![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.supercars.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/Revival_TX_140419_PC513a.jpg\")
<\/a>Teenage phenomenon Callum Grant recovered from a wheelspin-plagued start to the Historic Formula Junior race in his Merlyn Mk5\/7 to hunt down pole-sitter Andrew Hibberd\u2019s Lotus 22 for the race lead. The pair subsequently engaged in an earnest battle, until mechanical maladies hobbled Hibberd\u2019s bid, allowing Grant to make good his escape.<\/p>\n
Andrew\u2019s pain, however, was father Michael\u2019s gain, as the elder Hibberd overhauled Steve Jones\u2019 Cooper T67 for the runner-up laurels in his famous 1963 ex-works Lotus 27.<\/p>\n
The opening round of the new HSCC Super Touring Car Championship was one of the undisputed highlights of the day, and the racing had the crowd on their feet from lights-out to chequered flag. James Dodd led away from pole position in his Honda Accord at the rolling start and proceeded to establish a comfortable advantage over the fraught four-way fight behind for second place, involving both John Cleland\u2019s Vauxhall Vectra and the Peugeot 406 of Patrick Watts.<\/p>\n
Stewart Whyte made it a Honda one-two by working his way through into second in his Accord, before spinning it away on the exit of Church Corner. A late-race driveshaft failure for Dodd then promoted Cleland into the lead and former sparring-partner Watts to second as the Super Touring legends wound back the clock with a popular result.<\/p>\n Paul Smith ended up third in his BMW 320, ahead of Simon Garrad\u2019s Williams Renault Laguna, which had earlier gone doorhandle-to-doorhandle with a behemoth from a different era \u2013 Craig Davies\u2019 flame-spitting Ford Sierra RS500.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first few laps were pretty hectic, and after that, James was gone and driving very well,\u201d conceded a magnanimous Cleland, BTCC Champion in both 1989 and 1995. \u201cI could see I was catching him at times, but I thought he was just playing with me. I\u2019ve raced against James a few times now and I have huge regard for him; if he was in the current BTCC, I really think he would shine there, too.<\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately, the car let him down today, but Patrick and I were there to pick up the pieces. I\u2019ve always loved racing at Thruxton \u2013 it really rewards the brave!\u201d<\/p>\n Cleland has never been short of bravery, and Watts concurred that he had thoroughly enjoyed rolling back the years: \u201cThat was a lot of fun. It\u2019s great to drive these cars round Thruxton and really give them some welly \u2013 and back in the day, if I had finished just a few seconds behind John here, I think the Peugeot team would have been very happy!\u201d<\/p>\n Following a feisty opening salvo from an ultra-committed Martin Stretton in the Elva Mk7S, the Guards Trophy Sports Racing Car encounter soon developed into a cat-and-mouse affair between Chris Goodwin in his McLaren M1B and James and Graeme Dodd in their Ginetta G16. In the closing stages, the chasing Goodwin \u2013 who had not driven at Thruxton for 20 years \u2013 inexorably homed in on Graeme Dodd in the lead, but fell just under three seconds shy at the flag.<\/p>\n The tussle over third was only resolved on the very last lap, as Chevron B8 twins Phillip Nelson and Peter Thompson duked it out tooth-and-nail right the way to the line \u2013 even going either side of a backmarker through the chicane. Nelson\u2019s blue Chevron ultimately got the verdict over Thompson and driving partner Charles Allison\u2019s red model by less than two tenths-of-a-second.<\/p>\n The blue riband Derek Bell Trophy race staged a showdown between the thundering, five-litre Formula 5000s and their lighter and nimbler Formula 2 rivals. As his qualifying form had suggested he would, Neil Fowler streaked clear of the opposition in his March 782 and ultimately emerged victorious by a commanding 26 seconds to strike a blow for Formula 2 \u2013 but the action was all taking place in his wake.<\/p>\n Reigning champion Neil Glover\u2019s Formula 5000 Lola T330\/332 was all over Mark Charteris\u2019 Mallock Mk20\/21 Clubman from the start and he blasted his way into second on lap three \u2013 but against all odds, the indefatigable Charteris clung on and refused to admit defeat. The pair\u2019s enthralling duel went right the way down to the flag, with Glover narrowly prevailing but having been given absolutely no margin for error by his plucky pursuer.<\/p>\n One of the most exciting races of the day was undoubtedly the Guards Trophy GT battle, as Paul Tooms in his Lotus Elan nabbed the lead from pole-sitter Mike Whitaker\u2019s V8-powered TVR Griffith at lights-out. Although the latter soon regained the upper hand, Tooms would remain a thorn in his side throughout as the pair sprinted away from the chasing pack.