American Speedfest
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Strains of the “Star-Spangled Banner” rang around Brands Hatch again on the weekend of 6-7 June when the Nascar boys returned for the 13th running of American Speedfest, one of the most popular events at the venue. A race each day for the “Pro” and “Am” groups, amongst this year’s drivers was Nelson Piquet Jnr. having just his third NASCAR race. He finished second on Saturday but retired from the second race. It meant a return to the Brands Hatch podium for him some 21 years after winning two A1 GP races at the circuit. Eric Sawyer reports…
Saturday turned rainy and most races were on a wet track, with the associated America car displays rather sparse. Fortunately, Sunday was at least dry and the area along the main straight was packed with American cars and crowds.
Amongst the support races most “historic” was a contest started a couple of years ago highlighting the Ford verses Chevy rivalry that this year attracted an increased entry of 28 cars almost equally split between the marques. After a wet qualifying session, it was the experienced Abbie Eaton quickest in her 1968 Chevy Camaro who led the opening lap. However, an early unexpected visit to the pits dropped her out of contention and the race became a battle between Jake Swan’s 1966 Camaro and the later 1971 version of Robert Hollyman. Swan headed the pair all the way to the flag to win by just 1.5 seconds.
Rain or shine, Abbie Eaton was quickest in her 1968 Chevy Camaro Photo Eric Sawyer
Eaton started Sunday’s dry race in 13th place. A first lap incident brought out a safety car for six laps which kept the field together with Hollyman ahead of Swan. Once released, Eaton quickly made her way through the field, aided a little by back markers, to take the lead and go on to win by just over 13 seconds from Hollyman and Swan. After the two races the Chevy camp had the bragging rights, with seven cars in the top 10 of race one and 8 in the second.
The Bernies V-8s support race, a mix of American muscle, MGB V8s, with a sizeable group of TVRs, saw Saturday’s wet race dominated by one of the TVRs, Michael Saunders in his Tuscan Challenge car, leading from start to finish just ahead of the similar car of Peter Ankers. On Sunday it was a fast-starting Matthew Ellis in the only non-V-8 car in the race who took the lead in his Talbot Sunbeam Lotus, a car driven by his father in the first race. Behind him spinning cars at Druids on the opening lap dropped Saturday’s race winner almost to the back of the field. Whilst Ellis led every lap Saunders gradually clawed his way through the field but eventually finished just over seven seconds behind Ellis, with Ankers third.
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