A packed programme, birthday bonanzas and a Touring Car party made for a memorable Classic. Words Lizzie Pope. Photography Jakob Ebrey/Chris Gage.
Under blue skies and sprawling across the vast 760-acre site, it was easy to believe organisers’ claims that the Silverstone Classic from 20-22 July was the world’s biggestever motor-racing meeting.
There were more than 1000 entrants in 21 races, across eight decades of motorsport. And if the 100,000 visitors could tear themselves away from the track action, they could visit the National and International paddocks, or take in the packed infield where in excess of 10,000 cars were on show, representing more than 110 car clubs.
The numbers kept coming, as track parades celebrated notable anniversaries, including 32 makes of Formula Junior racers marking the series’ diamond jubilee with a record-breaking 100-plus cars; 60 years of the British Touring Car Championship starring Jack Sears’ inaugural title-winning Austin Westminster A105; the Morgan Owners’ Club remembering the Plus 8’s half century; and Jaguar owners honouring the XK’s 70th plus the XJ’s 50th.
After Friday’s qualifying, racing kicked off on Saturday with the Jim Clark Trophy, the first of four Historic Formula Junior grids. Will Mitcham (U2 Mk2) was victorious, 1.627 secs ahead of Chris Drake (Terrier Mk4 Series 1).
In the 50-minute RAC Tourist Trophy, the Martin Hunt/Patrick Blakeney-Edwards AC Cobra won by a convincing 42.492 secs from a tight E-type battle that saw James Cottingham/Harvey Stanley beat Sam Hancock/Gregor Fisken by just 1.5 secs. The TR4 of James Mitchell and C&SC’s Julian Balme sadly retired on lap nine.
Chris Ward (Lister ‘Knobbly’) took the chequred flag in the Stirling Moss Trophy by almost 11 secs from Tony Wood/Will Nuthall (Lister Jaguar), but the second Formula Junior race, the Denny Hulme Trophy, was more of a nailbiter. Just over a second covered the top three finishers, with pole-sitter Sam Wilson (Lotus 20/22) winning, but he was only 0.795 secs ahead of Timothy De Silva (Brabham BT2), with Jon Milicevic (Merlyn Mk5/7) in third.
There were some rather more comfortable winning margins in both the evocative FIA Masters Historic Formula One and HSCC Road Sports contests. In the former, Nick Padmore (Williams FW07C) took pole and came home over 16 secs ahead of Michael Lyons (Hesketh 308E). John Davison (Lotus Elan S1) was victorious in the latter, also from pole, by over 22 seconds from Richard Plant (Morgan Plus 8).
Next, it was the first Adrian Flux Trophy for Pre ’1966 Grand Prix Cars. Nuthall was back and this time took the win, his Cooper T53 crossing the line 1.329 secs ahead of Peter Horsman (Lotus 18/21) and third-placed De Silva (Lotus 24).
SWEDE EMOTION
As part of the BTCC’s 60th birthday celebrations, one of Silverstone’s stars was 1998 champion Rickard Rydell, racing his title-winning Volvo S40 and reunited with the now-iconic 850 Estate in which he made his series debut – plus the famous dog, the mascot that poked fun at Volvo’s choice of an estate as a racing car. “It’s the same dog that we had on the roof back then,” says Rydell. “We only had it for a few races because they complained that we were making fun of it, but I think we changed the reputation of Volvo in the UK.”
After coming from single-seaters to the BTCC in ’94 and being told he was racing a wagon, he admits: “I was almost regretting it! But it was a great decision to race the estate for the first year to get the extra publicity. “It doesn’t feel like 20 years ago. It took me a few laps and set-up changes to get used to the S40, but now I feel at home again. It’s just fun to be back in the car.”
The much-anticipated Super Touring Car Trophy, in honour of the BTCC’s 60th anniversary, saw James Dodd (Honda Accord) win, with pole-sitter Rickard Rydell (Volvo S40) just over 7 secs back, well clear of Jason Hughes (Vauxhall Vectra) in third.
The day concluded with a trio of ‘Daytona at dusk’ contests. First place in the pre-’66 GT race went to Jake Hill (Lotus Elan), with Michael Gans/Andy Wolfe (AC Cobra) just 0.664 secs behind. It was an easier win for Oliver Bryant, who was campaigning his Lola T70 in the Masters Historic Sports Cars race and finished some 7.562 secs in front of Gans (Lola T290), meaning back-to-back second-place finishes for the Swiss. He was well clear of Diogo Ferrão/ Martin Stretton, who made it an all-Lola podium in their T292. Closing Saturday’s track action was the Masters Endurance Legends. Steve Tandy (Lola B12/60) scooped first place, from Christophe D’Ansembourg (Lola- Aston DBR1-2) in second and Martin Short (Dallara SP1) third.
