Sterkens returns

Three weeks ago at Lydden Jos Sterkens was mooching around in the paddock and not looking very happy about being a spectator. Since falling into the inspection pit in his garage at the end of last year, and accident in which he broke a shoulder, the veteran Belgian racer has suffered back pains and feared that it may not be possible to race any longer.

But the itch to go racing appears to be stronger than that pain. “I have to try it, I can’t be a spectator,” said Sterkens. “When I have driven the car in practice the pain is there but in a race it’s gone. I think you could cut off my arm in a race and I would not feel anything, it’s very strange.”

TouringCar class pioneer Sterkens is back in the saddle this weekend, the Volvo C30 he built last year now capable of running with the best in the still growing category. Among those he will face in the track is young Belgian Nick Snoeys, formerly a mechanic with Sterkens, now racing his own Fiesta.

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