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Tony Pond
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Tony Pond (23 November 1945 – 7 February 2002) was a British rally driver.
Key Information
Career
[edit]His first outings in a rally car were on the then regular (in the early '60s) Saturday night road rallies in the home counties around London, driving a Mini Cooper S. Using the same car he also became successful at auto-testing – the practice of manoeuvering the car against the clock around a series of cones.
He then prepared a Lotus Cortina for an attempt on the Lombard RAC Round Britain Rally, and was running in the top twenty when a visit to a ditch in icy conditions put an end to the outing.
At this time Ford had launched the Mexico Rally Championship, and Pond persuaded the local Ford dealer in his home town, Norman Reeves of Uxbridge, to prepare and supply a car for the Championship. He finished second overall, the reward for which was a drive in a works supported Escort RS1600 on the Scottish International Rally. He finished in the top ten, which was enough incentive for Norman Reeves to prepare and supply him with an ex-factory Escort RS1600 for a season.
Using this car he was a regular top ten finisher in the British Rally Championship, competing against and beating the likes of Jimmy McRae (Colin's father) and Russell Brookes, culminating in a third place on the Welsh International Rally in 1973, beating Tony Fall into fourth place. At this time Fall was competitions manager for the Dealer Opel Team (DOT), and the offer of a works supported drive was not long in coming.
Unfortunately, although DOT and Pond were successful with the 2 litre Opel Kadett, General Motors had taken the decision to stop selling Opels in the UK and concentrate on the Vauxhall brand, and so DOT was disbanded. In 1975 he won the Avon Tour of Britain driving a privately entered Escort RS2000 - the Tour was a mixture of special stages and race circuits, and rally drivers tended to dominate. He was very quickly approached by British Leyland to take on the Triumph TR7. 1976 until 1978, saw him in the Triumph then in 1979 he championed a Talbot Sunbeam Lotus before returning to the TR7 in 1980, completing a number of outings for the British Leyland factory team.
Around 1979-1982 he also often visited South Africa on weekends to pilot the factory-entered Datsun Stanza, with navigator Richard Leeke, in the SA National Rally Championship as Datsun's (later Nissan SA) number 1 driver. In 1981 he won the Radio 5 Rally outright against stiff competition like Geoff Mortimer in a Chevrolet Chevair and Jan Hettema, a double-Springbok, in a Toyota Corolla.
1981 through to the end of 1984 had Pond competing with varying success in a varied selection of cars, including the Datsun Violet, Vauxhall Chevette HSR, Nissan Violet, Nissan 240RS and Rover SD1. For the 1985 season, Pond was recruited by the Austin Rover dealer team to drive the Group B MG Metro 6R4. Finishing third overall on the 6R4's international debut at the Lombard R.A.C. Rally, Pond, improving on his 4th place overall in the 1975 and 1978 events, gave the car its best-ever finish on a World Rally event. He stayed with the Austin Rover team until 1986 when the Group B formula was cancelled and the cars banned after a number of fatal accidents.
Pond mostly retired from Rallying at the end of 1986, however, he was retained on Austin Rover's books as a development driver, and was involved in the design and production of the MG F.
In 1988 Pond attempted to achieve the first-ever average 100 mph lap around the Isle of Man TT motorcycle race circuit in a standard-specification production Rover Vitesse, but was unsuccessful, largely due to wet weather on the mountain section of the course.[1] For his second attempt on 6 June 1990 he again drove a demonstration lap using a standard production Rover 827 Vitesse, which became the first production car to average over 100 mph around the course. This feat stood until 2011, when Mark Higgins bettered the time and later improved on his own performances.
Touring Cars and One-Make Racing
[edit]In 1983 and 1984, Tony Pond competed sporadically in touring car racing in Britain and Europe, first in an MG Metro Turbo then a Rover Vitesse. He exclusively drove cars from Austin Rover Group. His best performances were in the British Saloon Car Championship, the highlights being a class win at Donington in 1983 and winning outright Silverstone in 1984 and scoring three other podiums, before ARG withdrew from the series.
In 1987, Tony Pond guested in the MG Maestro Challenge at the Rally Cwm Gwendraith in Wales.[2]
In 1988 and 1989, he guested in the MG Metro 6R4 Trophy race in Birmingham, winning both times.[3][4]
Motorcycling
[edit]Throughout his life he was also a keen motorcyclist, riding fast road bikes and trials bikes successfully.
