Sport

The heavens opened for the seventh Autumn Classic at Castle Combe on 6 October, resulting in treacherous conditions for the morning’s qualifying sessions. John Young took advantage to claim pole position for the Norman Dewis Trophy in his Mk1, ahead of a superb field of pre-1966 Jaguars. Julian Thomas’ E-type was alongside him and powered into an early lead, before Young retook the advantage on lap eight.

Tom Butterfield (Mk2) temporarily relieved Thomas of second before dropping to fifth with an off at Quarry. He fought back to finish fourth, while Young held on to take an improbable victory. Andrew Keith-lucas was third behind Thomas after a patient but committed drive in his mother’s XK150S.

More than 40 cars contested the hour-long GT and Sports Car Cup, which was dominated by winner Gary Pearson’s E-type. He was pursued in the eight-minute sprint to the flag after two safety-car periods by Mark Williams (AC Cobra) and John Burton (E-type), but the latter was overhauled by Patrick Blakeney-edwards in the E-type he was sharing with Martin Hunt.

Mark Gillies (Aston Martin Speed Model) claimed Formula Vintage honours, getting past Tom Waterfield’s Frazer Nash on lap two. The pair switched places a few times before Gillies pulled away.

Richard Bradley (Brabham BT2) was the class of the Formula Junior field, and Martyn Corfield (Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica) beat Stephen Bond’s Lister in the FISCAR contest. Bruce Montgomery (3000 MKII) won the all-healey Phil Broster Memorial Race.

After having to give best to the Minis in qualifying, Michael Squire’s Mustang benefited from a dry track to close proceedings with a comfortable victory in the Terry Sanger Memorial Trophy, named after the local tin-top legend.

Clockwise from top: Young (Mk1) beat Thomas; a win for Pearson; Montgomery was the top-placed Healey; Waterfield slid to second in Formula Vintage race

Minis dominated a wet qualifying for the Terry Sanger Memorial Trophy, but in the dry race V8 power prevailed as Squire won in his Ford Mustang