News in brief, October 2005

Ex-Formula 3000 race winner and F3/FF2000/FF1600 champion Dave Coyne has targeted a racing comeback in historic motorsport. Coyne, whose last circuit race was in a Jaguar XK “a couple of years ago at Snetterton”, is now competing on short ovals (see feature, page 76). “I’ll drive anything as long as it’s something worth getting into and I can win in it,” he said. “Whenever I walk away from racing it’s like a drug and I miss it so much.”

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December’s historic East African Safari Rally will take in a 10km super special stage in the Kenyan capital city of Nairobi on December 4. In total the event covers 2815 miles, with an increase in competitive distance from 970 in 2003 to 1106 miles this year. The roughest sections from ’03 have been removed, but the 10-day event will again be characterised by some of East Africa’s most stunning scenery.

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The cut-off date for eligible cars for the Le Mans Classic has been extended by one year to 1979 for the third edition of the event in July 2006. The move is expected to encourage cars such as the Ferrari BBLM and BMW M1 for the July 7-9 event. In all 450 entries will be accepted.

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World Rally champions Colin McRae, Richard Burns and Björn Waldegård attended the Castle Combe Rallyday in August. In front of more than 10,000 fans, Colin and brother Alister laid rubber on the circuit in Ford Escorts

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The crowd attending the Shelsley Walsh centenary meeting has been estimated at 20,000 over the weekend. Although the organising MAC has yet to confirm a definitive figure for the three-day event in August, the event is thought to have drawn the biggest Shelsley crowd for 50 years.

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Blues-tinged singer-songwriter Chris Rea is to put his famous Caterham 7, which featured on the cover of his 1991 album, Auberge, up for auction to raise money for the NSPCC. The car will go under the Coys hammer on September 29 at the Royal Horticultural Halls in Westminster.