Hare charges to victory

May 28/29
Van Diemen driver hunts down leaders and goes on to win a tense Classic FF1600 race

A stunning Classic FF1600 race was the highlight of the BARC Classic meeting at Brands Hatch in May.

Paul Walton’s Crosslé 25F led early on, keeping Paul Sleeman’s Jamun T2 at bay, but a charging Steve Hare in his Van Diemen RF81 soon wriggled past Sleeman. Walton was a tougher nut to crack and made the Crosslé very wide, but Hare’s lunge along Cooper Straight gave him a narrow win.

Two Classic FF2000 races delivered more good racing, with Eddie Wilkins (Argo JM14) leading the first until Oliver Hancock’s Van Diemen RF82 found a gap. Wilkins took second from Scott Temple’s RF82 which was never quite able to advance.

The second race delivered a victory for Wilkins after Hancock retired and a spinner eliminated an innocent Nicholas Pearce at Paddock. Temple inherited second.

Classic Touring Cars saw John Wilcocks (BMW M3) winning the Pre-93 event and Gérard Faber maintaining his 100 per cent record in Classic Thunder. Phil Manser (Mini Cooper) drove a great Classic Saloon and Historic Touring Car Race to grab the lead from Roger Stanford’s Lotus Cortina, but the Cooper boiled and gave Stanford victory.

David Howard’s Jaguar XJ12 took Post Historic honours from Stephen Primett’s Escort RS2000, and also won the Gp1 race, despite a challenge from the Rover SD1 of Stephen Keating.

MG stalwart Roy McCarthy took Thoroughbred Sports honours; Steve Watton (TVR Griffith) charged as best he could, but settled for second.

Among the Healeys, Christian Andrew’s Sprite overcame the 3000 of David Smithies.