Britain’s Historic Sports Car Club held its season opener on Easter Day at Donington Park with a nine-race program. The HSCC has a reputation for providing top-class historic racing and the healthy state of the sport, as the new season gets underway, can be gauged by the strong 260-plus entries that turned out in the cold and mist. Qualifying took place on a track made wet by overnight rain and although a dry line appeared later in the day, there remained some slippery patches that caught out the unwary.
The Vredesten Jaguar Enthusiasts Club XK Championship grid was joined for the first race by two classes from the ’70s Road Sports Championship. This featured an interesting mix of rapidly driven Jaguar XK120 and X150, Alfa Romeo Alfetta and 105 series GTs, together with various Triumphs and a couple of Lancias. Not surprisingly, the XK120s proved quickest, with long-time Jaguar exponents taking the first three places. Graeme Dodd ran well ahead of Nigel Webb and Rob Newell.
Pre-1972 Formula Ford produced a close finish, with Neil Fowler’s Lola T200 edging out Nelson Rowe’s Crossle 20F by just 0.143 second. Further back, experienced racers John Pearson and Simon Hadfield played out their own battle for 3rd and 4th spots.
The Derek Bell Trophy race featured the most powerful machinery of the day, with a mix of Formula 1, 2, 3 and F5000 cars. An incident on the first lap led to the elimination of a number of competitors and a long delay before a restart. The prospect of close racing between Ian Giles in his stunning blue Gurney Eagle FA74 F5000 and Simon Hadfield’s ex–Peter Gethin VDS Chevron B37 was resolved in Hadfield’s favor after Giles spun, recovering for a distant 3rd at the finish. The 1976 Hesketh 308E of Frank Lyons, resplendent in Penthouse livery, provided interest, as did Steve Worrad’s Eifelland-liveried Brabham BT30, which he later raced in the Classic Racing Cars event, in this category without wings fitted.
The Miller Oils Classic Sports Cars race went to David Clark competing in the invitation class with his ex–Chris Amon Elva Mk 8, currently fitted with BMW power. Just over three seconds behind was Jamie Boot’s rapid TVR Griffith 400. A 1953 OSCA was an unusual but welcome entry. Classic Formula Three provided another close result, with Steve Maxted’s 1980 Argo JM6 leading Alex Aims in his newly acquired Chevron B38 and Richard Trott’s Ralt RT1.
The HSCC runs a series for each of its racing categories with headline events this year being historic festivals at Brands Hatch on July 23–24, Silverstone on July 29–31 and Oulton Park on August 29–30. Six further rounds of their championships are scheduled at other circuits around England during 2005.
Submitted by Keith Booker
Photo: Keith Booker
