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Races  10 -11

Zolder GP

July 5th - 6th 

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" GRANTURA 50 "

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2 x 30  minute "Sprint" races

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Qualifying - Every picture tells a thousand words. 

The various reactions to qualifying times in print can be translated, but David Beresford's stonking third place reaction was missed by the camera man. The TVR's Birthday Parade of Malcolm Johnson on pole and Mark Ashworth set the pace at 2.00.741 and 2.00.832, with the Beresford MGB posting a 2.00.922. 

Ex-rally driver and multiple Monte Carlo rally entrant Michelle Billion-Rey brought his own TVR Grantura Mk 3 to play and a comfortable 15th threatened more to come. Those in the know had brought vans full of brake parts, as the thoroughly entertaining but demanding ex-F1 circuit was venemous to all things frictional. The paddock after the 30 minutes of qualifying was strewn with hydraulic fluid and brake pads in attempts to restore stopping power before the 4pm race.

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Race 1 - Of 28 starters, several with mechanical woes in practice were launching off the back of the grid and yards from start the MGB of the unfortunate Graham Bates made a very early retirement whilst Johnson's TVR duly took out an 8 second margin to the flag after indulging in a 1.59.965 lap for good measure, but not challenging last years lap record of Tom Smith at 1.57.21. Ashworth's challenge had faded after 6 laps with Grantura gremlins.

 Allan Ross-Jones in the Triumph TR4 kept the Stephen Radcliffe MGB at bay to complete the podium and win Class 5 from the Brian Arculus Triumph TR3a in 5th. Beresford's 4th place and two seconds behind Radcliffe was probably a minor disappointment to the affable Chesterfield based driver, while Alex Quattlebaum took Class 2 honours with his gorgeous MG TC Leco Special. Another other Class 2 contender James Willis had to last the distance in 4th gear and subsequently missed the second start.

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Race 2 - Remarkably, a repeat top six performance but by no means processional. Beresford and Radcliffe resumed their squabble over third position, and only 2.5s separated these two in one hours worth of racing. Johnson was comfortable up front and had over 10s in hand over Ross-Jones, and Piers Ward in his Grantura Mk 3 doubled up on his first race 6th spot. Quattlebaum again dominated Class 2, and Trevor Kemp Class 3 in the pristine Elva Courier following the retirement of Doug Martin's equally precious Alfa Romeo.

Billion-Rey was limited to six laps racing in total as the recalcitrant TVR stubbornly refused tlc with cooling issues. 

TWS.