ICS Historic Racing Saloon Car Championship

[Malcolm Smith]

I remember some great races when the ICS saloons visited Knockhill
during the 1990s, when they accompanied The British Touring Car Championship. Looking through some old programmes, I see races took place from 1993 to 1997 inclusive - sample attached.
I am interested to know :

In what year did the ICS Championship begin?
When did it end?
Why did it end?
Were cars which entered exclusive to that championshp, or did
they compete in other events?

[GORDON STREETER]

It actually began in 1992 but joined the BTCC in 1993, I believe it did finish in 1997 before turning into various championships finishing up as "Classic Thunder"
By this time as the cut off point was altered allowing newer faster cars in most left and used their cars in other races that they were allowed in.
I did every race in the championships until 2001 and actually won the "Classic Thunder" in that year.
By this time the writing was on the wall for these older cars that were built exploiting all the "grey area's" that they could at the time.
It was a busy schedule in the Toca package as it would take three days at the circuits most of the time and there was no way that I could have done it without backing from my sponsors.
As I was a glutton for punishment I also used to do some "winter warmer" races at Brands and Snetterton with a fair amount of success with the same car in the "off seasons".

[ascona i2000]

I can remember watching this championship on a few occasions. I was at Brands when Roly Nix put his Camaro on its roof at Graham Hill.
The ground actually did shake!!!
Great series with some lovely cars

[John Turner]

Historic Racing becoming part of Racing History. Love it. And 'yes' some great cars.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Historic Racing becoming part of Racing History. Love it. And 'yes' some great cars.

yes this is true!

When's someone going to start a thread about the Atlantic computers Historic GT series or similar, as that was the best part of 25 years ago that would also count as Historic racing becoming historic!

The ICS series was pretty good Pete Hall ran a Mustang to start with there was some lovely Anglias and Minis and I remember a great big metal coloured rare Chevrolet model of some description that John Young drove for a while? Not a Camaro, but something else....

Then, later on, Camaro's took over and that was the end of that really I thought?

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by chunterer

I remember a great big metal coloured rare Chevrolet model of some description that John Young drove for a while? Not a Camaro, but something else....

It was a Malibu that was sold on to D Tweeks, I think they still have it !
I expect Jason will let us know

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

It was a Malibu that was sold on to D Tweeks, I think they still have it !
I expect Jason will let us know

Yes that's the one! It looked like it hadn't been finished!!!!

[morninggents]

Just to add a bit to Gordon's post, particularly the early days of ICS Historic Saloons. Pete Hall first raced with HRSR Historic Saloons in his Mustang in 1991 and his ICS company sponsored the 1992 championship with Pete winning the overall title. It was close as one Gordon Streeter tied on total points but lost out on dropped scores. ICS sponsored the HRSR championship again in 1993 and Pete Hall was overall champion again.
The decision by ICS (co-ordinated by Stuart McCrudden) to become part of the BTCC package made the racing too expensive (both in terms of cost and time) for the average HRSR member and ICS went it's own way with HRSR struggling for a couple of years before becoming part of the HSCC family.

The Malibu was a great car and made it's debut with HRSR in 1989, built by Steve Warrior and driven by John Young. However, it was far too heavily developed during it's ICS years and was hardly a 'Malibu' by the end, albeit intersting as it was a different shape from the usual Mustangs and Camaros and usually driven in an entertaining fashion.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by morninggents

The decision by ICS (co-ordinated by Stuart McCrudden)
.

Stuart came in later Pete, it was John Davenport IIRC

[ascona i2000]

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...s-spec/1060760

[Malcolm Smith]

Gordon, Peter, thanks for the information.

I was very impressed by the Malibu, but I don't think it ever won at Knockhill. Mustangs and Camaros were usually the victors.

A few photos attached.

One other question; I remember three yellow Lotus Cortinas from Marksdanes Racing, were the drivers Nick Stagg / Peter Landers / Jim Harris ?

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Stuart came in later Pete, it was John Davenport IIRC

Quite correct - it was John Davenport. But it was 20 years ago!

