PRESTON ENDS MITCHELL’S WIN RUN

Andrew Mitchell failed to make it four consecutive Bill Phillips Trophy wins, losing out to Mike Preston as the Vintage Sports-car Club took to a gloomy Oulton Park.

By putting his HRG on pole following the rain-disrupted qualifying session, Mitchell’s run of form looked to be continuing. But he struggled for grip when the lights went out and spun his wheels. That opened the door for Sue Darbyshire and Preston to get ahead, passing on both sides through Old Hall.

Previous winner of the trophy, Darbyshire’s Morgan Three Wheeler kept Preston honest throughout. Bugatti man Preston said: “I thought I better press on when I realised it was Sue behind me.”

Darbyshire had been fending off lunges from Mitchell, but she couldn’t quite make her car wide enough on the final lap.

Nick Topliss took victory in a grid that combined the Pre-1931 Vintage, and Pre-1961 Racing Cars, after losing out last year. After a slow start, Mark Gillies piloted his ERA to the front of the pack, only to be blighted with a lingering cylinder issue, which meant he ground to a halt at the rear of the circuit and handed the victory to an unchallenged Topliss’ ERA. Tony Lees and Matt Ricketts collected the Boulogne and Hawthorn Memorial trophies, winning the Vintage and Post-war classes respectively.

While Charles Gillett celebrated victory in the Oulton Park Trophy, he was ineligible to accept the awards as he had been running a stripped Frazer Nash Sports Special. This handed the win to Dougal Cawley, whose Gn/ford Piglet had spent much of the race side-by-side with Andrew Mitchell’s HRG. Gillies, taking to the grid in his 1939 Aston Martin, had been part of the scrap for second, but a spin at the Shell Oil hairpin left him 23 seconds behind the front.

Despite Gillies’ disappointing weekend, he did take victory in the Pre-war Short Scratch race, his first race of the day. Despite a self-confessed “terrible start” on the drying grid, the mint green ERA reclaimed the lead by the time the pack got to Island Bend and never looked back. In the Novice Short Scratch race, it was a tight scrap for victory, with David Seber’s Hornet narrowly finishing ahead of Michael James (Riley).

Promising racing until the very end, there were two Pre-war Handicap races, offering the usual reverse grids and staggered starts.

1 Mike Preston (Bugatti T35B); 2 Andrew Mitchell (HRG 1½ lite) +1.47s; 3 Sue Darbyshire (Morgan Super Aero); 4 Mark Butterworth (Lagonda V12); 5 Mark Brett (Ballamy-ford V8 Sp); 6 Simon Blakeney-edwards (Frazer Nash Super Sports). Fastest lap Mitchell 2m23.49s (67.54mph). Pole Mitchell. Starters 31.

1 Nicholas Topliss (ERA R4A); 2 Eddie Gibbs (Frazer Nash SS Racer) +29.93s; 3 Duncan Ricketts (Alta 2 litre); 4 Tony Lees (AC/ GN Cognac); 5 Charles Gillett (Frazer Nash Super Sports); 6 Duncan Pittaway (GN Vitesse). CW Lees; Matt Ricketts (Cooper T41). FL Mark Gillies (ERA R3A) 2m02.78s (78.93mph). P Gillies. S 19. 6 Mark Gillies (Aston Martin Monoposto). FL Cawley 2m19.55s (69.45mph). P Gillett. S 18.

1 Mark Gillies (ERA R3A); 2 Nicholas Topliss (ERA R4A) +27.42s; 3 Eddie Gibbs (Frazer Nash SS Racer); 4 Tony Lees (AC/ GN Cognac); 5 Dougal Cawley (GN/ Ford Piglet); 6 Tim Greenhill (Wolseley Hornet Special). CW Gibbs; Cawley; Christian Pedersen (Austin 7). FL Gillies 2m22.56s (67.98mph) P Gillies. S 23.

1 David Seber (Wolseley Hornet Special); 2 Michael James (Riley 14/4 TT Sprite Rep) +1.42s; 3 Duncan Potter (MG Montlhery Midget); 4 Euan Clark (Riley Brooklands Special); 5 Dennis Bingham (Riley Falcon Special); 6 David Asplin (Austin 7 Ulster Replica). CW Potter; Ian Fyfe (Alvis 12/70 Special). FL D Seber 2m22.20s (68.15mph). P D Seber. S 10.

Pre-war Cars Short Handicap (4 laps) DONINGTON PARK: MSCC BY RIAN HOSKINS

him to fourth behind Williams and Parsons.

For the other half of the Morgan Challenge field, it was to be a commanding display from Keith Ahlers as he duelled with his great rival Phil Goddard in the opening stages but eventually pulled out an unassailable gap to take his 85th victory overall in the series.

Goddard was second, with Russell Paterson third and his son Elliot fifth as guest driver Shane Kelly defended well against the latter.

For the following race, Ahlers looked to be in control again, with Goddard in second and Russell Paterson third. But, mid-way through, Ahlers had gear selection issues. He lost the lead to Goddard and did his best to hold off Paterson, albeit to no avail.

In Thoroughbred Sportscars, Rob Spencer’s MGB led from pole and was untroubled as only the top five finished on the same lap.

Many of the same drivers lined up for the BCV8 Championship round but with Oliver Neeves and James Wheeler strong contenders this time. It was a three-way tussle for the lead but a mechanical failure ended Neeves’ race halfway through and, with three

1 Cyril Hancock (Fiat New Balilla); 2 David Asplin (Austin 7 Ulster Replica) +0.60s; 3 David Seber (Wolseley Hornet Special); 4 Norman Pemberton (Talbot 95/105); 5 David Morely (Riley Special); 6 Michael James (Riley 14/4 TT Sprite Rep). FL D Seber 2m26.53s (78.93mph). P Jonathan Miller (Stutz Bearcat). S 22.

