November 2015 Volume 21, No. 10
Spa Six HOurs Race Meeting
Photo John Retter
Spa Six Hours
Where There’s A Wills There’s A Way Marcus Pye Reports on Historic Racing’s Most Eventful Six Hours Photos Eric Sawyer
I
This year’s opposition in the battle to lift historic endurance racing’s crown jewels was the strongest yet. Germans Ralf Kelleners and Michael Funke, Britons Mike Jordan and Gregor Fisken and a host of specialists – including Simon Hadfield, Martin Stretton, Christian Gläsel and Shaun Lynn, with 15 Spa Six Hours victories between them – were among the drivers of 11 other GT40s alone. Furthermore, there was no shortage of talent or good GTS machinery in the record 104-car field. For Lynn, just getting to Spa with a GT40-shaped car marked a Herculean team effort since 1025 had sideswiped Goodwood’s barrier six days before practice started.
f a trophy for perseverance were presented at the Spa Six Hours, Roger Wills’ name would have been engraved on it several times. Two gearbox failures in the 2011 edition stopped his Ford GT40 and its oil pressure disappeared while co-driver James Littlejohn was leading last September. The team still limped home third, but in 2015 it all came right for the pair – and even their arch rivals applauded the momentous achievement. New Zealand-born Wills entered the Roadbook Organisation’s Francorchamps showpiece for the first time in 2006, sharing a Ford Lotus Cortina with Joe Twyman. The duo returned, piloting Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray, Bizzarrini 5300GT and Mercury Comet Cyclone before switching to an original GT40 (latterly replaced with an FIA Appendix K evocation) in 2010. Kiwi pro Brendon Hartley and Scot Anthony Reid subsequently shared the driving – finishing 5th and 9th respectively in ’12 and ’13 - before Littlejohn came on board.
Funke qualified kitchen magnate Georg Nolte’s GT40 on pole position with a staggering 2m40.739s (156.865kph) on the Friday evening, 2.851s clear of the rest. Great for bragging rights, but races are not won in practice. Success in Saturday night’s slog would only come as a result of sustained performance, mechanical reliability
As ever the atmosphere was electric as the monster field set off for the 23rd Six Hours at 16:12. Hadfield – in Leo Voyazides’ GT40, in which they won in 2012 and ’13 – led the opening lap from the similar cars of Funke, Miles Griffiths (Philip Walker’s), Tony Wood, Michael Gans and Olivier Ellerbrock (in brother-in-law Gläsel’s), chased by the Jaguar E-types of Martin O’Connell and Racelogic V-Boxer Julian Thomas. Historic Motor Racing News November 2015
28
and steering clear of trouble and the inevitable tribulations of an evening in the Ardennes.
Only onlookers at trackside with a very keen ear (WDK Motorsport’s Ian Cox take a bow!) detected that the leading GT40 was without third gear from part-way through Littlejohn’s middle stint, but much thought and patient use of the lever kept the ZF transaxle alive for James and Roger to finally claim the coveted prize in the late-built car, expertly prepared by Simon Blake’s Historic Automobiles team.
Pierre-Alain Thibaut (sharing Dr Afshin Fatemi’s GT40 with its owner and his very capable compatriot Wolfgang Kaufmann) was top Belgian in 11th, ahead of Nigel Reuben (TVR Griffith) and the GT40s of Richard Meins and Shaun Lynn, split by Dutch veteran Alexander van der Lof in 2007 winner David Hart’s Shelby Cobra. Craig Davies’ Sub-Zero Wolf GT40 started way down the grid, incidentally, banished when marshals conducting spot checks found co-driver John Young not to be wearing fireproof underwear after qualifying!
Dutchmen Alexander van der Lof, 2007 Shelby Mustang winner David Hart, and Nicky Pastorelli finished a splendid GTS-winning third on the same lap as the winner, in the DHG ‘Red Stripe’ Shelby Cobra masterminded by Gary Spencer, whose crew also changed the gearbox in Chris Chiles’ Cobra mid-race! The GT40 of Griffiths/ Mike Jordan/Walker was fourth, ahead of the Jaguar of triple race victor Jon Minshaw/Phil Keen and the GT40 of Davies, Young and fast-finishing Andy Newall.
Funke built a 20 second advantage over Hadfield in the first eight laps, only to have it wiped out by a safety car interlude for the recovery of a stricken Mustang. Already out, dramatically, was Richard Meaden, brake failure having caused a hefty impact at Fagnes that wrecked the Grant Tromans-owned Lotus Elan. More fortunate was ’97 and ’98 race winner Michael Schryver, whose Elan Shapecraft Coupe emerged from a massive spin at Blanchimont without a scratch.
