On a weekend when the raucous Group C sportscar era was celebrated with demonstration runs and static displays, including Kenny Acheson being reunited with the Sauber-Mercedes C9 he won the 1989 Brands Hatch 1000km race with Mauro Baldi, the London Historic Trophy event produced plenty of standout moments as over 300 cars dating from the 1920s-1990s were showcased.
The story of both Historic Touring Car Challenge races centred around the thrilling lead battle between the BMW E30 M3 of 2013 British Touring Car champion Andrew Jordan and the father-and-son pairing of Andy and Chris Middlehurst in their Nissan Skyline R32. Former Walter Hayes Trophy winner Middlehurst Jr withstood pressure from Jordan to head the opener early on, despite being concerned by brake problems (“the pedal went to the floor at one point”). The situation changed post-pitstops, however, when Jordan made a decisive move on the run down towards Graham Hill Bend moments after Middlehurst Sr had taken over the Skyline.
Battle was joined again in a caution interrupted race two as Jordan charged back on to the tail of Middlehurst Sr after serving an ‘elite driver’ penalty. The pair exploited the strengths of their respective cars to the full as the race concluded, but it was Middlehurst who emerged the winner by less than a second, prompting an emotional response from his onlooking son post-race. Wim Kuijl took third both times in his glorious-sounding Ford Capri RS3100.
The sole Historic Racing Drivers Club Top Hat Pre-’66 Touring Car race was full of action. Former British GT ace Tom Sharp briefly hit the front in his Ford Falcon, but he later slipped into the Stirlings gravel and Jack Ruddell, driving the Ford Mustang he was due to share with reigning BTCC champion Tom Ingram, followed him off track. This enabled Robert Ross – partnering Matt Johnson – to take control in his Mustang until Alex Brundle struck the Cooper Straight barriers in his Mini Cooper S following a tangle with Andrew Jordan’s similar car, an incident that triggered a safety car period.
Victor Cullen, son of Irish motorsport legend Michael, then hit the front in his Ford Lotus Cortina after cleverly making his mandatory stop under caution, but he was soon overhauled by the power of both the Ross/Johnson Mustang and Michael Whitaker’s similar car. Tyre wear proved a problem for both as the race wore on but Johnson held on to record a memorable success for himself and team-mate Ross.
Whitaker’s father Mike ran out the winner of an equally exciting Pre-’66 GT Sprint event in his TVR Griffith, having staved off an initial challenge from Murray Shepherd in his Lotus Elan and later by Lukas Halusa in his Jaguar E-type, despite the latter having started the race from the pitlane. Shepherd, who had charged through the field after a qualifying misfire had confined him and co-driver Cameron Jackson to a row-eight start, eventually came home third.
Whitaker Sr bagged a brace of victories in his TVR Griffith
Photo by: Gary Hawkins
Whitaker also steered his TVR to success in the HRDC Allstars/Classic Alfa Challenge race, leading home son Michael (Ford Mustang) and the Lotus Elan of John Tordoff, but Whitaker Jr went one better in the Gerry Marshall Trophy contest at the wheel of his Rover SD1 after his father was slow away from the line in his similar car. Third was claimed by Simon Lewis in his Jaguar XJS.
The focus of the opening Formula Junior encounter was the intense battle for leadership between Alex Ames in his ex-Mike Hailwood Brabham BT6 and Callum Grant’s Merlyn Mk5/7. Grant grabbed an early lead after usurping poleman Ames at the start as the pair pulled clear of the huge 38-car field. Both drivers swapped positions as they fought their way through traffic on the final lap before Ames narrowly came out ahead as the duo sprinted for the line, despite his car trailing smoke. Grant made a similar start again in the sequel, but Ames was able to recover and snatched back the advantage by the penultimate lap. The ever-busy Halusa claimed a pair of thirds in his Lotus 22, but qualifying was marred by a serious incident involving Charles Cook (Nike Mk1).
Olly Bryant was the victor in the Woodcote Trophy/Stirling Moss Trophy event in his Lotus 15, marking the first time he had driven the car on the Grand Prix layout. Gary Pearson brought his Lister Jaguar Knobbly home second having briefly got ahead of Bryant during the compulsory pitstops, while Max Lynn and Andy Wolfe claimed third in their Lister Costin Chevrolet after their closest challenger Michael O’Brien was forced to abandon his Lotus 11 S2 at Paddock due to a fire.
Bryant debuted his Chevron B19 in the 2-litre Sportscar event as he claimed a second-place finish after Alex Brundle and former Top Gear presenter Chris Harris struck clutch and gearbox trouble in their Lola T292. Fittingly, the race was dominated by Chris Ward in his ex-Guy Edwards T292 on the weekend where the former F1 driver’s passing was announced at the age of 83.
The life and achievements of 1966 European Touring Car champion Andrea De Adamich were also commemorated on Friday in one of two events held on the Indy Circuit. Ben Colburn was a resounding winner of the one-hour ‘Andrea De Adamich’ Trophy contest in his Alfa Romeo GT, while second was claimed by Gavin Watson and renowned Alfa specialist Chris Snowdon in their similar car. The afternoon’s other race, the Generations Trophy for MGBs, was won by the father-and-daughter team of Andy and Nicole Wolfe after Wolfe Sr usurped Patrick Watts of the lead at Paddock.
The oldest cars to feature in competitive action across the weekend were in the Pre-War Sports Cars double-header and it was the father-and-son duo Tim and Oliver Llewellyn who claimed victory in the opener in their 1927 Bentley 4.5 litre. Clive Morley (1926 Bentley 3/4 ½ Litre) edged Alex Hewitson’s 1937 Riley 12/4 TT Sprite Rep in an entertaining battle for second, but Hewitson earned bragging rights in race two when he took the spoils ahead of the Talbot 105 of Tom Rawlings.
The Riley of Hewitson was twice on the Pre-War podium
Photo by: Gary Hawkins
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– The Autosport.com Team
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