STRONG & VARIED ENTRIES ROLL IN FOR TOUR BRITANNIA 2006
Tour Britannia, Britain’s only historic Race Tour, has attracted a strong and diverse initial entry. The event, which will run for the second time from 5th to 8th September, combines the best of the country’s race circuits with special tests in the grounds of castles, stately homes and parks.
Entries for Tour Britannia close on 3rd July, but there has already been a rush of interest in the event. Likely front-runners include last year’s second place finisher, Irishman Howard Redhouse, in his impressive V8-engined Lotus 30 sports-racing car. A strong challenge will come from a gaggle of more nimble Chevrons in the experienced hands of Michael Schryver, Gareth Burnett and multiple Tour Auto winner Chris Chiles.
From France comes Yves Junne with a Porsche 904 steeped in history. This car won the legendary Targa Florio road race in Italy in 1964 before going on to finish second overall in the snowy 1965 Monte Carlo Rally in the hands of Eugen Böhringer. Truly a versatile machine.
Leading the ever-popular Porsche 911s is last year’s fifth place finisher Nick Whale, although he can expect a strong challenge from ex-Touring car ace Peter Lovett. Robi Bernberg returns with his 911 while Adam Wiseberg drives a similar machine.
2005 Tour Britannia winner on Index, Rudiger Friedrichs, has again entered his Alvis Speed 20, while from Switzerland, the father and son team of Arnold and Diego Meier bring an impressive Ferrari Daytona Competizione and an Alfa Romeo 1600GTA.
As in 2005 there are a considerable number of big V8-engined machines. Doug Allen, from Colorado, returns with his Ford Mustang 289, while last year’s eighth place team of David and Caroline Betts have their usual Shelby GT350. Pietro Silva brings his De Tomaso Pantera from Italy to challenge Malcolm Verey’s Sunbeam Tiger, Roy Stephenson’s Ford Mustang and Jonathan Bradburn’s AC Cobra. Richard Lloyd is hoping for a more reliable run this year in the A J Rivers’ Camaro, similar to the car with which the late James Hunt won the 1973 Tour of Britain.
Other interesting vehicles to feature on the start list for Tour Britannia 2006 are Chris Levett-Prinsep’s Austin Healey 3000, Norman Grimshaw’s Mini Cooper S, Michael O’Shea’s Fiat Dino Spyder, Kevin Zwolinski’s Jaguar XK120 and Peter Mullen in his Alfa. Mike Smith, who took his Ford Escort TC to a giant-killing 13th overall in 2005, reckons he has found the ideal machine to win this year’s event and so is keeping it a secret……even from the organisers!
In the more relaxed Touring Regularity Category competitors cover all the same terrain as the Competition Category without the emphasis on outright speed. 2005 winner John Ruston trades his Talbot 105 for an AC Ace, Philippe Olczyk exchanges his Bizzarini for an Iso Rivolta, and Julian Taylor brings a pretty Ferrari Dino 246GT to join Daily Telegraph Motoring Editor Peter Hall in a Triumph GT6.
Tour Britannia will run from Tuesday 5th to Friday 8th September 2006 and will be based at the exclusive Coombe Abbey Hotel in Warwickshire.
Regulations and entry forms can be found on the event website:
TourBritannia.com, or are available from:
Tour Britannia Ltd.
Suite 300
29 / 30 Horse Fair
Banbury
Oxon
OX16 0BW
