Race Report and Photos: HSCC Silverstone International Trophy 15-16th May
The HSCC celebrated the heritage of the International Trophy over the weekend of the 15th and 16th of May by naming the event after the Trophy. The thirteen race programme attracted a massive 540 entries. Held on the newly named ‘Bridge’ circuit, formally the Grand Prix circuit, It gave the chance to the owners and drivers to really stretch the legs of their cars.
The International Trophy used to be a must see event on the Silverstone calendar. It ran as a non-championship F1 race from 1949 to 1978. However due to the increasing demands of F1 support for the race diminished, for a while F5000 cars were added to bolster the grids. The glory days of the Trophy during the 1960’s and early 70’s when most of the F1 teams turned out their new cars and star drivers to do battle, were sadly gone.
Race One, the ‘Specsavers’ historic Formula Ford 2000 opened the meeting with a huge grid of 46 cars, it was Neil Fowler driving the newly rebuilt ex Seamus Doyle Lola T580 who took the chequered flag from his, Neil Fowler Motorsport team mates Simon Toyne and David wild driving Reynard SF79’s. The only other Lola in the field was driven by the winning cars previous owner Seamus Doyle!
Race two, the Historic Road Sports Championship, saw the beautifully fettled Morgan +8 of James Paterson overcome the TVR Griffith of Andrew Marler, which developed unpredictable handling as the race developed. Marler lost second to the Ginetta G4 driven with great effect by Dave Randall.
Race three, the HSCC/FJHRA Miller Oils Historic Formula Junior Championship, provided a close race with Callum Macleod’s well sorted Caravelle Mk3 hitting the front ahead of Mike Hibberd in his Lotus 27 with Championship front runner John Milicevic’s Cooper T59 giving chase. Local man Milicevic squeezed by Hibberd and harried Macleod’s Caravelle until its gearbox cried enough in the closing stages. Hibberd too had an epic battle finally giving best to James Murray’s Lola Mk5A.
Race four, the HSCC 70’s Road Sports championship race gave the crowd a spirited three way tussle from lights to flag, Paul Anderson’s Gulf liveried Porsche 928 coming out on top after pulling off a stunning move with a two laps to go to demote the TVR’s of Peter Shaw and reigning Champion Julian Barter to the lower steps of the podium, Barter was later excluded after his 3000M was found to be under weight.
Race five, HSCC Classic Formula 3 Championship, and yet another titanic three way fight for the win, Between Bill Coombs, Benn Simms and series debutant Simon Hadfield.
It was Hadfield in his recently restored ‘BAF’ liveried, ex Rupert Keegan/Brian Henton March 743 in its first race since 1976 who had surprised the field by sticking the nimble car on pole ahead of defending Champion Coombs Argo JM6 and 08 champion Simms’ March 803.
Hadfield came past in the lead with Coombs and Simms trying everything to get by the older March, lap on lap the trio were locked together. Sadly Hadfield was forced to give best to Coombs within sight of the flag, having caught a slower car in Becketts, Coombs slipstreamed by into Stowe. It transpired that a stone had pieced the oil filter on Hadfield’s March spraying oil onto the rear brakes, despite this and aware of the drop in oil pressure Hadfield said, “I thought I might as well hold on, as my March was quicker on the straights”. Benn Simms rounded out the top three in his ex Eddie Jordan March 803B.
Race six, HSCC Guards Trophy supported by Dunlop tyres, featured a grid which contained no less than twelve Chevron B6 and 8’s and eleven Jaguar E types in various guises as well as, MG’s, Marcos’, Lotus’, Porsche 911’s and Austin Healey’s as well as a thunderous 1965 Corvette and Shelby Mustang also of 1965 vintage amongst others. First across the line was Greame Dodd in his Ginetta BMW G16, however he was demoted to third after being caught speeding in the pit lane during the mandatory stops. This gave the victory to Chevron B8 pilot Nick Fleming and second to fellow B8 man James Schryver. Edward Lovett on his debut in a B8, put in a spirited recovery drive to cross the line forth, after a spinning Austin Healey damaged the nose of the ex Ray Bellm car.
Race seven, the GT and Sports Car Cup sponsored by ‘Turnkey’ saw a race long fight between the Jaguar E Types of Jon Minshaw/Martin Stretton and John Clark/Gregor Fisken, until a couple of tours from the finish, Fisken clipped the ‘vette of Richard Bull and spun at Maggotts, damaging the exhaust in the process. Fisken made it home second with the E Type coupe of Ross Warburton/Andy Newall third, for an all Jaguar podium.
Race eight, Sir Stirling Moss Trophy. New for 2010 the Sir Stirling Moss Trophy organised by Motor Racing Legends, is for genuine pre 1961 sports cars and sports racers only, and by invitation. The fifty minute race was won by the beautifully prepared flame red Maserati T61 birdcage of father and son pairing Alan and Jason Minshaw who came out on top with a little good fortune as well as good driving, second was the wonderful sounding Lister Jaguar of Tony Wood and Alistair McCraig with Peter Horsman in a Lotus 17 rounding out the top three.
Race nine, HSCC historic F5000 and F2 Championship for the Derek Bell Trophy, saw that man Simon Hadfield out again in his Magnificent newly restored STP Trojan T101 Chevrolet, who roared off into an unassailable lead. However Martin Stretton driving his ex Jacques Laffite March 742 F2 was tenacious in his chase setting the fastest lap of the weekend a 108 MPH 1min 44.929 in the process, Sean walker brought his F2 March 782 home after passing Michael Schryver, driving Simon Hadfield’s other Trojan T101 in the closing stages.
Race 10, HSCC Classic racing cars and Simon Hadfield was at it again this time in the simply beautiful Lotus 48 F2 car once driven by Jim Clark and Graham Hill, winning by 14 seconds from the Brabham BT18’s of Ian Gray and Geoff Farmer.
Race eleven, The ‘Bybox’ Historic touring car championship. Provided a wonderful sight as the huge field thundered down the Hanger straight, Leo Voyazides driving his Ford Falcon Sprint, rumbled into the lead which he never lost, as April’s race winner Roger Cope kept voyazides honest with a superb drive to second in his BMW 1800, the ford Falcon of Harry Wyndham took third, with the Lotus Cortina of Mark Jones forth.
Race twelve, HSCC historic Formula Ford Championship, was won in fine style by Darren Burke in his extremely potent Macon MR8, taking the flag 14 seconds ahead of Benn Simms Alexis Mk14 with Ben Mitchell’s Merlyn Mk20 coming home third. Darren has won all three rounds so far leading every lap this season. He described the Macon as “awesome on the Grand Prix Circuit”.
Race thirteen, the Pre War and Pre’53 sports car race, the finale to a great weekends racing was won by the handsome margin of 39 seconds by the youngest car in the field a 1952 RGS Atalanta Jaguar driven by Tony Wood, Gareth Burnett’s Alta came home a distant second with Malcolm Verey’s Allard J2 filling the final podium spot.
Full results from this meeting can be found at www.hscc.org.uk
Images: Graham Dalley
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