OLD FAVOURITES RETURN
Having not appeared at Brands Hatch since 2016, the Special Saloons and Modsports made a welcome, colourful and gloriously noisy return as part of the CSCC programme last weekend.
Both categories were hugely popular with enthusiasts in their 1970s and ’80s heydays, and the current series continues to showcase a wide variety of Super Saloons, Thundersaloons, Donington
GTS and Modsports seven years into its lifespan, following a successful revival meeting at Mallory Park in 2011.
An eclectic mix of original machinery, including the Ford Escort run by Minton brothers Dale and Steve in the early 1980s (today run by Steve and son Dan) can be seen competing with other cars, spilt across five classes, that have been modified to such an extent that they would have been eligible in period.
Fans of the BTCC in the late 1980s will appreciate Paul Connell’s Ford
Sierra RS500 adorned in period Trakstar livery, while other popular cars include the ’87 Peugeot 309 Thundersaloon of brothers Danny and Ricky Parker-morris and Craig Percy’s modified Morris Minor; a former police car now powered by a 6.2-litre engine.
One of the most iconic cars of the period was the five-litre, V8-powered Vauxhall Firenza driven by the legendary Gerry Marshall. Having been restored by owner Joe Ward, ‘Baby Bertha’ was back on track at Brands on Sunday in the hands of historic racer Andy Newall.
“I just simply cannot compare it to any other car I have driven before, it’s just unbelievable,” Newall said after coming home third in the first race. “I have only driven the car for five laps around Donington before coming to Brands so today has been mainly about getting used to her. I had to nurse the tyres and brakes towards the end, particularly in this heat.”
The scorching track temperatures caused tyre wear for many of the cars, not least the race-winning MG Modsport of Andy Southcott. “I have to apologise for forcing Matt [Moore] wide at the end of that race because my tyres were just completely finished, I was sliding all over the place,” Southcott said post-race. “He deserved the win.”
Southcott’s success meant that under series regulations, he would have to start the second race from 11th on the grid, which handed Moore pole position in his 2.2-litre Escort RSR. Moore’s race would not last beyond Graham Hill Bend on lap one though, when a stuck throttle forced him wide onto the grass and into retirement. Newall had led the race early on, having taken the lead off the start, but Southcott grabbed the advantage before half-distance and never looked back, recording his second win of the day. Newall settled for second ahead of the Honda CRX of Thomas Carey, relieved to make the finish after suffering gearbox issues in qualifying.
The series is poised to visit Thruxton and Mallory Park before the end of the year, and with grids having exceeded 20 cars at Brands, there is plenty to suggest this eye-catching series will continue to thrill well beyond 2018.