6 Exotica gunning for GT glory

Graham Hill’s victories in Goodwood’s last two world sportscar championship RAC Tourist Trophy races in 1963 and 1964, driving Colonel Ronnie Hoare’s Maranello Concessionaires’ Ferrari 250 GTO and 330P respectively, are remembered in the double-driver pre-1966 GT showpiece.

The Netherlands is very strongly represented, by two prancing horses and a Bizzarrini. Marino Franchitti partners Nicky Pastorelli in Piet Roelofs’ 250 GTO/64, while Yelmer Buurman joins Olav Glasius in his shapely 250 LM.

The quickest combo may, however, be David and Olivier Hart in their mighty Chevrolet-powered ‘Bizza’ 5300GT. Two of the three svelte Porsche 904 Carrera GTSS are crewed by Le Mans 24 Hours winners. Richard Attwood shares with Olivier Blanpain and Emanuele Pirro with David Clark, but Oliver Bryant/ Andrew Smith may win the marque battle also involving Franck Trouillard (906).

The Ford V8-powered AC Cobras and TVR Griffith 400 (Guy Smith/mike Whitaker) specs have been reined-in this year, which may favour the quickest Jaguar E-types. Wolfgang Friedrichs has Simon Hadfield finishing in his Aston Martin DP214 as usual. Anthony Reid saddles a thuggish Cheetah-chevrolet.