SOME [LEGENDS] LIKE IT HOT

HSCC LEGENDS OF BRANDS HATCH SUPER PRIX 11-12 JULY 2026: MARCUS PYE

The 2026 edition of the HSCC’s Legends of Brands Hatch Superprix will be remembered as something rather special in the club’s Diamond Jubilee year.

That the entries were strong across most categories reflected competitors’ appetite for the Grand Prix circuit - a jewel in the crown of MSV’s portfolio - but in the venue’s centenary season, the core content told the story of its 100 Years of Power superbly. That narrative was reflected in the superb souvenir programme, which all in attendance with a soul and an interest in history will treasure for years to come.

But it was the atmosphere in the packed paddock which made the July 11/12 weekend memorable for many. The heatwave which started in June, bringing record temperatures to the UK, continued to reign over this verdant wooded pocket of Kent. While pleasant for spectators, high 20s Celsius did not help the cars, but as the sun slipped away to the west groups of drivers, teams and their families could be found enjoying convivial social gatherings on Saturday evening. Fun is what club racing should be all about, and to find the Historic and Classic Formula Ford groups, the Roadsports posse – who always party well – and the 500 Owners’ Association eating together set the scene perfectly.  

The 500 racers, with us for the third time this term following Snetterton’s get-go and a superb double-header at Cadwell Park, put on another great show. Parked together, their diminutive cars – more than 30 of them – were the source of fascination, since they transported hardened enthusiasts back to the first four-wheeled racing at Brands on April 16, 1950. For the casually interested, the spectrum chassis marques of a bygone era, with imports from as far afield as Australia, South Africa, Sweden, the USA and Holland, powered by a range motorcycle engines were a joy to behold. A far cry from today’s barely distinguishable one-make stereotypes.

The sweet aroma of methanol fuel greeted the 500s’ emergence through the tunnel directly onto the track behind the pits, from which the leading championship contenders wasted no time in exploring the GP loop. Picking up where twitched their steeds round Cadwell, Hamish Cameron-Eveleigh and Alex Wilson finished the session 0.027s apart in their Coopers, the only drivers to break two minutes for the 2.43-mile lap. Hamish’s 1m56.571s (75.14mph) set the standard with JAP power as opposed to Wilson’s Norton. His motorcycle racer cousin Fergus Cameron, 17, whirled Mike Fowler’s Cooper round third quickest, gridding ahead of Ollie Leston - grandson of 1954 National F3 champion Les - in Tim Ross’ Cooper-Norton.

Ollie’s father Nick Leston was one of several pilots not to get a lap in – the critters are notoriously idiosyncratic – at the wheel of the ex-Arthur Gill Mackson, but there was plenty of variety in the chase. This was no monopoly for Surbiton-built Coopers, for Simon Frost (Martin), Jimmy May in the Petty-Norton created by his engine-builder guru grandfather Ray Petty – and Darrell Woods (Staride Mk3) all made it into the top 10, shuffled among the Coopers of Snetterton victor George Shackleton, promising rookie James Hunt and veteran FF1600 to F3000 Lola racer Richard Fuller.

Both races were entertaining, with defending champion Wilson and Cameron-Eveleigh trading places out front. Fittingly, honours were shared. Alex won Saturday’s tight stanza by 0.347s having jostled ahead on the penultimate lap. Wilson’s 1:56.278 (75.33mph) lap, the event’s best, pipped HC-E’s by 0.036s. Hamish scored on Sunday when Alex slipped back as something didn’t feel quite right. Ollie Leston completed the podiums, with green-suited Shackleton fourth on both days. The top sixes were rounded out by Frost and Woods in the opener and Cameron - undaunted by a gravelly buttock clencher of an excursion at the foot of Paddock Hill Bend on lap 1 – and Frost. Richard Kelly charged Jim Russell’s 1956 championship-winning Cooper from the back to seventh on Sunday.