The GTS10 and GTS11 classes were particularly hard-fought. Overseen by Spa 24 Hours Vauxhall racer of the 1970s Andrew Major and PC Automotive’s Pat Capon, Michael Schryver, son Will and Joe Twyman outran two other fast Elans to win the 1600cc division and finish a remarkable 11th overall. “It only used a pint of oil,” exclaimed Schryver Sr afterwards.
Among the Touring Cars, the Mustang team of Christian Dumolin/ Christian van Riet/Stephan Meyers – gunning for a third successive class victory – set out hard and led in the early stages from the similar cars of Dutchmen Karsten Le Blanc and long-time Shelby GT350 racer Armand Adriaans.
Dutch MGB teamsters Sjoerd Peereboom and Jasper Izaks – with Briton Tom Smith of engine builder MG Motorsport as their hotshoe – led GTS11 for much of the way, only to be ambushed in the embers of the race by the Porsche 911 of Mark Bates/Sean McInerney, which reached the chequered flag 2.7s sooner.
The GTS11 pole-sitting Marcos-Volvo 1800GT of Britons Richard Evans/John Faux, which gridded 33rd, also headed its division initially, from some sonorous Porsche 911s and the Morgan +4 of indefatigable marque racers Keith Ahlers, Billy Bellinger and Christian Bock. Out of luck, though, were TVR Grantura men Joe Ward (winner in ’95 and ’96 in different Griffiths), Richard Bull and Brian Lambert whose MG engine overheated in the opening laps. Ward stopped to let it cool and slunk back to the pits. Convinced that all was OK, the team continued only for piston failure to spell retirement.
Having started 62nd, Karl Wetherell/Mark Campbell were close behind, their Triumph TR4 going “better than ever.” Belgian Ford Mustang trio Christian Dumolin/Stephan Meyers/ Christophe van Riet’s aspirations of a third successive Touring Car victory were shot down in flames by Britons David Garrett/Luke Wos/Andy Yool. Their similar notchback sprang a fuel leak before the start, thus set off from the pit lane, but ran with metronomic regularity thereafter. The JD Classics Jaguar Mk1 of Derek Hood/ Chris Ward/John Young led the American V8s mid-race but needed new brake pads at every stop.
Greater drama was to come when Hadfield brought the usually dependable Filipinetti-liveried GT40 in after an hour. Any thoughts rivals may have had of the master tacticians trying to break the regular fuelling sequence, to ensure clear pumps, were quickly dispelled when the tail went up and the Plan B crew changed a perished driveshaft doughnut. When a second one disintegrated later in the evening the red car was pushed forlornly into its garage. This was the first of a spate of dramas that decimated the GT40 challenge. Martin Stretton – victorious last year with Portugal’s Diogo Ferrao – had Tony Wood’s car ahead when engine trouble forced abandonment; Michael Gans/Jason Wright’s broke its final drive before anchor man Andy Wolfe’s stint; a seized brake calliper ended 2011 victors Christian Glasel/Ralf Kelleners’ run after Ellerbrock had scraped its tail in early skirmishes. Fried ignition finally persuaded Meins to call Wren Sport’s technicians off while Lynn threw in his towel when the late monsoon made the going too treacherous.
FIA Period E (1947-’61) victory went to Healey 100M racers Mike Thorne/Johnny Todd/Sarah Bennett-Baggs after the George Miller/ Les Goble Aston Martin DB4 heartbreakingly suffered an electrical failure inside the final 10 minutes. Third in class was a fine result for plucky event debutants the “Bentley Belles” Katarina Kyvalova/ Gillian Carr/Georgina Bradfield who mastered relentless traffic and weather for a popular result in the Hamburg-based Slovakian’s Healey 3000.
