Pre-66 Touring Cars

Imagine a world of wheel-to-wheel saloon car racing, full grids and a host of manufacturers fighting for honours...welcome to The Masters Historic Racing Pre-66 Touring Car Championship. For years, pre-66 touring car grids have boasted a little and large ethos: American V8 muscle takes on humble, but quick, Mini Coopers with Lotus Cortinas and BMW 1800s thrown in against them. This weekend will be no different, but a cracking grid should produce a superb race, which boasts a wonderful entry. Perennial winner Leo Voyazides will be hard to bet against in his Bruce Stevens-tended Ford Falcon, shared as usual with Simon Hadfield, while Mike Gardiner pedals his similar example shared with former PFA and one-make saloon racer Niki Faulkner. Gardiner has been claiming many wins in the HSCC's touring car championship in this mighty Falcon but rarely have he and Voyazides gone head-to-head: this could be quite a showdown... Elsewhere, look for Jason Minshaw at the helm of Martin Melling's Falcon and Roger Willis in his rare Mercury Comet Cyclone. Of the smaller cars, look for former Champion Henry Manns (Lotus Cortina) and Shaun Lynn in one of his occasional outings in touring cars, also Lotus Cortina-mounted, while son-and-father Sean and Michael McInerney will be rapid in their Cortina as well. Peter James has one-make ace Paul Taft sharing his BMW 1800Ti, while Masters supremo Ron Maydon heads the Mini Cooper entry, chased by Keith Padmore and Christian Devereux. Expect a battle royal between the Minis. Like most of the races at this year's Donington Historic Festival, the Masters Pre-66 Touring Car Championship features mandatory pit stops and driver changes for the double-driver entries, meaning that places can be won or lost in the pit as well as on the track.Tags:Classic Touring Cars, Donington Historic Festival