Strafford wins for XS Racing in Belgium

News from XS Racing (Chesterfield)

Class success for the sensational Can-Am Firenza of Mick Strafford was the headline results for XS Racing on round seven of the 2010 Dunlop/WONAGO.com MSA British Historic Rally Championship, the Historic Tour of Flanders (10/11 September, 2010).
 
For the challenging Belgian event, XS fielded five cars and came away with a first in class, a second in class and a third in class, while Jonathan Gale and Peter Smith both retired after incidents with the infamous Belgian ditches.
 
Top of the pack was the class C4 winning Firenza of Strafford and Graham Henshaw, which has been developed throughout 2010 by XS Racing and was making its BHRC debut on the narrow and slippery roads of Flanders. In a testament to both team and driver, the car ran with remarkably few problems and Strafford was elated just to finish the rally, let alone win his class. "That is just fantastic," he said at the end of the rally. "We only came here for a finish."
 
Meanwhile, new into the XS team for the event was Guy Anderson in the team's Escort Mk1. Partnered by Kim Baker, Guy was using the event to get a taste of historic rallying before a fuller campaign in 2011 and was pleased to take second in class C3 after a strong run. "We came to see if we liked historic rallying and it has been great fun," said Anderson. "We will be back!"
 
Making a welcome return to the BHRC was Steven Smith, partnered by Phil Spurge, in a Mk1 Escort that XS had built up from a bare shell in the weeks leading up to the rally. It was Smith's first rally in a full-spec BDA-powered Escort and he took a little time to adjust after his Porsche 911. But on day two he was regularly matching the leading pace and ended the rally third in category two after a long battle with Chris Browne. "It's an education," said Smith. "After a Porsche, these things assault your senses!"
 
However, there was misfortune for Jonathan Gale and James Whitaker when their Sunbeam Tiger slid off the road and into a field on the Zilverburg stage. Although that incident did little damage, a marshal refused to let them rejoin through a gate and they were forced to try and jump a ditch to escape the field. Unfortunately, a hidden concrete drain caught the front of the car and damaged the radiator, forcing them out of the rally.
 
It was also a tough event for Peter Smith and Russ Langthorne in their Porsche 911, which was hit by gearbox problems on Saturday morning and they lost a lot of time limping through the long Zilverburg stage. But the XS team worked superbly to change the box at the next service halt in less than 30 minutes and get Smith back in the rally. He then set some excellent stage times but, unfortunately, the final stage of rally in the dark of Saturday evening caught them out and the Porsche ended its rally in a ditch.
 
"It's been a very tough rally," said XS Racing boss Jon Cropper. "But we've had some good results and some bad luck. The service guys have worked superbly to keep the cars running and getting a class win for the Firenza was a real bonus."
 
The BHRC now concludes on Saturday 25 September with the Trackrod Historic Cup in Yorkshire. XS will field up to five cars as Gale bids for championship glory. The squad should also include Peter Smith in his Mk1 Escort, Steven Smith in his Escort, Connor Corkill in his Escort Mk2 and Guy Smith in his Escort Mk1 RS2000.
 
On the same weekend, Peter Egerton will be contesting the Hemicuda Rally in Belgium in his Escort Mk1, so it will be a very busy weekend for the XS team. Meanwhile, this weekend (18 September) Mick Strafford will entertain the crowds at the RallyDay at Castle Combe in the Can-Am Firenza.
 
XS Racing specialises in all types of historic rally preparation and parts supply across a wide range of cars. XS Racing can be contacted on 01246 233777.