The fastest Jaguars featured impressively in the top 10 before hitting trouble. Martin O’Connell flew in Sandy Watson’s car of course, but its gearbox failed after Andrew Kirkaldy’s go. Julian Thomas’ low-drag coupe remained in contention until Chris Harris skated off at Fagnes, but he got it back to the pits and – following a big effort by Jeremy Welch’s team – Nigel Greensall was able to take his turn. Poleman Funke established a big lead before installing Marcus Graf von Oeynhausen – fifth in an E-type with Dirk Adorf in 2014 – in the silver GT40, but a stop-and-go penalty for a yellow flag infringement and time lost behind safety cars lapping (maddeningly for some) at differing speeds in the late evening storm, meant they came up short. Despite Funke’s late charge, Wills remained 30 seconds beyond reach. 29
Historic Motor Racing News November 2015
Supporting Programme
B
Belgians Monopolise The F1 Podium
russels’ Loïc Deman (Tyrrell 009) continued his superb FIA Masters Historic Formula 1 season, victories on both days taking his campaign total to eight wins. While many contended that Saturday’s race should not have been started after a heavy rainstorm, the former Radical racer made light of the conditions. Reigning champion Steve Hartley has always been at home in the wet, thus it was no surprise when he fired his Arrows A4 past Christophe d’Ansembourg’s Williams FW07 for second. Championship leader Andy Wolfe topped the flat-bottomed class in his Benetton Tyrrell 011, but American team-mate Jason Wright (Shadow DN8) was powerless to prevent Nick Padmore (Lotus 77-2) from eroding his Pre-’78 points lead with a superb fourth overall, batting well above his weight in the
F1 Combined Results 1. Deman L (Tyrrell 010) 2. Hartley (Arrows A4) 3. D’Ansembourg (Williams FW07C ) 4. Martin (Tyrrell 009) 5. Padmore (Lotus 77) 6. Hall (Ligier JS/17) 7. Fish (Ensign N180) 8. Barber (Williams FW08C ) 9. Rossi Di Montelera (Lotus 80) 10. Hagan (Ensign MN177 ) 11. Haddon (Williams FW07B ) 12. Pickering (Fittipaldi F8) 13. Wright (Shadow DN8) 14. Devis (Arrows A3-3) 15. Campos Costa (Shadow DN9-4A )
slender car in which Gunnar Nilsson finished third in the ’76 Belgian GP. Deman, d’Ansembourg and touring car veteran Jean-Michel Martin made history completing a unique all-Belgian podium in Sunday’s sequel, although outrageously there was only one national flag available to greet them! Driving another Candy Tyrrell 009, Martin outbraked Hartley at Les Combes after a green flag restarted racing for a lap after a full-course yellow. With a slow punctured left rear tyre from the start, Wolfe’s Tyrrell was overtaken by Richard Barber (Williams FW08C) as understeer worsened. The tyre eventually let go, spinning Andy before Blanchimont, although he avoided contact with the barrier. Still classified third on aggregate, thus awarded four points, Wolfe saw his six-point championship advantage over Deman reduced to one going into Dijon’s finale.
Photo Charlie Wooding
Wright also had a torrid time, starting very late following a spark box change which restored his DFV engine to full health. To his credit, Jason did not panic but after a long chase clawed his way back past Portugal’s Joao Campos Costa (Shadow DN9) to finish fourth behind Irishman James Hagan’s Ensign N177 and Welshman Phil Hall’s Theodore TR1, but Padmore’s maximum score for a consummate double victory brought him within stealing distance of the per-’78 title.
16. Glover (Arrows A5) 17. Simmonds (Tyrrell 012) 18. Bonny (Trojan T103-1 ) 19. Baudoin (Hesketh 308E ) 20. Hall (Theodore TR1 ) 21. Grant (March 761) 22. Wolfe (Tyrrell 011) 23. Wrigley (Williams FW07) Fastest Lap: Deman 2:14.618
Historic Motor Racing News November 2015
30
Sports Cars
L
ola T70 Mk3B GTs with build dates spanning 1969-2015 claimed the top four places in the FIA Masters Historic Sportscar championship, Jon Minshaw/Phil Keen beating David Hart, Daniel Gibson and Carlos Monteverde/Gary Pearson. Gibson – whose father Paul had crashed his identical Broadleybadged T70 on the exit of Pouhon early on – spun in front of Hart as they lapped a slower car at Blanchimont but miraculously hit nothing.
brothers version, continuing a frustrating weekend which would get worse... Australian Laurie Bennett won the early V8 class after a fine run in his ex-Bud Morley McLaren M1B. Continuing the Lola whitewash at the top of the lap charts, the T210 of Mark Piercy/Martin Stretton finished fifth overall, winning the 2-litre Group 6 division from Max Smith-Hilliard/Nick Padmore (Chevron B19). With gearbox issues thwarting Martin O’Connell’s Chevron B8, the sister ‘Bolton Wanderers’ of Andy Wolfe (Graham Wilson’s) and Nigel Greensall (Alec Hammond’s) finished ahead of points leader Andy Newall’s JCB Excavators example, its tracking out following a whack from Mark Bates’ Porsche.
