After the mid season break the British Rallycross Championship headed to Belgium and the Duivelsberg Circuit in Maasmechelen. Its been two years since the British Championship visited the dedicate Belgian rallycross circuit, and its been two year too long.
With ten (could be more I lost count!) different classes on the program it was always going to be a very long day. But even at eight in the morning the temperature was in the high 20’s and set to soar! Add to that gravel traps that are basically sand and its going to be a hot, sweaty and dusty day and it was!
The Belgian Supar National class has two sub classes 2000- and 2000+ so the cars include everything from the sublime to the outright awesome! The final consisted of a feast of Vovlo 244’s and S40’s and the utterly jaw dropping beautiful Mark 1 Ford Escort of Steve Volders
The circuit is very compact with a dizzy array of hairpins and tight corners,. The joker lap is a right angle off and onto the main circuit! Close racing in any class pretty much guaranteed.
Kent based Stuart Emery notched up his first win in the British Supernational championship as the highest placed Brit.
In the RX 150 final there was high drama on the first corner which saw championship leader Mark Scott along with Jake Harris and Don Macleod all bundled into the sand ending their final.
The Super car class had quality from top to bottom from both Belgium and the UK, with the likes of British front runners Julian Godfrey, Pat Doran, Jon B. Hrolfsson and Mad Mark watson. Kevin Proctor made a welcome return the first time since he blew an engine at the opening round of the European Rallycross Challenge in Melk, Austria way back in April this year.
Belgian favorites included Jos Jansen, Jos Kuijpers, Koen Pauwels, Patrick van Mechelen among others.
The heats were full of controversy from Jochan Coox’s car catching fire to Ronny Scheveneels colliding with Kevin Proctor in heat two causing a spectacular off in the first corner resulting in Proctor loosing his rear damper in spectaculer fashion. He was back for the final!
It was Julian Godfrey who was top of the pile after the heats with Pauwels and van Mechelen not far behind. Godfrey jokered on lap one due to his track position and came out behind Doran who was in forth. He then drove in close contention. Doran left his joker until the penultimate lap where Godfrey seized the opportunity and took second place behind Kuijpers.