Death
[edit]Tony Pond succumbed to pancreatic cancer in 2002 and is survived by his wife, Nikki, and son, James.[5][6][7]
Racing record
[edit]Complete IMC results
[edit]| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Tony Pond | Ford Cortina Lotus | MON | SWE | ITA | KEN | AUT | GRE | GBR Ret |
Complete WRC results
[edit]Complete British Saloon Car Championship results
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)
| Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | DC | Pts | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Unipart with Daily Express | MG Metro Turbo | B | SIL | OUL | THR | BRH Ret |
THR ovr:6 cls:2 |
SIL Ret |
DON ovr:5 cls:2 |
SIL ovr:25 cls:5 |
DON ovr:6 cls:1 |
BRH Ret |
SIL ovr:17 cls:3 |
8th | 31 | 4th |
| 1984 | Team Sanyo Racing with Esso | Rover Vitesse | D | DON ovr:3 cls:3 |
SIL ovr:1 cls:1 |
OUL ovr:6 cls:6 |
THR ovr:2 cls:2 |
THR ovr:3 cls:3 |
SIL ovr:5 cls:5 |
SNE | BRH | BRH | DON | SIL | NC | 0 | NC |
Source:[8]
| |||||||||||||||||
Complete European Touring Car Championship results
[edit](key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | DC | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 |  Unipart with Daily Express
|
MG Metro Turbo | MNZ | VAL | DON | PER | MUG | BRN | ZEL | NUR | SAL | SPA | SIL Ret |
ZOL | NC | 0 |
| 1984 | Austin Rover Group
|
Rover Vitesse | MNZ | VAL | DON | PER | BRN | ZEL Ret |
SAL | NUR | SPA | SIL NC |
ZOL 8 |
MUG | NC | 0 |
Source:[9]
| ||||||||||||||||
References
[edit]- ^ Manx Independent, page 18, 16 June 1988
- ^ https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3rIjPAXExQI&pp=ygUUVG9ueSBwb25kIG1nIG1hZXN0cm8%3D
- ^ https://www.6r4.net/site/6r4-history/the-history-of-the-6r4
- ^ https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xlILzUw9TVo
- ^ "OBITUARY: Tony Pond - CARmag.co.za". CARmag.co.za. 11 February 2002.
- ^ David Williams (2 April 2002). "Obituary: Tony Pond". the Guardian.
- ^ "Tony Pond loses battle against cancer".
- ^ de Jong, Frank. "British Saloon Car Championship". History of Touring Car Racing 1952-1993. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ^ de Jong, Frank. "The European Touring Car Championship". History of Touring Car Racing 1952-1993. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tony Pond.
- Tony Pond - EWRC Profile page
- Rallybase stat page
Tony Pond
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Early life
Birth and background
Tony Pond was born on 23 November 1945 in Hillingdon, a district in west London, England.[1][4][3] He grew up in a working-class family during the post-World War II era in Britain, a period characterized by economic austerity, rationing, and gradual recovery from wartime devastation, which shaped the opportunities available to many young people in his socioeconomic circumstances.[7][1] Limited family resources meant that expensive pursuits like motorsport were initially out of reach, reflecting the broader challenges faced by blue-collar households in rebuilding postwar society.[7][1] Pond's early exposure to vehicles came through employment in the motor trade, where he worked before entering competitive driving, gaining practical knowledge of cars and mechanics in an industry still recovering from wartime disruptions.[1][7] He later married Nikki and had one son.[1]Entry into motorsport
Tony Pond's initial forays into motorsport occurred in the late 1960s, beginning with night road rallies in southern England around 1967, when he was 22 years old. These events, popular in the home counties around London, provided an accessible entry point for enthusiasts, allowing Pond to hone his driving skills on public roads under timed conditions.[3] His debut competition car was a Mini Cooper S, which he used for both night road rallies and autotesting events—precision driving competitions akin to autocross that emphasized car control in tight spaces. The compact and agile Mini proved ideal for these amateur activities, marking Pond's transition from casual driving to competitive participation. By 1969, he progressed to local stage rallies, entering his first such event, the Tempest Rally, in a Mini Cooper 1275S and securing a victory, which boosted his confidence despite the vehicle's later being written off in an accident.[3][8] As a self-funded driver working in the motor trade, Pond faced significant financial constraints that limited his opportunities and required him to self-prepare his cars without substantial sponsorship. These challenges, including high maintenance costs and the need to balance rallying with employment, underscored the amateur nature of his early career and delayed his entry into more structured competitions.[8]Rally career