Chris Beighton/Jon Finnemore (T70) chased Minshaw strongly before a puncture forced the latter to park, while an air filter flame-out sidelined team-mate Leo Voyazides early on, before Simon Hadfield could drive the ex-Carlos Avallone/Fittipaldi
Masters Sports Cars 1. Minshaw/Keen (Lola T70 MK3B) 2. Hart (Lola T70 MK3B) 3. Gibson (Lola T70 MK3B ) 4. Monteverde/Pearson (Lola T70 MK3B) 5. Piercy/Stretton (Lola T210) 6. Smith-Hilliard/Padmore (Chevron B19 ) 7. Hall/Garofall (Lola T212) 8. Devis (Lola T70 MK3B) 9. De Latre Du Bosqueau (Lola T70 MK3) 10. Tomlin (Lola T210) 11. Lynn (Lola T70 MK3B) 12. Wright (Lola T70 MK3B) 13. Wrigley/Hanson (Chevron B19) 14. Gans (Lola T290) 15. Bennett (McLaren M1B) 16. Kremer (Elva MK8) 17. Wilson/Wolfe (Chevron B8) 18. Hammond/Greensall (Chevron B8) 19. Newall (Chevron B8) 20. Carrington-Yates/Carrington_Yates (Chevron B16) 21. Bates (Porsche 911 RSR) 22. Mahmoud/Mahmoud (Lola T70 MK3 ) 23. Pink (Lola T210) 24. Farley (Lola T212) 25. Allison/Thompson (Chevron B8) 26. Colman/Colman (Chevron B8) 27. Furness/Ward (Lola T212) 28. Pastorelli (Ferrari 365GTB/4)
29. Beebee/Boultbee Brooks (Chevron B8) 30. Ahlers/Bellinger (Cooper Monaco King Cobra) 31. Perou/CheminotWoolmer(Chevron B8) 32. Silva/Jorge (Ford GT40) 33. Owen/Owen (Chevron B8) 34. Lambilliotte (Chevron B8) 35. O’Connell (Chevron B8) 36. Peeters/De Braey (Chevron B8) 37. Jolly/Farthing (Cooper Monaco T61M) 38. Bailey (Lola T70 MK2 Spyder ) 39. Martin (Dulon Dino LD10B) 40. Nelson (Chevron B 8 ) 41. Beighton/Finnemore (Lola T70 MK3B ) 42. Hancock (Lola T212) 43. Andersen (Lola T212) 44. Gibson (Lola T70 MK3B) 45. Boot (Chevron B16) 46. Dutoya/Dutoya (Elva MK8) 47. Voyazides/Hadfield (Lola T70 MK3B) 48. Rossi Di Montelera (Abarth Osella PA1) 49. Smithies/Clarkson (Chevron B8 (PURPLE)) 50. Summers (Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona ) 51. Smeets (Chevron B8) 52. Oldershaw (Lola T212) 53. White/Monk (Porsche 911 RSR) Fastest Lap: Minshaw/Keen 2:28.844
31
>> Historic Motor Racing News November 2015
‘50s Racers
Chris Ward led the concurrent RAC Woodcote Trophy Pre-’56 contest in JD Classics’ ex-Fangio Jaguar C-type until the last lap, when smoke from the engine bay urged caution. Following another lightning turnaround in the Blakeney Motorsport pit, Patrick Blakeney-Edwards growled Fred Wakeman’s Cooper-Jaguar T38 past on the Kemmel Straight. Carlos Monteverde/Gary Pearson finished third in the Brazilian’s ex-Jim Clark Jaguar D-type, ahead of German privateer Rudiger Friedrichs’ C-type.
M
inshaw and Keen had already won Motor Racing Legends’ Stirling Moss Trophy Pre-1960 sportscar showcase in the Demon Tweeks Lister-Jaguar. Gregor Fisken and Bobby Verdon-Roe finished within 10 seconds in the Leventis family’s fleet NART Ferrari 246 Dino, ahead of Dion Kremer’s diminutive Lotus 17 Prototype and a trio of contrasting Listers.
Woodcote Trophy & Stirling Moss Trophy 1. Minshaw/Keen (Lister Knobbly) 2. Verdon-Roe/Fisken (Ferrari 246S) 3. Kremer (Lotus 17 Prototype) 4. Hart (Lister Costin) 5. Wood/Nuthall (Lister Knobbly) 6. Lynn (Lister Knobbly) 7. Le Blanc/Stretton (Cooper Monaco) 8. Ahlers/Bellinger (Lola Mk1 Prototype) 9. Wakeman/Blakeney-Edwards (Cooper T38)
10. Ward (Jaguar C-type) 11. Mestdagh (Lotus 15) 12. Monteverde/Pearson (Jaguar D-type) 13. Woolley (Cooper Monaco) 14. Maeers/Walker (Cooper Monaco) 15. Gillett/Smith (Willment Climax) 16. Champion/Stretton (Lotus XI Le Mans) 17. Gravier (Lotus XI) 18. Friedrichs (Jaguar C-type) 19. Kriknoff (Lotus XI Series 1) 20. Zurstrassen (Elva Mk V) 21. Wigley (Cooper Bristol T24/25) 22. Van Der Kroft (Cooper Bobtail T39 ) 23. Paul/Bourne (Lotus Mk X) 24. Francis/Thompson (Allard J2)
Touring Cars
Horst Baumann (Alfa Romeo GTA) and Carlos Monteverde/Gary Pearson (Cortina) completed the podium, although the Letts brothers had a good run in their Cortina. Best of the Mini Cooper S contingent was that of 1980 British Mini Se7en champion Jonathan ‘Monkey’ Lewis and Liam Sullivan.
