after all these years

Anybody who follows the Heritage GT Challenge will be used to seeing a Chevrolet Camaro taking the chequered flag first, just as it did in the cars heyday when the late Australian ace Frank Gardner was a prolific winner in British Touring Cars.

But did you know that until earlier this month; a Camaro was the last Chevrolet to win a British Touring Car race? When Jason Plato won the third race of the day at Brands Hatch recently, it ended something like 35 or so barren years in BTCC for Chevvy.

With its heady and eclectic mix of machinery from the '60s, 70s and into the 1980s, the Heritage GT Challenge has rarely failed to capture the imagination of racegoers.  For those of us old enough to recall the BTCC of that era, it is a chance to relive our youth. For those weaned on a diet of single class structure BTCC, it's an insight as to what the then multi-class BTCC was all about.

Whether it's seeing the little ones trying to get the better of a big 'un or simply the thrill of watching drivers of the big V8s trying to tame more power than they have grip, there is something for everyone. In terms of controlling power while driving sideways, few in Heritage have matched father and son pairing Arthur and Boysie Thurtle in their Chevrolet Camaro.

The Thurtles have won many races, maybe not as many as the Camaro drivers did in BTCC in those days of yore, but hey who' s counting? Let's just savour what life was like back then!

Jason Plato has got Chevrolet back on the winners step in BTCC at long last, but can he do it again or will it be left to the Camaro drivers in the Heritage GT Challenge to uphold marque honour? Perhaps he can but the shrewd money would surely have to be on our Heritage races.You can find out by visiting Donington Park for the season openers over the weekend of April 25/26; but if you can't make that date, don't worry because one week later (May 1/3), Heritage is supporting A1GP on the fabulous Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit.