood Motor Circuit organised by the club, before the first race of the year at Outon Park on March 17^th. Being a track day no racing was involved, but of course this doesn’t stop the drivers from finding their cars limits and the Goodwood Circuit is the perfect venue that suits the cars and the Master Historic Racing.

The racing is made of seven series, GP Masters – 3-litre Formula 1 cars from 1968 to 1985.

World Sportscar Masters – Le Mans-type Group 4 prototypes pre-1975.

CanAm Interserie Challenge – For Can Am cars and 2-litre (to the end of 1977) and 3-litre (to the end of 1976) sports-prototypes. Invited MS-P cars are eligible as well.

Sports Racing Masters – 1960 to 1965 sports-racing and GT prototypes.

Gentlemen Drivers – Pre 1966 GT cars running to Appendix K with HTP papers, accompanied by Pre 1963 sports cars. Includes a seperate podium in each race for the Under 2-litre GT cars.

Masters Pre-66 Saloons – Pre-1966 touring cars running to Appendix K specification.

70s Celebration – Group 2 touring cars of the 1970s, plus 1970s touring cars and production saloons plus production sports and GT cars.

Report and Photos by Tim Surman.

The Oulton Park 2012 season starts this Saturday (17 March) with a spectacular festival of historic racing, featuring classic cars spanning the circuit’s six decades. The opening Masters Festival follows a successful inaugural event last year.

Historic racing is hugely popular and unlike many sports, fans can get up close to motorsport’s history and turn back the clock as the cars take to the track. Oulton Park’s layout remains largely unchanged since the halcyon days too, making it the ideal venue for this event.

The compact schedule makes for breathless action from saloon and GT cars from the 40s to the 70s in the Gentlemen Drivers, Pre-66 Touring Cars and 70s Celebration races. These events will recall the days when cars such as Mustangs, Cortinas, Austin Healeys and Capris were a familiar sight on British roads.

There will also be plenty of exotica on display too, with the World Sportscar Masters providing a flavour of Le Mans from the days when the might of Ford, Ferrari and Porsche regularly battled with smaller British marques including Lola and Cheshire’s Chevron. The cars are certainly a sight to behold on the narrow and twisting Oulton Park tarmac!

New for this year will be the Single Seater Allcomers race, which brings back the powerful cars that once competed in Oulton Park’s Gold Cup event from the 50s to the 90s, when it ran to Formula 2, 3000 and 5000 regulations. Plenty of thrills are expected in this much-anticipated race.

In addition to the action on track, the paddock will be open for fans to see the cars close-up, whilst there’s further entertainment for all the family with a fun fair and treasure hunt.

Tickets for the Masters Historic Festival at Oulton Park on 17 March are available on the gate for £16, with free entry for children aged 12 and under. For more information call 0843 843 9000 or visit www.oultonpark.co.uk

The Masters Series meeting due to take place at Mallory Park on the 7th August has been cancelled due to low entries.

Javelin Trackdays have taken over the last minute slot and are running an open pitlane trackday instead.   105dba – £ 99.

Essex-based professional racing driver Michael Lyons enjoyed a successful weekend of the racing in the Masters Historic Festival at Brands Hatch, taking two victories in four races over the course of the weekend.

The 20-year-old was taking part in both the GP Masters and World Sportscar Masters, and qualified on the second row of the grid for the opening GP Masters race at the wheel of his Hesketh 308E, resplendent in the same Penthouse Rizla livery used when the car competed in 1977.

A fine start to race one allowed him to move up to second place at Paddock Hill Bend on lap one and Michael then secured the lead when Rob Austin ran wide at Stirlings on the second lap. From then on, Michael was forced to work hard to keep the British Touring Car Championship driver behind before securing victory by just half a second.

Starting on pole for race two as a result, Michael held his lead into Paddock Hill Bend for the first time and then saw off the challenge of Austin throughout the race to take a lights-to-flag victory and a weekend double.

“The first race was really difficult,” he said. “I got into second at the start and then when Rob made a mistake on lap two I was able to get by. I tried hard to pull away but his Arrows A4 is a newer car so I had to really push to stay ahead. I tried not to worry too much about watching him behind and just focused on my own job and it was great to get the win.

“The second race was a lot easier as I got a good start and was able to build a small gap early on. Rob got close again a few times but then I think he made a small mistake and I managed to open my advantage up again.”

As well as taking the double win, Michael also secured the fastest lap in both races.

Michael’s Lola T70 started the opening World Sportscar Masters race from the third row of the grid but he worked his way up the order to take the chequered flag in third place, securing himself another trip to the Brands Hatch podium.