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ABOVE: LEFT TO RIGHT: JEAN-MICHEL CLERC: TECHNO, OLIVER MUSGRAVE: CHEVRON B15, FRANCOIS DEROSSI: CHEVRON B17

HISTORIC ONE-LITRE F3

Without Formula Junior this year, Historic One-Litre F3 of 1964-1970 told the next chapter of the circuit’s history. Richard Trott has yearned to win one of these races for several seasons since he switched from the two-litre Classic F3 races embracing the era of cars he raced in the British F3 championships of 1981-’83. He’s been close before, but at 73 the double 1980 Formula Ford 2000 champion got everything right and the success was justly earned. Driving the ex-Erkki Salminen Team Dextrosol/Vatterleden Racing Brabham BT28 previously raced in the series by Mike Scott, Trott’s new found confidence in the chassis’ improved settings saw him bag pole with a 1:37.482s (89.86mph) effort. But Domington double winner Jason Timms (BT21) ran him close, but 0.436s off the ultimate pace.

Cousin Jeremy Timms (ex-Reine Wisell Chevron B15) and Italian Enrico Spaggiari (ex-John Miles Lotus 41X) shared the second row, joined in the 39s by former Honda Civic Type-R racer Ollie Musgrave – getting used to his Chevron B15 – and Ross Drybrough (ex-Patrick Champin Merlyn Mk14A). Mark Carter (Titan Mk3) and Christoph Widmer (ex-Wal Donnelly Brabham BT18A) were exactly half a second apart in the 40s, chased by Tecno-mounted Nick Fennell and Germany’s Roland Fischer. The first half of the superb 24-car field was made up by Frenchmen Francois Derossi (Chevron B17) and Ludo Ingwiller (Pygmée).

Mark “Pangio” Pangborn (BT28), invitee John Milicevic III (HFF Merlyn Mk20), Andrew Tart (ex-John Fenning Merlyn Mk9), UK-domiciled American Steve Nicholls (B17), Swede Leif Bosson (ex-Sten Gunnarsson BT28) and Mark Linstone (BT21) were next, ahead of Clive Buffey (Jolly Club B15) and Simon Etherington (ex-Manfred Mohr BT15). David Green, running a newly restored Titan Mk4 for the first time, Chris Dunster (Lotus 31), Jean-Michel Clerc (Tecno) and Brands debutant Gregory Bersihand in another of the Pygmées, constructed by Marius dal Bo in Annecy, France, made up the colourful reminder of F3’s fabled ‘screamer’ years.

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ABOVE: TOP LEFT CLOCKWISE: RICHARD TROTT: BRABHAM BT28, NICK FENNELL: TECNO, MARK CARTER: TITAN MK3, JASON TIMMS: BRABHAM BT21

Musgrave was swallowed at the start – the darker red Chevron coming round 13th at the end of the opening lap – but Trott and Jason Timms were rapidly into their stride, leading Spaggiari, Jeremy Timms and Drybrough. Derossi, Fischer and Widmer led the chase, ahead of Carter, Fennell and Ingwiler. Spaggiari was second when Bersihand’s departure on lap 2 brought out the safety car for four tours. When the pack took the green flag time for a further five laps remained.

Trott kept his cool to win from Jason Timms and Drybrough, who deposed Spaggiari’s Gold Leaf Team Lotus on the final tour. The Verona language school proprietor kept fourth from Jeremy Timms, Derossi, Widmer, the recovering Musgrave, Fennell and Fischer. Pangborn, Carter, Nicholls, Ingwiler, Tart and Bosson chased them home in the disjointed 10-lapper.                      

Jason Timms, his cousin and Trott – despite missing second gear at the start and dropping to fourth – traded the lead in Sunday’s race. As Drybrough joined the scrap Richard grabbed third when Ross ran wide at Hawthorn and powered back to the front on Brabham Straight, passing the pits. Trott was leading Jason, Ross and Spaggiari – Jeremy T having pitted – when a caution was called with Widmer and Derossi’s cars in the gravel at Stirlings, ending the old pals’ dispute over seventh behind Musgrave and Fennell. The race finished behind the Hyundai Ioniq safety car, thus Trott became a double winner. He also found more time, paring the previous day’s 1:37.941 fastest lap back to 1:37.831 (89.54mph).

