Robb Gravett & Andy Rouse 1995 BTCC

[Nick]

Just been going through some old programmes, photographs at the weekend - and seen that Gravett was on the Ford Motorsport stand with Andy Rouse, in works overalls signing autographs - anyone know what the situation was here?

I remember him competing in the 1994 World Cup race at Donington - but seems odd to have him on the stand just for that - was he supposed to sign for the works Rousesport Ford Mondeo team?

[inimitablestoo]

According to the 1995 Autocourse British Motorsport Year, which I have conveniently to hand, there was "the promise of some privateer support from Ford Motorsport" [p87] not just for Gravett, but for the various other private Fords of Matt Neal (who he? ;) ), Charlie Cox (that bloke off the motorcycling) and Richard Kaye (James' brother). It's quite possible it's something to do with that.

There was one other appearance in the BTCC for Ford, when Robb ran one of the last two events in 1994 in a third works Mondeo, but Kelvin Burt ran it at the other - and if I recall Kelvin had already been confirmed as a works driver alongside Paul Radisich for '95 by that point.

[BDunnell]

There was one other appearance in the BTCC for Ford, when Robb ran one of the last two events in 1994 in a third works Mondeo, but Kelvin Burt ran it at the other - and if I recall Kelvin had already been confirmed as a works driver alongside Paul Radisich for '95 by that point.

It was at Donington, to give him time in the car at the World Cup venue. He didn't go well and got turned into the wall by Winkelhock on Starkey's Straight early in the second race. I'm sure you're right about Burt having been signed by the time he drove at Silverstone.

[Nick]

Just a little odd that after the 1994 World Cup race in I guess September time they would put him on the Ford Autosport stand in Jan??

In terms of Ford supporting Indie's again odd that he was in the Official racesuit, etc

On a different note what a group of Independent drivers (Gravett, Neal, R Kaye, Cox) driving Fords (it could be argued that they were better than the works team)

[Rover V8]

According to the 1995 Autocourse British Motorsport Year, which I have conveniently to hand, there was "the promise of some privateer support from Ford Motorsport" [p87] not just for Gravett, but for the various other private Fords of Matt Neal (who he? ;) ), Charlie Cox (that bloke off the motorcycling) and Richard Kaye (James' brother). It's quite possible it's something to do with that.



I think that could be it- I'm sure there was some kind of privateer support scheme intended for teams running Mondeos- note that all of the privateer Mondeos in '95 carried identical 'Ford Mondeo' logos on the bottom of the doors:

Gravett:
http://www.stillphotography.co.uk/gallery/v/Motorsport-Photography/saloon/btcc/album28/95_gravett_brands_w.jpg.html

Neal:
http://www.stillphotography.co.uk/gallery/v/Motorsport-Photography/saloon/btcc/album28/95_neal_oulton_w.jpg.html

Cox:
http://www.stillphotography.co.uk/gallery/v/Motorsport-Photography/saloon/btcc/album28/95_cox_snet.jpg.html

can't find a side view of the Kaye car- the pic on Peter Still's site is head-on, and a quick Google image search only seems to find Kaye in the Mint Cavalier...

Just a thought on that programme pic- is it an early-season programme? If so, then maybe it's simply a 1994 pic being used?

[Iain]

Here's a diecast version:
http://i22.ebayimg.com/01/i/000/ec/ba/4b4a_1.JPG

[BDunnell]

On a different note what a group of Independent drivers (Gravett, Neal, R Kaye, Cox) driving Fords (it could be argued that they were better than the works team)

Not really, in my view, even though the works team's results, particularly Radisich's, tailed off spectacularly as the season wore on and the Mondeo ate up its front tyres at an ever faster rate. Neal was faster on occasion but not consistently.

Still, it was fantastic that Neal, Gravett and Cox got some spectacular results that year. Cox's drive through the field at Brands (or, rather, two drives through the field, as he had to recover from a spin) may have been down to having rain tyres on, but his overtaking was spectacular!

[PDS]

It was at Donington, to give him time in the car at the World Cup venue. He didn't go well and got turned into the wall by Winkelhock on Starkey's Straight early in the second race. I'm sure you're right about Burt having been signed by the time he drove at Silverstone.

This one!
http://www.stillphotography.co.uk/gallery/v/Motorsport-Photography/saloon/btcc/album27/439_16.jpg.html

In fact there were FOUR drivers that drove works Mondeo's in 1994

Here are the other three:
http://www.stillphotography.co.uk/gallery/v/Motorsport-Photography/saloon/btcc/album27/441_14.jpg.html
http://www.stillphotography.co.uk/gallery/v/Motorsport-Photography/saloon/btcc/album27/415_24.jpg.html
http://www.stillphotography.co.uk/gallery/v/Motorsport-Photography/saloon/btcc/album27/415_24.jpg.html

[LiamM]

Was the annoucement made at the Autosport show that Gravett was racing at end of the year in the World Cup race hence him being there in works overalls?

[Rollo]

Um, as an aside...
can someone tell me why Charlie Cox's car has an advert for Triple M on his car?
http://www.stillphotography.co.uk/gallery/v/Motorsport-Photography/saloon/btcc/album28/95_cox_snet.jpg.html

Triple M is an Australian Radio network, which in 1995 would have been impossible to listen to in the UK. Or did someone else "borrow" the logo without permission?

[Iain]

I'm guessing it was there because Charlie was in the radio business back then, is Australian and the BTCC got coverage in Australia.

[racer69]

Didn't Gravett drive a private Vauxhall Cavalier at the opening round, moving to the #27 Mondeo later in the year?

[Iain]

Yes, the ex-Chris Goodwin car from 1994 for Roy Kennedy Racing. Then he formed his own Foesport team and ran a former German STW Cup Mondeo.