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2CVracing_motor_lifebyte
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Motor racing is no longer exclusively open to rich jet-setter types. Even the humble 2CV can hurtle around a race track at break-neck speeds.
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On a murky Sunday afternoon in late September, 150 enthusiasts huddled together to celebrate a variety of weird and wonderful race events. Classics, road-saloons, legends, historic touring cars, hatchbacks and that glorious inverted pram, the Citroen 2CV, all featured on the racing itinerary.
It might be hard to imagine a 2CV race, but no less than 26 2CV drivers appeared, ready to battle it out over two 15-lap races at the track in Knockhill, Fife. The competitors had journeyed from as far afield as Hemel Hempstead, Banbury, Chelmsford, Galway and Chobham, with their beloved collectors' pieces proudly in tow.
Both races saw a victorious Peter Sparrow celebrating in his red, white and blue livery. In the first race he set a new lap record of 78.77 seconds, at a top speed of 59.41mph, before romping home to a comfortable victory. Paul Leason of Leigh-on-Sea, Essex was runner-up and Mick Storey of Witton Gilbert's, County Durham claimed third spot.
Christine Savage, a 25-year-old lecturer in engineering
from Bedford, made the 800-mile round trip in her
2CV. Coming 17th in the first race was disappointing
and perhaps partly due to a recent kidney infection,
but it seems that winning is not the only reason
for her being here.
'I have always had petrol in my blood,' she enthused. Her mother was a girl-racer (Beetles and Hondas) and Christine began racing single-seaters in 1992 before spotting an ad in the local paper in 1996 asking for 2CV drivers. Intrigued, she phoned up and was soon customising her own 2CV for racing. So what are the necessary modifications you need to undertake to make your 2CV raceworthy? click here to find out.
Christine's worst and best experiences in the sport came
at motor-mecca Silverstone in 1995. She was heading
for what seemed an inevitable victory when, in the
final lap, an unfortunate braking-error at Brookland's
Corner saw her pipped at the post by an agonising
0.21 seconds. In the future she would like to return
to single-seaters and one day, perhaps, take on
the Le Mans circuit, in a sports car of course!
You can check out Christine's vehicles, views and
history on her website
– James Stockton 19.10.00
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