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JACQUES JENSEN: MERLYN Mk20AS, ROSS DRYBROUGH: MERLYN Mk20AS, CALLUM GRANT: MERLYN MK20A

HISTORIC FORMULA FORD

Russell and Brands Hatch-based Motor Racing Stables school headmaster Geoff Clarke were among the promulgators of Formula Ford, with wholehearted support from Brands boss John Webb and ultimately the Blue Oval’s genial motorsport marketing guru Walter ‘Wally’ Hayes who provided a batch of engines. The first race for FFs here on July 2, 1967, was won by Ray Allen in an MRS Lotos and launched the phenomenon the racing world still loves today. The HSCC’s Historic FF showcase, essentially for Pre-1972 chassis, kicked off in 1992 as a series and was granted championship status in 1995.

A fabulous field of 37 turned out, spanning 13 chassis makes, including an American Caldwell D9B and a Winkelmann, a Palliser made for the US market. The championship regulars were honoured to be joined by four racers from the popular Californian Crossflow Cup series - Danny Baker, Nick Colyvas, Tim Monahan and Andrew Wait - who rented Simon Hadfield Motorsport’s Lotus 51, Merlyn Mk20, Titan Mk4 and Hawke DL2B respectively. Simon’s wife Amanda, a former HFF competitor, prepared a traditional English afternoon team for them in their pit enclave which went down well. They will be back!

Triple champions Callum Grant (Merlyn Mk20A) and Benn Simms (Jomo JMR7) topped the qualifying timesheets, Callum’s 1:39.188 (88.31mph) 0.280s best quicker than Simms.’ Proving the equality of chassis, Oliver Chapman (Lola T200) and Swiss caterer Gislain Genecand (Crossle 16F) were within a second of Grant’s time. Reigning champion Sam Mitchell - who also won the 2013 crown - made his seasonal debut in the family Merlyn in which dad Westie triumphed in 2009.

Sam, Simon Toyne (Winkelmann WDF2), Christian Goller (Lola T202) and Matt Wrigley (Merlyn Mk11A/20) made it six competitors in the 1:40 bracket, pursued by Jacques Jensen and Marc Wilkes (Merlyns) and Danny Stanzl in his rebuilt Elden Mk8 in the 41s, with Irishman Cormac Flanagan (Alexis Mk14) and Scot Ross Drybrough (Merlyn) on their heels. Dentist Ross kindly sponsored the event through his Worthing Implant Centre to defray some of the costs, incidentally. Behind Paul Unsworth and Lucas Bscher (Lolas), split by Sam Gillis (Merlyn) sat the Mk20s of teenaged novice John Milicevic III, Kevin Stanzl and top US commuter Colyvas.

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ABOVE: TOP LEFT CLOCKWISE: CALLUM GRANT: MERLYN Mk20A, SAM MITCHELL: MERLYN Mk20, OLIVER CHAPMAN: LOLA T200, IAN FERNIHOUGH: TITAN Mk4

Best of the Titan runners were Chris Porritt and Ian Fernihough in Mk6s, ahead of David Squire (Hawke DL2) and the Lotuses of Dick Dixon (61) Baker and Joshua Jones (51B), split by Monahan’s Titan. HFF ringmaster Chris Sharples (Palliser WDF1), Wait, Nigel Adams (Lotus 61), Scott Rawlinson and Nick Sheppard (Merlyns) and Ian Jeary (Elden Mk8) were next, Jeary the last competitor to break 1:50. Andy Warburton (Caldwell), Paul Fines-Allin (Titan Mk6), Ben Potts (Merlyn), Jonny Kent (Royale RP3) and John Cottrill (Lotus 51) completed the pack. All would race!

Simms circumnavigated Grant into Paddock at the start of Saturday’s race, but Callum did not remain in his wake for long. As the past masters duelled, Chapman, Genecand, and Mitchell towed up to them, creating a five-car breakaway, watched by Wrigley, then Goller, Toyne and Jensen as Matt slipped back. A moment for Simms saw him displaced by Chapman, Mitchell and Genecand, although Benn repassed the Swiss - the Over 50s leader soon to retire - for fourth at the chequer, behind Grant and Chapman who reasserted himself over Mitchell on the final lap. Goller and Toyne earned fifth and sixth, ahead of Jensen, Wrigley, Stanzl and O50 victor Wilkes. Rival Porritt improved from 20th to 11th, ahead of Unsworth who had Drybrough, Kevin Stanzl and Flanagan’s emerald green-nosed Alexis in tow. Colyvas and Baker crossed the TSL timing stripe together, 16th and 17th, chased by novice winner Milicevic, Bscher and Squire. Simms’ 1:38.855 (88.51mph) fastest lap was the weekend’s race best in the FF classes.

