Entries continue to build for Tour Britannia 2006
Tour Britannia, Britain’s only historic Race Tour, continues to attract a diverse 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.
With just over one month to go until entries close on 3rd July, there is already an exciting list of drivers and cars committed to the event.
Leading the field away from the start at Coombe Abbey in Warwickshire will be the competitors in the Touring – Regularity category. 2005 winner John Ruston has exchanged his 1934 Talbot for an AC Ace, and a similar car will be driven by last year’s third-place driver, Belgian Marc Vandendijk. Having been co-driven by brother Stefan last year, Marc will now be navigated by wife An!
Exotic V8 fan Philippe Olczyk exchanges his Bizzarini for an Iso Rivolta, Julian Taylor brings a pretty Ferrari Dino 246GT while Daily Telegraph motoring writers Peter Hall and Andrew English will share a Triumph GT6.
In the Competition category, 2005 winner Ray Bellm has swapped his Ford GT40 for a Lotus Elan and the ex-FIA GT World Champion promises to be a top contender for overall Tour Britannia honours. Last year’s runner up Howard Redhouse also has a Lotus, but his is a monstrous V8 powered 30, and the Irishman will be looking to go one place better in 2006.
Chevrons have replaced Ford GT40s as the most popular weapon of choice. Michael Schryver, Chris Chiles and Gareth Burnett are all in B8s and their races should be memorable.
With more twisty circuits and an increased stage mileage in the 2006 Tour Britannia route, Porsche 911s may well feature at the top of the leaderboard, especially with the likes of Nick Faure, Peter Lovett, Nick Whale and Paul Howells at the wheel. Robi Bernberg returns with his more standard 911, while Adam Wiseberg drives a similar machine.
Austin Healeys didn’t feature in the inaugural Tour Britannia entry list but this year already three have been entered. 1994 Tour Auto winner Bobby Bell drives Oliver Harris’s 100/4, while Chris Levett-Prinsep has a 3000 MkII. Eric Woolley swaps the Mustang he campaigned in 2005 for a 3000 Sebring.
Ford Mustangs are as popular as ever with David and Caroline Betts hoping to repeat their success of 2005 with their Shelby GT350, while Colorado’s Doug Allen is back again. Newcomers Roy Stephenson and auction house boss Simon Hope bring along similar examples. Other big V8s include the Chevrolets of Richard Lloyd and Rob Potter, with ex Formula 2 star Jac Nelleman sharing the wheel. Jonathan Bradburn’s Cobra, Malcolm Verey’s Sunbeam Tiger and Pietro Silva’s de Tomaso are also V8 powered.
Frenchman Yves Junne comes fresh from his post-historic victory in the Tour Auto, where Tour Britannia Sporting Director Fred Gallagher was co-driving. Junne swaps his Porsche 910 for a 904 this time and should be a top contender for outright victory in the Index of Performance classification.
Rudiger Friedrichs, last year’s Tour Britannia Index victor, comes from Germany with his 1932 Alvis Speed 20 while, from Switzerland, Arnold and Diego Meier have a Ferrari Daytona and an Alfa Romeo GTA respectively.
Other interesting vehicles to feature on the start list for Tour Britannia 2006 are Norman Grimshaw’s Mini Cooper S, Michael O’Shea’s Fiat Dino Spyder, Kevin Zwolinski’s Jaguar XK120 and Peter Mullen’s Alfa. Mike Smith, who took his Ford Escort TC to a giant-killing 13th overall in 2005, is back and looking forward to continuing his class battle with the Alpine-Renault of Charles Reynolds and John Day.
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
