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Event Information
Donington Park, UK; April 18th/19th, 2008
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Race Results
| DATE | DESCRIPTION | ENTRANTS | RESULTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, April 18th/19th | [All HGPCA Races] |  |
 |
Race Report
Grand Prix Events was formed in 2006 when our major sponsor, Arbuthnot Latham Bank, the Masters Group and ourselves, the HGPCA, joined together as equal partners to promote and organise historic race meetings. In May last year we held the first "Grande Passione" and, by all accounts, it was a great success such that ’edition number two’ was clearly called for. The clear advantage of GPE is that we control the event and can incorporate races as we see fit at timings suitable to all of us. This year a new club had been formed and registered with the Motor Sports Association ’The Masters Club’ and it was they who supplied the officials and administrative staff to co-ordinate the event.
Sadly one thing that we are not able to control is the weather. Saturday was dry but cold in the bitter wind whilst Sunday was slightly warmer but spoilt by showers. Competitors reported that they had never driven on such a slippery Donington track before; great credit to all the drivers in that we had very few mishaps.
The first HGPCA practice was for pre 1961 Grand Prix Cars. 28 took to the track and immediately Philip Walker was fastest in his Lotus 16. Two laps later Rod Jolley bettered this time in his Monza Lister Jaguar only for Philip to smoothly lap at a time some two and a half seconds faster that anyone else on the grid. Third fastest was Joaquin Folch in his Lotus 16 followed by Tony Smith in his Dino Ferrari (running with the 3 litre engine). Paul Grant headed the class 5 cars with his Cooper Bristol. No less than five new members were out in their single-seat cars. John Bussey, Nick Eden and Brian Maile in Coopers; Brandon Smith-Hilliard in his Maserati 250F and David Clewley in his unique Cooper Alta Special – all successfully completed practice. Eddie McGuire broke the gear-lever of his newly acquired Cooper Bristol whilst Patrick Walker’s similar car suffered gear-box problems.
Drama struck at the start of the qualifying practice for the later Grand Prix cars. On the first lap past the pits, as a gaggle of cars headed for Redgate corner, Michael Schryver and Christopher Mann touched sending Christopher’s Lotus 18 into the pit-wall and Michael three wheeling onto the infield. Fortunately neither driver was hurt. Andrew Newell driving the Tasman specification Brabham entered by Philip Walker quickly established fastest lap, some four seconds ahead of second placed man, Mark Piercy in his Tasman Cooper T53. The Coopers T51s of John Harper and Nigel Bancroft were third and fourth with Michael Fitzgerald heading the V8 cars in fifth spot. Ian Ashley, in his first race with the HGPCA, started cautiously but, towards the end of the session, had the LDS-Alfa in an excellent eighth place to lead class 10. Fastest car in class 9 was Tony Ditheridge racing his Cooper T45. As well as Ian, we had three other new members racing for the first time with the Association, Paul Smeeth in his Lotus 18, Chris Locke in the Lotus 32B and Rupert Wood in his Cooper T43.
For the third HGPCA Grand Prix car grid, ’class’ shone where quantity was short! Twelve cars took to the grid, six ERAs, three Maseratis and two Alfa Romeos all supercharged with the exception being Richard Pilkington’s wonderful post-war Talbot. The three two litre ERAs quickly posted fastest times with Mark Gillies driving Mary Smith’s E3A being fastest, Mac Hulbert in R4D was second and Duncan Ricketts third in the E Type model. Stefan Schollwoeck had travelled over from Germany and was quickest of the Maserati cars in his 4CM. Alongside Tony Smith’s P3 Alfa Romeo, new member Umberto Rossi had entered the ex-A.F. (Frank) Ashby P3 Alfa Romeo for the race. Amongst its many unusual pre-war outings, his car had also competed in the 1953 New Zealand Grand Prix.
The final HGPCA race was for pre 1960 Sports-Racing cars. Michael (Spike) Milligan had christened this series "The Spirit of the Nine Hours" courtesy of Lord March and, through his infectious enthusiasm, had persuaded no less than 34 competitors to enter the race - a welcome change from the smaller grids seen last year. Fastest in practice was Ewan McIntyre racing alone in the 2 litre Lotus 15; second on the grid, some third of a second slower, was Philip Walker’s similar car co-driven by Danny Wright; another third of a second slower was the mighty Lister Chevrolet of Ewan’s brother Jamie McIntyre and Julian Bronson. Quickest of the pre 1956 cars was Michael Steele in the very fast green HWM whilst the fastest of the pre 1958 cars was Tony Smith with his Maserati 300S.
The first of the two pre 1961 races was on Saturday afternoon and, although it was cold, it was at least dry. The field left the assembly area on their ’green flag’ lap with pole man, Philip Walker, leading only for his car to expire with gear-selector problems before they reached the start line. Thus it was Joaquin Folch in the other Lotus 16 and Rod Jolley in the Monza Lister Jaguar who led the field into Redgate corner. A cloud of blue smoke heralded heavy braking by Joaquin but nevertheless he stayed ahead of Rod, a lead he was not to loose throughout the race. At half distance, Rod had closed on Joaquin but was not able to threaten and so he settled back to finish some five seconds adrift. Tony Smith kept the Ferrari in a comfortable third place. With five minutes left, Tony Ditheridge held a secure fourth place only for a ‘moment’ which dropped him to sixth and elevating the beautiful Maserati 250F of Gerry Hann, driven by Allan Miles, to fourth. Paul Grant headed the class 5 cars in fifth place, some ten seconds ahead of Steve Russell. 26 cars started and 26 cars finished; an excellent result.
