[KA]

Originally Posted by Jesper OH

Round 1 – April 12 1987, Silverstone

Support race to the FIA International F3000 championship opening round and was the first meeting where the new left-right chikane before Woodcote was used, presumably replacing the Woodcote chikane. British F3, Formula Ford and Renault 5 Elf Turbo UK Cup also on the bill.

Roger Saunders won the supporting Renault 5 cup-race only to be disqualified ”for having a modified wastegate valve seat and a machined carburettor” in his Bedford Tyres/Unique entered car, according to Autosport. Was this Saunders own team?

Grid:
1.Andy Rouse, 1:39.87 – class A pole
2.Dennis Leech, 1:42.84
3.Tim Harvey, 1:42.93
4.Peter Hall, 1:43.68
5.Graham Scarborough, 1:44.72
6.Graham Goode, 1:45.62
7.David Carvell, 1:46.32
8.Mark Hales, 1:48.22 – class B pole
9.Chris Hodgetts, 1:49.74 – class D pole
10.Colin Pearcy, 1:51.87 – class C pole
11.Jon Dooley, 1:52.30
12.Alan Minshaw, 1:53.69
13.Geoff Kimber-Smith, 1:53.92
14.Tony Crudgington, unknown – DNS
15.Paul Longfield, 1:57.25
16.unknown Renault 5, unknown time – DNS
17.unknown Mitsubishi, unknown time – DNS
18.Kevin Eaton, 2:35.53

An educated guess would suggest that 18 cars were present for the first round of the 1987 British group A series, 15 of those started the race. From the race report a standing start from a 2-2-2-etc. grid format seems likely.

Result:
1./ #1 / Andy Rouse / Rouse / A / Ford Sierra RS Cosworth / 15 laps / 25m58.83s / FL
2./ #4 / Dennis Leech / Leech / A / Rover Vitesse / 15 laps / 26m00.43s
3./ #? / David Carvell / unknown / A / Rover Vitesse / 15 laps / 26m20.88s
4./ #2 / Peter Hall / Rouse / A / Ford Sierra RS Cosworth / 15 laps / 26m27.29s
5./ #6 / Graham Goode / Goode / A / Ford Sierra RS Cosworth / 15 laps / 26m36.48s
6./ #3 / Graham Scarborough / unknown / A / Rover Vitesse / 15 laps / 27m05.59s
7./ #? / Mark Hales / Drury / B / Ford Escort RS Turbo / 15 laps / 27m33.56s / FL
8./ #66 / Chris Hodgetts / Hodgetts / D / Toyota Corolla GT / 15 laps / 27m34.28 / FL
9./ #31 / Jon Dooley / Dooley / B / Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo / 14 laps
10./ #? / Alan Minshaw / Hodgetts / D / Toyota Corolla GT / 14 laps
11./ #55 / Colin Pearcy / Pearcy? / C / MG Metro Turbo / 14 laps / FL
12./ #? / Paul Longfield / Hodgetts / D / Toyota Corolla GT / 14 laps
DNFs
#? / Geoff Kimber-Smith / Kimber-Smith / D / Toyota Corolla GT /12 laps / engine
#? / Kevin Eaton / Eaton? / B / Nissan Bluebird Turbo / 2 laps / unknown
#8 / Tim Harvey / Maguire / A / Rover Vitesse / 1 lap / engine
DNS's
#? / Tony Crudgington / Crudgington / D / Toyota Corolla GT / electrics
#? / Graham Rose? / unknown / A / Mitsubishi Starion Turbo / water leak / prod. Saloon
#? / unknown / unknown / C / Renault 5 GT Turbo / unknown / cup car
DNA
#30 / Rob Kirby / Dooley / B / Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo / car not ready

From my notes, the mystery prodsaloon Starion might have been the car of Graham Rose- who I must admit to knowing absolutely nothing about.
I don't have any indication of who the Renault was- maybe Saunders?

Thanks for posting this- although I've got the race results for the whole season, some of them are missing times, qualifying times etc, and the original source material I used for my notes is stored 200 miles away...