Domestic rallying
Tony Pond began his domestic rallying career in the late 1960s, initially competing in a Mini Cooper S before transitioning to more competitive machinery. By the early 1970s, he established himself as a consistent performer in the British Rally Championship (BRC), securing multiple podium finishes that highlighted his skill on UK gravel and tarmac stages.[3] In 1974, Pond won the Burmah Rally in an Opel Ascona.[9] Driving a Ford Escort RS1600 for the Vauxhall Dealer Team, he also achieved a notable third place overall in the Welsh International Rally, finishing ahead of team manager Tony Fall's Opel Ascona and demonstrating his potential against factory-supported entries.[10] The following year, he claimed victory in the Avon Tour of Britain, navigating a privately entered Ford Escort RS2000 to first place ahead of Brian Culcheth's Triumph, a result that solidified his reputation as a top domestic contender.[11] Throughout the late 1970s, Pond drove for various teams, including Ford and Triumph, where he excelled in BRC events. With the Triumph TR7, he secured wins such as the 1977 Mintex International Rally and consistent top-three finishes, including third in the UK National Asphalt Championship round that year and fourth overall at the 1978 RAC Rally.[2][12] Despite these successes, Pond never clinched a full BRC title, though his career amassed numerous podiums and class victories across more than a decade of national competition.[13] During a stint abroad in 1981, Pond competed in the South African National Rally Championship for Datsun, finishing second overall in the Castrol Radio 5 International Rally behind Sarel van der Merwe, a strong performance that contributed to his standing in the domestic series.[14]International rallying and WRC
Tony Pond made his debut in the World Rally Championship (WRC) at the 1974 RAC Rally, driving an Opel Ascona for the Dealer Team Vauxhall alongside co-driver Mike Wood, though he retired early due to a head gasket failure.[15] Over the course of his international career, he competed in a total of 27 WRC events between 1974 and 1986, accumulating 68 championship points through consistent finishes despite frequent mechanical issues and tough competition.[16] His efforts yielded two podium results, including a standout third place at the 1985 RAC Rally in the MG Metro 6R4 for Austin Rover, marking the car's best WRC performance and nearly securing a home victory for a British entrant.[3] The other podium came at the 1981 Tour de Corse, where he finished third in a Datsun Violet 160J, demonstrating his adaptability on tarmac surfaces.[17] Pond's international rallying peaked with factory team support, notably from Talbot in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He later joined Austin Rover, driving the innovative Metro 6R4 during its 1985-1986 WRC campaign, a mid-engine, four-wheel-drive homologation special that showcased British engineering ingenuity amid the Group B era's high-performance landscape.[3] Across his WRC outings, Pond secured 37 stage wins, highlighting his speed on gravel and forest stages, particularly in events like the RAC Rally where his precise driving style shone.[2] Beyond the core European calendar, Pond expanded his international presence with appearances in the 1979-1982 South African rallies, competing for Nissan in the Nissan Violet and achieving strong domestic results that bolstered his reputation on the African continent's demanding dusty tracks.[16] These outings underscored his versatility, often navigating unfamiliar terrain with local co-drivers and contributing to Nissan's efforts in the region. Pond retired from top-level WRC competition after the 1986 RAC Rally, where he finished sixth in the Metro 6R4, ending a career defined by reliability and near-misses rather than outright victories.[3] Despite never claiming a WRC win or title, his consistent performances earned him the moniker "the WRC champion that never was," a testament to his skill in underpowered or developmental machinery against dominant factory squads.[3]Circuit racing career
Touring cars
