Group C Legends race at Le Mans

[John Turner]

Just watched it live. A bit of a race of attrition with practically all the front guys having punctures - some self inflicted. Berridge managing to bin the quickest car (Sauber Merc) on the first lap. Still he was never going to win as he then had two punctures. Shame for Nathan Kinch although I'm not sure a GTP Spice should win this race. Either Gary Pearson (Jag) or David Hart (Nissan) really should then have won it, but they touched and both had punctures (although Hart's might have been from a touch from a backmarker that moved over on him). So well done to Justin Law, another win, in the Jag, but in a car which was, at best, 5th fastest. A shortage of 956/962 variants, and shame no AMR1.

Any comments?

[TC.]

How many cars showed up, I thought Andy Purdy (Nissan R90) and Mark Sumpter (Joest 962) were due to race and should have both been on the money? That Spice is very quick, I used to run Charlie Agg in the From A Nissan and at Daytona there was not much between the two but the C11s must have up to 1000 HP so no excuse really.

David Hart drives an ex Nova 962 albeit with a Kremer K8 tail and CK6 nose which are both incorrect for a 1990 962! One of the downsides of having your car run by the ex Kremer crew chief I guess.

Ditto on Justin, Don and the boys, another great result. As you say on paper the old V12 should not be as quick as it is but they have them very well sorted with Justin always managing to get the best out of them.

[John Turner]

Welcome TC.

Just heard from my son, Kev, who is out there, and I quote

'Group C cars looked cool, but it was a shame about all the tyre problems. Nobody is quite sure why yet - had a chat to Berridge, Law, Evans and Pearson. The C11 was easily the quickest thing in the place between tyre failures, and recorded a time good enough for 24th in the main race!'

I think that there were about 20 starters, so a bit light on cars. Didn't hear any reference to Purdy or Sumpter in the commentary.

[John Turner]

I should add that qualifying was in very wet conditions and Law was on pole, although in the race, which was dryer but track still damp and greasy, Pearson got him almost straight away in the newer Jag.

[TC.]

Thanks John, I though I should chip in, looks a great forum.

Ah yes, I can understand Justin getting pole in the wet.

With only 20 cars there may be a big whole in the finances this year, I know that due to the ridiculously small paddock space that the ACO supply the limit was goikng to be 30 and earlier there were talks of the race being oversubscribed!

[TC.]

Sound like a dodgy batch of tyres, had the same thing with Goodyears a few years back at Daytona which turned out to be new old stock. All the front riunners are on Dunlops which have never been a problem.

[John Turner]

Look forward to more contribs from you. Most are into historic cars of earlier periods so it's good to have someone interested and knowledgeable on the Group C period.

If I find anything more about the tyres situation, I'll post it up.

[p261brm]

Any news JT of Martin O' Connel please?

[john ruston]

Sounds like Geoff Lister is Laws benefactor!

[TC.]

Can you expand on that John???

[TC.]

Latest gossip from Le Frog land, apparently the Kinch Spice has an 850BHP motor so probably not the maximum 6.5L as per period regulation requirements and Paul Wight (Aston AMR1 no show) has bought the Bob Berrige,s (Gareth Evans owned) C11.

Looks as though the punctures were mainly self inflicted by all accounts.

[john ruston]

To expand,The TV commentator said twice that Geoff had bought a car from Law's and this enabled The Law's to use the older car to race.Thought Geoff was due to race but presumably car not ready.
He can always do LMC anyway.He is on entry list.

Seems if Legends had have run a Pre 56 race they would have had so many more entries.

Why Group C if it is in such obviously bad shape.

[Rudernst]

Originally Posted by john ruston

To expand,The TV commentator said twice that Geoff had bought a car from Law's and this enabled The Law's to use the older car to race.Thought Geoff was due to race but presumably car not ready.
He can always do LMC anyway.He is on entry list.

Seems if Legends had have run a Pre 56 race they would have had so many more entries.

Why Group C if it is in such obviously bad shape.

Thats quite easy to answer. Legends can suggest what they would like to run but it is the ACO that actually makes the decision.
I assume that once in a while the ACO wants something more special than us usual historic racing suspects.

Rudolf

[John Turner]

It was decided that Geoff Lister's car was just not race ready, so the Laws who weren't going to run, took over the entry. That is how I understood it, anyway.

[ran]

do the group C legends have a website ?

[john ruston]

That seems to be about it.
Geoff bought his Jag from The Law's three/four weeks ago expecting to race but it didn't happen.
Legends fill the grid when they run pre 74 races ,pre 66 ,Pre 55 etc and even ACO can work out that they get much more dosh with other age cars as proven many times in past six/seven years.
Be interesting if Legends keep the race or Peter Auto grab it.Hope Duncan holds onto it.

[Peter Mallett]

Re the Spice. I stand to be corrected but 850bhp from a T/C engine wasn't unheard of in the mid/late eighties and the GTP Pontiac was such an engine wasn't it?

The C2 was a different beast though.

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by ran

do the group C legends have a website ?

Well if you google it, you get a few sites but I suggest this is the official one:-

http://www.groupcracing.com/pages/gr...endar-for-2010

Also see that Don Law has his own site, too.

[exnigel]

Hi all. I am pretty sure that in the years when LMC takes place the Legends race is from a period that doesn't clash with that........

Nigel Batchelor

[john ruston]

2006 Legends Pre 56!Same year as LMC.

Can't see point of Group C at Le Mans as they look to much like the actual 24 hr cars rather than give the punters something completely different.

[John Turner]

John, Grumpy; take your rose tinted glasses off and put your proper ones on!

[ran]

cheers, did google, but missed this one, so thankyou

Originally Posted by John Turner

Well if you google it, you get a few sites but I suggest this is the official one:-

http://www.groupcracing.com/pages/gr...endar-for-2010

Also see that Don Law has his own site, too.

[simon drabble]

have to say I would prefer to watch some seriously good drivers in great iconic Group C cars at Le Mans than a load of weekend warriers in old cars driven at "Curate's egg" levels....

Sadly I missed it as I had to do something in the morning.

[zefarelly]

I prefer the older stuff myself, and weekend warriors or not theres usually some good racing going on somewhere . . .last years dice for the front wasn't too shabby.

[Peter Mallett]

83 to 89 there were some great races and indeed fantastic cars (Lancia anybody?). Then Merc and later Peugeot came along and basically killed it.