Race day 2 was dubbed ‘Tin-Top Sunday’, with four of the day’s 10 races for touring cars. The first was the Gallet Trophy and Rob Huff/ Andy Wolfe (Lotus Cortina) won, from Andrew Banks/Maxim Banks (Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA).
Harry and Nick Whale took their E30 M3 to the top step of the podium in the Historic Touring Car Challenge, with Mark Smith/ Arran Moulton-Smith in a similar BMW and the Ford Capri of Ric Wood completing the top three. The day’s third touring car race was the second Super Touring Car Trophy contest – with the same result as before! Dodd again beat Rydell to the chequered flag, but this time by just 2.314 secs, double BTCC champion John Cleland (Vauxhall Vectra) in third.
There was a Ford 1-2-3 in the Transatlantic Trophy for Pre ’66 Touring Cars. Wolfe scored his second saloon-car victory of the day in a Falcon Sprint alongside Mike Gardiner, the duo finishing ahead of the Mustangs of Craig Davies (second) and James Thorpe/ Sean McInerney (third).
FROM THE INFIELD
1953 JAGUAR XK120 DROPHEAD COUPÉ
Barry Lovett isn’t shy about driving his Jaguar, one of the stars of the weekend’s 70th-birthday XK parade – he’s taken it to the Le Mans Classic three times, driven around the Circuit de la Sarthe twice and enjoyed Continental tours with the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club. “I’ve owned it for 14 years,” he says. “I bought it with a good body, but the mechanicals needed work.” He describes his XK120 as “fairly original”, adding: “It’s not too shiny, but I like it that way.”
1970 VOLKSWAGEN TYPE 14 KARMANN-GHIA
“I’ve always liked a Karmann,” says owner John Everitt, who brought his stylish two-door coupé to the show with his son, “and this one still has its original engine.” He’s had his two-tone, left-handdrive car – one of just four on display at the Silverstone Classic – for 16 years and does around 5000 miles per year in it. That includes enjoying the tours and events put on by the Karmann Ghia Owners’ Club, which has more than 400 members: “I drive it in all weathers.”
1930 MG 18/80 MkII
Being one of only three surviving examples in the world, it’s hardly surprising that Keith Herkes’ stunning, 88-year-old MG stood out. He has been the proud owner of the car for the past two decades and imported it from the USA in 1998 as an empty shell. “It came with most of the parts I needed,” he recalls, “so it was mainly a case of putting it back together; I did all the mechanical work. I now try to take it out whenever I can.” The car was first owned by Autocar artist F Gordon Crosby, and now resides alongside an open-topped MkI version, Herkes’ other pride and joy.
1962 ALFA ROMEO GIULIETTA SPRINT
“It’s a Giulietta, but has FIA papers as a Giulia 1600,” explains owner and painter Noel Hutchinson. “It has the 1600 engine because it’s more competitive than the 1300, and it has a Giulia dash.” This is his stand-in rally car, bought a year ago. “I was going on a European tour, was desperate for a Giulietta and didn’t want to spend much – I looked all over Europe.” He found this car in Kent but soon realised that it needed lots of TLC. Just two of the issues were a gearbox that “jangled” and wiring “like a bird’s nest”. The car’s next outing will be a forthcoming Dutch tour.
In Sunday’s other races, Wilson took another Formula Junior win, this time in the Jochen Rindt Trophy, from Cameron Jackson (Brabham BT2) and Peter Morton (Lightning Envoyette).
Gary Pearson was first in the RAC Woodcote Trophy from pole position in his D-type, just over 5 secs clear of the Frederic Wakeman/ Blakeney-Edwards Cooper T38, with Richard Wilson/Stretton (Maserati 250S) in third.
The John Surtees Trophy – the meeting’s final Historic FJ race – saw Andrew Hibberd (Lola Mk2) lead home podium returnees Mitcham and Drake, while the second Historic Formula One encounter was a repeat of race one. Padmore’s Williams took the chequer, this time from eighth on the grid, with Lyons’ Hesketh second.
It was also two from two for Tandy (Lola B12/60) when he won the second Masters Endurance Legends contest, this time just half a second in front of Hervé Regout (Lola-Aston Martin DBR1-2) and David Porter (Peugeot 908).
Last but not least, Horsman (Lotus 18/21) secured a dominant win in the second Adrian Flux Trophy, coming home 26.369 secs ahead of Mark Daniell (Cooper T45), followed by Tony Wood (Tec-Mec Maserati).
Lyons took the Henry Hope-Frost #FEVER Award in honour of the late and much-missed broadcaster and journalist, who passed away earlier this year. It recognised the most memorable high-octane moment from the weekend, with Lyons’ around-the-outside pass on Stretton’s Tyrrell at Stowe on Saturday sealing the deal.
Having come third in the second Masters Endurance Legends race, Porter’s Peugeot 908 was honoured with the Stuart Graham ‘Scarf & Goggles’ Award for the event’s most admired competition car. The huge efforts of the Ferrari Owners’ Club of Great Britain were rewarded with the trophy for the Best Car Club Display, while Allan Southward took home the Club Car of the Show award for his Aston Martin DB1.