T
he Lotus Cortina teams’ hopes took a huge dive at the start of the Historic Motor Racing News U2TC round when the fresh engine fitted that morning to Richard Meaden’s car failed and Richard Dutton’s Fortec machine broke, with fastest lap on its slate. That left top qualifier Richard Shaw unopposed on a physically punishing solo effort in his Laranca Engineering BMW 1800 TiSA.
U2TC 1. Shaw (BMW 1800 TiSA) 2. Baumann (Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA) 3. Monteverde/Pearson (Ford Consul Cortina) 4. Avill/Hyett (Ford Lotus Cortina) 5. Letts/Letts (Ford Lotus Cortina) 6. Tomlin/Stretton (Ford Lotus Cortina) 7. Berg (Ford Lotus Cortina Mk1) 8. Van-Riet/De-Borman (Ford Lotus Cortina) 9. Clark/Smith (BMW 1800 Ti/SA) 10. Dunham/Owen (Ford Lotus Cortina Mk1) 11. Lewis/Sullivan (Austin Mini Cooper S) 12. Martin/Haddon (Ford Lotus Cortina)
Historic Motor Racing News November 2015
25. Cooke/Dowd (Cooper Bobtail) 26. Brooks (Aston Martin DB3S ) 27. Hart/Fierro (Maserati 300S) 28. De Prins (Rejo Mk IV) 29. Bert (HWM Alta-Jaguar) 30. Bond/Fell (Lister Bristol) 31. PlessdorfWoolmer(Mercedes 300SL Coupe) 32. Hübner (Lister Jaguar Knobbly) 33. Emmerling/Hooper (Elva MkV) 34. Vercoutere/Wolfe (Lotus 15) 35. Chase-Gardener (Mercedes 300M Gullwing) 36. Hunt/Hall (Frazer Nasch Le Mans replica) 37. Rothenberger/Woitrin (Jaguar C-type) 38. Nyblæus/Corfield (Austin-Healey 100M ) 39. Keith-Lucas/Keith-Lucas (Jaguar XK150S FHC) 40. Mills/Welch (Austin-Healey 100M) 41. Wood/Nuthall (Lister Bristol) 42. Grandidier/Wilhelm (Aston Martin DB2/4) 43. Reid/Stewart (Lola Mk1) 44. Mahmoud (Cooper Monaco T49) Fastest Lap: Verdon-Roe/Fisken 2:52.002
13. Churchill/Baldwin (Austin Mini Cooper S) 14. Baker (Austin Mini Cooper S) 15. Wood/Mcguire (BMW 1800 Ti) 16. Henderson/Fisken (Ford Lotus Cortina Mk1) 17. Parsons/Greaves (Morris Mini Cooper S) 18. Bouriez (Alfa Romeo GTA 1600) 19. Vercoutere (Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA) 20. Wilwert/Mailliet (Alfa Romeo Giulia TI Super) 21. Everard (Alfa Giulia Sprint GTA)
32
22. Jensen (Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti Super) 23. Lund/Strommen (Ford Lotus Cortina Mk1) 24. Lawley/Smith (Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA) 25. Kremer (Ford Lotus Cortina) 26. Dutton/Brown (Ford Lotus Cortina) Fastest Lap: Dutton/Brown 3:04.571
M
asters also put on a Pre-’66 Touring Car grid, which gave the big bangers an outing. Thundering Ford Falcons dominated, Mike Gardiner/Phil Keen beating Leo Voyazides/Simon Hadfield home. France’s Eric Helary
Masters 70s Touring Cars 1. Ward (Ford Broadspeed Capri ) 2. Fatemi (Porsche 911 RS 2.8 ) 3. Heinrich (BMW M1 Procar) 4. Toye (Triumph TR8) 5. Audi (Aston Martin DB4 Lightweight ) 6. Van Der Woude (Porsche 911 RS)
– winner of the 1993 Le Mans 24 Hours for Peugeot – and Italy’s Andrea Stortoni finished third and fifth in Minis, separated by the Mustang of John Young/Craig Davies. Norway’s Arne Berg (Cortina) won the intermediate division.
