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DFV Chevron runs again  — Bolton one-off roars again after 22-year silence. 2006 race programme beckons

The unique DFV-powered Chevron B23 returned to the track in November— after 22 years of storage. It was driven by Earl Goddard, whose father Fred has owned the car since the early 1980s and who completed its rebuild in 2005.

Chassis 21 was built in 1973 for Chevron’s Italian agent Eris Tondelli, but may never have raced under DFV power. It was later shipped over to South Africa and fitted with a Mazda rotary engine. “When we put the Mazda unit in, we didn’t cut anything out,” said Goddard Snr.

Its last major race was the 1982 Kyalami Nine Hours when it was driven by Graham Duxbury, Ian Harrower and Bernard Tilanus. Fred raced it again in 1983, but then shipped the car back to the UK.

“We started to rebuild it this spring. It is unique and extremely original,” says Fred.

He’d initially hoped to have the car ready for the Chevron 40th anniversary meeting at Oulton Park in August. However, it was finally finished in time for a brief run at Silverstone in early November, although a misfire in soaking wet conditions prevented it from racing in the BRDC Members’ race.

On hand to see it was marque founder Derek Bennett’s right-hand man Paul Owens, who recalled helping to weld engine mountings onto the chassis to suit the DFV.

“A lot of people have helped us,” said Fred, “including John Nicholson, who supplied the DFV.”

Earl hopes to race the car next season and could be seen out in World Sportscar Masters events. “My first impressions of the car are very good,” he said after a shake down test.

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Daly driver, garaged for over 20 years

A Tyrrell 010 that hasn’t raced since 1981 could be back on the grid in Thoroughbred Grand Prix races next season.

Chassis 3 is being offered for sale by German racer Ralph Moog, who believes it could be a rival to the Williams FW07s in Class C.

The car was raced during 1980 and ’81 by Michele Alboreto, Derek Daly and Mike Thackwell. It was then rebuilt by the Tyrrell Racing Organisation and went on display in the Donington GP Collection.

Following Ken Tyrrell’s death, it was acquired by Paul Stoddart and was later sold to Moog.

“It’s never been used in between and has a complete history,” said Moog, who has had the car updated to race-ready specification in line with current FIA regulations. “The only time that the car has run since its 1981 rebuild was for an engine installation at Zolder.”

The 010’s design drew heavily from the FW07 — but, as Moog points out, will cost considerably less than a Williams.

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Monaco line-up

Pre-1979 3-litre GP cars will headline next year’s Monaco Historique during its fifth running over the weekend of May 20/21.

The six-race programme is largely given over to single-seaters, with four races for GP cars covering the 1920s through to 1979. There will also be events for rear-engined Formula Juniors and for pre-1953 sportscars.

The oldest machines will contest a race for pre-1947 Voiturette and Grand Prix cars, with other grids for pre-1961 front-engined cars and pre-1966 rear -engined GP cars.

The entries selected for the event will be confirmed at the end of February.

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2-litre Tin Tops

Carol Spagg will launch a new race series in 2006 for 2-litre FIA-spec touring cars. Having handed the reins of her Gentleman Drivers series to the Masters organisation of Ron Maydon, Spagg has created a calendar for 1963-65 saloons.

U2TC is for cars of the type that raced in the ETCC in period and which comply with FIA Appendix K.

“I never thought it would strike such a chord.” says Spagg, who has been swamped with interest. She is planning four or five two-driver races in 2006, with dates already pencilled in for Pau and Dijon.

“The dream would be a three-hour race at Brno!” she concluded.

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F5000 NZ New Year

A contingent of British-based Formula 5000s is being shipped Down Under to contest rounds of the New Zealand F5000 series in the New Year.

Although the five-event series starts in mid-November at Manfeild, it is the events at Pukekohe, Ruapuna and Teretonga in early 2006 that will benefit from UK representation.

Around half a dozen cars are expected to make the trip — Simon Hadfield is hoping to take two or three — and will contest three races in four weeks during January and February. Hadfield plans to take his Chevron B37 and a Trojan for Michael Schryver.

Also set to contest the races alongside the F5000s is the ex-Denis Hulme F1 McLaren M23, chassis 01, now owned by Phil Mauger.

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Safari reunion

Former world rally champions Björn Waldegård and Juha Kankkunen will compete against each other on the East African Safari Rally in December.

Once team-mates at Toyota in the 1980s. Waldegård and Kankkunen will drive a Porsche 911 and Datsun 240Z respectively on the nine-day, 4200km event for historic cars.

Between them the two Scandinavians have won the challenging African event an incredible seven times. “Juha came to the Safari when I was already established,” said Waldegård.  “He was just a youngster! It will be good fun to be with him again.”

Waldegård will drive the 911 of David Cavanagh, which was built by the factory for the London-Sydney Marathon.

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911 for McRae Senior on RAC

Jimmy McRae has been confirmed as a star entry for the Roger Albert Clark Rally, which runs for four days from November 19. He will drive a Porsche 911RS built by Prepfab Motorsport. He will be co-driven by Campbell Roy.

Rumours persisted through the summer that Colin McRae would drive the car, but increasing commitments in the World Rally Championship ruled him out of the historic event.

“It will be like going back to the old days of the Lombard RAC Rally,” said Jimmy, a five-time British champion. “I’m sure the Porsche will be a good car. Colin drove it recently and has given me good feedback.”

Among McRae’s rivals will be current BRC champion Mark Higgins, who has arranged a late deal to enter an Escort Mk1 prepped by Historic Rallysport. It will be his first serious competition outing in an Escort.

Leading the 50-strong field away from the city centre start in Sheffield will be the 2004 winners Stig Blomqvist/Ana Goni (Ford Escort Mk2), followed by Higgins, co-driven by Peter Martin, and the fabulous Lancia Stratos of Steve Perez/Steve Harris.

McRae will start at number five behind 2004 runners-up Jeremy Easson and Alun Cook (Escort Mk1).

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F3 Lotus UK return

The Lotus 69 F3 car first raced by Harald Ertl has returned to racing in the hands of Albert Clements. Having acquired the car from Europe, Clements entrusted it to Rex Hart, the man who built it in 1971, for a complete winter rebuild.

Lotus enthusiast Clements, who also races an early FFord Lotus 51, received the 69 in time for a shakedown at Silverstone in October.

“It’s only done five or six races in the last 12 years,” said Clements.

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Brit Tour revamp

Five races at four tracks will feature in the 2006 Tour Britannia, which will start the Tuesday after the Goodwood Revival Meeting in September. Organiser Fred Gallagher has outlined two races at Silverstone plus races at Cadwell Park, Donington Park and Mallory Park for the second running of the four-day event. Several hillclimbs and other timed stages will complete the route. Gallagher has switched the tour to a new base at the Coombe Abbey Hotel in Warwickshire, and has pledged that the road mileage will be reduced by 200, while competitive mileage will be increased by a third.

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Goodwood dates

Goodwood has confirmed its dates for 2006: the Festival of Speed will run from July 7-9: the Revival Meeting will be held over September 1-3.

They have been scheduled so as not to clash with a Formula One GP.

And as before, both will be all-ticket.