Three double-winners in Retro Rallycross Lydden Hill extravaganza

The ‘Home of Rallycross’, Lydden Hill, hosted rounds one and two of the 2021 Retro Rallycross Championship over Bank Holiday Weekend in baking hot sunshine as the Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy got underway, and a record entry of period machinery over three classes wowed the crowds.

Spectators were finally able to attend live rallycross once again and the Retro RX drivers delivered brilliant racing throughout the weekend with exotic machinery. Ultimately it would be Terry Moore (Austin Mini), John Cross (Lancia Stratos) and Andy Grant (Ford Focus) who each took two wins across the two rounds in their respective Retro RX classes, but that didn’t tell the whole story.

Moore returned to the Retro fold with his Austin Mini in the Retro class for up to 1600cc machines, but in both rounds had to work hard for his victories. Steve Cozens (Citroen AX) started on pole in the final on Saturday but it was Tony Lynch (Toyota MR2) who took the lead on lap one. Moore came under pressure from a recovering Cozens in the early stages of the race, but made a move around the outside of Lynch at the hairpin to take the lead and cross the finish line first. In round two, it was again Moore and Lynch battling for the lead of the final, Moore having overcome clutch problems from qualifying, and in one of the very best races of the entire weekend where the lead changed hands several times, it was again Moore that finished ahead if Lynch. Rob Buckmaster (Ford Fiesta) was third.

John Cross started on the second row of the Super Retro final grid in round one on Saturday, but by the first corner at Chesson’s Drift he’d taken the lead, ahead of Barry Stewart (Porsche 911) and Belgian legend Jos Sterkens (Ford Escort), the former European Champion having started on pole position. Cross controlled the race throughout from the front, while Stewart fended off race-long pressure from Sterkens behind to complete the podium. On Monday Cross did take pole for the final and lead from the front, in his 50th year of competition, but Stewart made the Lancia driver work hard for his second win of the weekend, pressuring the leader throughout. The ever-spectacular Vince Bristow (BMW E30) started on the front row of the final but was passed by multiple Retro Champion Ray Morgan (Ford Escort) at turn one for third and it would be Morgan who held the position at the end, the Lydden local having missed the final stages of the event on Saturday with a gearbox change.

Andy Grant twice qualified his Ford Focus on pole position for the Group B and 4WD Retro final, but he jumped the start in round one on Saturday and had to start from the back of the grid. He quickly climbed through the field once the lights went green and ran third on lap one. Having overcome Derrick Jobb (Ford Escort) to run second, Grant then overtook Steve Harris (Ford RS200) at the hairpin on lap three to take a lead he wouldn’t relinquish. Bradley Sampson (Mitsubishi Evo) finished third. In round two on Monday Grant lead the final from the front but was put under constant pressure from Harris, while Dom Flitney (Subaru Impreza) wound up third.

“Arriving at Lydden with the biggest entry we have ever had in Retro Rallycross, which also provided one third of the entire entry list, was more than satisfying and a perfect way to be shaking off the Covid blues that had blighted us last season,” said Retro RX promotor Shirley Gibson. “Despite following social distancing rules we had a great time with drivers in good spirits as they welcomed the newcomers to our championship. The racing across all of the categories were as entertaining as usual. In the Retro class there was very little separating our current champion Steve Cozens, Terry Moore and Tony Lynch which was entertaining to watch. Close racing too in Super Retro with Barry Stewart’s Porsche taking on the Lancia Stratos of John Cross. Andy Grant joined us for the first time in the growing 4WD class, proving that he didn’t let a little thing like taking on the Ford RS200 of Steve Harris get in the way of taking the overall win. I congratulate all of our podium winners and share the disappointment of those who experienced technical issues but I know this will make them come back even stronger and more determined when they make their next appearance.”

Full results will be published soon on www.retrorallycross.com www.retrorallycross.com