Starting from the same position on the grid for race two as a result, Michael worked his way into the lead by Graham Hill Bend on the opening lap and then set about trying to extend his lead before backing off to ensure he had enough fuel to make it the finish; the tank in the Lola being such a size that it was touch and go as to whether the car would make it the finish.

Unfortunately, the car ran dry on the final lap of the race with Michael then going off into the gravel at the Sheene corner as he attempted to coast to the finish. As it was, the race was red-flagged due to another car being off track elsewhere with Michael excluded from the results due to the fact he wasn’t running when the red flag was put out. Michael did however add to his collection of fastest laps with another in the second World Sports Masters race.

Michael ended the weekend with three podium finishes from four starts and will be back at Brands Hatch in mid-June for the latest round of the Avon Tyres British GT Championship, where he already has a win to his name this season at the wheel of a Scuderia Vittoria-run Ferrari 458 Italia.

“I’d qualified the Lola before but never raced it,” he said. “After the podium in race one, I was just trying to limp to the finish in race two but then the car ran out of fuel and I carried a bit too much speed into Sheene Curve as I tried to roll it to the finish.

“Overall, it was a great weekend and I really enjoyed being in the Historic cars. It helps to keep me sharp for my British GT campaign; plus its also a lot of fun! I’m back in the Ferrari for the next British GT round in a few weeks, but I’m looking forward to more Historic racing at the Silverstone Classic in July when I should be driving both the Hesketh and the Lola again.”

Photography: Gary Hawkins Photography

Racing a historic car would be considered the chance of a lifetime for many people, but for Roger Wills it’s just the start of a busy weekend. At this year’s Masters Historic Festival, taking place at Brands Hatch from Saturday 28 to Monday 30 May, Roger will be driving a car in all fifteen races!

The New Zealand-born and Moscow-based financier can usually be found racing modern GT cars but has a soft spot for historic events, as evidenced by his extensive fleet of classic cars. However, even Roger’s collection has fallen slightly short of requirements and he has rented a Van Diemen Formula Ford car for the Champion of Brands FF1600 race.

The classics that Roger will be racing range from a 1961 Mini Cooper to a pair of Formula One cars from Lotus and Williams. In between can be found a Lotus Elite, BMW CSL and a Russian Gaz Volga that was built especially for F1 driver Vitaly Petrov to race at Goodwood.

The Masters Historic Festival features racing from the great cars of the last 60 years and includes events for Formula One, Sportscars, GTs and Touring Cars. There will also be track demonstrations from more modern Formula One cars and car club parades and displays.

As if entering every race wasn’t enough, two of Roger’s collection will be taking part in the Sports Racing Masters event. With up to two drivers sharing each car, Roger will jump out of his McLaren and into an Elva at the pitstops to complete the race!

Looking forward to the weekend Roger said, “it will be busy that’s for sure, but it is also par for the course. Weekends like this one are rare for me and so I like to maximise the time available. I’ll be tired by the end of the weekend but it will be great fun.”

Tickets for the Brands Hatch Masters Festival are available in advance until Wednesday 25 May from £17 for adults, with free entry for children aged 12 and under. To book, call 0843 453 9000 or visit www.brandshatch.co.uk.

A feast of legendary Formula One cars will demonstrate on track at this year’s Masters Historic Festival at Brands Hatch on Spring Bank Holiday weekend (28-30 May), which takes place on the full Grand Prix circuit on the Sunday and Monday.

Topping the bill will be Damon Hill’s World Championship-winning Williams-Renault FW18 from 1996. Hill won eight races on his way to the title that year, chased all the way by team-mate Jacques Villeneuve.

Damon Hill’s tenure at Williams will be forever associated with his rivalry with German Michael Schumacher and a range of cars celebrating his Benetton team from that period will also be on track. The 1992 and 1993 Benetton cars that were designed by Ross Brawn, now of Mercedes F1, helped develop Schumacher into a Grand Prix winner and eventual World Champion.

Before Schumacher joined the team they had former World Champion Nelson Piquet on their driving strength and his 1990 car is another of those taking part in the demonstrations. Finally the era of Turbo cars in 1985 will also be represented, and fresh from running Ayrton Senna in his first year of Formula One, the Toleman team’s profile was sufficiently raised to enable them to attract sponsorship from Benetton. Later in the season the famous Italian fashion house bought the team, which still survives today as Lotus Renault F1.

