Title-winning BTCC Peugeot and Harvey in an MG among Touring Car Rewind: North highlights
by Mark Paulson · AutosportNew Oulton Park event shines the spotlight on tin-tops and, alongside some Super Tourers, there were several other notable cars and drivers in action
Vauxhall Vectra-mounted Jason Hughes dominated the headline Super Tourers races at Oulton Park’s inaugural Touring Car Rewind: North last weekend. But a variety of storied cars, a cameo star and close racing elsewhere proved to be highlights of the event.
Star Car: Peugeot 306 GTi-6
Almost exactly a quarter of a century after becoming the first production class car to win a British Touring Car Championship race outright in Simon Harrison’s hands, the HTML Peugeot 306 returned to action at the scene of its landmark success.
When the BTCC lacked entries in the final year of Super Touring, a secondary class was added for the FIA’s Super Production category in 2000. It was retained for 2001, and named BTC Production, as the new BTC Touring formula launched.
Organisers introduced a handicap system in sprint races, whereby BTC-T cars completed a greater distance. Harrison became the first BTC-P driver to take the chequered flag at Oulton Park in May that year. He went on to pip James Kaye and team-mate Roger Moen to the class title.
The 306 passed through various hands before landing with current owner Steve Maude. Saturday morning practice was his first time driving it, and the races broke a two-decade layoff since Northern Sports & Saloons outings in an ex-Team Varta Peugeot 307.
“It’s important to keep these cars alive,” said Maude, who joined the Super Tourers field. “We’re hoping to get more of them out for Brands Hatch [in August] because these are more affordable to run than the Super Tourers.”
Starter motor failure prevented Maude from qualifying but assistance from Carl Chambers, whose sister ex-Moen car was sidelined by a blown valve, got him onto the grid. Wet conditions were challenging for an inexperienced driver on 13-year-old tyres but an improved set-up helped end the day on a high.
“I really enjoyed it,” grinned the Yorkshireman after finishing 13th in race two.
Star Car: Ford Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth
When Steve Walden spotted the 1989 Willhire 25 Hours-winning Ford Sierra Sapphire in an auction catalogue, he knew he must buy it.
Walden was in the crowd at Snetterton for that year’s extended version – to celebrate the sponsor’s 25th anniversary – of Britain’s original twice-round-the-clock race.
At times in the 1970s and 1980s, production saloons enjoyed a profile almost as high as the BTCC, with a substantial overlap of drivers and teams. The Willhire, launched in 1980, was the jewel in the crown.
As in the BTCC, Sierra Cosworths were the cars to beat in the late 1980s, although the homologation-special RS500s were not eligible. Instead, the slightly less potent RS Cosworth ruled.
Ford commissioned Roger Dowson Engineering to prepare and run a Sapphire (saloon) version under the Firestone UK banner, which Mark Hales took to the Class A crown in 1989. Hales was joined by ex-Formula 1 driver – and ABBA session drummer – Slim Borgudd at the Snetterton enduro where the pair took the honours by three laps after a battle with Kieth Odor and Barrie ‘Whizzo’ Williams in a hatchback version.
“I went to spectate there, did a bit of camping all those years ago,” recalled Walden. “I actually had a picture of this car on my bedroom wall.
“Then last year, just looking through the Iconic Auctioneers brochure, it just came up and I thought, ‘Blimey, I forgot all about this car’.”
Track time in the high-speed demonstration will hopefully presage racing in the Blue Oval Saloon Series later this year.
Star Driver: Tim Harvey in an MG
At an event celebrating touring car history, it was fitting that 1992 BTCC champion Tim Harvey should star in a cameo role.
Encouraged by friend and MG racer Martin Wills, Harvey borrowed Darren Leonard’s MG ZR to join the 34-car MG Owners’ Club field – and came within a lap of winning.
“I’m just here with Martin having a laugh and a bit of fun,” said Harvey. “It doesn’t feel like it’s a 20-something year-old car. They’re good little cars. I’m a bit front-wheel drive rusty, if I’m honest.”
Beyond sharing a Ford Ka with son Jamie in EnduroKa a few years ago, it was Harvey’s first FWD outing since his final BTCC campaign in a Peugeot 406 Coupe in 2002.
“I’m sure I’m not getting the best out of it,” the 64-year-old smiled. “I’m sure if you put Ash Sutton in it, it’d be a couple of seconds quicker!”
Acclimatising in the 15-minute qualifying session, Harvey was fifth fastest. A poor start then left him playing catch-up as he finished sixth, three seconds shy of winner Scott Bugner (and 12s ahead of ninth-placed Wills) in the opener.
But Harvey’s class shone in the wet sequel. He led within a lap, having dived past both Jack Woodcock and (the unrelated) Matt Harvey.
Cadwell Park double winner Lee Pearce was also on a charge, however. He had Harvey in his sights in the closing stages, snatching the lead as they entered the final lap.
“We just caught a backmarker at the last corner, Lodge, so I had to slow up a bit and just lost the run out of the corner,” rued Harvey, adding as the pair shook hands: “It was good fun, we had a good battle.”
Best race: Pre-’66 Touring Cars
The oldest cars produced some of the finest racing as reigning champion James Ibbotson took two unlikely overall Pre-'66 Touring Car victories in his diminutive Hillman Imp Super.
Local man Piers Grange annexed pole aboard an altogether bigger 4.7-litre Ford Falcon. The Lotus Cortinas of 2024 champion Ian Thompson and teenage star Oliver Law were next, with Ibbotson punching above his weight in fourth.
The weather turned before the afternoon races and Law was among those suffering on the wrong tyres – for which father Justin held up his hands. Grange’s V8 grunt saw off Ibbotson’s flying start into Old Hall, but the 1040cc Imp continued to hound its much larger prey, pouncing at Lodge. A lap later, a mistake let the Falcon back ahead.
Grange looked set to win until he too fell off at Lodge, handing victory to the young charger.
A trio of Ford Anglias also thrilled as wet-weather expert Billy Kenneally and running mate Ed Gibbs mugged the Cortina hordes to run fourth and fifth until Kenneally’s alternator expired. Gibbs inherited third overall behind Thompson, while Jake Swann charged from 26th to seventh – on his circuit debut – after qualifying woe.
In Grange’s absence, Ibbotson later scored a repeat success. But Kenneally stole the show as he scythed from the back to finish third, passing both Gibbs and Law in one memorable move before losing out to Thompson by just 0.09s.
Ibbotson had missed the season’s opening two rounds but proved it was worth waiting for his new engine. “I knew it was better than last year’s, but I didn’t realise it was that good,” he said. “I thought I’ll come back and just play it easy...”
Star Performer: Nick Williamson
While the Pre-’83 Group 1 Touring Car field was contesting its first race, Nick Williamson’s Rover SD1 remained garaged with its gearbox in pieces.
Less than three hours later, Williamson was celebrating – he had just snatched third position on the final corner of the second race after a stirring drive from the back. It was made all the more impressive by the Heath Robinson fix Williamson had effected.
“The selector pin had snapped,” he explained. “We hadn’t got one, so we got a drill bit and cut the end off and ground it down to size and hammered it in. Actually, the ’box is now sweeter than ever!”
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