Monday 11th March 2002

Tuscan Challenge 2002

We're only weeks away from another thrilling season!

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[caro]

Ahh, the antici....pation. Do we know what day the testing is, and is Joanna Public allowed to go and get a fix of sound and vision?

[martvr]

Castle Combe have an un-specified test day scheduled for Thursday 21st but it's a complete guess that it could be the Tuscans day. Will probably ring tomorrow if nobody else gets the info on here first.

[Rod Barrett]

Castle Combe on the 21st is the offical Tuscan test day and as far as I'm aware anyone can come and watch. If in doubt, just ring through to the track office and I'm sure they will confirm.

[caro]

Thanks for that. If I don't have to be in Manchester I'll check with the circuit and maybe go along for a whiff of fumes and that TVR roar.

[holbrooknr]

anyone know yet if the public can go to this?

[PetrolTed]

I'm going and I don't have a formal invite as such (well, I invited myself). Turn up to any track on a test day and you shouldn't have much trouble wandering in.

[caro]

I did have to go to Manchester, but I'm back now, so how was it?

[PetrolTed]

A great day. Piccies to come soon. Only about 15 cars there but a great bunch of people. Some new faces this year and some old ones. I reckon it should be a good year for the Tuscans.

[Rod Barrett]

What a great day!!!! sunny, dry,and after 6 months without even a sniff of a race tuscan, it was great to get behind the wheel again. The Hawthorns Motorsport team made it through the day without a scratch,and thats a bloody miracle,as I belive 4 cars left the track at the end of the day in various states of disrepair, one belonging to Giles Cooper, the owner of the TVR centre and Castle TVR was 75% burnt out when an oil line broke near the hot exhausts and up in flames it went. Giles is fine, got out in under 5secs,mind you,he must have had every incentive!!!! TVR's Ben samuelson took a spin on the oil Giles had left all over the track, and smacked the front of his car big time, plus one or two others damaged thier cars, and this was just a TEST SESSION.

[jamesc]

Missed you again Ted, passed you coming out of Coombe! Your car looks great with Pistonheads.com stickers. However I had a good chat with the usual faces.

regards

James

[PetrolTed]

Thanks. Might have to clean the old car before Sunday me thinks

A great crowd there today. Only about 15 cars but a laid back atmosphere and plenty of joviality Looking forward to the first race. Should more contenders battling it out at the front this year.

[jamesc]

Most impressive driver out there had to be the No 38 Blower, I think it was Lee Caroline. Rod Barrett seems to vastly improved, either that or he had Jay Shepard with the green Hawthorns helmet.

James

[holbrooknr]

any pics of the new bodywork modifications then?

Nick.

[Rod Barrett]

38 was driven by Lee today, and since it was his first real testing day he was stunning. Now there's a quick new driver who is going to grab a lot of people's attention.Sorry to disapoint, but it was me today in 29,if it had been Jay Shepherd the car would have been clocking up lap times in the 1-07's and not the 1-10,s, and mainly, 1-11's that I was posting!!!!! I'am getting to old to drive any quicker.

[PetrolTed]

quote:
any pics of the new bodywork modifications then?

Nick.

Working on it...

[caro]

I guess the next best thing to being there is to read about it on Pistonheads and see the pics. Driving down the M6/5 catching glimpses of sunshine between the skyscraper artic walls thinking of Tuscans at Castle Combe did not improve the mood - till a bright green Tuscan shot up the other side of the m'way for consolation. Thanks for the news!

[jamesc]

TVR Tuscan Challenge - Provisional Race Result
POS NO CL NAME NAT ENTRY TIME LAPS GAP MPH BEST
1 27 Jay SHEPHERD TVR Tuscan 11:02.114 9 95.61 1:12.457
2 1 Stephen GUGLIELMI TVR Tuscan 11:02.212 9 0.098 95.59 1:12.229
3 17 Richard HAY TVR Tuscan 11:05.769 9 3.655 95.08 1:12.918
4 38 Lee CAROLINE TVR Tuscan 11:10.476 9 8.362 94.41 1:13.135
5 37 Robert URQUHART TVR Tuscan 11:12.973 9 10.859 94.06 1:13.141
6 88 Ben SAMUELSON TVR Tuscan 11:13.340 9 11.226 94.01 1:13.004
7 7 Darren DOWLING TVR Tuscan 11:14.164 9 12.050 93.90 1:12.554
8 2 David MASON TVR Tuscan 11:14.914 9 12.800 93.79 1:12.795
9 10 Tim HOOD TVR Tuscan 11:18.738 9 16.624 93.26 1:13.971
10 50 David PORTER TVR Tuscan 11:21.435 9 19.321 92.89 1:13.900
11 22 Gary BRITNELL TVR Tuscan 11:23.146 9 21.032 92.66 1:13.874
12 8 Peter WHEELER TVR Tuscan 11:26.119 9 24.005 92.26 1:14.151
13 23 Andy BRITNELL TVR Tuscan 11:30.637 9 28.523 91.66 1:13.222
14 9 Gareth EVANS TVR Tuscan 11:32.609 9 30.495 91.40 1:14.849
15 29 Rod BARRETT TVR Tuscan 11:34.345 9 32.231 91.17 1:14.844
16 15 Giles COOPER TVR Tuscan 11:39.465 9 37.351 90.50 1:13.253
17 24 Derek TYNDALL TVR Tuscan 11:40.816 9 38.702 90.33 1:14.900
18 28 Jan PERSSON TVR Tuscan 11:42.353 9 40.239 90.13 1:15.274
19 5 Wayne PHELAN TVR Tuscan 11:52.918 9 50.804 88.79 1:16.603
20 11 Nigel TUSTAIN TVR Tuscan 11:08.477 8 1 LAP 84.15 1:20.755
21 33 Graeme MUNDY TVR Tuscan 11:23.365 7 2 LAPS 72.01 1:18.977
Not Classified
55 Arnaud MARTIN TVR Tuscan 0 D.N.F. N/A

Fastest Lap
1 Stephen GUGLIELMI TVR Tuscan 1:12.229 5 156.99kph 97.55

Start Time : 17:15
Weather: Sunny/ Dry End Time : 17:27
Copyright © 2002 MST Group Ltd. All Rights Reserved Issued : 17:29 Saturday 13 April 2002