Sports/Saloon Car Championship – Oulton Park preview

30 CAR CNC HEADS GRID FOR DAVE SIMPSON MEMORIAL TROPHY

All three winners so far this year will be in action at Oulton Park on Saturday, as the CNC Heads Sports Saloons reach the halfway point in their season.

Jon Woolfitt’ MK Indy was the first to take a win back in March at the Oulton opener, and is the only class A entry. Cadwell double winner Andrew Southcott’s MG Modsport will have his hands full however in class B, where Paul Woolfitt, Jon’s brother is sure to be at the front in Lotus Exige.

They also have the flamboyant Paul Dobson in his flame spitting Locost to contend with, along with the very experienced but new to CNC Heads, Danny Winstanley, in a Caterham Superlight. Brian Dean’s Westfield completes the class, after he returned at Cadwell after a few years out.

Class C will have the continuing rivalry of Dave Harvey’s fast starting Stuart Taylor Locosaki and Danny Bird’s Anglesey treble winning Spire, with Harvey playing second fiddle so far this year. They have Graeme Smith’s joining them, along with debutant Richard Jessop’s Mini Miglia.

Qualifying is at 10.10am and the race commences at 14.15.

Oliver Thomas is due back out in his Subaru Impreza, having borrowed a Honda Civic at Anglesey, but he has Nigel Mustill’s ex British GT Nissan GTR to fight with in class D. Garry Wardle brings out his Mini Cooper S again, along with Championship veterans Ralph Underwood in his TR7 V8 and Bob Claxton’s VW Golf Gti.

Once again almost half of the grid are contesting class E. Rob Burkinshaw’s Honda Integra has been the pacesetter but if the weather is changeable then Nicholas Bartlett’s BMW M3 will be there. Jamie Cryer will be hoping for reliability in his Ginetta G20 after too many DNF’s. But with Steven Parker’s BMW Compact back to its best, Chris Maries having sorted his ex Steve Rowles’ Integra to his liking and Ian Bruce’s Civic Type R keen to add to his first podium at Anglesey, it’s all very competitive. There are also Civic’s out for newcomers Jonathan Swift and Stephen Sawley, while Graeme Laslett rejoins the fray in his Lotus Elise. Connor Modro and David Jones are in their Ford Focus’, with Brian Allen’s Ford Puma and Peter Koukoulas’ Toyota MR2 completing the class line-up.

There are only three takers in class E however, as David Bird and David Green are in their Civic’s, joined by Barry Long’s Mini Cooper, who had non-started the last four rounds.

Peter Scherer