RESULTS
JIM CLARK TROPHY FOR HISTORIC FORMULA JUNIOR (1958-1960)
1 W Mitcham U2 Mk2
2 C Drake Terrier Mk4 Series 1 Pole position A Hibberd Lola Mk2
RAC TOURIST TROPHY FOR HISTORIC CARS (PRE ’63 GT)
1 M Hunt/P Blakeney-Edwards AC Cobra
2 J Cottingham/H Stanley
Jaguar E-type
Pole position S Watson/M O’Connell
Jaguar E-type
STIRLING MOSS TROPHY FOR PRE ’61 SPORTS CARS
1 C Ward Lister ‘Knobbly’
2 T Wood/W Nuthall Lister-Jaguar
Pole position R Wills Lotus 15
DENNY HULME TROPHY FOR HISTORIC FORMULA JUNIOR (1961-1963)
1 S Wilson Lotus 20/22
2 T De Silva Brabham BT2
Pole position S Wilson Lotus 20/22
FIA MASTERS HISTORIC FORMULA ONE (RACE ONE)
1 N Padmore Williams FW07C
2 M Lyons Hesketh 308E
Pole position N Padmore
Williams FW07C
HSCC ROAD SPORTS (1947-’1979)
1 J Davison Lotus Elan S1
2 R Plant Morgan Plus 8
Pole position J Davison Lotus Elan S1
ADRIAN FLUX TROPHY FOR PRE ’66 GRAND PRIX CARS (RACE ONE)
1 W Nuthall Cooper T53
2 P Horsman Lotus 18/21
Pole position J Fairley Brabham BT11/19
JET SUPER TOURING CAR TROPHY (RACE ONE)
1 J Dodd Honda Accord
2 R Rydell Volvo S40
Pole position R Rydell Volvo S40
DAYTONA AT DUSK, INTERNATIONAL TROPHY FOR CLASSIC GT CARS (PRE ’66)
1 J Hill Lotus Elan
2 M Gans/A Wolfe AC Cobra
Pole position D Hart/O Hart
Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe
DAYTONA AT DUSK, YOKOHAMA TROPHY FOR FIA MASTERS HISTORIC SPORTS CARS
1 O Bryant Lola T70 Mk3B
2 M Gans Lola T290
Pole position A Banks/M Banks
McLaren M6B
DAYTONA AT DUSK, MASTERS ENDURANCE LEGENDS
1 S Tandy Lola B12/60
2 C D’Ansembourg Lola-Aston DBR1-2
Pole position S Tandy Lola B12/60
JOCHEN RINDT TROPHY FOR HISTORIC FORMULA JUNIOR (1961-1963)
1 S Wilson Lotus 20/22
2 C Jackson Brabham BT2
Pole position S Wilson Lotus 20/22
RAC WOODCOTE TROPHY FOR PRE ’56 SPORTS CARS
1 G Pearson Jaguar D-type
2 F Wakeman/P Blakeney-Edwards
Cooper T38
Pole position G Pearson Jaguar D-type
GALLET TROPHY FOR UNDER 2 LITRE TOURING CARS
1 R Huff/A Wolfe Lotus Cortina
2 A Banks/M Banks
Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA
Pole position R Huff/A Wolfe
Lotus Cortina
JOHN SURTEES TROPHY FOR HISTORIC FORMULA JUNIOR (1958-1960)
1 A Hibberd Lola Mk2
2 W Mitcham U2 Mk2
Pole position A Hibberd Lola Mk2
HISTORIC TOURING CAR CHALLENGE
1 N Whale/H Whale BMW M3
2 M Smith/A Moulton-Smith
BMW M3
Pole position N Whale/H Whale
BMW M3
FIA MASTERS HISTORIC FORMULA ONE (RACE TWO)
1 N Padmore Williams FW07C
2 M Lyons Hesketh 308E
Pole position H Fletcher March 761
JET SUPER TOURING CAR TROPHY (RACE TWO)
1 J Dodd Honda Accord
2 R Rydell Volvo S40
Pole position J Dodd Honda Accord
MASTERS ENDURANCE LEGENDS
1 S Tandy Lola B12/60
2 H Regout Lola-Aston Martin DBR1-2
Pole position S Tandy Lola B12/60
ADRIAN FLUX TROPHY FOR PRE ’66 GRAND PRIX CARS (RACE TWO)
1 P Horsman Lotus 18/21
2 M Daniell Cooper T45 Pole position W Nuthall Cooper T53
TRANSATLANTIC TROPHY FOR PRE ’66 TOURING CARS
1 M Gardiner/A Wolfe Ford Falcon Sprint
2 C Davies Ford Mustang Pole position T Buckley/R Huff Ford Falcon