1 Tony Seber (Wolseley Hornet Special); 2 Mike Painter (MG Kayne) +1.08s; 3 Richard Ilffe (Riley Kestrel 12/4 Spl); 4 Anthony Fenwick-wilson (Railton LS Tourer); 5 Philip Bewley (Bugatti T35); 6 Nigel Hall (Lagonda LG45). FL Christian Pedersen (Austin 7) 2m18.86s (69.79mph). P Noel Runnels-moss (Vauxhall Quartermaine Special). S 17.

Morgan Three Wheeler Challenge (5 laps) 1 Hamish Bibby (Jap 8/80 racing); 2 Chas Reynolds (Jap Super Sports) +1m07.09s; 3 Tom Cowley (Matchless Super Aero); 4 Danny Hodgson (F2 Williment); 5 Pete Clews (Super Elva); 6 Austin Smith (M3W S&S). CW Smith; Anthony Pearson (F2 E93A). FL Bibby 2m25.53s (66.59mph). P Bibby. S 10.

laps to go, Wheeler and Russell Mccarthy collided, with the latter ending up worst off.

Wheeler was able to claim victory ahead of Rob Spencer, Simon Cripps and Neil Fowler.

There was a dramatic start to the FISCAR Historic Intermarque event as Michael Freeman, in fourth, failed to get going on the formation lap and poleman Jonathan Abecassis spun out of the race at Redgate.

This left Nick Matthews’ Austin-healey and Neil Hardy’s similar car to fight it out for the lead battle, with the added stipulation that a pitstop had to be made. Matthews pitted a few laps later to beat Hardy and Jim Campbell respectively.

The Sports Car v Saloon Car Challenge only had four entrants, and even that was then reduced to three with Ian Whitt only lasting one lap. Martyn Adams’ Triumph TR7 put in a dominant display to cross the line over a minute ahead of Nick Yeomans in a Porsche 944 Turbo.

Russell and Elliot Paterson (MG) were a class ahead in the Jim Tucker Trophy, winning by nearly a minute in front of Jack and Billy Bellinger (Morgan +8).

1 Mark Halstead (Elan 26R); 2 Augusto Perfetti (Cortina Mk1) +28.80s; 3 Jonathan Lewis (Austin Cooper S); 4 Bill Watt (Elan S2); 5 Brian Small (Ashley MG); 6 Julian Crossley (Mini). CW Perfetti, Crossley. FL Halstead 2m08.12s (75.64mph). P Halstead. S 22.

1 Jonathan Lewis (Austin Cooper S); 2 Steve Jones (Morris Mini Cooper S) +38.64s; 3 Tim Harber (Austin Mini); 4 Brian Small (Ashley MG); 5 Matthew Jeffrey (Austin Cooper S); 6 Jon Mcdonald (Ashely Works GT). CW Andrew Jordan (Austin A30). FL Lewis 2m07.19s (76.19mph). P Lewis. S 29. 1 Tim Ayres (+8); 2 Henry Williams (4/4) +7.934s; 3 Steve Mcdonald (+8); 4 Jack Bellinger (+8); 5 Clive Glass (+8); 6 Alex Laidlaw (Roadster). CW Williams; Laidlaw; Michelle Bailey (+4). FL Mcdonald 1m23.908s (84.91mph). P Ayres. S 18.

1 Ayers; 2 Williams +3.730s; 3 Tim Parsons (4/4 Supersport); 4 Mcdonald; 5 Philip St Clair Tisdall (+8); 6 Simon Scott (LWT Roadster). CW Williams; Parsons; Chris Bailey (+4). FL Parsons 1m23.280s (85.55mph). P Ayres. S 17.

1 Keith Ahlers (+8); 2 Philip Goddard (+8) +24.561s; 3 Russell Paterson (+8); 4 Shane Kelly (ARV6); 5 Elliot Paterson (ARV6); 6 Roger Whiteside (+8). CW Kelly; Billy Bellinger (+8). FL Alhers 1m17.918s (91.43mph). P Goddard. S 19.

1 Goddard; 2 R Paterson +4.709s; 3 Ahlers; 4 E Paterson; 5 Whiteside; 6 Andy Green (+8). CW E Paterson; Bellinger (+8). FL Ahlers 1m17.727s (91.66mph). P Ahlers. S 19.

1 James Wheeler (MG BGTV8); 2 Rob Spencer (MG BGTV8) +3.441s; 3 Simon Cripps (MG BGTV8); 4 Neil Fowler (MG MGBGT); 5 Jordan Spencer (MG BGTV8); 6 Andrew Young (MG CGT). CW J Spencer; Benjamin Tovey (MG B Roadster); Mike Harris (MG B). FL R Spencer 1m17.230s (92.25mph). P Russell Mccarthy (MG BGTV8). S 21.

1 Nick Matthews (Austin-healey 100/4); 2 Neil Hardy (Austin-healey 100) +8.391s; 3 Jim Campbell (AustinHealey 100/4); 4 Brian Arculus (Alfa Romeo Guilietta); 5 Mark Hoble (Triumph TR2); 6 Richard Thorne (Morgan +4). CW Arculus; Hoble; John Waterson (Lotus Elite). FL Matthews 1m28.840 (80.19mph). P Jonathan Abecassis (Austin-healey 100/4). S 15.

1 Martyn Adams (Triumph TR7 V8); 2 Andy Yeomans (Porsche 944 Turbo) +1m02.009s; 3 Nick Matthews (Austin-healey 100/4); no other finishers. CW Yeomans. FL Adams 1m22.465s (86.39mph). P Adams. S 4.