Parts enquiries
Tel: +44 (0) 1926 835296

From the Ace Vehicle Deliveries Sports / Saloon Championship 2000

Over fifty competitors took to the grid for this years championship, as the entry peaked with 31 cars for round seven at Oulton Park. While the fight for overall race honours tended to depend on the weather, Gareth Lloyd's Ford Escort Cosworth in the wet or Tony Sugden's Skoda in the dry, almost everyone had someone to race with whether it be in class overall.

Sugden began the year with three straight wins at Mallory, Oulton Park and Cadwell, before giving the Anglesey double-header a miss. Lloyd made the most of his rivals absence to win both rounds and reached the halfway point of the year with three wins too, after dominating again at a wet Mallory, as Richard Ward's Lotus Elan pipped Sugden for second. While Sugden returned to the top step of the podium on the return to Oulton Park, neither he nor Lloyd could match the pace of Steve Hall's Skoda Rapide at the August Bank Holiday round at Oulton.

With only six cars contesting Class A all season, Sugden was hoping for the gremlins to put a stop to Lloyd's consistency, if he as to have any chance of the overall title. But while Sugden still chased the overall wins, Lloyd started to drive for points and apart from blistering starts that was exactly what he did. Sugden picked up two further victories at Oulton Park before heading for double-header finale at Croft. To say that the first race at Croft was wet was a complete understatement, but it played straight into Lloyd's hands and the title was secured.

Sugden only finished out of the top two on two occasions, both in the wet and secured second overall by a solitary from Chris Griffiths Davrian. In his class he was rarely headed, but at Croft in the wet Simon Allaway did just that for a while and didn't even know it. Allaway's Wildcat Esprit contested eight rounds and was a regular top four finisher. His high point came with a second place at Oulton Park, but the lows included a collision with outgoing Champion Chris Maries, who after two starts and two retirements failed to re-appear with his Marcos in the Championship.

Allaway took the runner-up spot in Class A but things might have been a bit closer, if Jean-Francois Bihl hadn't had a pre-season crash at Mallory, only to lunch his TVR Tuscan's engine at Oulton Park in round seven after only three outings. Bihl secured third in class thanks to a brace of thirds at Anglesey, while Mike Blomfield's Sierra was another late starter, debuting in round seven at Oulton Park after sitting out the wet Mallory after qualifying. Like Sugden he was lost in the wet, but ended the season on a high with second place in the final round at Croft. Mike Allen's VW Beetle was the only other Class A participant.

Although Class B was also short of numbers it had no shortage of quality. Richard Winter's Banks Europa scored points on every outing apart from round three at Oulton, when he was caught up in a startline shunt with Neil Sampson's Capri and Phil Sutcliffe's BMW, after Maries Marcos broke its transmission. But once Richard Ward's Elan joined in from Anglesey onwards, he tended to be looking for second rather than the class laurels. But as well as chasing his class title Ward was well in contention at the head of the field, and picked up two second places overall at Oulton Park and one each at Anglesey and Mallory. Having announced his retirement from racing prior to the final rounds at Croft, he was out to impress. But a dose of 'flu left him feeling below par and an off at Sunny as he tried to pass Allaway left his Elan in a similar state. Steve Hall took third in class behind Ward and Winter, having taken a win at Mallory, second at Cadwell and retired on his other three outings. Pete Edwards Mini made one appearance, Brian Brady's Europa was out twice, but only made one start and that ended on the first lap at Cadwell. At the end of the year Phil Barak also returned after a decade away, and promised to return in 2001 with his ex Nigel Reuben Elan.

Martin Brockhouse's Skoda was never really under threat in Class C, as apart from the occasional appearance of Phil Hepworth's Mini he was unchallenged. Fresh from a fine fifth overall at Anglesey on his seasonal debut, Hepworth's car was seriously damaged at Oulton Park, and only made one further start. Colin Flynn's Mini finished as runner-up and David Owen and Guy Smallthwaite's Mini were also seen in the class.

Only two points for fastest laps at Anglesey and Oulton Park stopped Lloyd from a 100% score in Class D. They were claimed by Nick Cresswell's ex BTCC Mazda 323F, which was never lower than fifth from its seven outings which were highlighted by a second place at Anglesey. But Cresswell lost out on second in class to the indecently quick Rover of Duncan Aukland, thanks to a terrific fourth overall in the wet Croft race. Pip Gardner's Mazda RX7 was usually a reliable class performer but ended the year with engine problems, while Ralph Underwood was just pleased to be in front of someone with his Rover. Of the rest Mark Clements put in some impressive drives with his Sapphire Cosworth, seeing out the year with second overall at Croft. Sutcliffe bought Don Grice's BMW after his own was wrecked and made intermittent appearances. Bob Claxton contested the latter part of the season in his Renault 21 Turbo, whereas ex Mod Saloon racer Scott Austin disappeared with his Escort after the first three rounds. Mark Primett was a regular in his Banks Europa, but reliability was at a premium, while Ric Wood (Holden Commodore) and Colin Stott (Capri) both showed well in one-off's.

Chris Griffiths kept his Championship hopes alive until the bitter end, but had to be satisfied with the Class E title and third overall in the end. Ian Wilson's Banks Europa was the only challenger, but Jim Mitchell's Sprite put up some stirring drives too. Paul Hardman's Mini was the only other regular class contender.

FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS

1 GARETH LLOYD 91 points OVERALL & CLASS D CHAMPION
2 TONY SUGDEN 80 CLASS A CHAMPION
3 CHRIS GRIFFITHS 79 CLASS E CHAMPION
4 RICHARD WARD 51 CLASS B CHAMPION
5 IAN WILSON 44 2ND IN CLASS E
6 RICHARD WINTER 42 2ND IN CLASS B
7 MARTIN BROCKHOUSE 37 CLASS C CHAMPION
8 DUNCAN AUKLAND 35 2ND IN CLASS D
9 NICK CRESSWELL 34 3RD IN CLASS D
10 SIMON ALLAWAY 23 2ND IN CLASS A
11 JIM MITCHELL 22 3RD IN CLASS E
12 COLIN FLYNN 21 2ND IN CLASS C
13 JEAN-FRANCOIS BIHL 16 3RD= IN CLASS A
      MIKE BLOMFIELD 16 3RD= IN CLASS A
15 PIP GARDNER 15 4TH IN CLASS D
16 PAUL HARDMAN 14 4TH IN CLASS E
     RALPH UNDERWOOD 14 5TH IN CLASS C
18 MARK CLEMENTS 13 6TH=IN CLASS C
     STEVE HALL 13 3RD IN CLASS B
     PHIL SUTCLIFFE 13 6TH=IN CLASS C