Racing reports
Andrew Park pulled a rabbit out of the hat to win the first of the Formula Ford 2000 races at the Gold Cup, as four drivers turned in a fabulous contest in truly horrible conditions.
As the first race on Sunday, the joint Historic and Classic field raced in heavy rain on a water-logged track. However, Benn Simms, Park, Ian Pearson and Callum Grant were nothing short of sensational.
Simms made much of the running on his first race outing since May, but Pearson tigered up to challenge. However, an attack on the lead ended in a lurid spin at Hislops and Pearson retired with a deranged side pod. That seemed to settle it for Simms, but he was struggling for visibility and in last lap traffic and yellow flags, Park closed the gap and stole ahead. Then, Grant just out-gunned Simms for second on the dash to the line. “I just managed to get round the outside at the hairpin,” said Park after a win that had seemed unlikely heading into the final lap.
Park did it again in Monday’s dry race, but was under growing threat until a throttle cable problem slowed Simms and almost put him into the clutches of Grant, but he was unable to pass.
Sunday was not a day for Morgans in the twin Road Sports races and Kevin Kivlochan (Historic) and Russell Paterson (70s) had to work hard to take their third places. John Davison’s Elan was the class of the Historic race, but Paul Tooms kept him honest in his Turner, while rainmaster John Williams scored an overdue first 70s victory in his Porsche 911SC after dealing with the Lotus Europa of early leader Will Leverett.
Andrew Kirkaldy was peerless in the safety car-interrupted Guards Trophy race, lapping eight seconds faster than anyone once he took over the Sandy Watson-owned Chevron B8 from Ross Hyett. Simon Hadfield, guesting in Andy Yool’s B8, went from the back of the grid as a reserve to claim second, despite losing the windscreen wiper on the warm-up lap, while Dan Eagling was a sensational fifth overall and GT winner in a Sebring Ginetta G4R.
It was a good day in the rain for the Woodhouse family in Formula Junior. Dad Mark held off Alex Morton to win the front-engined contest and son Jack did the same later as he fended off Andrew Hibberd in the rear-engined thrash. Hibberd then hopped from his Lotus 22 to his father’s Brabham BT18 to chase Jon Milicevic in the first Historic F3 race unsuccessfuly. A second F3 win in a restarted race on Monday was enough for Milicevic to retain his title with 11 wins from 12 starts.
Calum Lockie was stunning in the Pre ’80 Endurance races as he tamed the brutish March 717 Can-am car of Richard Dodkins. Even 800bhp on a wet and greasy track failed to faze the 2000 British GT champion, although a minor last-lap spin at Knickerbrook almost derailed his romp to victory.
Such was his advantage over John Burton’s Chevron B26 that Lockie had time to restart the engine, do a threepoint turn and still win by 46 seconds. Lockie was equally sensational in the dry on Monday despite a spirited early challenge from Burton. Lockie broke the 100mph lap marker on his way to a second consummate win.
John Cleland (Vauxhall Vectra) twice topped the Super Tourers although Jason Hughes ran him close in the opener until a broken alternator belt sidelined his newly-acquired Vectra. On Monday, Hughes finished at the tail of a great four-way battle for second also featuring Neil Smith (Alfa Romeo 156), Mark Jones (Renault Laguna) and Jason Minshaw (Volvo S40).
Jon Minshaw/phil Keen used a win in the Jaguar Classic Challenge as a Goodwood TT shakedown for a fresh build E-type. Meanwhile, Paul Hogarth and Chris Boardman were elated to take Historic Touring Car Challenge spoils in their BMW M3. Ric Wood cut the early pace in his Cologne Capri, but pitted just too early and had to make a second stop later in the race.
Richard Belcher won the opening Historic Touring Car race but was inadvertently clobbered out of the second by the Mustang of Mark Watts, leaving Barry Sime to take victory.
Finally, Ben Mitchell overcame adversity to win the Historic Formula Ford counter, despite an off in testing on Saturday and a stub axle failure in qualifying. In the race, his challenge came from the ever-present Callum Grant, with Ben Tusting tagging along as well. It was so close over the line as a tenth of a second covered the three Merlyns.