Jaguar C-types revive and thrive in Friday-evening contest

In contrast to the Goodwood Nine Hours races into darkness of 1952, ’53 and ’55, in which Jaguar’s C-type hares were resoundingly beaten by David Brown’s Aston Martin DB3 and DB3S tortoises, the Jags finished 1-2 over an hour in the Freddie March Memorial Trophy race on a glorious Friday evening.

It might have sprung another surprise result. The CooperJaguar

T33 of Guy Harman/Nick Finburgh proved quick enough to win, but 27 seconds of penalties – 10 each for owner Harman jumping the start from Finburgh’s pole and a short stop, plus seven for exceeding the 20mph speed limit in the narrow pitlane – left them an exasperated fourth.

This played into the C-type crews’ hands. Californian Fred

Wakeman and Nigel Webb scrapped initially with Goodwood debutant Mike Grant Peterkin (Allard-Cadillac J2X), around which Christian Godard’s 1500cc Cooper T39 roller skate buzzed. Past masters Sam Hancock and John Young took over the Jaguars, but triple Le Mans 24 Hours winner Benoit Treluyer forged the Allard between them, only for a shortstop penalty to drop it to third.