Sunday’s sequel was restarted following a multi-car chain-reaction shunt at Sheene Curve, formerly Dingle Dell Corner. When Simms, chasing Grant, had his car jump out of gear at the “flat in third” right-hander he snagging first as he tried to re-engage it, which inevitably locked the Jomo’s rear wheels and pitched it sideways. Danny Stanzl couldn’t miss it and Wilkes was also embroiled, although he was able to drive back to the pits, suspension askew. As the intervening cars went either side of the melée with shredded fibreglass in the air, Kevin Stanzl faced the scenario of his son’s half-spun car being revealed. Mercifully both escaped injury, although their racers were heavily damaged.

Grant shaded Chapman over the seven-lap restart, which finished behind a safety car. Mitchell, Goller, Jensen and Wrigley were next home. Porritt claimed O50s gold in seventh, with Genecand – a fine recovery from the back of the field - Unsworth, Drybrough and Flanagan in line astern behind him. Gillis, Colyvas, Baker, Squire, Monahan’s Monaco-nosed Titan, the twin Lotus 81 wedges of Adams and Dixon, then Fernihough and novice winner Joshua Jones rounding out the top 20. Milicevic bounced back from an early spin but was denied the opportunity to oust the delighted Lotus driver.

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ABOVE: LEFT TO RIGHT: JO ZOSSO: VAN DIEMEN RF80, ANDREW WAIT: HAWKE DL2B, CAL BENNETT: VAN DIEMEN RF80

CLASSIC FORMULA FORD

Chasing Historic numbers, 34 SDC Classic Formula Ford championship contenders rocked-up at Brands, to discover that chair Stuart Kestenbaum had found further event support from PMaaS. He’s clearly a connoisseur of acronyms, among other things! Alas former champion Rick Morris barrel rolled out of Saturday qualifying, launched by Simon Toyne’s Winkelmann at Druids, While Rick, 79, escaped injury, his Royale RP29 - a clone of the works car in which he beat factory Van Diemen driver Ayrton Senna at Brands on July 12, 1981 - was hors de combat thus Sunday’s 45 year celebration was postponed.

Ironically, Morris almost didn’t make it out for qualifying, for his throttle cable snapped en route to the assembly area. A spare was found and fitted in the nick of time. Post-event. back at Don Hardman’s Lincolnshire base, a strip down of the revealed engine, gearbox, drivetrain and suspension damage and a tweaked chassis frame which will mean missing next month’s big HSCC Castle Combe party. Indefatigable Rick has been there before and will be back for Silverstone’s finals in October!

Tom Gadd, winner of four of the previous six rounds, planted his Numanair/Mike Mackonochie tribute Van Diemen RF81 on pole with a stout 1:38.582 (88.85mph) shot in six laps. Triple champ Jordan Harrison - victor in Snetterton’s season-opener and race two at Cadwell Park -  was absent for family reasons, thus Grace Parkington was offered  his place in the Jesus Saves charity’s Van Diemen RF80, powered by the engine from her ex-Chris Hiatt-Baker/Tiff Needell Crossle 25F. Grace had not seen the circuit until the morning, when she was chauffeured round on a clerk’s course inspection, thus played herself in gently. Gridding 18th, the talented lass was eager to move forward.  

Neither Kentishman Ben Powney or his Tony Mundy-designed, Rochester-built, Jamun T3 needed introduction to Brands. The past 750MC Locost and Ma7da champion looked strong from the get-go in Peter Alexander’s PA Motorsport car, netting P2 on 1:39.215, just 0.166s swifter than Toyne, with Historic F1 racer Oliver Chapman - doubling-up with HFF - also inside 100 seconds with his Lola. Before his exit stage left Morris was fifth quickest, but young George Penlington moved up to become top Royale rep, having cut a 1:41.730 on his first acquaintance with the track.

