Group A Ford Sierra RS500

[stef74]

Hi Wireless
I need some information about chassis EGMO 90.02, normally this car run just fot spa and barthust

thanks

[KA]

Way back at the start of the thread, we mentioned appearances by Production Saloon Cosworths in a few BTCC rounds in 1987. A couple of great pics by Phil Rainford that turned up on the Autosport forum over the weekend; From the 1987 British GP meeting at Silverstone- the GP support was always a BTCC round that brought out a few extra cars-

Jerry Mahony...
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...960/img008.jpg

...and Mike Smith...
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...960/img011.jpg

...and as a contrast, a full Group A Cosworth- Pete Hall's ICS car
http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...960/img012.jpg

[Jesper OH]

The 1990 entry of Yves Semoulin for the Spa 24h, entered in class A3 with the Eggenberger Siearras etc.:
racehttp://www.racingsportscars.com/etcc/1990/Spa-1990-07-22-005.jpg

I believe Semoulin was a quite well known local by this point of time going back to the Capri days a decade earlier. This would explain the presence of experienced hand Thierry Tassin and up and coming Formula 3 racer Philippe Adams as codrivers.
But looking at the picture I started to wonder why the car has the appearance of a Group N RS Cosworth! The car qualified within 3/10 of the Kaj Bornebusch RS500 that a year earlier qualified for the front row. Had Belgian Group N simply outlawed turbo cars rendering the Sierra obsolete and thus forcing Semoulin into the Group A class?

Jesper

[KA]

Originally Posted by Jesper OH

The 1990 entry of Yves Semoulin for the Spa 24h, entered in class A3 with the Eggenberger Siearras etc.:
racehttp://www.racingsportscars.com/etcc/1990/Spa-1990-07-22-005.jpg

I believe Semoulin was a quite well known local by this point of time going back to the Capri days a decade earlier. This would explain the presence of experienced hand Thierry Tassin and up and coming Formula 3 racer Philippe Adams as codrivers.
But looking at the picture I started to wonder why the car has the appearance of a Group N RS Cosworth! The car qualified within 3/10 of the Kaj Bornebusch RS500 that a year earlier qualified for the front row. Had Belgian Group N simply outlawed turbo cars rendering the Sierra obsolete and thus forcing Semoulin into the Group A class?

Jesper

Certainly looks like a Group N Cosworth. I'm not sure what regs the Belgian series was using at the time either....

More from Flickr: Andy Rouse and Graham Goode, 1988 BTCC Oulton Park...

http://flickr.com/photos/16788879@N0...7611422894664/

http://flickr.com/photos/16788879@N02/3164756182
/in/set-72157611422894664/

On the subject of Rouse RS500s- in the early 90's the Museum of British Road Transport in Coventry (now Coventry Transport Museum) had a Rouse/ICS Sierra on display. I haven't been back there in well over 10 years, and know the Museum has been massively revamped in new or rebuilt premises. Anyone know if they still have it?

[GBRM]

Andy's workshop was in Coventry but he closed it a few years ago so it might have been on loan due to locality but I'm sure someone will know.

[KA]

Another pic- didn't upload the first time for some reason....

Thanks Gregor- I don't recall when I was last there- probably 1994/5-ish maybe, but I don't know if these pics were taken on that visit

[Herbert]

Originally Posted by Jesper OH

And then some more DTM RS500s. This time the 1988 entries.

1988

Five regular cars – two each from Ringshausen and Grab and a single Wolf entry.


#5 Ringshausen Rennsport / Lui + Texaco / black with yellow trim / Ronal rims
Manuel Reuter was the regular of this car, but missed three rounds over the year. The first two I suspect was simply because the car wasn’t ready, as Ford was hit by strike early in 1988, further causing a lot of privateers missing the opening ETCC race at Monza later in the month.
Reuter was also caught up in one the many crashes at the eventually canselled meeting at the Salzburgring and I assume that’s why he was missing from the following race at Hungaroring.

#19 Grab / Texaco / white, red, black / BBS rims
Frank Biela being the regular of this entry missing the two opening rounds at Zolder and Hockenheim for the same reason Manuel Reuter did is my guess. For some reason also missed round five at Avus.