7. Bockwolt (BMW 2002 tii) 8. Beighton/Beighton (Sunbeam Le Mans Tiger) 9. Van Haelst (Mazda RX3) 10. Hubner (Porsche RSR) 11. Wood (Ford Capri) 12. Horn/Briones (Porsche 911 RSR) 13. Wilwert/Maillet (Alfa Romeo GTV 1750)
14. Schumann (Alfa Romeo Montreal) 15. Crofton (Datsun 240Z ) 16. Zampatti (Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV) 17. Cajani (Alfa Romeo 1750 GTAM) 18. Allen/Bailey-Watts (Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV) 19. Kato (Mazda R100) Fastest Lap: Ward 2:44.600
Martin Hunt and Patrick Blakeney Edwards drove a fine race in their early spec Cobra to win the Pre-’63 GT event. Sadly the beautiful maroon E-type of James Cottingham, shared with Andrew Smith, expired out on the circuit early on, ending the rivalry between these two
GTs
T
he Historic Motor Racing News Pre-’63 GT field was a slim volume, thinned further when the Jaguar E-type of Andrew Smith/James Cottingham stopped on the circuit, defusing the lead fight. Martin Hunt/Patrick Blakeney-Edwards prevailed in the former’s wonderfully gruff AC Cobra, from Karsten Le Blanc in the ex-Ecurie Chiltern Le Mans Austin-Healey 3000 DD300 and Ben Mitchell in Dion Kremer’s Morgan +4. Michael Gans’ violet Lotus Elite and the Porsche 356 of Steve Wright/Ian Clark joined Le Blanc as class winners.
Pre-’63 GT 1. Hunt/Blakeney-Edwards (AC Cobra) 2. Le Blanc (Austin Healey 3000 Mk2 ) 3. Mitchell/Kremer (Morgan +4 Supersports) 4. Martin/Minshaw (Jaguar E-type FHC) 5. Binfield (Jaguar E-type) 6. Miller/Goble (Aston MARTIN DB4) 7. Gans (Lotus Elite) 8. Dumolin (Ferrari 250 SWB)
33
9. Wood (Jaguar E-type FHC) 10. Allen/Roberts (Aston Martin DB2 Lightweight L ) 11. Bason/Bason (Lotus Elite S2) 12. Wright/Clark (Porsche 356A Super) 13. Lawley/Smith (Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce) Fastest Lap: Hunt/Blakeney-Edwards 3:03.933
>>
Historic Motor Racing News November 2015
F
ollowing his FIA Masters F1 disappointment, Andy Wolfe had something to smile about on Sunday evening when he relieved Michael Gans in the dark green Cobra which his team runs and won the traditional Gentlemen Drivers Pre-’66 GT finale. Karsten Le Blanc/ Nigel Greensall finished second in the Dutchman’s similar car, with previous winner Marcus Graf von Oeynhausen third in his Gotcha Racing Jaguar E-type. The sister car of Andy Newall/ Rhea Sautter had a gearbox issue, which twice blew the transmission tunnel cowling off! Other casualties included Michael Funke with a misfiring Chevy V8 in Nolte’s Bizzarrini and Leo Voyazides’ Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe with a repeat of qualifying’s engine problems. The Ginetta G4s of James Hagan/Ron Maydon and Tommy Brorsson/Palle Birkelund Pedersen thus battled for fourth before being split by James Cottingham/Tim Summers in the former’s mushy pea-hued Cobra Daytona Coupe clone.
