Race Reports
and Results
Sandown Historics
2007
(updated regularly)
November 10 & 11
I wish the NSW folk who bemoan the supposed “fact” that Porsches have ruined Group Sc could have been at Sandown. Victorian Sc grids are quite different from those in NSW, as a glance at the qualifying times will reveal. On pole, Perry Spiridis in a De Tomaso Pantera GTS. Then came Michael Byrne in the Lotus Seven S4, Ross Jackson in a De Tomaso Pantera (not a GTS) and finally, Phil Verwoert and Stan Adler in Porsches. A strong sixth was George Nittis in the Shelby 350GT, followed by Paul Sabine in a Corvette. Brian Taylor’s Porsche, James Flett’s 260Z and Roland Newman’s Porsche made up the top ten. The mixed nature of the grid continued, with Fulton’s De Tomaso, Schuller’s Corvette, Batchelor’s BMW, Rohan Hodges (Lotus Elan) and Jim Reark’s Ferrari 308GT4 peppered through the grid. There were also a couple of Sb Porsches (including my SWB ’67 911S), but Geoff Pike’s MGB was just ahead in the same class. It my was Michael Japp's first race in Sc and he enjoyed being out with Group S and getting used to wheel to wheel action!
Race 1
When did you last hear of a race with a De Tomaso 1-2? That’s what happened in Race 1, with Perry Spiridis taking a win from Ross Jackson, followed by Byrne’s Lotus, Paul Sabine’s Corvette and Brian Taylor’s Porsche, the latter two up three places on practice. I’m not sure what happened to George Nittis but it can’t have been good, as he was officially placed 31st in the results. Geoff Pike was having a ripper weekend in the MGB winning his class in 15th outright, ahead of my Porsche (18th) and Whitten’s MGB (19th).
Race 2
Those bloody De Tomasos! They’re ruining Sc! Yes, it was another 1-2, followed by the experienced Stan Adler, who used to race an FJ when they weren’t historic. Fourth was Michael Byrne, then Verwoert and George Nittis who must have been pleased the grids weren’t progressive. Then it was Sabine, Mark Johnson’s Porsche entering the top 10 for the first time in the weekend, Flett and Fulton’s De Tomaso (Yes, De Tomaso 3, Porsche 2 in the top ten). Pike won his class again and Whitton and Webster continued their weekend battle. Taylor’s weekend started to go pear-shaped, with a 15th position finish.
Race 3
Perry Spiridis made it 3 wins from 3 races, with Paul Sabine the big mover in the Corvette finishing second. Ross Jackson had to put up with third, and Byrne finished fourth in the rapid little Lotus, which must have a wicked power/weight ratio. Adler, Verwoert, Ian Ross’s Shelby, Flett and Johnson rounded out the top ten. Pike was again dux of his class, and the Webster vs. Whitten battle was finally resolved on a Webster 2, Whitten 1 basis in terms of their respective finishing positions. There is some great footage on www.youtube.com/aewebster.
Click here to see the videos of the race