Manuel Reuter did miss some DTM races in 1988 because his focus was on Sportscar racing with Brun Motorsport. He wanted to establish himself as a Group C pilot. Frank Biela's main program for 1988 was the German F3 Championship where he finished in 3rd position.

[Herbert]

Concerning the Ringshausen-Sierras: The team built their cars themselves, but their engines came first from Wolf and later from Eggenberger.

A reason why the cars in 1989 where so unsuccessful could be the Dunlop tires. Wolf and Grab who were much more successful using Pirellis and Michelins. One problem in 1989 was also the driver pairing Volker Weidler and Günther Murmann. Weidler struggled to find a set-up with the turbo car (his other DTM races were in a normally aspirated Mercedes) that suited his driving style. He also drove in F1 for Rial, so he had to get used to different cars every weekend. He probably lost confidence because he repeatedly failed to qualify in F1 and in touring cars his results weren't good either. Murmann was more or less a pay driver and when his money ren out he lost his drive. At the season final at Hockenheim Arnold Mattschull drove the second Ringshausen-Sierra.

[Jesper OH]

Here's some info from German Rallye-Racing issue 7, 1989 from a portrait of Walter Wolf of Wolf Racing.

There’s clarification of what the former HWRT name was about. With business partner Albert Hammel Wolf formed Hamme-Wolf-Rennsport-Technik in 1979 with Hammel parting company a year later, but the HWRT name remained until some time during 1987!

The article also mentions that the team had build six cars during 1988: 2 for their own consumption, leaving four customer cars. At the same token 24 Group A engines was prepared as well as 70 Group N units.

The two Wolf Racing Sierras must be the Würth DTM car and the AM Motorsport ETCC car. http://www.racingsportscars.com/etcc...-04-17-004.jpg
One customer car went to Mark Petch for Australian and New Zealand races. Herbert says that Ringshausen build their own cars, which would be my guess at the remaining three cars. One for Klaus Niedzwiedz and Manuel Reuter respectively and a replacement for the car that was totalled by a tyre blow-out at the Nürburgring Nordschleife accident in the hands of Niedzwiedz. But would be too nice a fit and way to easy to explain

Jesper

[Herbert]

Jesper, sadly it isn`t as easy as that because Wolf also was involved in rallying. At least Rüdiger Hahn drove a car by Wolf in the German Rally Championship. You can find Wolf Racing stickers above the headlights of that car. So there could be some more Group A Cosworths with which Wolf was involved ...

[William Dale Jr]

Originally Posted by Jesper OH

The article also mentions that the team had build six cars during 1988: 2 for their own consumption, leaving four customer cars. At the same token 24 Group A engines was prepared as well as 70 Group N units.

The two Wolf Racing Sierras must be the Würth DTM car and the AM Motorsport ETCC car. http://www.racingsportscars.com/etcc...-04-17-004.jpg
One customer car went to Mark Petch for Australian and New Zealand races. Herbert says that Ringshausen build their own cars, which would be my guess at the remaining three cars. One for Klaus Niedzwiedz and Manuel Reuter respectively and a replacement for the car that was totalled by a tyre blow-out at the Nürburgring Nordschleife accident in the hands of Niedzwiedz. But would be too nice a fit and way to easy to explain

Jesper

Actually, three Wolf Sierras came to Australia that year. Two were sold to Ian Paxton, with one being used by Robbie Francevic at Winton. These two were then sold to Benson & Hedges Racing at the end of the year. The third car was the Whittaker's Peanut Slab car that went to Mark Petch.

[Jesper OH]

Originally Posted by William Dale Jr

Actually, three Wolf Sierras came to Australia that year. Two were sold to Ian Paxton, with one being used by Robbie Francevic at Winton. These two were then sold to Benson & Hedges Racing at the end of the year. The third car was the Whittaker's Peanut Slab car that went to Mark Petch.

