News in brief, November 2005

Robin Brundle, younger brother of former F1 racer Martin, broke a long lay-off from racing to share the Toyota Corona of Andy Johnson in the St Mary’s Trophy at Goodwood. The former saloon car racer finished 15th In Saturday’s opening part of the race.

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Philip Walker has won the BRDC Historic Sports Car Championship title in his Lotus 15. The title contest came down to a head-to-head between Walker and Graeme Dodd (Cooper Monaco) at the Oulton Park Gold Cup, and when Dodd elected to miss the Spa final round Walker was secure as champion.

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Richard Trott returned to Thruxton for the first time in 22 years recently to contest the Classic F3 race in his Ralt RT1. His previous visit to the Hampshire track had been in a Ralt RT3 in 1983, when he shared the grid with Ayrton Senna da Silva and Martin Brundle. “I must have been awfully young in those days!” said Trott.

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HSCC champions crowned before the final race of the 2005 season include Dan Cox (Historic Racing Saloons), Steve Maxted (Classic F3), Matthew Watts (Classic Racing Cars) and Simon Ashworth (Classic Sports). Road Sports titles fell to John Thomason (Triumph Spitfire) and Andy Shepherd (Lotus 7).

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Although his venture to the Tour of Flanders Rally ended with his Sunbeam Tiger damaged in a Belgian ditch, former touring car racer Patrick Watts is aiming to rejoin the British Historic Rally Championship for the season final, the Somerset Stages at the end of October, partnered by Elgan Davies.

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Nigel Hollier’s planned return to rallying after a 30-year gap has been thwarted by delays in sourcing a front windscreen for his Alpine-Renault A110. A batch of new screens has now been ordered from a supplier in Finland, but will not be ready until after the end of the current BHRC season. Hollier’s return is now set for March 2006.

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The schedule for the 2006 Armajaro MSA British Historic Rally Championship has been confirmed by the Historic Rally Car Register, which has arranged a nine-round calendar retaining the same events as in 2005.

Gravel rallies in Wales, Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Somerset will be complemented by three asphalt events, on Epynt, the Isle of Man and in Belgium. The season starts with the Robin Hood Forest Stages on March 4/5 and runs through to October.