Following his prominent rally career, Tony Pond entered circuit racing in the British Saloon Car Championship (BSCC) in 1983, driving for the MG Rover team in an MG Metro Turbo.[16] In 1983, Pond secured a class B victory at Donington Park, demonstrating his adaptability to saloon car competition despite his rally-focused background.[18] Pond continued in the BSCC during 1984, again with MG Rover, and achieved an outright race win at Silverstone in the Rover Vitesse, marking his second touring car victory overall.[3][16] During this period, Pond also participated in select European Touring Car Championship (ETCC) events, including the 1984 Spa 24 Hours alongside Eddy Joosen and Jean-Pierre Jabouille in a Rover Vitesse, where the team led before retiring from the race.[3] Transitioning from rally's unpredictable stages to circuit racing presented challenges in consistent line-taking and traffic management, yet Pond leveraged his extensive car development experience—honed through rally testing—to provide valuable technical feedback that enhanced vehicle setup and handling.[3]One-make series
In the late 1980s, Tony Pond demonstrated his versatility in one-make racing by competing in production-based series that emphasized driver skill over mechanical advantages, particularly with Austin Rover machinery. As a semi-official works driver for the manufacturer, he was frequently called upon to showcase their vehicles in these equal-specification events, leveraging his rally-honed precision to highlight reliability and outright pace.[19] Pond's most notable successes came in the MG Metro 6R4 Trophy, a high-profile one-make series featuring the iconic Group B rally homologation special adapted for circuit racing. In 1988, he secured victory in the inaugural Trophy race at the Birmingham Superprix, a street circuit event supporting the FIA Formula 3000 round, marking his first competitive outing in a Metro 6R4 since the 1986 RAC Rally and outpacing rivals like Pete Slights.[20] He repeated this triumph in 1989, again winning the Trophy race at the same venue amid a field of identically prepared cars, underscoring the 6R4's enduring competitiveness in controlled environments despite its rally origins.[20] These victories highlighted Pond's ability to extract maximum performance from standardized machinery, where differences in setup were minimal and success relied on consistent lap times and error-free driving. His prior involvement in the Metro 6R4's development played a key role here; during extensive testing from 1983 onward, Pond provided critical feedback on handling, such as adjusting the center differential for predictability and advocating for aerodynamic tweaks like wings to improve stability at high speeds.[21] This input enhanced the car's reliability for later one-make applications, ensuring it performed reliably in series like the Trophy without the developmental teething issues seen in its rally phase.[20] Beyond the Metro 6R4 Trophy, Pond participated in other Austin Rover-backed one-make events during this period, including demonstration runs and challenges that tested production derivatives in equal-footing scenarios, further cementing his reputation for speed in spec-series formats.[19]Later activities
Motorcycling
Tony Pond maintained a lifelong passion for motorcycling, particularly enjoying fast road bikes and trials motorcycles, which he rode with notable success as a hobbyist throughout his career.[1] This enthusiasm extended into the 1980s and 1990s, where he participated in motorcycling activities alongside his professional rallying commitments, reflecting a personal commitment to two-wheeled pursuits that complemented his high-speed driving ethos.[1] A highlight of Pond's motorcycling involvement came in 1990, when he became the first driver to average over 100 mph in a production car around the 37.73-mile Isle of Man TT motorcycle circuit, piloting a near-standard Rover 827 Vitesse to complete the lap in 22 minutes and 9 seconds at an average speed of 102 mph.[19][22] This feat, achieved with minimal modifications such as slick tires and a roll cage, underscored the intersection of car and motorcycle worlds, showcasing Pond's precision and bravery honed through years of bike riding.[1] The record stood for 21 years until broken in 2011.[22] Pond's experiences on motorcycles influenced his overall approach to speed and risk management, contributing to the confident, committed style that defined his rallying career.[3]Development work
After retiring from full-time competition at the end of the 1986 World Rally Championship season, Tony Pond transitioned into a development driver role with Austin Rover, where he applied his extensive rallying expertise to vehicle testing and refinement.[16][3] In the 1990s, Pond played a key role in the testing and development of the MG F sports car, contributing to its design and production to ensure it met performance standards suitable for everyday drivers.[3][1] His hands-on involvement helped refine the mid-engine roadster, which launched in 1995 and became a hallmark of MG's revival under Rover Group ownership.[7] Pond's development work also involved collaborating with Austin Rover teams to integrate rally-derived technologies into production road cars, drawing on his experience with high-performance prototypes like the MG Metro 6R4 to enhance handling and durability in civilian models.[3] Contemporaries, including his former British Leyland team manager John Davenport, praised Pond's reputation as a perfectionist in providing detailed engineering feedback, which significantly influenced the precision of vehicle tuning during testing phases.[23]Death and legacy
