Blowout loses Percy GpC SPA race

If a blowout at 185mph brought memories of his Le Mans ’87 crash flashing back, Wm Petty did not show it. He calmly controlled his Don Law Racing Jaguar XJR-11 and stopped. Having blitzed rivals in the Group C Racing series opener at Spa on 20 May, he had to watch Otto Altenbach cruise to victory in his Porsche 962.

At the start the German led the Jaguar, with Nick Adams’ Chamberlain Spice-DFR leading the Porsches of Siggi Brunn and Ian Donaldson.

Two laps later Percy unleashed the V6 Jag’s 700bhp to grab the lead, streaking away to a 15sec gap. “I’d eased off,” said Percy, “when the car squirmed at Raidillon. That was the only warning I had.” Adams’ scrap ‘with Brunn was lost when the DFR made a strange noise, while Donaldson’s 962 was hobbled by a misfire. Thus Philip Brunn (pavid 962) and Gary Pearson (C2 Swiftair Ecosse-DFL) claimed the minor placings. MP