In addition to these wonderful cars, the Masters Festival also features racing from Formula 1 machinery from the ’60s to the ’80s, courtesy of the Grand Prix Masters series, plus World Sportscar Masters, as raced at Le Mans, and many other historic championships.

Tickets for the Masters Historic Festival, are available from £17 for adults with free admission for children aged 12 and under. For more information call 0843 453 9000 or visit www.brandshatch.co.uk

World Sportscars

The Masters Top Hat Historic Racing made its debut at Oulton Park on Saturday, and also officially raised the curtain on another season of motorsport, having the honour to be the first race meeting to be held at the Cheshire circuit in 2011.

A packed day with qualifying in the morning, and racing in the afternoon and with the weather not looking that great, the day could be some what chaotic. However, the rain held off till after the engines fell silent at the end of the day, despite a few drops in the afternoon.

With some fantastic looking and sounding cars with alot of history, just take a look at this snap shot of cars racing on the day: 1969 Cheverolet Camaro Z28, Austin Cooper S, Lotus Cortina, Formula Ford 1600, Chevron B8, Lola T70 Mk3B, Mclaren M1B (Ex-Julian Bronson), Lola T210, Ford GT40, Jaguar E-Type, Austin Healey 3000 Mk1 and many more. An added bonus of ex-F1 driver and F3000 champion Roberto Morena making an appearance for the first time at Oulton Park since 1982, the day was set.

Neil Alberico - Formula Ford

Qualifying was a mixed affair for drivers. Some fairing better than others, and some giving the marshals more work to do than others. Engine’s blowing up at Clay Hill and at Brittens. The #58 Mini of Marc Earnshaw spinning, not once, but twice at Brittens during the Pre-1966 Touring Car session. David Betts in his Ford Mustang didn’t even complete a flying lap. While the World Sportscar Masters’ session was interupted by a red flag to retrieve 2 cars in dangerous positions.

A few drivers faired better though. Mike Dowd and Jeremy Cooke took their Ford Mustang to pole by over a second in the Pre-1966 Touring Cars.
Neil Alberico took pole in the Formula Ford 1600 category by over a second which he converted to an 11 second win in the afternoon. Taking the Old Hall Trophy. The first time its been contested since 1986.
Mike Whitaker powered his TVR to pole position, over 3 seconds clear of 3rd place, with the Jaguar E-Type of Chris Scragg and John Bussel hot on his heals.

Russell Paterson - Morgan

The 1970′s Celebration Race kicked off the afternoon’s racing. While the temperature had risen slightly, threat of rain was never far away with grey clouds ever present in the sky. Russell Paterson in his Morgan obliterated the field, winning by 26.299 seconds ahead of the 2 yellow Porsche’s who were involved in the only real on track battle with the #42 Ford Capri of Paul Pochciol who unfortunatly fell away after the first of the 2 Porches, Mark Bates, had over taken the Ford going into Lodge. He recovered to take 4th. Dominic Barnes provided much entertainment in qualifying in his MG B Roadster with his rather sideways approach to cornering, but alas he finished a lap down in 8th and last place.

The Pre-1966 Touring Car’s provided some entertainment in the form of Henry Mann coming from 10th on the grid to win the race in his Ford Lotus Cortina by a comfortable margin of 7.156 seconds. The rest of the field was spread out throughout the duration of the race. Roberto Moreno, having a bit of fun in the Mini, provided some good racing in the early stages before blowing the engine by taking it over the limit of 7.5k revs to 11k.

Roberto Moreno

Close finishes were the order of the day in the World Sportscar Masters and the Formula Ford 1600′s.
2 very different cars, 2 very different races. While the Sportscar race was dominated by the Minishaw brothers, Jason and Guy by the biggest margin of the day with a 44.207 second lead. Plus the aforementioned Neil Alberico in the Formula Ford 1600 race. The battle for podium positions provided the best chance for overtaking.

Hugh Colman held off the late charge and intentions of the Chevron B16 driven by Brian Casey and Greg Caton by just 0.115 seconds at the flag in the Sportscar race. In the Formula Fords, the only race which was threated by the rain although it didn’t play a significant part, Samuel Carrington-Yates overtook Jamie Jardine around the outside going into the Hislops chicane in a brilliant overtaking manouvere. Despite Jardine’s best efforts, they would stay nose to tail through to the chequered flag, seperated by just 0.120 seconds.

Incidents were few and far between, as can be expected with a series where the atmosphere is very friendly and relaxed in the pit lane and paddock amongst competitors and officials.