Grand Prix Cars
Eric Everard & Christophe Van Riet Photo John Retter
A
magnificent 53-car turnout was an event record for the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association. Peter Horsman (ex-Tony Shelly Lotus 18/21)
Gentlemen Drivers 1. Gans/Wolfe (AC Cobra) 2. Le Blanc/Greensall (AC Cobra) 3. Von Oeynhausen-Sierstorpf (Jaguar E-type) 4. Maydon/Hagan (Ginetta G4R) 5. Cottingham/Summers (AC Cobra Daytona) 6. Pedersen/Brorsson (Ginetta G4R) 7. Boot (TVR Griffith) 8. Martin/Hughes (Lotus Elan) 9. Thompson/Allison (Marcos 1800GT) 10. Schluchter (Lotus Elan) 11. Huebner (Jaguar E-type) 12. Mahmoud/Welch (Jaguar E-type) 13. Kjaergaard/Kjaergaard (Lotus Elan) 14. Ahlers/Bellinger (Morgan Plus 4 SLR) 15. Orebi/Bull (Morgan +4 SLR) 16. Beighton/Eckford (Sunbeam Le Mans Tiger) 17. Mahmoud/Greesall (Bizzarrini) 18. Paul/Bourne (TVR Grantura) 19. Perou/Cheminot (Austin Healey 3000 Mk II) 20. Clarkson/Smithies (Austin Healey 3000) 21. T’hoen (Austin Healey 3000 Mk I) 22. Sealand/Mortensen (Ginetta G4) 23. Druguet/Perou (Lotus Elan S1) 24. Lokvig/Holstein (Morgan Plus 4) 25. Sautter/Newall (Jaguar E-type) 26. Visser (Austin Healey 3000 Mk I) 27. Macedo/Jorge (AC Cobra) 28. Nolte/Funke (Bizzarrini) 29. Valvekens/Grant (Lotus Elite) 30. Gomm (Jaguar E-type) 31. Ashworth/AshworthWoolmer (TVR Grantura) 32. Hall/Willis (AC Cobra) 33. Everard/Van Riet (Shelby Cobra) 34. Voyazides/Hadfield (Shelby Daytona Cobra) Fastest Lap: Nolte Funke 2:51.011
benefited when runaway leader Miles Griffiths’ ex-Charles Vögele InterContinental Formula Brabham BT4 stuck in fifth gear in the opener. Jon Fairley (Tasman Brabham BT11) pipped recent Goodwood winner Andy Middlehurst’s 1500cc Lotus
25 V8 for third. Griffiths bested Horsman in Sunday’s race in which the scrap between the Maserati 250Fs of Spaniard Guillermo Fierro (2501/2523), Steve Hart (CM7) and Rod Jolley (Lister-Jaguar ‘Monza’) was the event’s most photogenic.
Photo Charlie Wooding
HGPCA Race 1 1. Horsman (Lotus 18/21) 2. Griffiths (Brabham BT4) 3. Fairley (Brabham BT11A) 4. Middlehurst (Lotus 25 R4) 5. Cannell (Cooper T51) 6. Fierro (Maserati 250F) 7. Hoole (Cooper T66) 8. Jolley (Lister Monzanapolis) 9. Bailey (Lotus 16 364) 10. Willis (Cooper T45) 11. Owen (Kurtis 500C) 12. Studer (Lotus 24) 13. Valvekens (Aston Martin DBR4/4) 14. Smith (Ferrari Dino) 15. Baillie (Cooper T71/73) 16. Staes (Lotus 18/21) 17. Wanty (Lotus 16 368)
Historic Motor Racing News November 2015
41. Brandts (Talbot Lago T26C) 42. De Baldanza (Maserati A6GCM) 43. Hart (Maserati 250F CM7) 44. Perk (Heron F1) 45. Eyre (Cooper-Bristol 8/53) 46. Baile (JBW F1) 47. Romano (Brabham BT11 5) 48. Bailey (Cooper T51) 49. McCabe (Lotus 18 907) 50. Goetze (Cooper T53) Fastest Lap: Griffiths 2:43.246  HGPCA Race 2 1. Griffiths (Brabham BT4) 2. Horsman (Lotus 18/21) 3. Middlehurst (Lotus 25 R4) 4. Cannell (Cooper T51) 5. Hoole (Cooper T66) 6. Hart (Maserati 250F CM7) 7. Fierro (Maserati 250F) 8. Jolley (Lister Monzanapolis) 9. Mullen (BRM P261 2) 10. Studer (Lotus 24) 11. Smith (Ferrari Dino) 12. Bailey (Lotus 16 364) 13. Goetze (Cooper T53) 14. Willis (Cooper T45) 15. Valvekens (Aston Martin DBR4/4)
18. Bond (Lotus 18 912) 19. Guarino (Lotus 18 370) 20. Trouillard (Lotus 21/24) 21. Steele (Connaught C8) 22. Grant (Cooper-Bristol 3/53) 23. Nuthall (Alta F2) 24. Cook (Cooper T43) 25. Miguens (Lotus 24 947) 26. Lehr (Maserati 250F CM5) 27. Buratti (Lotus 21) 28. McGuire (Cooper-Bristol 8/52) 29. Phillips (Cooper-Bristol 6/53) 30. Ditheridge (Cooper T45) 31. DarkWoolmer(Bugatti T37C) 32. Taylor (Cooper T 53) 33. Pilkington (Cooper T43) 34. Goddard (Cooper Alfa T56/59) 35. Mullen (BRM P261 2) 36. Baldanza (Lola Mk3) 37. Batchelor (Kieft GP Car) 38. Dumolin (Maserati 250F) 39. Maile (Cooper T41) 40. Pilkington (Talbot Lago T26SS)