Chris Porritt (Titan Mk6), Cal Bennett (RF80) and Crossle duo Richard Yeomans - flying in his 25F - and Gislain Genecand (16F) completed the top 10, although the latter did not start the first race following his non-finish in the Historic opener. Scott Rawlinson and Nick Colyvas (Merlyns) were joined in the 44s by Philip Senior (Royale RP24), Danny Baker (Lotus 51), Sam Gillis (Merlyn Mk20A) and Max Warburton (Caldwell D9B). Andrew Wait (Hawke DL2B), Grace Parkington and Swiss Jo Zosso (RF80s), Remy Brooks-Johnson (RP26), Nick Sheppard (Merlyn Mk11A) and Russell Giles (RF77) were next up.

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ABOVE: TOP LEFT CLOCKWISE: TOM GADD: VAN DIEMEN RF81, GEORGE PENDLETON: ROYALE RP26, CHRIS PORRITT: TITAN Mk6, DANNY BAKER: LOTUS 51

Matthew Sturmer (DJ Bond Macon MR8), Tim Monahan (Titan Mk4), Kevin Williams (Merlyn Mk20A), Alan Williamson’s Senna-esque RF81 and Chris Edwards (PRS RH02) formed the next group, ahead of Ian Jeary’s purple Durex-liveried Elden Mk8 and Mike Saunders’ earlier PRS. Chef Simon Langman (Duckhams RF80), Phil Attwood (Crossle 32F), Ben Potts (Merlyn Mk20A), Jonny Kent (Royale RP3) and Tim Bennett - now with a sleek Lola T342 in place of his familiar Hawke DL22 - were the final qualifiers.

Gadd led Chapman away from the lights and extended a short lead to a safety car eight laps in which took them to the chequer. Toyne and Powney squabbled with Chapman before Simon retired, leaving Ben third on Ollie’s tail. Porritt came through well to fourth, with youngsters Cal Bennett and Penlington in his mirrors ahead of Senior’s red RP24. Rawlinson, Colyvas and Parkington also landed top 10 finishes, ahead of Baker, Warburton, Yeomans and Zosso. Brooks-Johnson headed Wait, Sturner, Monahan and Sheppard, clear of a gaggle comprising Williams, Williamson, Giles and Edwards. Langman, Attwood, Kent and Saunders also made it home, while Gillis, Potts, Jeary and Tim Bennett joined Toyne on the sidelines.

Sunday’s round saw Genecand back in the fray, and Simon Hadfield take over the ex-Gary Magwood Hawke DL2B handled thus far by Wait. Gadd again established the pace, but Chapman squeezed ahead for a lap mid-race. Tom repassed Ollie stylishly round the outside at Paddock and held on until the safety car appeared, with Hadfield and Zosso off in the gravel at the exit of Surtees after the Swiss closed the door. The contest finished prematurely, with Powney, Penlington, Cal Bennett and Grace Parkington filling the top six. Porritt, Colyvas, Baker and Rawlinson were next in the crocodile, ahead of Warburton, Brooks-Johnson, Yeomans, Sturner and the rest.   

DEREK BELL TROPHY

The big single-seater confrontation between F5000 and F2 cars saw the two-litre cars emerge on top in both qualifying and race settings. Double FIA Thoroughbred F1 champion in Tyrrells, Martin Stretton (March-BDG 742) seized pole with 1:27.341 (100.29mph) but Graham Ridgway also broke ‘the ton,’ in closing to within 0.085s before an impact with the left-side barriers on the climb from Surtees [South Bank Bend that was] bent the tub of his similar car. Graham stepped out unhurt, and following medical clearance calmly substituted daughter Jen’s FF2000 Reynard for the races.

Neil Glover had the battery of his ex-Bruce Allison F5000 Chevron B37 go down at the start of the session, but managed a 1:28.399 (99.09mph) for third place. With Ridgway’s car switch Glover moved onto the front row with Stretton. Marc Mercer (ex-Bill Brack FAtlantic March-BDA 78B), Donington winner Mark Dwyer (March-BDG 742) and American Gary Lapidus (ex-John Morton F5000 Lola T400) also lapped inside 90 seconds.

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ABOVE: TOP LEFT CLOCKWISE: MARTIN STRETTON: MARCH 742, DANIEL PYETT: TECNO F2, FRANK LYONS: LOLA T332, NEIL GLOVER CHEVRON B37

With his programmed March 742 unready, far east commuter Dan Pyett pressed his 1600cc F2 Tecno-FVA into service. He qualified seventh, ahead of Mike Bletsoe-Brown (F2 Chevron B27), Mark Goodyear (FA March 79B), Scot Steve Barlow (F3 Ralt-Alfa Romeo RT3) and Robin Lackford (FA GRD 272). Invitee David Spencer (F3 Reynard-VW 883), Jim Wilkinson (FF2000 Reynard SF83), Frank Lyons (F5000 Lola T332) and Jason Green (FF2000 Van Diemen RF82) completed the runners and riders.