Roy Stephenson - unsilenced Mustang

Marc Earnshaw was finding just where the limit is again, this time at Druids on lap 1 of the Pre-1966 Touring Car race but kept it altogether to finish in 7th, 1 lap down on the winner. Roy Stephenson wins the award for the loudest Mustang after his entire exhaust system fell off on the way upto Druids. And one of the oldest rules in motorsport was broken on the day – never take out your team mate. The 2 Jaguar E-type’s running in the Gentleman Drivers Pre-1966 GT race had a run in together early in the race down the Avenue and into Cascades, which resulted in some damage. Jamie Boot survived to finish 3rd, whereas his team mate was a bit more unlucky and finished in 10th, 7 laps down after an unscheduled pitstop to remove loose debris and bodywork. Particularly dissapointing after such a good qualifying session.

If you missed the action, then dont worry because the Top Hat and Masters Historic racing series recently secured a deal with Motors TV on Sky. The season opener will recieve a dedicated one-hour show showing highlights from the day, including the cars, the drivers and, of course, the on track action. A transmission date of April 8th is the provisional date, so stay tuned to your TV guides for any updates.

Words: Nick Deeley
Photos: Surreal Illusions

Former F1 racer and F3000 champion Roberto Moreno is to make his historic motor sport debut when he races at the Oulton Park Masters Festival and Top Hat Raceday on Saturday 12 March.

Moreno, who raced for Lotus, AGS, Coloni, EuroBrun, Benetton, Jordan, Minardi, Andrea Moda and Forti during his time in F1, will share Masters prime-mover Ron Maydons Mini Cooper S in the Pre-66 Touring Car race at the historic Cheshire circuit.

Top Hat Event Manager James Beckett said: “we really are delighted that Roberto wants to come and race with us. His enthusiasm is just incredible and I am sure that we will see him doing a lot of racing with us this season. He has his eyes on a Formula 1 car, but the Cooper S will be something very different for him at Oulton Park and I am sure that he will be very competitive. It will be great to have him racing at Oulton Park after a break of nearly 30 years.”

Although Moreno has raced with a roof over his head before, in the Italian and French touring car championships, racing the Cooper S will be a step into the unknown.

Moreno said: “I have been looking at racing in historic events for some time and I really like what Masters has to offer. I really like the way it offers lots of different races for competitors through the wide number of categories that are available. I have never raced on the full circuit and never raced a Mini so it will be whole new experience!”

Roberto last raced at Oulton Park in August 1982 when he finished eighth in a British Formula 3 Championship race in his Ralt RT3-Alfa Romeo.

The Masters Festival and Top Hat Raceday will also features races for Sportscar Masters, Gentlemen Drivers Pre-66 GT cars, Oldies but Goldies 50s saloons, a 1970s Celebration race and Formula Ford 1600s.

Tickets for the Masters Festival and Top Hat Raceday are now on sale from £16 for adults, with free entry for children aged 12 and under. For more information call 0843 453 9000 or visit www.oultonpark.co.uk.

Masters Historic Racing has unveiled a superb calendar for the 2010 season, covering some of the most prestigious historic racing events in Europe as well as a range of domestic meetings for competitors in the Top Hat categories.

Star events include Masters Festivals at Brands Hatch, Donington Park and Monteblanco. Masters races will also feature prominently at major events including the Silverstone Classic, Nurburgring Oldtimer GP, the Spa Classic Six Hour meeting and the historic weekend at Portimao in the Algarve.

“We’re very excited about our 2010 calendar,” said Christopher Tate from the Masters Organisation. “We’re delighted to be returning to the Oldtimer Grand Prix and continuing our strong links with top-level events like the Silverstone Classic and the Spa Six-Hours. We will be running four Masters Festivals and aim to provide historic racing to suit all tastes and all budgets.”

The 2010 Masters calendar is as follows:

Date

2-4 April — Silverstone GP — GPM & WSM

18 April — Snetterton — Top Hat

1/2 May — Assen (NL) — GT & Touring Cars

15 May — Anglesey — Top Hat

29 May — Brands Hatch Indy — Top Hat

30/31 May — Brands Hatch GP — Masters Festival

26/27 June — Donington Park — Masters Festival

3/4 July — Spa (B) — Selected Categories

23-25 July — Silverstone Classic — GPM, WSM, GT & Minis

1 August — Castle Combe Classic – Top Hat

13-15 August — Nurburgring Oldtimer GP (D) — GPM, WSM, GT & Touring

24-26 September — Spa Six Hours (B) — GPM, WSM, GT & Touring

15-17 October — Portimao (P) – Masters Festival

22-24 October — Monteblanco (ES) – Masters Festival

24 October — Mallory Park — Top Hat