Race Report: British Car Festival, Zandvoort - 8th - 9th July

Toyo Tires/Watchdogapp.com Jaguar Saloon & GT Championship

It doesn’t seem a year since our Jaguars last visited Holland, because it wasn’t – The Zandvoort British Race Festival was moved forward three months in a successful attempt to defeat the weather demons that beset last year’s event. The reward was a paddock packed with classic cars and the already charismatic, welcoming venue further improved by the presence of sunbeams (from the extra- terrestrial body, not the marque).

This year the meeting constituted a full points scoring round of our Toyo Tires/ Watchdogapp.com Saloon and GT championship, attracting ten contenders plus three invitees.

Many took the opportunity of a Friday trackday to familiarise themselves with the challenging circuit, unfortunately Rodney Frost indulged in a mild barrier interface situation, resulting in a loss of good looks (those of his XJ-Ss, not his). Once more into the breech rode Covcat’s Chris Boon, working his magic to restore Rodney’s car into a reasonable replica of its former self. Saturday’s activities consisted of a morning free practice followed by an afternoon timed qualifying session. Veteran Jaguar pilot, Derek Pearce felt he was at last getting to grips with the Tom Lenthall prepared XK8, when in fact momentarily he wasn’t – a small spin marginally reprofiling his rear wing – but nothing a heavy application of T-cut (other cutting compounds are available) couldn’t nearly put right.

Colin Philpott claimed pole position over James Ramm (both Class C) by a healthy 1.1 second margin, Rodney led Class B in third place(all in XJ-Ss). Invitee, Roland Zoomers led his class in sixth place (FIA E-type). The ninth grid slot conferred A class pole on Simon Blunt (XJ-S), as did tenth position for Derek as the sole XK8 and Class D entrant. A slow puncture hampered Daniel Stewart’s efforts and Tom Lenthall gained speed as he re-familiarised himself with his potent XJ-S. In a nice example of synchronicity, an F-PACE safety car was on hand, but happily it’s services were not needed in a professional capacity.

Zandvoort 53
Zandvoort 23
Zandvoort 78
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Race 1

After the previous evenings beach barbeque, Sunday’s first race proved too early in the morning for Derek, arriving in the form-up area wearing what appeared to be his slippers – a sprint back to his camper van rectified the situation – obviously his carer (Janice) was not in attendance. Friendly pre-race banter between our competitors disguised serious intent.

All 13 cars took to the track, immediately reduced by one when Bruce Cologne-Brooks noticed a lack of oil pressure (which later proved to be nothing more serious than the lack of a functioning oil gauge!).

As the lights turned green, James executed one of his signature starts, taking the lead after running side by side with Colin into the spectacular banked Tarzan first corner.

Rodney obviously didn’t get the memo regarding team orders in the Powerbell camp, putting Colin under extreme pressure, keeping him occupied whilst James made off into the middle distance, the clean break possibly using the best of his tyres in the process. Down the field, Daniel attacked Derek, whilst Guy Connew seriously hassled Tom, the former lightly modified XJ-S putting on an amazing challenge against the latter highly modified example. Temporary over- fuelling issues hampering the yellow peril’s early race progress. Lap 2 saw various dices developing, most intriguing of with was the four way battle between Simon, Derek, Daniel and Loz Ball – brother Dave Ball bring up the rear with his customary fast drive in the country.

Lap3’s highlight was Rodney’s attempted outbraking manoeuvre on Colin into Tarzan. Chris closed down Roland and then engaged in a race long dice with an eventual finishing differential of less than 3/10’s of a second. Having achieved 5th place behind Tom, Guy’s progress was punctuated on Lap 4 by a spectacular spin exiting the ubiquitous Tarzan, dropping him down the field to 11th place between Loz and Daniel. The upside of this was witnessing another great recovery drive to achieve a final 8th position.

Having broken Rodney’s ‘tow’, Colin closed in on James, reducing the gap to less than a second on Lap 7. This was quickly reduced to half that figure by slipstreaming on the pit straight, James just retaining the lead in a tyre smoking, late braking manoeuvre – the battle was on!

