DAVISON ON TARGET AS MORGAN TRIO STAR

70S & HISTORIC ROADSPORTS: HSCC SPRING TROPHY MEETING DONINGTON PARK 31 MAY 2026: MARCUS PYE

Historic Road Sports double champion John Davison’s outings in his black Lotus Elan S1 have been infrequent in recent seasons, but when he comes out the 2000 Sydney Olympics shooter is usually on target.

Subscribed to slots on Sunday’s half of the marathon programme, a wonderful 32-car field spanned 10 marques, plus the Austin A40 of Anthony Warnes, the only Historic Touring Car standing following Snetterton dramas for Fordsters Neil Wood (Anglia 105E) and Mark Watts (Mustang).

On pole by a second, Davison won both Donington races – from Mark Godfrey (Lotus 7) and Frazer Gibney (Elan S1) respectively – with John Williams (Porsche 911SC) claiming 70s Road Sports honours. But it was the battle royal between Morgan Plus 8 drivers Richard Plant, Martin Pratt and Sam Garland, across both contests, which enthralled spectators as the sun went down on the long Spring Trophy weekend.

Godfrey and Jonathan Stringer – despite losing his sump plug – lapped closest to Davison’s 1:20.906 (88.06mph) pole time, followed by the 70s brigade in the order of Pratt, Williams, George Daws (Datsun 240Z), Plant and Jim Dean (Lotus Europa). They outpaced Gibney and Garland, leaving them on row five ahead of Mark Leverett’s Elan S4 and Patrick Ward-Booth’s Ginetta G4.

FROM TOP LEFT:CLOCKWISE: 25 THE DOMINANT ELAN OF JOHN DAVISON HEADS 30 THE ENTHUSIASTICALLY DRIVEN 911 OF JOHN WILLIAMS, MARK BENNETT MGB-GT V8 MAKES ROOM FOR THE BATTLING MORGAN +8S OF MARTIN PRATT & RICHARD PLANT, JIM DEAN LOTUS EUROPA & GEORGE DAWS BATTLED CLOSELY FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE RACE

It was good to see reigning 70s champion Simon Baines back out, albeit in the only Porsche 924 proudly wearing #1, and invitee Tim Hayes in his rare Alfasud Sprint. Snetterton winner Ant Reeley managed only two laps in his Elan S3, thus found himself 26th, but that was one more than Robert Rowe in his similar machine. The TVR contingent was short of front-running 3000Ms, but included the Grantura Mk3 of Martin Stowe and Tom Owen’s Vixen S2S, both immaculately presented.

LEFT TO RIGHT: ANDREW WALTON PORSCHE 911 2.0, TIM HAYES ALFASUD SPRINT, AND REELEY LOTUS ELAN S3 PRESSES ON INTO THE SUNSET TO AN EVENTUAL 9TH PLACE FROM 26TH ON THE GRID

Davison hurtled clear of Godfrey in the first race, while Williams took five laps to usurp Stringer from third. Pratt and Gibney subsequently made light work of displacing Stringer, who also lost out to Plant and Pratt before the contest was stopped prematurely due to the Ginetta G4 of Oliver Slater depositing a sump full of oil onto the circuit. Plant set fastest lap at 1:21.435 (87.48mph), 0.412s quicker than Davison’s best, in beating Pratt to the flag by 0.599s for the class win.

Shortly before the red flag Jim Dean exited from his close and entertaining battle with the Datsun 240Z of George Daws at the downhill left-hander of the Craner Curves. Despite much wheel twiddling Jim's Europe continued it's journey across the slippery grass until it reached the point of impact with the recticel barriers fortunately only suffering light damage. George Daws was classified ninth behind Sam Garland. Mark Leverett, Ant Reeley, Chris Fisher – still unhappy with his Lotus 7 S4 – and Nic Strong Marcos 3000GT rounded out the top twelve.

Apart from Dean, other non-finishers from race 1 were Chris Holland’s Elan S4 with ongoing clutch issues and the open Ginetta G4 of Doc Ward-Booth (not recovered from its Snetterton woes).

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: TOM OWEN CONTINUES TO FIND THE LIMITS OF HIS IMMACULATE TVR VIXEN S2 REDUCING HIS LAP TIMES BY OVER 5SEC DURING THE AFTERNOON. BOB ROW ELAN S3 PASSES THE 26R OF BARRY ASHDOWN ON HIS CLIMB TO 11TH FROM 31ST ON THE GRID

The second race, which brought the curtain down, was pretty straightforward for Davison, without non-starter Godfrey to worry about. Gibney chased him back for an Elan 1-2, with Williams’ Porsche third, best of the later cars. The Morgan scrap embroiling the rumbling Rover V8-engined cars of Garland (HRS) and 70s spec runners Plant and Pratt saw the trio finish fourth, fifth and sixth, a couple of seconds apart.

Realising that he had inadvertently overtaken his rival under yellow flags at Coppice – where Peter Micklewright’s Elan S1 was beached, its left front suspension having collapsed exiting McLeans – Richard sportingly gave Martin the class winner’s trophy. George Daws, Jonathan Stringer, Ant Reeley and Mark Leverett completed the top 10, ahead of Bob Rowe, also on the lead lap.

Jim Grant, who pitted his Elan S3 with a loose wheel spinner after six laps, was the other faller. A schoolboy error, admitted the Scottish veteran who has competed in Lotuses for decades.  

Full results available from: https://www.tsl-timing.com/file/?f=HSCC/2026/26225670r.pdf

CLASSIC 70S SUMMER EVENS:

BRANDS HATCH SUPER PRIX: 11-12 JULY

Entries open until 7 July

BRDC CLASSIC SILVERSTONE: 24-26 JULY

Entries open until 20 JULY

OULTON PARK GOLD CUP: MONDAY 31 AUGUST

Entries open until 25 August

MAWP: JUNE 2026

IMAGES: ©MOTORSPORT CLASSICS MEDIA