Stretton was storming clear of Glover and Dwyer in Saturday’s race when red flags flew with Wilkinson’s car stationary in the mouth of the pit lane having spun off Clearways on lap 6. Mercer managed to find a way back past Lapidus for a class-winning fourth. Pyett was a lonely sixth. Sunday’s race was stopped when Dwyer, attempting to round Lapidus for fourth into Druids on lap three, found himself backwards in the gravel facing the way he’d arrived. Mercer shot past Glover for second at the restart but despite getting down to an excellent 1:28.732 (98.72mph), Stretton’s extra 75bhp grunt would always prove decisive as 1:26.578 (101.17mph) evidenced. Pyett improved to fourth ahead of Goodyear and Lackford after Lapidus pitted.

70S & HISTORIC ROAD SPORTS

Headlined by Historic and ’70s Road Sports, a 30-strong field also encapsulated an Historic Saloon and a small assortment of 105 Cup Alfa Romeos. The legendary agility of the Lotus marque came into its own in qualifying when the Elan S1s of Rupert Ashdown and defending HRS champion Frazer Gibney sandwiched Mark Godfrey’s ever-eager 7. Ashdown’s 1:46.975 (81.88mph) stood for pole, 0.406s better than Godfrey’s effort, both in seven laps. Gibney was a second adrift.

Fourth quickest, Martin Pratt (Morgan Plus 8) headed the 70s brigade, with Italian invitee Samuele Narciso’s rapid Lotus Eclat - raced here by Gianluca Bardelli last year - and John Shaw in his HRS spec Morgan Plus 8 on his heels. Seventies’ class rivals Nic Strong (Marcos 3000GT) and John Williams (Porsche 911SC) shared row four, with Richard Plant (Morgan Plus 8), Antony Ross (TVR 3000M) and George Daws (Datsun 240Z) in pursuit. Newcomer John Watson (TVR 3000M) and veterans Peter Hore, in the only Porsche 924 currently competing, and Mike Eagles (MGB GTV8) were next.

The Alfas of Alex Childs (2-litre GT Junior), Andy Hill (GTAm) and welcome racing returnee Ray Armes (Giulia Sprint GT) were locked together at the top of the 105 Cup set, Alex’s 1:56.644 (75.09mph) shot putting the combo 15th overall. The Elans of invitee Barry Ashdown (26R) and Peter Micklewright (S1) and William Tebbit’s MGB completed the top 20. Martin Stowe’s TVR Grantura Mk3 outran David Lloyd’s rumbling Jensen CV8 and Pete Connell’s TVR 3000M by a whisker. Mervyn Selwyn and Chris Holland (Elans), Wayne Bowcock (Alfa 2000 GTV), Aussie Richard Owen (Triumph TR2) also qualified, but Oliver Slater (Ginetta G4) only managed two laps. The Alfa Giulia Super Tis of James Gibbons - which stopped in an ominous pool of oil - and Chris Compton-Goddard were left with nothing on the slate, but CCG was able to qualify out of session.

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ABOVE: TOP LEFT CLOCKWISE: MARK GODFREY: LOTUS 7, MARTIN PRATT: MORGAN PLUS 8, NIC STRONG: MARCOS 3000GT, JOHN WATSON: TVR 3000M, WAYNE BOWCOCK: ALFA ROMEO 2000GTV, ANTONY ROSS: TVR 3000M

From the less cambered outside of the track Godfrey made the best getaway in Saturday’s race, but Ashdown was back ahead within a lap, with Godfrey and Gibney in his mirrors. Frazer snatched second into Paddock second time round, but Mark retook the place into Surtees. As time ticked by, Ashdown’s lead built to 2.7s, before Godfrey chiselled the deficit back to nothing, but their order remained at flagfall. Gibney was more than 22 seconds adrift in third, albeit clear of 70s’ pacesetters Ross, Daws and Strong, with invitee Narciso in their midst.