The last three laps were nose to tail, James on fading tyres expertly positioning his car to deny Colin his chance of the chequered flag.

Drive of the day was well earned by Guy Connew, who (following trouble with his saloon) had purchased an ex Paul Merritt XJ-S, just so he could compete at Zandvoort. Exhaust issues (such as no longer being attached to the car) had prevented him joining free practice.

So his giant killing performance in an unfamiliar and untried car was all the more impressive.

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Race 2

The grid formed up in the finishing order of Race 1, Bruce joining at the rear, having confirmed his engine’s health (and the payment of a 50 euro ‘arrangement fee’ to the JEC representative).

At the start, James consolidated his pole position, followed by Colin, Rodney and Tom in close attendance. Bruce made a great getaway from last, and Guy commenced scything through the field from his 8th grid slot, achieving 5th position by the 3rd lap, holding that until the flag. Roland and Chris carried on their Race 1 battle, again finishing in that order, but this time both being overhauled by Derek who was now feeling more at home in the XK8.

On Lap3, Colin successfully challenged James for the lead in another epic dice, Rodney now imposing his intentions on James whilst Colin went into consolidation mode. Bruce meanwhile taking Simon and closing on Loz, his progress then hampered by a quick spin dropping him back into Daniel’s clutches.

Having achieved a small breathing space from Rodney, James embarked on a last ditch ‘do or die’ attempt to retake the lead from Colin (at the Hans Ernst chicane, the final credible overtaking opportunity of the lap), James unfortunately died…

A brief trip through the gravel trap allowing the ever-present Rodney through to a well-deserved second place, bagging him the ‘Drive of the Day, 2’ award in the process.

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Prize Giving

The fine weather gave us the opportunity to utilise the Grand Prix podium to honour the top three finishers – an experience denied to us last year to avoid the possibilities of drowning and hypothermia. The sound of our National Anthem playing over the PA system evoking the spirit of James Hunt’s maiden GP victory in 1974 (and for that matter, his 1975 repeat).

Zandvoort’s new CEO Roland Kleve (with the assistance of Daniel’s infinitely better half, Genevieve) presented the awards in the newly commissioned ‘Bernies Restaurant’ … an amazing venue that is all part of Zandvoort’s resurgence under the new ownership of ‘Prince of Orange’ Bernhard Van Oranje. Formally the manager of Disneyland, Paris, he revealed great plans for the circuit’s future and hoped we could again join in the festival next year…. So do we!!

Race Results

Fastest Laps

Fastest LapDriverClassRace Time
Class Nick WadeA
Class James RammC
Class Cliff RyanD

Results for Class Adam Powderham

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stD

Results for Class Ben Walker

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stB

Results for Class Bruce Cologne-Brookes

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stB

Results for Class Chris Boon

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stB

Results for Class Chris Pizzala

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stC

Results for Class Cliff Ryan

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stD

Results for Class Colin Peach

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stB

Results for Class Colin Philpott

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stC

Results for Class Daniel Stewart

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stA

Results for Class Dave Bye

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stC

Results for Class David Howard

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stD

Results for Class Dean Sewell

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stB

Results for Class Derek Pearce

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stD

Results for Class Gary Davis

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stA

Results for Class Guy Connew

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stC

Results for Class Howard Kirkham

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stB

Results for Class James Ramm

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stC

Results for Class Kevin Dickins

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stA

Results for Class Kevin Doyle

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stD

Results for Class Lawrence Coppock

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stD

Results for Class Michael Holt

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stA

Results for Class Nick Wade

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stA

Results for Class Patrick Doyle

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stD

Results for Class Paul Merrett

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stA

Results for Class Richard Coppock

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stC

Results for Class Richard Crossley

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stA

Results for Class Richard Knott

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stC

Results for Class Rodney Frost

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stB

Results for Class Roger Webster

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stB

Results for Class Simon Blunt

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stA

Results for Class Simon Dunford

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stA

Results for Class Thomas Butterfield

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stB

Results for Class Tom Lenthall

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stC

Results for Class Tom Robinson

PositionDriverTotal TimeFastest Lap
1stD