A SUPER BLAST FROM THE PAST
The Classic Touring Car Racing Club’s much anticipated new Super Tourers series kicked off at Silverstone last weekend with a 10-car grid, supplemented by the club’s Pre-’03 production-based category of the same era.
Despite the relatively thin field, headlined by British Touring Car Championship stars past and present including John Cleland, Anthony Reid and Colin Turkington, it delivered plenty of excitement for expectant onlookers.
Club racing rarely attracts much of a crowd beyond competitors’ own entourages but the promise of period luminaries, the almost mythical reverence in which Super Touring cars are held, and sunny skies drew more than a few to Silverstone’s Wing complex for a doubleheader on the International circuit.
“People just love these cars because they have a fond memory of that era of touring car racing,” said Cleland. That applies to competitors involved at the time and fans of the era, some of whom, like Turkington and Brisky Racing owner/ driver Richard Wheeler, were inspired to go racing themselves.
For Wheeler, it was an opportunity to fulfil a dream “to do a replica Nissan touring car team”, with Reid piloting the Primera he took to second overall in 1998 and Wheeler in an ex-david Leslie 1999 model. Even the crew were kitted out in original RML teamwear sourced on ebay.
“When I was in my early 20s, I used to go and watch these at Brands Hatch,” said Wheeler. “I can remember queuing up in the pitlane to get people like Anthony’s autograph. To actually qualify on the second row next to Cleland, I’ll take that!”
When Jason Minshaw’s ex-rickard Rydell Volvo S40 pipped Reid to pole, it was like being transported back to 1998. Sadly, Wheeler’s car was sidelined by engine problems, which promoted Turkington (in Jason Hughes’s BTC-T MG ZS) to join Cleland on row two.
The quartet proceeded to put on something of an exhibition over the opening stages of Saturday’s race, trading places as their slicks got up to temperature. But it appeared that Minshaw’s championship-winning car might have had an edge even before Reid succumbed to wheel-bearing failure. Cleland toured in with a damaged final drive and a failed head gasket afflicted Turkington on the final tour.
It was a reminder of the high-tech machinery’s frailty, but the stars had put on a show, as Tony Absolom and Darren Fielding completed the podium in their Vauxhall Cavaliers.
“Hopefully it will drag some more out because they’re just mega cars,” said Minshaw. “We can use Michelins, which are unbelievable – you can just turn and go. A lot more confidence giving.”
With repairs effected for Reid and Cleland, Sunday’s race produced an appropriately dramatic finish. Reid and Minshaw ran side by side through Stowe, Vale and Club, rubbing doors before Reid edged it, with Cleland shadowing the pair ahead of Absolom and Andrew Strachan’s Ford Mondeo, as Gary Prebble’s Honda Civic completed a Pre-’03 double.
“They’re quite handy still, these old boys, aren’t they?” laughed Minshaw. Reid’s verdict: “It was epic fun.”