34
16. Trouillard (Lotus 21/24) 17. Staes (Lotus 18/21) 18. Wanty (Lotus 16 368) 19. Cook (Cooper T43) 20. Bond (Lotus 18 912) 21. Miguens (Lotus 24 947) 22. Lehr (Maserati 250F CM5) 23. Fairley (Brabham BT11A) 24. Nuthall (Alta F2) 25. Buratti (Lotus 21) 26. Grant (Cooper-Bristol 3/53) 27. Ditheridge (Cooper T45) 28. Taylor (Cooper T 53) 29. Steele (Connaught C8) 30. McGuire (Cooper-Bristol 8/52) 31. PilkingtonWoolmer (Cooper T43) 32. Eyre (Cooper-Bristol 8/53) 33. Phillips (Cooper-Bristol 6/53) 34. Goddard (Cooper Alfa T56/59) 35. Bailey (Cooper T51) 36. Romano (Brabham BT11 5) 37. Baldanza (Lola Mk3) 38. Dumolin (Maserati 250F) 39. Baillie (Cooper T71/73) 40. Maile (Cooper T41) 41. Pilkington (Talbot Lago T26SS) 42. Brandts (Talbot Lago T26C) 43. De Baldanza (Maserati A6GCM) 44. Batchelor (Kieft GP Car) 45. McCabe (Lotus 18 907) 46. Dark (Bugatti T37C) Fastest Lap: Griffiths 2:42.042
Other Support Races
T
Peter Heinrich’s BMW M1 Procar – which started on wet tyres and finished on slicks – was classified third.
he Masters 70s’ Celebration/MRL Historic Touring Car Challenge/DRM Klassik Pokal combo attracted sensational cars but descended into farce when the top six finishers were excluded or penalised for a plethora of rule infringements. Manfredo Rossi di Montelera’s Travelcruiser Porsche 935K3 won on the road but the Italian missed the pit window. Chris Ward, whose Broadspeed Capri ran out of fuel while leading on the final lap, pushed it over the timing line seventh in the pitlane with help from marshals and a photographer and was subsequently declared winner from Dr Afschin Fatemi’s Porsche Carrera RSR.
70s’ Celebration/MRL Historic Touring Car Challenge/DRM Klassik Pokal 1. Ward (Ford Broadspeed Capri ) 2. Fatemi (Porsche 911 RS 2.8 ) 3. Heinrich (BMW M1 Procar) 4. Toye (Triumph TR8) 5. Audi (Aston Martin DB4 Lightweight ) 6. Van Der Woude (Porsche 911 RS) 7. Bockwolt (BMW 2002 tii) 8. Beighton/Beighton (Sunbeam Le Mans Tiger)
Sam Carrington-Yates (Chevron B16) beat Martin O’Connell (B8) in a lunge for the finishing tape in the first of two HSCC Closed-Wheel miscellanies. Saturday retiree Mark Richardson (ex-Jo Bonnier Lola T290) was scorching from the back of a 53-car grid and was 10th, catching the leaders, when his BDG engine grenaded on lap three. O’Connell won the race from Giuseppe Ward in his legendary ex-Gerry Marshall Vauxhall Firenza V8 Super Saloon ‘Baby Bertha.’
9. Van Haelst (Mazda RX3) 10. Hubner (Porsche RSR) 11. Wood (Ford Capri) 12. Horn/Briones (Porsche 911 RSR) 13. Wilwert/Maillet (Alfa Romeo GTV 1750) 14. Schumann (Alfa Romeo Montreal)
15. Crofton (Datsun 240Z ) 16. Zampatti (Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV) 17. Cajani (Alfa Romeo 1750 GTAM) 18. Allen/Bailey-Watts (Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV) 19. Kato (Mazda R100) Fastest Lap: Ward 2:44.600 Photo Charlie Wooding
Good Weekend For: Phil Keen
Mixed Weekend for: Andy Wolfe
Bad Weekend for: Leo Voyazides and Simon Hadfiled
Wins in MRL Stirling Moss Trophy (ListerJaguar), FIA Masters Historic Sportscars (Lola T70) and Masters Pre-’66 Touring Cars (Ford Falcon). Class-winning fifth in Spa Six Hours (Jaguar E-type).
Win in Masters Gentlemen Drivers GT (Shelby Cobra); class win in FIA Masters Historic Sportscars (Chevron B8); aggregate third in class in FIA Masters Historic F1 (Tyrrell 011); DNF MRL Stirling Moss Trophy (Lotus 15) & Spa Six Hours (Ford GT40).
Second in Masters Pre-’66 Touring Cars (Ford Falcon); DNF Spa Six Hours (Ford GT40), FIA Masters Historic Sportscars (Lola T70) & Masters Gentlemen Drivers GT (Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe).
* 35
Historic Motor Racing News November 2015