I know that the Petch car was brand new, but what about the Paxton cars? Wolf had a two car team at Spa '87 so had at least two redundant cars after 1987 as Wolf build new cars for themselves for '88. The article I was referreng to only tells of their 1988 production of cars. Did the Paxton cars see any action during 1988 as Ian Paxton entries?

Jesper

[racer69]

Originally Posted by Jesper OH

Did the Paxton cars see any action during 1988 as Ian Paxton entries?

They never raced as Ian Paxton entries, though there was alot of talk surrounding the cars all season.

Peter Brock was initially linked to one of them for Bathurst.

There was an entry placed for Bathurst for one of the cars, but it never materialised.

[Jesper OH]

Originally Posted by racer69

They never raced as Ian Paxton entries, though there was alot of talk surrounding the cars all season.

Peter Brock was initially linked to one of them for Bathurst.

There was an entry placed for Bathurst for one of the cars, but it never materialised.

I have found a reference to a #27 I Paxton Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500, to be driven by Warwick Rooklyn and Mike Quinn for the '88 Tooheys 1000, that ended, as you said, a DNA.

Jesper

[Gloves]

Here are some pictures I took at Donnington during the glory years.....

[chunterer]

Excellent photo's Gloves!!!

Particularly like the Labatts car cocking its near side front wheel 'on the hammer' so to speak!!

[andycos]

How close am i with the drivers :Guy Edwards,Robb Gravett,Sean Walker,Robbie Donavan,Steve Soper,????????, Lawrence Bristow.

Thats without checking my old videos to be sure !!

[andycos]

Here's some photo's of Andy Rouse going off at Oulton Park in the first race of the 1990 season.
Crashed due to track rod end failure on one of the faster corners

[Jesper OH]

Originally Posted by andycos

Here's some photo's of Andy Rouse going off at Oulton Park in the first race of the 1990 season.
Crashed due to track rod end failure on one of the faster corners

Paint work and number suggest it was 1989.

Originally Posted by andycos

How close am i with the drivers :Guy Edwards,Robb Gravett,Sean Walker,Robbie Donavan,Steve Soper,????????, Lawrence Bristow.

Thats without checking my old videos to be sure !!

I agree with most, but have Donovan as Graham Hathaway - have only seen that car a simulated pic before, so thank you for this one - but would easily stand corrected on that point. The red eleven should be the 1988 or '89 Brooklyn car and might be Chris Hodgetts.

Jesper

[Gloves]

Here is a better shot of the Hathaway car, for Jesper

And here is the road registered car mentioned ealier in the thread

And a great Rouse v Soper battle

[Jesper OH]

Thank you for the pictures, Gloves - really good ones.

The Dunlop race numbers would mean all three pictures are from 1988. That would make it Guy Edwards in the 21 car, then.

Tom Bell in the road car?

The Hathaway car looking smart in that Ford Motorsport paint scheme.

Jesper

[Gloves]

Originally Posted by Jesper OH

Thank you for the pictures, Gloves - really good ones.

The Dunlop race numbers would mean all three pictures are from 1988. That would make it Guy Edwards in the 21 car, then.

Yes ..my mistake well spotted

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Jesper OH

Thank you for the pictures, Gloves - really good ones.

Tom Bell in the road car?

The Hathaway car looking smart in that Ford Motorsport paint scheme.

Jesper

Yes indeed, good aren't they!

The red/white 'road reg'd' car could also be Ray MacDowall at the wheel. I think his firm 'ECM Vehicle Delivery' owned and sponsored the car and they may have shared it? Hugh Chalmers may also have been involved?

Hathaway's car always looked good. I have to admit i was surprised that we didn't see more RS500's with the Ford RS stripes scheme. I am sure there were a few but the only other one I can think of is the Dutch Bolderhey/Hin Marlboro verison mentioned much earlier in the thread. Very smart livery on that one.

[andycos]

"Paint work and number suggest it was 1989.''

Jesper ''


Just checked and it indeed was the first race of 1989 not 1990 !!

Andy..


Also great pics Gloves

[andycos]

Here is some pics or rare winner in 1989 Dave Brodie at Thruxton
Dave got a lot of stick for his improvement in form in this race,and wasn't to shy about defending his result to the camera's