The first of the pre 1966 Grand Prix car races was on Sunday morning and despite 29 cars qualifying in practice to race, only 21 cars took to the track. It was cold; it was wet and the Monaco Historique was looming – could that be something to do with it? The track was clearly slippery as a number of the front runners had early spins. On lap two the order was Andrew Newall leading from John Harper, Nigel Bancroft, Ian Ashley, Mark Piercy, Michael Fitzgerald and Jon Fairley. Lap 4 and Michael Fitzgerald span followed by John Harper retiring to the pits with gear selection problems. At half distance, Nick Wigley had recovered to third place after an earlier spin and then on the ninth of eleven laps, Nigel Bancroft passed the leader, Andrew Newell at Redgate. The Brabham was the faster car and expected to re-take the lead but good driving by Nigel combined with back markers in the way saw the Cooper first over the line by half a second to win. Tony Ditheridge won class 9 and Ian Ashley won class 10. Andrew Wareing in his BRM took the chequered flag at the end of the race but was going backwards! Surely a first?
Cloudy and wet were the weather conditions at the start of the pre 1952 grid. Despite this, all cars that had qualified took to the track and after their two ’green flag’ laps, Duncan Ricketts led the field in the E Type ERA around Redgate corner for the first time. By the third lap, Mark Gillies had the pale green ERA in the lead with Stefan up to third in the little 4CM Maserati. Further down the field an excellent race developed between the Alfas of Tony Smith and Umberto Rossi and the white ERA of Rainer Ott and Richard Pilkiongton’s Talbot Lago. Paddings Dowling was closing the gap between his ERA and Stefan’s Maserati whilst Sean Danaher and David Morris raced close together. Lap seven and the red flags were shown. David, accelerating the Maserati past the pits, lost control on the treacherous surface and collided with the pit wall.
The grid for the second pre 1961 race used the qualifying times set the previous day. With one of the Lotus 16 cars (Walker) broken, it looked like a straight race between the Spanish driver (Joaquin in the Lotus) and the Hampshire driver (Jolley in the Lister). It was not to be; a broken transmission off the start line sidelined Rod, and a brilliant start by Tony Ditheridge from the third row, had him leading into Redgate. By lap three, the order had settled down to Joaquin’s Lotus in the lead, Tony Smith next with the Ferrari and third Tony Ditheridge just ahead of Paul Grant. On lap four, Tony Smith powered ahead of the Lotus 16 only for Joaquin to retire to the pits a lap later. Further down the field David Wenman in his Aston Martin and Barry Wood in the Cooper Bristol were engaged in an excellent race whilst, nearer the front, Allan Miles was closing with his Maserati on third place man Steve Russell in the Cooper Bristol. Tony Smith ran out the winner, setting his fastest lap on his penultimate tour.
Like the pre 1961 grid, Saturday’s practice times set the grid for Sunday’s afternoon race. Sadly even fewer of the cars entered in the programme made it to the start line; only 16 of the 29 cars that qualified formed up on the grid. An excellent start by John Harper ended when his gear selection problems returned on the first lap. This left Andrew Newall in the lead from Mark Piercy, Nigel Bancroft, Jon Fairley, Ian Ashley and John Clark. By lap three, Andrew had established a ten second lead which he extended to twenty-one by the end of the race. Mark Piercy spun out of second position on lap 4 leaving Jon Fairley in third place; thereafter an excellent race developed between Jon and Ian Ashley, Ian passing on lap eight. Michael Fitzgerald was holding fifth position in the beautiful V8 Lola but was eventually passed by the recovering Mark Piercy in his bigger Cooper.
The HGPCA Sports-car race was the very last race of the weekend, starting a 5.30pm on Sunday afternoon. By this time the track was difficult indeed as it had become very, very slippery; the variable conditions probably the worst most had ever driven on. These conditions did not favour the ’heavy metal’ such as the Lister cars but was better for the more scientific Lotus’s. The feature of the race was the remorseless pursuit of the Lister Chevrolet of Jamie McIntyre/Julian Bronson by the two Lotus 15s of brother Ewan McIntyre and Philip Walker/Danny Wright. Despite having an early off-track moment, Ewan fought back to second place overall and set the fastest lap in the process. Sixth overall was the Peter Horsman/Andrew Tart Lotus 17 Prototype, a magnificent effort with only a 1220cc engine. Jason and Louise Kennedy added welcome variety to the grid; this was their first race with the HGPCA in their orange Lancia Aurelia B20, a car that has had varied use as a city commuter car and endurance racer in the 6 hour Birkett Relay race.
"Grande Passione" 2008 had been a superbly planned and executed historic motor race weekend. If the weather had been more favourable, it would also have been a thoroughly enjoyable weekend. As it was the racing was good, the hospitality was good the company was good; what more could we have asked for... a bit of sun maybe?
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