Shaw and an unusually subdued Williams were next back, with the yellow snout of Watson’s TVR under the whale tail of the blue Porsche. Class soloist Hore finished 12th overall, ahead of Alfa leaders Childs and Hill, 4.199s apart. Godfrey’s 1:45.709 (82.86mph) fastest lap set at mid-distance was 1.2s inside Ashdown’s qualifying best. Selwyn survived a hairy gyration into Paddock after a misunderstanding with Tebbit. Lloyd’s Jensen expired, joining Owen’s clutchless TR2 on the sidelines. Compton-Goddard’s Alfa and Micklewright’s Elan subsequently fell by the wayside.

The finishing order determined Sunday’s grid, from which Godfrey again made the best start, with Ross growling past Gibney on the rise to Paddock. There was an early two lap safety car interlude to recover Narciso’s parked Lotus, and Plant trickled into the pits with suspected head gasket failure. Richard Walbyoff and his RW Racing crew had changed the Morgan’s radiator overnight in a bid to rectify Saturday’s  overheating.

From the green flag, Ashdown staved off Godfrey for five laps until ‘Kermit’ deposited Rupert in the kitty litter, leaving Mark’s 7 circulating alone, a few seconds ahead of Gibney. Third placed Ross completed a weekend 70S and class double, chased by Williams and Pratt. Shaw’s Moggie, sixth, was well clear of Ashdown Sr, whose Elan was embroiled with Hore’s Porsche 924 and Eagles’ rorty MGB, previously a spinner at Druids. Folks familiar with central Oxford’s 17th century pub The Eagle and Child will appreciate that their plurals, Eagles and Childs, finished together, Alex having shaken off Alfa rival Hill again. Micklewright, Chris Holland and Stowe also went the full distance.

HISTORIC FF2000

There was a surprise in the Pinto posse when Greg Robertson snared pole position with a 1:35.413 (91.80mph) in his Reynard SF79. Although Adrian himself was not there - prioritising his quest to break 200mph on a 250cc motorcycle of his own construction - his eponymous designs locked out the top eight on the grid. Reece Wood, but 0.033s slower, with Andrew Storer and Jonty Hair running him closest, leaving row three to the Glasswells, dad Steve ahead of hitherto unbeaten son Ben. Fraser Collins (Royale RP30), the first non-Reynard, and class leaders Luke Townsend (Van Diemen RF82) and Mark Harrison (Lola T580) headed the rest.

Deserving special mention among the 21 combatants was Jeff Williams (RF82), celebrating 60 years since his first visit to Brands for the 1966 British GP - won by Jim Clark for Team Lotus of course - and 50 years since his maiden race in a purple FF1600 Palliser. Sometime shoestring F3 hero Jeff would complete the circle by winning Sunday’s Classic FF2000 class.

The races were business as usual for Glasswell Jr, who wasted no time getting to the front on Saturday when he beat local man Wood and Hair to the chequer. Storer, Glasswell Sr and Robertson led the pursuit, with Oliver Gemmill and Graham Ridgway (Reynards), Collins and Townsend next. Townsend and Harrison won their divisions.

Sunday was an action replay out front, with Ben Glasswell head and shoulders above the rest. Hair pipped Wood to second this time, with Storer fourth again, harassed by Robertson. Stephen Glasswell took sixth, with Harrison doubling up in the Lola at the scene of Peter Morgan’s 1979 BARC championship win in one and Williams topping the later division after Townsend bingled his car’s nose.  

GUARDS TROPHY

Poleman Ben Tusting appeared to be comfortably in control of the Guards Trophy mini-enduro, over 50 minutes, when his 1600cc Ford Lotus twin-cam engined Lenham P69 Spider overheated. Scot Elliot Paterson, who triumphed at Snetterton’s season-opener in the family Ginetta-BMW G16, duly took up the cudgels and rasped to the chequered flag. Tusting’s tremendous 1:35.628 (91.80mph) best in the preliminaries was 2.801s quicker than the two-litre Ginetta, with reigning champion Andrew Hibberd a solid third on 1:39.379 in his class-leading Lotus 23B. A trio of Chevron B8s in the order of Mark & Hugh Colman, Charlie Allison and Jo Gomm/Westie Mitchell were separated by the fifth-place Lenham P69 Spider of Mark Dwyer/Matt Wrigley.

