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The Retro Rallycross Championship roared into life over the Easter weekend at Lydden Hill Race Circuit, once again delivering the largest support-category entry on the MSUK British Rallycross Championship bill. A blend of new faces, fresh machinery and division...
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Returning to Lydden Hill for the last two rounds of the season Retro Rallycross once again provided lots of on-track entertainment.
The Retro Rallycross under 1659cc category saw the return of Pip Davey’s Peugeot 205 in the hands of Autocross driver Brad Venning, who showed from the start that his appearance would add to the excitement, as Dan Swayland (Escort MK1), took on a full-sized grid in his effort to hang on to his narrow points lead.
Terry Moore set the bar in the first heat of the day on Saturday, in his Mini which is always a crowd pleaser. Fellow Mini driver, Ian Biagi, made the journey down from Scotland with Paul Buckmaster, (Vauxhall Nova) Rob Buckmaster (Ford Fiesta XR2), Tony Lynch, (Toyota MR2), and Simon Hart, in the fabulous recreation of John Taylor’s Haynes of Maidstone MK1 Escort, making up the field.
Racing under floodlights in the final race of the day, Swayland managed to shake off the challenge from an impressive Venning, to pick up maximum points to take forward to the all-important final round of the championship the following day.
In Super Retro, Charlie French arrived with his MK2 Escort, knowing that the championship was his to lose, first he had to shake off the strong challenge that he knew would come from fellow Escort driver’s Pat Doran and Allan Tapscott, but it was Barry Stewart in his mighty Porsche who pressured Doran and take his initial lead in the final away, to win in style as the cars raced under floodlights.
John Cross, (Lancia Stratos), and winner of the previous round, Nigel Davey in his TR7 V8, the three times winning MK3 Escort of Ray Morgan that was to be piloted by ‘Mr Sideways’ Vince Bristow, Stuart Emery, (Volvo 242), David Ewin, (MK3 Fiesta), and newcomer to the series, Daryl Ambrose, in his Peugeot 205 GTi, joined the top three to provide the best racing of the day.
Lydden Hill’s final rallycross weekend is seen as one of the greatest events in the series, and it was a packed venue as thousands of guests came to watch the cars racing in the dark, set off by a magnificent firework display.
Sunday provided lots of action for Dan Swayland who had his work cut out to shake off Brad Venning in the Peugeot 205, which is where the main challenge of the day came from.
The pair provided close and exciting racing all weekend but, it was due to the impressive overtaking manoeuvres of Swayland that gave him overall victory on both days to lift a well-deserved championship title.
Simon Hart, who finished the season in third place in the category, seems to have got his reliability issues under control as has Paul Buckmaster who was joined in the class by his brother Rob, who returned to the series for the final round.
The two Mini drivers; Ian Biagi and Terry Moore finished their season saying they are already looking forward to 2025. Daryl Ambrose will re-join in 2025 to put in a full Retro Rallycross season.
In Super Retro David Ewin, who had retired on Saturday with a broken diff, was able to take part in Sunday’s action thank to the ever impressive Retro Rallycross camaraderie and said “I’d resigned to being a spectator as the repair was something that was above my pay grade, but thanks to the help of the Volvo team, who insisted on making the repair, I was able to get back out onto the grid to round off my Retro Rallycross season.”
Problems also during the weekend for John Cross, who changed his gearbox to ensure that he too was able to finish his season and race to the final flag of the series.
The Super Retro’s were proving to be the star attraction of the weekend with many of them looking strong throughout the day, but it was Pat Doran, Charlie French and Barry Stewart battling once more at the front resulting in Stewart taking back-to-back to wins.
It was a delighted Tuesday Night Rallycross Team that celebrated in style as Charlie French was crowned the Super Retro Champion to become the new holder of the John Button Memorial Trophy.
“I think this has been our best ever season,” said Shirley Gibson. “The growth we have seen in recent years has ensured that the Retro Rallycross categories have delivered some of the largest entrant numbers in the British Rallycross Championship. I congratulate our two champions they are each worthy winners, and huge thanks you to the rest of the Retro teams for their loyalty and making our racing so exciting. We are already looking forward to 2025. I can’t let the season end without thanking everyone in the 5 Nations BRX for providing the perfect stage on which we perform, they are all unsung heroes, but we couldn’t do what we do with out the great British Marshals, race officials and the dedicated crew at LHMC.”
Ends