Page 26 - On the Prowl: The Definitive History of the Walkinshaw Jaguar Sports Car Team

ON THE PROWL
1990: The Americans Take on Le Mans
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From the West to the Midwest, it was back to Wisconsin’s outstanding Road America, the 4.5
mile track the closest thing the United States had to the old Nürburgring in Germany. Originally
scheduled for two 250 km heats, incessant weather from summertime storms caused the
organizers to proceed with just the one race. The race was eerily similar to Watkins Glen,
starting wet and seeing Davy Jones into an early lead, only to fall into a Nissan’s clutches
as the track dried. Just like at the New York track, a late race drama struck Jones, this time
of his own making when he spun while trying to catch Brabham. He recovered to hold on to
second place.
The next race on the streets of San Antonio was a complete disaster with both cars
retiring. Jones crashed early due to a stuck throttle and Cobb stopped with an alternator belt
issue. The Texan race was turning out to be a bit of a bogey event for TWR.
By now, the drivers’ championship was out of reach for Jaguar, while the manufacturer’s
crown had already gone to Nissan. Race wins became the focus for the Castrol cars in the
√ Jaguar Inc. was quick to take advantage of the race team’s win in Portland, and this
year there was no doubt about who had actually won, with Davy Jones clearly taking the
checkered flag which had been waved on the correct lap, unlike in 1989. (Davy Jones archive)
◊ Job lists from the IMSA round at Elkhart Lake’s Road America track. Both are from the
same car (#60 was chassis #589) and demonstrate the myriad of issues that can come up
on a race car, even one as professionally and highly developed as the TWR cars were. (Tony
Dowe archive)
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©2024 David Bull Publishing
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©2024 David Bull Publishing
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