[morninggents]

Malcolm, the third Marksdanes driver was Jim Harris, along with Nick and Peter. Number 72 in your photos was Glen Maskell - one of the founders of HRSR. Also , the Anglia in the distance in one of the shots looks a bit Gordon Streeterish. I see from the entry list in your earlier post that I was down for the Knockhill event but I didn't make it there. Still haven't!

[Malcolm Smith]

Originally Posted by morninggents

Malcolm, the third Marksdanes driver was Jim harris. Number 72 in your photos was Glen Maskell - one of the founders of HRSR. Also , the Anglia in the distance in one of the shots looks a bit Gordon Streeterish. I see from the entry list in your earlier post that I was down for the Knockhill event but I didn't make it there. Still haven't!

Thanks.

I'm sure that you would be welcome in the Invitation Class of the Scottish Classics!

[Al Weyman]

Is that a young Mark Wright pushing the Mustang onto the trailer?

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

Is that a young Mark Wright pushing the Mustang onto the trailer?

No that is John Simons who was Pete's mechanic, he worked for Andy Rouse and ICS.

[KA]

Originally Posted by chunterer

The ICS series was pretty good Pete Hall ran a Mustang to start with there was some lovely Anglias and Minis and I remember a great big metal coloured rare Chevrolet model of some description that John Young drove for a while? Not a Camaro, but something else....

Then, later on, Camaro's took over and that was the end of that really I thought?

Thinking back, the ICS saloons always used to be one of the highlights of of a BTCC meeting for me- as you say, some great cars.

Nick Swift's yellow Mini was always a favourite- I've got a vague recollection of him having a really entertaining scrap for the lead with one of the V8s (John Young comes to mind, but in a Mustang, rather than the Malibu?) at a wet Brands Indy.

There were always plenty of Mustangs and Camaros around- a couple we've not mentioned so far- Nicky and Amanda Torregiani's 'his & hers' pair of Mustangs in their distinctive 'Malta National Tourist Office' colours- IIRC did they have a Lotus Cortina as well?
http://www.jwarthog.com/images/mustang_0001.jpg

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by KA

There were always plenty of Mustangs and Camaros around- a couple we've not mentioned so far- Nicky and Amanda Torregiani's 'his & hers' pair of Mustangs in their distinctive 'Malta National Tourist Office' colours- IIRC did they have a Lotus Cortina as well?

Yes Nick had the "Classic Mustang and Amanda had the "fastback" version, and they did have a Cortina that Norman Rickets brought (and still has) along with Simon Crompton's BMW that was a winner on many occasions.
Swifty won outright at Oulton Park in the rain as well in his rapid Mini !

[Robyn Slater]

Just come across this on 105speed forum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PWylI979F8

[GORDON STREETER]

Mmm I don't know what happened in that race as I had qualified up the sharp end ?

[morninggents]

I think that was the one where Bob Sherring put his Galaxie on it's roof coming out of Sear on the first lap. The race was red flagged and restarted. Note you weren't in the restart, Gordon. I wasn't there that day so don't know what happened.

[Craner Curves]

I loved watching the ICS series when it came to Knockhill. Especially as it was even narrower back then before they did the upgrades.

I noticed some yellow Cortinas. The Vaulkhards ran a yellow Cortina in various historic races a few years back, same car?

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

I noticed some yellow Cortinas. The Vaulkhards ran a yellow Cortina in various historic races a few years back, same car?

Yes but Nigel's wasn't one of the Marksdane cars, his was run by John Smirthwaite. I believe he still has it as I have raced against it up to a few years back at Spa.

[GORDON STREETER]

This one !

[Malcolm Smith]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Yes but Nigel's wasn't one of the Marksdane cars, his was run by John Smirthwaite. I believe he still has it as I have raced against it up to a few years back at Spa.

I'm fairly sure that Nigel Vaulkhard's was that previously entered by Sean Brown - during his ownership it was red, with Momo sponsorship. (I have a photo somewhere..... but can't find it now.)