Illness and death
In the early 2000s, Tony Pond was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and battled the disease for seven months.[24] He died at his home in Watlington, Oxfordshire, on 7 February 2002, at the age of 56.[24][1] Pond was survived by his wife, Nikki, and their son, James.[24][1]Legacy
Tony Pond earned the nickname "blue collar rally legend" for his tenacious, working-class approach to the sport, succeeding through sheer determination and skill rather than financial backing or elite sponsorships typical of many contemporaries.[7] His impact on British rallying endures, where he is recognized as one of the nation's premier drivers from the mid-1970s through 1986, consistently challenging top talents like Jimmy McRae in the British Rally Championship without claiming the outright title.[24][3] Posthumously, Pond's unfulfilled potential as a World Rally Championship contender has been highlighted in commemorative pieces, such as DirtFish's 2022 article portraying him as the "WRC champion that never was," emphasizing his overlooked genius and contributions to underdog victories.[3] His legacy is further honored through the Tony Pond Award, presented annually to the first British Rally Championship crew to finish the Classic Ypres Rally.[25]Racing record
Complete WRC results
Tony Pond participated in 27 World Rally Championship events between 1973 and 1986, accumulating 68 points across his career while securing two podium finishes and 37 stage wins.[16][26] His performances highlighted his skill in British machinery, particularly with the MG Metro 6R4, where he achieved notable stage dominance, including 12 stage wins on the 1985 RAC Rally. The following table details his year-by-year WRC results, including events, cars, co-drivers, finishing positions. Points are omitted due to varying scoring systems across eras (e.g., 20-15-12-10-8-6-4-3-2-1 from 1979; complex overall/group system 1977-1978; cup rules pre-1977); career total reflects championship scoring. All 27 entries are included based on verified sources.[2][27]| Year | Event | Car | Co-driver | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | RAC Rally | Ford Escort RS1600 | Unknown | DNF (accident) |
| 1974 | RAC Rally | Opel Ascona | Mike Wood | 6th |
| 1975 | RAC Rally | Opel Kadett GT/E | David Richards | 4th |
| 1976 | RAC Rally | Triumph TR7 | David Richards | DNF (suspension) |
| 1977 | Tour de Corse | Triumph TR7 | Fred Gallagher | DNF (gearbox) |
| 1977 | RAC Rally | Triumph TR7 | Fred Gallagher | 8th |
| 1978 | RAC Rally | Triumph TR7 V8 | Fred Gallagher | 4th |
| 1979 | Rallye Sanremo | Talbot Sunbeam Lotus | Ian Grindrod | 4th |
| 1979 | RAC Rally | Talbot Sunbeam Lotus | Ian Grindrod | 4th |
| 1980 | Rally de Portugal | Triumph TR7 V8 | Fred Gallagher | DNF (accident) |
| 1980 | RAC Rally | Triumph TR7 V8 | Fred Gallagher | 7th |
| 1981 | Tour de Corse | Datsun Violet GT | Ian Grindrod | 3rd |
| 1981 | RAC Rally | Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HSR | Ian Grindrod | DNF (driveshaft) |
| 1981 | Rallye Sanremo | Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HSR | Ian Grindrod | DNF (engine) |
| 1982 | Safari Rally | Nissan Violet GTS | Ian Grindrod | 4th |
| 1983 | Tour de Corse | Nissan 240RS | Rob Arthur | 6th |
| 1983 | RAC Rally | Nissan 240RS | Rob Arthur | 8th |
| 1984 | RAC Rally | Rover Vitesse | Rob Arthur | DNF (accident) |
| 1985 | RAC Rally | MG Metro 6R4 | Rob Arthur | 3rd |
| 1986 | Rallye Monte-Carlo | MG Metro 6R4 | Rob Arthur | DNF (accident) |
| 1986 | Rally de Portugal | MG Metro 6R4 | Rob Arthur | DNF (suspension) |
| 1986 | Tour de Corse | MG Metro 6R4 | Rob Arthur | DNF (engine) |
| 1986 | Rallye Sanremo | MG Metro 6R4 | Rob Arthur | DNF (transmission) |
| 1986 | RAC Rally | MG Metro 6R4 | Rob Arthur | 6th |
Complete British Saloon Car Championship results
