RAY BELLM WINS INAUGURAL TOUR BRITANNIA COMPETITION CATEGORY

 JOHN RUSTON CLAIMS TOURING-REGULARITY WIN

 RUDIGER FRIEDRICHS TAKES OVERALL TOUR BRITANNIA HONOURS

The inaugural Tour Britannia rounded off in spectacular style today with the crews racing at Northamptonshire’s Silverstone Circuit, the home of British motor racing. Ray Bellm put on a great display around the Historic Grand Prix circuit in his GT40, cementing victory in the Competition category by 32.1 seconds. In the precision Touring-Regularity category, highly-experienced competitor John Ruston claimed the honours in his 1934 Talbot 105, ably navigated by Jeremy Haylock. And, for the first time, the Johnny Wakefield Trophy - one of the most prestigious trophies in British motor sporting history - was presented to the overall winner of Tour Britannia, Rudiger Friedrichs.

Commenting on the first Tour Britannia, Fred Gallagher, Sporting Director, said: “We couldn’t have hoped for a better first event. The competition and camaraderie have been superb throughout, there has been wonderful motor sporting action, while at the same time we’ve been able to show some of England’s best countryside to competitors who came from 15 different countries. We have learned an enormous amount and promise that Tour Britannia 2006 will have all the qualities of this year’s event, and more.”

Today’s grand finale brought the crews from Stratford-upon-Avon on a scenic route to Silverstone, where the Historic Grand Prix Circuit played host to the climax of Tour Britannia. Two races, with full grids, around the famous circuit decided the outcome in all three categories with flat-out racing around one of the world’s most prominent tracks.

Ray Bellm powered the GT40 into the lead from the outset, the Briton winning both races in spectacular style. He finished the event ahead of Irishman Howard Redhouse, Adrian Newey and Michael Schryver.

“There’s been a marvellous spirit, great circuits and hill climbs, and lovely countryside; it’s been a really good first Tour Britannia,” said Ray at the prize-giving in the British Racing Drivers’ Club clubhouse. “I think Fred (Gallagher) has been very brave and the team has done a fantastic job. The hill climbs were stunning, the tracks great and I hope we entertained everyone. All I can say is that if this is just the start, it’s really going to be a fantastic event – the spirit was great and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, thank you.”

In the Touring-Regularity category, John Ruston/Jeremy Haylock claimed victory in their Talbot 105 ahead of the father and son team of Martin and Edwin Emmison in the AC Cobra.

However, overall Tour Britannia honours went to the German crew of Rudiger Friedrichs and Wolfgang Kalf in the 1932 Alvis. The pair won on Index of Performance, receiving the Johnny Wakefield Trophy, which was first presented to Mike Hawthorn and Ken Wharton in 1953 for setting the fastest lap of the season at Silverstone. Since then, the list of winners to establish the same record includes some of the world’s finest drivers; Stirling Moss, Jim Clark, Jack Brabham, John Surtees, Jackie Stewart, Ronnie Peterson, James Hunt, John Watson, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen to name but a few.

Tour Britannia, an annual event for pre-1976 cars, will run in 2006 with the date to be announced in due course.

QUOTES FROM THE CREWS – LEG 4

#1        John Ruston/Jeremy Haylock (GB/GB) – Talbot 105

“It was brave of Fred (Gallagher) and Alec (Poole) to get Tour Britannia organised and we’re really chuffed to have won it. It was also Jeremy’s first win.”

#3        Kurt Engelhorn/Raul Contreras (CH/E) – Jaguar XK 150S

“Silverstone’s a really great circuit.”

#4        Michael Campbell/Robin Widdows (GB/GB) – Bentley Derby Special

“We’ve had a lovely time round the circuit but realised when we finished that the wheel nut was only being held on by a turn and a half. One more lap and we would have had a wheel off. It’s been great fun for us Regularity guys to be running with the competition crews.”

#12      Rudiger Friedrichs/Wolfgang Kalf (D/D) – Alvis Speed 20 S.A.

“The race was so much fun; finally I have raced Silverstone, it was something I had to do once in my life. I won this event on the twisty stuff, not the circuits.”

#14      Gareth Burnett/Ed McDonough (GB/USA) – Talbot 105

“The rear hub broke coming through Club. I can’t believe it; exactly the same thing happened with a different car I was driving four weeks ago.”

#15      Nick Finburgh/Ollie Crosthwaite (GB/GB) – Jaguar C-Type

“It’s all been really good fun with lots of variety; we’ve done so much in a week. This has been a lovely ‘family’ event with a great social atmosphere.”

#21      Barrie Williams/Alan Newton (GB/GB) – MGB

“I had a good race with other cars and great fun dicing with the Mustangs; we were all over each other. The whole event has been great fun, fabulously organised and a great show. I couldn’t fault it. There’s been great camaraderie and friendliness between everyone, which has been great. Everyone has been very competitive, but the whole event has been excellent; let’s have another one!”

#22      David Betts/Caroline Betts (GB/GB) – Shelby GT350

“The gearbox went, we had oil everywhere, no brakes, nothing. We’ll go to the second race and take it easy to get to the finish; not that we know what easy is!”

#23      Doug Allen/Richard Lugg (USA/GB) – Ford Mustang

“This is only my second time at Silverstone, but I’ve never raced the Grand Prix circuit, so it was all new, but simply the best, even though I spun once, as there was a lot of oil on the circuit. The event needs a bit of fine-tuning, as you would expect in year one, but I hope we get twice as many cars next year!”

#26      Mike Smith/John Howells (GB/GB) – Ford Escort

“We were flat out during the races, on the rev limiter everywhere. Being a competitive person I don’t like losing, but maybe this wasn’t the right car for the event. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it though and am glad to have got the car to the finish in one piece.”

#41      Adrian Newey/Dean Lanzante (GB/GB) – Ford GT40

“I managed to take Howard (Redhouse) into Luffield, but we had a good dice through there and I had the line going into Woodcote Corner. I had more grip, but he had the power.”

#44      Robi Bernberg/Steve Winter (GB/GB) – Porsche 911 GTS

“It’s all been great, very nice, relaxed and fun; motor racing as it should be.”

#46      Howard Redhouse/Richard Shaw (IRL/GB) – Lotus 30

“It was a really good fun race, but the tyres went off in the first one and we had a lot of understeer. The event has been absolutely wonderful. Legs 2 and 3 were the best for me. We’ll definitely be back next year.”

#48      John Sheldon/Lesley Stevens (GB/GB) – Lotus Elan

“We had an engine problem in the first race, but it was fixed for the second. It was great fun bringing the car to Silverstone.”

#66      Richard Lloyd/Alan Rivers (GB/GB) – Chevrolet Camaro

“We had a gear selection problem in the race, adding to our ongoing woes!”

#74      Ned Spieker/Norman Thersby (USA/GB) – Ferrari 250 GT SWB

“I had a great time at Silverstone and especially over the Grand Prix circuit. It’s a fabulous event, a little long for me at times, but that’s just me.”