<\/p>\n Weaving incisively through the traffic with their headlights blazing a path past the backmarkers, there was nothing to choose between Whitaker and Tooms and they pitted together at the end of lap 12 \u2013 emerging in the same order. Following an exhilarating display, the result was only determined in the very closing stages, as Whitaker \u2013 increasingly struggling with his rear tyres \u2013 overcooked it on the final lap, allowing Tooms to gratefully sneak past to a superb success. Craig Davies\u2019 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray completed the podium in third.<\/p>\n Historic Touring Cars had fans all around the circuit gripped by a sensational scrap for the spoils, as Neil Brown\u2019s iconic Ford Mustang, Tim Davies\u2019 similarly Alan Mann Racing-liveried Lotus Cortina, Sean McInerney\u2019s BMW 1800Ti and Mike Gardiner and David Tomlin\u2019s Lotus Cortinas went at it hammer-and-tongs for lap-after-lap. As Brown\u2019s snarling, 3.7-litre V8-engined Mustang bottled the field up, the action was fierce and frantic as positions regularly changed hands.<\/p>\n A sideways slide by Brown through the chicane on the penultimate lap enabled Davies to pull alongside and with the inside line for Allard, the late-braking Lotus Cortina snuck through into the lead with just 2.356 miles to go. He maintained that advantage all the way through to the chicane again \u2013 where Brown returned the favour to prevail by a nose. McInerney wound up third at the end of a truly breathless encounter.<\/p>\n The final outing of the day saw the Historic Formula Fords fire into life, with Michael O\u2019Brien in his Merlyn Mk20, Maxim Bartell in a Merlyn Mk20A, Thruxton favourite Tiff Needell in a Lotus 69 and Benn Simms in a Jomo JMR7 fighting it out at the front. First Bartell and then O\u2019Brien spun away their chances, leaving a straight scrap between Simms and Needell that the former Top Gear presenter got the better of on the very last lap by a scant six hundredths-of-a-second. Novice driver O\u2019Brien recovered to salvage third.<\/p>\n \u201cI won my first ever race here in this car back in 1972,\u201d enthused a jubilant Needell once the chequered flag had fallen, \u201cand now, more than four decades later, I\u2019ve won in it again. It was a tremendous race, needing to look in both mirrors all the time \u2013 great fun!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201870s Road Sports Historic Formula Junior Super Touring Car Championship Guards Trophy Sports Racing Car Derek Bell Trophy Guards Trophy GT Race Historic Touring Cars Historic Formula Ford Rain failed to dampen spirits or dilute the atmosphere on the second day of the HSCC-organised Thruxton Easter Revival 2014, as outstanding on-track action, worthy winners and riveting racing kept the hardy spectators entertained from lights-out to chequered flag and sent them home with smiles on their faces.<\/p>\n On a sodden track, Callum Grant doubled up on his Saturday success in Historic Formula Junior, dominating proceedings once again behind the wheel of his Merlyn Mk5\/7. The real action took place behind, however, as former British Champion Christopher Drake in an Elva 300 and Steve Jones in a Cooper T67 fought over the runner-up laurels.<\/p>\n They were joined later in the race by pit-lane starter Andrew Hibberd, who had gone off on gearbox oil in the previous day\u2019s encounter whilst holding a commanding lead. The Lotus 22 relieved Jones of third at the chicane and looked set to similarly deprive Drake of second until a final lap spin relegated Hibberd to fourth and safeguarded Drake and Jones\u2019 podium spots.<\/p>\n Mark Charteris was just as impressive in the second Derek Bell Trophy outing of the weekend, coming home almost 40 seconds clear of runner-up Neil Fowler in his March 782 to claim a famous victory for the front-engined Mallock Mk20\/21 Clubman. Indeed, Charteris had lapped everybody bar Fowler by the chequered flag, with the latter lifting the coveted Jochen Rindt Trophy for being the weekend\u2019s best Formula 2 performer.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, a titanic scrap was being staged for third place, as John Harrison\u2019s Mallock Mk21 overhauled Jon Finch\u2019s Chevron B34, with a charging Gregory Thornton scything his way through from the back of the pack into fifth spot in his powerful ex-Peter Gethin Chevron B24, very nearly pipping Finch to fourth in a drag race to the line.<\/p>\n \u201cI just love this little car!\u201d enthused Charteris, who had diced energetically with Neil Glover\u2019s fearsome Formula 5000 Lola T330\/332 on Saturday. \u201cMy 15-year-old son James has helped me all weekend, and 185bhp is perfect for this kind of weather.