Snetterton Stages Rally – Focus on Chris West Peugeot 306 Maxi

Report by David Harbey

10 February 2024 

A stand out car over my five years watching and shooting Circuit Rallies has been the Chris West Peugeot 306 Maxi. Fitted with a 2500cc engine, it still looks and sounds like the mid 90s F2 World Rally Cup cars. Perhaps my affection comes from having a 306GTI6 (as a company car many years ago). Here’s a couple of shots from my first encounter with the 306 – and Tony from PistonClick as it happens – in 2018 at Cadwell Park.

Chris has been absent from the Circuit Rally scene for a couple of years or so; but it was great to see that he had been out on the South Downs Stages late last year. Of course, the influx of the latest four-wheel drive hot hatches meant that a win would be unlikely, but why not describe my photography day in terms of photos of the 306?

Arriving in time for car 1 on a misty, murky morning, I started out at the exit of Nelson. Plans to shoot the cars at the eastern end of the circuit were thwarted – it was all out of bounds all day including both grandstands and the toilets at the Bombhole due to the competitors using the access road round to / from Coram.

With the cars running the “right way” round the circuit there was a good shot as they came through Brundle before taking a 90 right just after Nelson to use the infield. The track was still damp and a little spray was evident. Oh, and we had flames from the 306.

Stage 1 and 2 were the same so a move to the fence overlooking the exit of Brundle was in order. This would be a superb shooting spot if the marshals post wasn’t in the middle of the corner – but we do need the folk in orange to whom we, of course, say thank you.

The competitors came past us twice in the stage and the still slippery conditions were proving tricky with even the front wheel drive 306 needing a dab of oppo.

With multiple cars on the track at the same time, there are always cars to be caught and overtaken.

After stage 2 there was a long break to change the circuit round to a different configuration for Stages 3 and 4. I suppose it’s got to happen at some stage in the day. Soon enough, we were underway again with cars starting on the infield near Murrays and joining the circuit the “wrong” way at Brundle.

For stage 4, it was off to the Paddock area. From previous visits I was aware that they use various access roads to give a twisty section before exiting to the circuit via the race collection area. This gave a lovely head on shot with the 306 looking much neater than some other competitors.

… and they run through the area twice each stage.

With two stages left and a further variation on the layout, it was time to head to Murrays for some lifting the rear wheel and running out over the rumble strip action. Although there was a large crowd, most seemed to congregate around the paddock area and there was no problem finding a spot on the fence all day.

With one stage to go it was time to return to Nelson. By now we were allowed a few more yards towards the Bombhole to get a longer head on shot. The rain which was promised for later in the evening, made a light drizzly appearance as the first cars started the stage. It didn’t seem to make much of a difference !

Chris West and Steve Cox won Class C by a country mile having been in the top five overall on every stage and finished a fine 3^rd overall.