Inside line: Jim Graham

Driving force of group C/GTP racing movement has high hopes for 2004 season

What is your role in the category?

I’m the day-to-day director, supported by a committee of active GpC racers. The club, which is owned by proprietors, drivers, preparation companies and enthusiasts, was set up in 2003 to enable the people investing in these cars to have a say in the growth of this type of historic racing.

What’s your background in the sport?

I was a Jaguar apprentice in the 1960s, one of Lofty England’s lads, and worked on XJ13 in the competition shop. I competed in the ’60s and ’70s, mainly in E-types, and restarted in the mid-90s. In 2001, I joined the Group C contingent with a Cosworth DFZ-engined Tiga and now, with my wife Penny, I run a Porsche 962 and the Aston Martin-engined EMKA in Group C/GTP.

How is Group C/GTP developing?

In 2003, we attracted 37 cars, of which four came from the USA. An average grid of 19 was a good achievement in a difficult economic climate. We have nine Jaguar ‘XJRs’, seven Porsche 956/962s, and examples from Argo, Aston and EMKA, Ecosse, Lancia, Spice, March, Nissan, Rondeau and Tiga.

What are the prospects for 2004?

We’ve attracted new cars — a Tiga-Porsche, an ADA, an ALD and, from the USA, a Ford Probe, an Intrepid-Chevrolet GTP, Argo, Spice-Chevrolet and two more Nissan GTPs. There will be six race weekends in Europe, each having two 30-40min races. The ultimate aim of the club is to return to the place where, for many, it all began — Le Mans.