JEC Saloon Challenge at Oulton Park.

European Motorsport XJ6s 2005.

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Saturday May 14th was a gloriously sunny day at Oulton Park for the Classic & Jaguar Raceday, organised by the Classic Sports Car Club (CSCC) with the British Racing & Sports Car Club (BRSCC). Numerous races featured throughout the day, race number 6 being the Oulton Park round of the Soilmec/JEC Saloon Challenge. Four classes make up the grid for the JEC series, with a varied selection of Jaguar saloon cars featuring - including Mk1s, Mk2s, XJ6s, XJ40s, XJCs, X300s and a solitary X-Type. The three EuropeanMotorSport (EMS) Jaguars all run in class B, and it is their three cars (Series 1 XJ, Series 2 XJ, and XJ40) that feature on this page of photographs from Oulton Park. Click on any of these photos to see a larger version.

	XJ6 Series 1 parked up in the paddock at Oulton			The Bodyshop UK transporter parked alongside the XJ S1
	Series Two XJ drives over to scrutineering on Saturday morning			Bonnet up for the XJ40 as the scrutineer checks things over
	And the Series One gets an identical checkover			Bootlid on the S1 removed showing the fuel filler system
	The XJ40 and Series Two back in the paddock post-scrutineering			2005 is the first year that EMS have run this XJ40
	Stripped out interior in the S1 Jaguar, no luxuries here			Few of the standard Jag clocks remain in the dashboard
	No glass rear screens here, just perspex with ventilation holes added			Original and I think the best looking XJ (swb Series 1) parked alongside much later X300 type
	Extra bonnet ventilation grilles have been added to aid cooling on the 4.2 6 cylinder XK engine			The XJ40 replaced the original Series 3 style Jag saloon, this one running early-type XJR/XJR-S alloys
	S1 & S2 XJs head to the assembly area prior to qualifying			Both cars here have had unnecessary trim parts removed during their conversion from road to race spec
	Both the bonnet and bootlid are held on with quick-release fasteners			All three cars lineup behind an XJ Coupe, waiting for the Porsches to leave the assembly area
	N.M. Jags are one of the key sponsors for EMS			All front and rear door quarterlights are removed on competition prepped XJs in this series
	All three EMS Jag saloons lined up in the assembly area prior to the qualifying session at 11.10am			This XJs grille has had a number of its vanes removed to aid airflow, and therefore cooling, to the 4.2 motor
	Jim Shea's S1 XJ6 leads the two other team cars of Simon Lewis and Howard Kirkham onto the track			All waiting for the lights to turn to green and the 20 minute qualifying then begins
	Post-qualifying and the Series One XJ receives some TLC to steering & suspension components damaged prior to qualifying			Several parts had to be replaced on the S1 before the race start later that afternoon, no such probs on the '78 S2
	Simon Lewis in his Series 2 heads on to the track later that day for the race itself			Howard drives around the Oulton Park circuit prior to taking up his position on the grid
	Jim's rebuilt S1 back out on track taking up its position within the field			Simon's XJ under braking for the chicane at Knickerbrook following the run down from Hill Top chasing Zoe North (XJC)
	Jim in the Series One puts a move on car no.30, Robert Drewery in his 1979 Daimler Sovereign XJ at Knickerbrook			Jim in car no.76 lines up an overtaking move on Greg Sutton in an ex-EMS 1974 XJ 4200cc down Hill Top
	The EMS 1970 XJ passes Sutton in his '74 Series 2