2016 Entry List for Six Hour Race
It is just over a week before teams will be heading to Spa Francorchamps for the 2016 Six hour Endurance race. Where 110 cars will line up for the start at 4pm next Saturday evening, among them 14 Ford GT40’s.
Last year’s race was won by Brits Roger Wills and James Littlejohn in their GT40 and they will be returning this year to defend that title. Whilst GT40 entries hold the highest number of victories for this event since 1993, keeping any car going for 6 hrs is no mean feat, let alone a car built over 50 years ago! Throw in a few surprises like flash floods, failing lights and trying to avoid 109 other cars on the circuit and it is no surprise that it doesn’t always go to plan! Last years result was not a Ford GT40 1,2 & 3 as you would expect – despite the twelve entered – a dutch entry Shelby Cobra came third overall. Amongst this year’s GT40 entries there are some keen driver pairings Shaun Lynn/ Andrew Haddon, Philip Walker/ Mike Jordan, Chris Ward/Andrew Smith, Martin Stretton / Tony Wood to name just a few, predicting a winner from so many capable drivers is just not possible.
The race is a numbers game, last year the top eight cars did over 100 laps with the winner topping a total of 104 laps. Getting the laps in whilst the track is dry and there is still daylight is the key to success. A hot-shoe pro-driver can help with clocking up the laps, as long as the egos are left at home. The last two years have seen flash flooding under the cover of darkness – not ideal conditions for classic racing to say the least!
Behind the Ford GT40’s this year there are 21 yank tanks – Ford Mustang or Falcon types who will be tank-slapping their way around the circuit, along with 9 Jaguar E-type cars in various guises. A well prepared and swiftly driven E-Type is always a possible winning contender and this year there are some quick drivers entered such as John Clark, Andrew Kirkaldy, Calum Lockie all who will be racing to beat the pairing of Minshaw / Keen who finished 5th in 2015.
The middle of the pack is where the British made enthusiasts are, and out this year there are; 4 Triumph TR4s; 7 Austin Healey 3000s; 12 MG-B types; 7 Lotus Elan or Elite models; a handful of Morgans and Aston Martins and one TVR, oh, and a (Slough built) Peerless GT1! Plus the Welsh built Gilbern 1800GT is back!
Amongst the 287 or so drivers taking part, drivers are coming from the USA, Netherlands, Japan, Switzerland, Germany, Finland, Belgium, France, Denmark even the Austrian Gerhard Berger! – But over 200 of them are British. Good luck to all the drivers competing next weekend. We’ll be out competing in a green Healey 3000 #45 – if you are competing or watching come and say hello.
Sarah Bennett-Baggs
