GT & Sports Car Cup Race Report: Silverstone 2024
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR RACE WINNERS
Graeme & James Dodd - Jaguar E-Type
Equipe Summer Classic - Silverstone GP Circuit
9th June 2024
DODDS' E BACK ON TOP OF GTSCC TREE
Jaguar E-Type duo Graeme and James Dodd returned to the top of the GT & Sports Car Cup podium as the second of the season’s events brought stalwart competitors back from discovering Enna-Pergusa in Sicily to Silverstone’s familiar Grand Prix circuit, as part of the rebranded Equipe Summer Classic weekend. For the Oxfordshire father and son team the success reprised their 2019 victory in the same M&C Wilkinson-built car, looked after on events by a crew headed by Graeme’s son-in-law Joe Claydon-Folley.
“We had the engine freshened over the winter and the car went like a Swiss watch. Losing our best four laps in qualifying for [exceeding] track limits was a bit of a drama, but we tightened our game up for the race and it all went rather well,” reflected Dodd Senior, who started racing at a very different looking Silverstone in the later 1970s. “I certainly didn’t expect to be going away from Gary Pearson in the middle section of the race, but we were slightly quicker in the pits and James was super-quick and consistent over his stints, which all counts towards to a great team result.”
For the first 11 laps of the two-hour, double pitstop contest poleman Richard Kent’s ex-Dick Protheroe E-Type FHC was a CUT above the rest, but a 10-second penalty for anticipating the rolling start a little too eagerly was not the final arbiter. They finished 23.834 seconds behind the Dodds on the road, before the imposition was applied, but remained second, still more than a minute ahead of soloist Simon Evans’ Lotus Elan 26R. Robin Ellis’ Elan Shapecraft coupe, victorious around Lake Pergusa last month, finished fourth, a lap down on the top three, Wolfe Manufacturing’s Ben Tinkler proving a capable understudy for Julian Thomas who was en route to the US on business.
As ever the GT3 and GT2 divisions were super-competitive. Rorty Austin-Healeys had the upper hand in the former, where Mark Pangborn and Harvey Woods prevailed, having chased Doug Muirhead/Jeremy Welch until their rivals ran out of fuel 10 minutes from the finish. For the first two thirds of the race Joe Ward and Chris Conoley’s TVR Grantura MkIII held a narrow advantage over Mark Hope and top qualifier Jason Minshaw’s MGB in GT2. Ward urged his faithful steed ‘Fred’ on in the closing stages but - having lost 25 seconds over the mandatory two pit stops - finished 0.629 seconds adrift of Minshaw at the chequer after 44 laps of the demanding 3.63-mile circuit.
Despite an unscheduled extra stop to secure a flapping bonnet, which left their Lola Mk1 plum last after three laps, Nick Finburgh and Ollie Crosthwaite outlasted the Cooper T39 Bobtail of John Clark/Karl Jones to triumph in SP1. Ellie Birchenhough and Nick Topliss won the Touring Car prize, having chased the Broadspeed GTS of Alice Locke and Matt Green until mid-race. In another display of exemplary track manners, 24 of the 30 starters were still running at the chequered flag.
QUALIFYING
A strong field included welcome new invitees Marcus Anderson/Mark Blair and Alistair Dyson/James Dorlin in Jaguar E-Types, which took the Coventry marque’s representation to eight cars. Sunday dawned dry and despite the top three each having a lap time expunged for exceeding track limits, the half-hour morning qualifying session saw Kent quickest. Richard had co-opted Gary Pearson to drive CUT 7 when John Pearson was sidelined by a back injury, which left Gary, who withdrew the family E, gunning for a hat-trick of Silverstone GTSCC victories having won with his brother in 2022 and 2023.
Kent whirled his fabled pale blue-nosed gunmetal coupe - a winner at Silverstone in 1962 with first owner, demobbed RAF Flight Lieutenant Protheroe DFC, proprietor of County Motors at Husbands Bosworth, 40 miles to the north - round in 2m23.207s (an average speed of 91.48mph) to head TSL’s time sheets. Young GT champion Dorlin was a mere 0.811s shy in Dyson’s bubble-topped roadster.
Equipped with a fresh Ford V8 engine since its predecessor’s demise on the dash around Lake Pergusa, Chris Chiles père-et-fils gridded their AC Cobra third, within a couple of seconds of pole. Martin Melling’s Jaguar E-Type low-drag coupe joined the Anglo-American monster on row 2, by courtesy of Jason Minshaw’s 2:27.192. Six tenths slower, Evans’ Elan sat fifth with the Dodd E-Type for company. Ironically, James’ expunged best lap of 2:23.273 was good enough for P2, as was his back-up 2:23.562, but Graeme’s 2:28.105 final shot secured the start place.
Anderson/Blair had a very busy weekend. Having dashed overnight from mid-France, after finishing fourth in class in a two hour race at the GP de l’Age d’Or event at Dijon-Prenois, their iridescent blue Jaguar was serviced and sent out into the fray. Former karter and rally champion Blair, winner of the Vauxhall Vectra SRi V6 Challenge race series in 1998, put it seventh on 2:28.671, ahead of the ex-Major Dick Crosfield Elan coupe - a racing car since its debut in 1964 - Ellis/Tinkler the last qualifiers inside 2m30s.
