Tag Archives: Developments

Okay Yah – Ford Capri 2.8i

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Several years ago I related how a school friend’s #44 Ray’s Toys Ford Capri 2.8i Production Saloon car gave me my first hands on experience of motor racing at the Willhire 24 Hours run at Snetterton in June 1985.

Ford Capri 2.8i, Silverstone Classic

Wandering around the infield at Silverstone Classic last year I was pleasantly surprised to bump into the very car that won the 6th running of the Willhire 24 Hours, having seen it go past many times from the pit lane it looked amazingly familiar and it was almost as if the race had finished the day before, such is the condition of the car.

Ford Capri 2.8i, Silverstone Classic

I believe the #43 Okay Yah Capri was first registered EVU400Y on the 15th of April 1983, I am not sure exactly when former short oval track Speedworth International Superstox driver Roy Eaton decided that his company, RE Developments based in Winnersh, Berkshire, should turn the car into a Class B, up to 3 litre / 183 cui, production saloon racer, but I believe he may have run the car in the 1984 Willhire 24 Hours in which he finished 3rd.

Ford Capri 2.8i, Silverstone Classic

For 1985 Roy chose as his team mates a former short oval track Hot Rod and Super Rod ace David Oates and an oval promoter with some rally cross experience John Clark.

Ford Capri 2.8i, Silverstone Classic

Opposition at the sharp end of the race came from two brand new cars a well funded Ilford Ford Escort RS Turbo driven by Mike Smith and Lionel Abbott which got as high as 2nd before dropping back to sixth and a very controversial, because of it’s cost and 16 valve heads, Mercedes Benz 190/16 driven by ex Formula One driver Mike Wilds, Mike Knight, Gerard Sauer and the cars sponsor Martin Carroll.

Ford Capri 2.8i, Silverstone Classic

The two Class A Rover Vitesse V8s and two Class A turbo charged Mitsubishi Starions might have edged the multitude of Capris present on paper, but they did not have the staying power to go the full distance at a race winning pace.

Ford Capri 2.8i, Silverstone Classic

The Mercedes did lead the race on occasion, but superior pit work by the RE Developments crew helped the Yokohama shod #43 Okay Yah Capri, which had been leading at 17 of the hour marks of the race, to cross the finish line two laps ahead of the Carroll’s Mercedes , completing 970 laps during 24 hours of racing in what was considered to have been the best Willhire 24 yet.

Thanks for joining me on this “Okay Yah” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking a Tyrrells 1975 Formula One challenger. Don’t forget to come back now !

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The Jaguar Judd – Mazda MX-R01

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With the mandating of 3.5 litre / 213.5 cui piston engines for the 1992 World Sports Car Championship Mazda were left with no choice but to abandon their rotary powered 787B which won the 1991 Le Mans 24 Hours.

Mazda MX-R01, Le Mans

With insufficient funds to develop a new motor and or chassis they bravely decided not to abandon sports car racing altogether and elected instead to buy a suitable V10 from Judd Engine Developments and modify chassis bought from Tom Walkinshaw Racing that had been designed by Ross Brawn and run the previous year as the 1991 Championship wining Jaguar XJR14 with a Jaguar badged Ford HB V8.

Mazda MX-R01, Le Mans

Five Mazda MV10 powered Mazda MX-R01’s were built; chassis #001 was used exclusively in the Japanese Sports Car Series, #002 was a spare test car taken to Le Mans, #003 was another spare test car taken to Le Mans, today’s featured #004 raced in the whole 1992 World Sports Car Championship and #005 was only raced at Le Mans.

Mazda MX-R01, Le Mans

The MX-R01 made it’s debut in the 1992 Japanese Sports Car series at Suzuka where Youjirou Terada and Takashi Yorino drove chassis #001 to finish 7th from 8th on the grid in the 500 km race. Volker Weidler and Brazilian Maurizio Sandro Sala then drove #004 on it’s European debut at Monza where they retired with engine failure after starting from 7th on the grid.

Mazda MX-R01, Volker Weidler (D)/Johnny Herbert (GB)/Bertrand Gachot (B)/Maurizio Sandro Sala, Le Mans

For the Fuji 1000 kms Youjirou Terada, Takashi Yorino and Maurizio Sandro Sala qualified #001 8th but also retired with engine failure, before #004 scored the teams best result of the season in the BRDC Empire Trophy at Silverstone where Maurizio Sandro Sala and Johnny Herbert finished second from 7th on the grid.

Mazda MX-R01, Volker Weidler (D)/Johnny Herbert (GB)/Bertrand Gachot (B)/Maurizio Sandro Sala, Le Mans

Chassis #005 driven by Maurizio Sandro Sala, Takashi Yorino and Yojiro Terada qualified 10th at Le Mans, but retired with accident damage after 124 laps which allowed Sala to join Volker Weidler, Johnny Herbert and Bertrand Gachot in chassis #004 that started 7th on the grid and finished 4th, 16 laps down on the winning Peugeot, having lead itself briefly led during the opening hours of the race.

Mazda MX-R01, Volker Weidler (D)/Johnny Herbert (GB)/Bertrand Gachot (B)/Maurizio Sandro Sala, Le Mans

Over the remaining World Sports Car Championship season #004 finished 5th at Donington and 6th at Magny Cours with Sala and Alex Caffi at the wheel, posting a retirement with gearbox failure at Suzuka when Takashi joined Maurizio and Alex in the cockpit.

In the Japanese series Takashi Yorino and Youjirou Terada finished a season high 7th in the Fuji 1000kms, Mazda finished 3rd in the final 1992 World Sportscar Championship standings and 2nd in the final 1992 All Japan Sports Prototype Championship standings.

Mazda withdrew from sportscar racing at the end of the 1992 season and the World Sportscar Championship was cancelled in 1993 with only Peugeot willing to compete in the series.

Thanks for joining me on this “The Jaguar Judd” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at this years Le Mans LMP2 winner. Don’t forget to come back now.

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