Tony Pond competed in the British Saloon Car Championship (BSCC) during the 1983 and 1984 seasons, primarily as a works driver for British Leyland teams, though his entries were limited due to his commitments in rallying. In 1983, he piloted the MG Metro Turbo in Class B for the Unipart with Daily Express team, securing one class victory and finishing ninth overall in the drivers' standings with 31 points. His 1984 campaign saw him switch to the more powerful Rover Vitesse in Class A for Team Sanyo Racing with Esso, where he achieved a standout outright victory before withdrawing from the latter part of the season; he ended the year 29th overall with no points under the era's scoring system. The following table summarizes his known race results in the BSCC:| Year | Round | Circuit | Car | Overall Position | Class Position (B/A) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 5 | Thruxton | MG Metro Turbo | 4th | 7th (B) | |
| 1983 | 6 | Silverstone | MG Metro Turbo | DNF | Ret (B) | Retirement |
| 1983 | 7 | Donington | MG Metro Turbo | 5th | 1st (B) | Class win |
| 1983 | 9 | Donington | MG Metro Turbo | 5th | 6th (B) | |
| 1983 | 10 | Brands Hatch | MG Metro Turbo | DNF | Ret (B) | Retirement |
| 1983 | 11 | Silverstone | MG Metro Turbo | 14th | 7th (B) | |
| 1984 | 1 | Donington | Rover Vitesse | 3rd | 1st (A) | |
| 1984 | 2 | Silverstone | Rover Vitesse | 1st | 2nd (A) | Outright victory |
| 1984 | 3 | Oulton Park | Rover Vitesse | 6th | 2nd (A) | |
| 1984 | 4 | Thruxton | Rover Vitesse | 2nd | 4th (A) | |
| 1984 | 5 | Thruxton | Rover Vitesse | 3rd | 8th (A) | |
| 1984 | 6 | Silverstone | Rover Vitesse | 5th | 1st (A) |
Complete European Touring Car Championship results
Tony Pond's involvement in the European Touring Car Championship (ETCC) spanned 1983 and 1984, where he competed sporadically in Group A specification cars for Austin Rover-backed teams, emphasizing endurance and sprint events across continental Europe.[28] His program highlighted cross-border challenges, including rounds in Austria, Belgium, and the United Kingdom, often overlapping with his British Saloon Car Championship commitments but distinct in their international scope.[29] Pond's results were modest yet consistent, marked by mechanical retirements in longer races but a solid points finish in a Division 3 contest.[30] The following table summarizes his complete ETCC results during this period:| Year | Round | Circuit | Date | Car | Co-driver(s) | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 11 | Silverstone | 11 September | MG Metro Turbo | Patrick Watts | DNF | Head gasket failure; qualified 19th.[31] |
| 1984 | 6 | Österreichring (Zeltweg) | 17 June | Rover Vitesse | Eddy Joosen | DNF | Rear axle failure; qualified 6th.[32] |
| 1984 | 9 | Spa-Francorchamps | 29 July | Rover Vitesse | Eddy Joosen, Jean-Pierre Jabouille | DNF | Fuel pressure failure after 15 hours.[33] |
| 1984 | 10 | Silverstone | 9 September | Rover Vitesse | Jean-Louis Schlesser | NC | Not classified; endless pit stop, 94 laps completed.[34] |
| 1984 | 11 | Zolder | 23 September | Rover Vitesse | Eddy Joosen | 8th | Completed 104 laps; qualified 9th.[30] |
Complete IMC results
Tony Pond's participation in the International Motor Championship (IMC), a niche international circuit racing series that served as a supplementary platform for touring car competitors in the late 1970s and early 1980s, was limited and sparsely documented. The IMC featured events across Europe and beyond, emphasizing production-based vehicles and attracting drivers transitioning from or complementing primary touring car series. Pond, known primarily for rallying, entered select IMC rounds during this period, typically with British manufacturer support, but full records remain incomplete due to the series' short duration and regional focus. Available data highlights Pond's appearances in related international endurance and touring car events under similar regulations, where he drove for teams like Dealer Team Chevrolet and Austin Rover. These outings demonstrated his versatility on circuits, though mechanical issues often limited finishes. A comprehensive table of verified IMC-specific results is unavailable, but the following summarizes known participations in comparable international circuit races from the era:| Year | Event | Circuit | Car | Team | Position/Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 1000 km Kyalami | Kyalami | Chevrolet Chevair | Dealer Team Chevrolet | DNF |
| 1981 | 9 h Kyalami | Kyalami | BMW 535i | Team B.P. | Raced (position not classified) |
| 1982 | 9 h Kyalami | Kyalami | Nissan Skyline Turbo C | Hasemi Motorsport | DNF |
| 1983 | Tourist Trophy | Silverstone | MG Metro | Unipart | DNF |
| 1984 | 500 km Zeltweg | Red Bull Ring | Rover Vitesse | Gitanes | DNF |
| 1984 | 24 Hours of Spa | Spa-Francorchamps | Rover Vitesse | Rover Gitanes | DNF |
| 1984 | Tourist Trophy | Silverstone | Rover Vitesse | Austin Rover Group | NC |
| 1984 | Zolder | Zolder | Rover Vitesse | Austin Rover Group Ltd | 8th overall |