<\/p>\n \u201cWe completely rebuilt the car over the winter, and I want to thank my wife who put up with all my late nights in the garage. I cannot believe it. I\u2019m over-the-moon. Thruxton is a wonderful circuit and lends itself to this car just perfectly. What a fabulous weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n The second Super Touring Car Championship race of the weekend was like stepping straight back into the 1990s, as Saturday winner John Cleland and runner-up Patrick Watts shared the front row of the starting grid. Cleland led away in his 1997 Vauxhall Vectra, with Watts\u2019 1998 Peugeot 406 and Simon Garrad\u2019s 1999 Williams-Renault Laguna in hot pursuit in a three-way tussle for supremacy.<\/p>\n With Garrad snapping at Watts\u2019 heels, Cleland initially edged clear, but as the Peugeot increasingly found the grip around the damp track, Watts snatched the lead and Garrad wasted little time in following through into second. With Cleland slipping back to a distant third at the flag, Watts \u2013 revelling in the tricky conditions \u2013 set a new fastest lap to assert his advantage and gradually eked away to a popular triumph.<\/p>\n \u201cI think I\u2019ve just made history!\u201d quipped the former historic rallying champion. \u201cI must be the first Peugeot driver in touring cars ever to have a Williams-Renault in his mirrors \u2013 other than when being lapped! Rain is always a great equaliser, and in the wet, the sophistication of the chassis and extra few horsepower go out-of-the-window. It was a lot of fun!\u201d<\/p>\n Benn Sims in his Jomo JMR 7 avenged his Saturday defeat by Tiff Needell\u2019s Lotus 69 in the Historic Formula Ford race, with the pair again engaging in a frenetic, breathless cat-and-mouse duel as the sun briefly re-emerged.<\/p>\n Running wheel-to-wheel and exchanging positions with boyish enthusiasm, both survived a scare when backmarker Gary McVeigh spun his Merlyn Mk11A directly in front of them to take the chequered flag less than three seconds apart. Michael O\u2019Brien replicated his Saturday third place in his Merlyn Mk20.<\/p>\n The Historic Touring Cars outing once more pitched Ford Mustangs against Lotus Cortinas and Hillman Imps, but ultimately, it was Saturday podium-finisher Sean McInerney who saw them all off in his BMW 1800Ti to take a comfortable victory ahead of the duelling Roger Godfrey in his Austin Cooper S and Tim Davies\u2019 Cortina.<\/p>\n The Historic Road Sports was a race of two halves, after darkening skies and a torrential downpour brought out the red flags. Upon its resumption, Robin Pearce flew into an immediate lead in his Morgan Plus 8 as Larry Kennedy\u2019s Lotus Elan S4 tore through the starting grid from the fifth row to second position.<\/p>\n A huge spin at Goodwood subsequently sent Kennedy plummeting back down the order and enabled Pearce to make good his escape, but the former was quick to regain second place \u2013 until another spin later in the race promoted Ben Adams\u2019 Turner MkII and Andy Shepherd\u2019s Lotus Seven S2 into podium contention. Pearce remained in a league of his own to the flag, with fastest lap for Adams on the final tour just staving off Shepherd\u2019s assault on the runner-up spoils.<\/p>\n Due to the rain-enforced delay, the Classic Formula 3 and Classic Racing Cars were amalgamated into one race on separate grids. As in qualifying, Richard Trott\u2019s Chevron B43 narrowly saw off David Shaw\u2019s Ralt RT1 for the Formula 3 laurels, with third-placed Marcus Mussa in his March 763 more than a minute in arrears. Michael O\u2019Brien added to his weekend silverware with Classic Racing Cars glory in his Merlyn Mk20, ahead of Jonathan Baines\u2019 similar car.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>Thruxton Easter Revival 2014 – Day One (Saturday) Race Results<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n1) Oliver Ford (Lotus Europa): 13 Laps
\n2) Jim Dean (Lotus Europa): +16.667
\n3) Peter Shaw (TVR Tuscan): +56.096<\/p>\n
\n1) Callum Grant (Merlyn Mk5\/7): 14 Laps
\n2) Michael Hibberd (Lotus 27): +34.780
\n3) Steve Jones (Cooper T67): +35.424<\/p>\n
\n1) John Cleland (Vauxhall Vectra): 15 Laps
\n2) Patrick Watts (Peugeot 406): +7.244
\n3) Paul Smith (BMW 320): +17.397<\/p>\n
\n1) James Dodd \/ Graeme Dodd (Ginetta G16): 28 Laps
\n2) Chris Goodwin (McLaren M1B): +2.734
\n3) Phillip Nelson (Chevron B8): +43.464<\/p>\n
\n1) Neil Fowler (March 782): 16 Laps
\n2) Neil Glover (Lola T330\/332): +26.293
\n3) Mark Charteris (Mallock Mk20\/21): +27.263<\/p>\n
\n1) Paul Tooms (Lotus Elan): 23 Laps
\n2) Mike Whitaker (TVR Griffith): +9.568
\n3) Craig Davies (Chevrolet Corvette Stingray): +53.349<\/p>\n
\n1) Neil Brown (Ford Mustang): 12 Laps
\n2) Tim Davies (Ford Lotus Cortina): +0.320
\n3) Sean McInerney (BMW 1800Ti): +2.396<\/p>\n
\n1) Tiff Needell (Lotus 69): 9 Laps
\n2) Benn Sims (Jomo JMR 7) +0.062
\n3) Michael O\u2019Brien (Merlyn Mk20): +12.637<\/p>\nThruxton Easter Revival 2014 – Day Two Race Report and Photos<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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