A third Lenham, Jon Waggitt’s stunning 33 inch tall coupe shared with Peter Needham, qualified ninth in its home county, behind the Merlyn Mk4A of Michael Richings/Dan Cox, but sadly was a non-starter. Two Elvas graced the field, the Mk7S of Francois Derossi/Roland Fischer and the Mk8 of Mark & Cameron Gillies. Rupert and Barry Ashdown’s 26R spec Lotus Elan joined the fray as the only GT.

Behind victor Paterson, Wrigley took over the orange Lenham and hounded down Hibberd over the closing stages for second. The Pre-’63 division Lotus’ narrow Dunlop tyres were no match in the heat for the later cars’ wider Post-Historic rubber. The Chevons of Allison, Cormac “Tarmac” Flanagan/Ross Drybrough, the Colmans and Mitchell/Gomm’s ‘Marigold,’ which fitted them like a glove apparently, were fourth to seventh, ahead of the Fischer/Derossi Elva, the Ashdowns’ Elan and the Crossle 9S of Archie & Oliver Gemmill. Tusting’s only consolation was fastest lap in 1:36.839 (90.45mph).      

ALFA ROMEO & ITALIAN INTERMARQUE

Champion of the past two seasons in a 147, Toby Broome qualified his 4C quickest for the Hitek Alfa Romeo & Italian Intermarque Championship double-header, but engine failure trailered the gorgeous tricolore sportscar. Of an unprecedented three 4Cs in the field, only points leader Jack Berry’s started, but retired when a £1.50 fuse overheated and blew, while German Thomas Laudage’s was sidelined by a turbo issue in qualifying. Mike Hilton’s Maserati Gransport Trofeo, the only interloper in the field, was thus promoted to P1 on the grid, and scarpered in Saturday’s race, wielding its trident benignly to become the first non-Alfa to win a round. Otherwise engaged at Goodwood’s Festival Of Speed on Sunday, Mike left it to the Alfisti, for whom hot weather had presaged attrition on day one.

Hilton’s absence brought Andy Page’s venerable but charismatic Giulietta 116 turbo - second on Saturday ahead of Scott Austin’s rorty 156 - onto the championship pole for the first time in 20 years on Sunday. Lurking at the back, however, fresh from a double Dutch Alfa series victory at Zandvoort, was Irishman Barry McMahon’s monstrous Giulia bi-turbo which gobbled everything ahead of it up and beat Austin and Page home. McMahon’s 1:39.965 (87.62mph) best lap was 1.7s inside Broome’s qualifying standard. Stacey Dennis in her Giulietta turbo and Mark Skeggs in his GTV turbo flamethrower shared Power Trophy golds over the two days, as did Paul Plant and James Ford (156s) in the Twin Spark division, but George Warren (GTV) was invincible in the Turismo classification.

At the half-way point of the championship’s 45th anniversary season, Stacey Dennis holds a two-point advantage over Paul Plant, with David Pickup third, Jack Berry and James Powell joint fourth and George Warren sixth.   

VISITING GRIDS

Tristan Simpson and Tim Mogridge (355 Challenges) won the Superformance Ferrari Club Classic races, Mogridge under increasing pressure from series sponsor Colin Sowter’s al fresco 355 Spider on Sunday. Local racers Paul Simpson (Cayman), Colin Tester (Boxster) and Daniel Crego (968 Club Sport) were surprised to populate the CALM All Porsche Trophy podium after runaway leader Christian Walker’s Cayman S expired in a cloud of steam just past the timing line a lap from home and chaser Warren Allen in a similar car was reclassified seventh having missed the pit window, having recovered from an early gyration at Surtees.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: #28 JASON TIMMS, #411 IAN BANKHURST ALEXIS MK8 #75 PETER DE LA ROCHE, #11 CHRIS DUNSTER LOTUS 31

Full results available from: https://www.tsl-timing.com/event/262856

HSCC 60TH ANNIVERSARY CASTLE COMBE: 08-09 AUGUST

OULTON PARK GOLD CUP: MONDAY 31 AUGUST

Entries open until 25 August

MAWP: JULY 2026

IMAGES: ©MOTORSPORT CLASSICS MEDIA