Pace notes -- your guide to what's coming up
GP classics back at Brands — FIA Thoroughbred Grand Prix: Brands Hatch and Estoril September 24/25, October 8/9
The fight for the FIA Thoroughbred Grand Prix World Championship culminates with races at Brands Hatch and Estoril.
Over the weekend of September 24/25, round nine of the series will put the period Formula One cars back onto the fabulous Grand Prix circuit at Brands Hatch after an absence of several years.
The penultimate TGP race of the year is one of the support races to the debut of the new A1GP ‘World Cup of Motorsport’ and follows a TGP double-header at Magny-Cours in early September.
Unfortunately, the Brands date clashes with the GP Masters trip to Spa-Francorchamps, but up to 30 F1 cars from the 3-litre era will be on the grid, including the ex-Villeneuve Ferrari 312T3 of current points leader John Bosch.
Bosch will face a big challenge in his quest for maximum class points at Brands, as Martin Stretton will be out in the six-wheel Tyrrell P34 for the second time this season and will likely dominate the post-71 non-ground-effect class as well as challenging for an overall podium finish.
Father and son John and Ryan Delane will field Tyrrells 001 and 002 respectively in Class A.
At the very head of the field in the ground-effect class will be title contenders Christian Gläsel, in his Brabham BT49D, Hubertus Bahlsen (Arrows A4), Joaquin Folch (Williams FW08) and Richard Eyre (Williams FW08), while Steve Hartley’s Arrows A6 heads the post-71 flat-bottomed cars.
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More than 700 cars set — Classic Six Hours: Spa-Francorchamps September 22-25
With an entry that is likely to top 700 cars and a 20-race programme spread over three and a half days. the Classic Six Hours meeting at Spa-Francorchamps on September 22-25 can rightly claim to be the biggest of its type in Europe.
The appeal of this monster event at one of the finest race tracks in the world is immense, and the feature enduro race running through to midnight on Saturday is just one of the star attractions.
Sharing top slot are a pair of Grand Prix Masters races and an hour-long mini-enduro for World Sportscar Masters. Other endurance events include a two-hour Gentleman Drivers GT and Sports Endurance race at the end of Sunday afternoon, a Top Hat Historic Touring Car race and an hour-long Gentleman Drivers Sports Racing Challenge.
More single-seater racing will be provided by the Jochen Rindt F2 Trophy and the Lurani Trophy Formula Juniors.
Running on Friday will be a round of the BRDC Historic Sports Car series.
Featuring pre-65 sports-racing. GT and saloon cars, the Classic Six Hours race has developed into a major event on the historic racing calendar.
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Race Programme — check out where the action is…
September:
When & where: 23-25, Spa-Francorchamps (B)
What: Classic Six Hours of Spa, with a fabulous line-up including GP Masters, Gentleman Drivers, HGPCA, Pre-War Sports and Top Hat races
Contact: www.spa-francorchamps.be
When & where: 23-25, Brands Hatch
What: FIA World Championship for Thoroughbred GP Cars. Admission £35
Contact: Tel: 01474 872331; www.motorsportvision.co.uk
When & where: 25, Loton Park
What: VSCC Hillclimb. Admission £10
Contact: www.vscc.co.uk
October:
When & where: 2, Mallory Park
What: Top Hat Raceday. Admission £10
Contact: Tel: 01455 842931
When & where: 8/9, Estoril (P)
What: Final of FIA TGP Championship
Contact: www.tgpfl.com
When & where: 8/9, Dijon (F)
What: Euro F2 Supersports and Lurani Trophy Formula Junior
Contact: Tel: (33) 80 35 32 22
When & where: 15, Silverstone
What: Final HSCC race meeting of 2005. Admission £10
Contact: Tel: 01327 858400, www.hdcc.co.uk
When & where: 15, Goodwood
What: VSCC Sprint. Admission free
Contact: www.vscc.co.uk
When & where: 29, Somerset
What: Historic Stages Rally
Contact: www.somersetstagesrally.com