Finburgh/Crosthwaite’s 1216cc Coventry-Climax powered Lola Mk1 was ninth with 2:30.294 (87.17mph), dwarfed by the imposing AC Cobra Daytona Coupe of Bristolian David ‘Meerkat’ Smithies and Sarawak speedster Chris Clarkson. The Elan 26R of Stephen Bond/Cliff Gray headed the middle third of the grid in the low 32s, three places up on the final GT4 contender, Canadian Read Gomm in his Jaguar E-Type low-drag coupe.
Between them sat the GT3 pacesetting Healeys of Doug Muirhead/Jeremy Welch (TON 792, ‘The Chairman’s Car,’ the 100/6 run by Sir George Harriman from new), and Suffolk-domiciled former motorcycle racer Mark Pangborn and Harvey Woods (3000). Jeremy - our generous race sponsor through the family firm Denis Welch Motorsport - recorded a fine 2:33.236s (85.50mph), setting class pole by 2.352s.
Third of the big Healeys, 15th overall, was the Locke family’s ex-works 3000 767 KNX - the silver blue machine a welcome series returnee having last been seen in the GTSCC several years ago in Alex Bell’s ownership - in which Richard was joined by Matt Green. Rolled by Paddy Hopkirk’s Canadian team mate Grant Clark in the 1964 Sebring 12 Hours, the car also competed in two Targa Florio events with Ted Worswick, co-driven by our recently departed friend Alan Minshaw in 1966 and Richard Bond in 1968.
The Jaguar XK120 of Rob Newall/Oliver Marçais was a couple of tenths slower, split from fellow GT3 starters Marc Gordon/Nick Finburgh in Marc’s Jaguar E-Type and Allan and Daniel Ross-Jones (Triumph TR4) by the centre-seat 1500cc Cooper-Climax T39 ‘Bobtail’ of Clark/Jones.
In GT2, a scant 0.036s separated Mark Hope/Jason Minshaw (MGB) and peripatetic Porsche pilots Peter Tognola/Steve Monk (911), fresh from their much enjoyed Enna trip, at the top of the class. Minshaw’s late 2:40.549 (81.60mph) secured 20th overall. The TVR Granturas of twice Spa Six Hours winners [in different V8 Griffiths] Joe Ward/Chris Conoley and Germans Florian and Julius Brandt were closely-matched in the 41s, thus less than a second blanketed the top four in the division, with the MGB of dad and lad Nick and Chris Thompson 0.552s down.
In the midst of this competitive hotbed was the first of the small-capacity Touring Cars, the Alice Locke/Matt Green Mini Broadspeed GTS - not far from its Southam, Warwickshire, birthplace - on 2:40.673 (81.54mph). The conventional Dorset Racing Mini Cooper S of Ellie B and Nick Topliss was in the 45s, with husband and wife pairing Brian and Barbara Lambert’s faithful MGB, winners oft he Royal Automobile Club Family Award on this occasion, pursued by the Morgan +4 Super Sports of Simon King/Richard Plant, unusually the Malvern marque’s sole emissaries. Two more family-entered MGBs, Arabella Welch joined by dad Jeremy, Beverley Phillips by husband Chris & Ian Nuthall, completed the colourful line-up.
RACE
Following four hours of final fettling, and a splendid social lunch in our paddock hub, the pack formed up under starter’s orders and was released at 14:36 for 120 minutes of high-speed action on a pleasant afternoon.
As the Pace Car retreated to the pits Kent shot ahead, pursued by Chiles Jr’s Cobra, with James Dodd shooting up from sixth to third over the course of the opening lap. Minshaw, starting Melling’s Jag with his customary gusto, maintained his qualifying position in fourth, chased by Evans, Anderson, Ellis, Finburgh’s little Lola, Smithies, Gray and Dyson, who confessed to having “a little wobble” which dropped him nine places to 11th. Undaunted, a solid recovery started immediately. Soon to follow suit was Finburgh, who pitted briefly on lap 2. From the moment Nick rejoined he was up to speed, picking off cars relentlessly.
GT3 leader Pangborn was 12th, up a place from his Q slot, with Gomm between him and Muirhead. Doug’s charge in the menacing red and black Healey took him past Gomm on lap two and seize the category lead next time round. Muirhead remained ahead until his first stop after 14 laps, two more than Pangborn, whereupon Welch and Woods took up the cudgels. Allan Ross-Jones was quick out of the blocks, making ground to get his 2.1-litre Triumph among the quicker Healeys by the first pitstop phase.
In GT2, ‘Giuseppe’ Ward’s stellar first lap saw the blue BMC-powered TVR climb six places to a class-leading 17th, ahead of Hope (himself up two at the expense of Gordon and Richard Locke, playing himself in gently with the Healey. “The start was quite exciting,” said Ward. “As I passed between Peter Tognola’s left-hand-drive Porsche and the pit wall I thought I hope he’s seen me, but it was fine.”
"Can any other 'open' series boast five feisty female racers running consecutively"
Taking first stint in the cute Broadspeed GTS, Alice Locke was overpowered at the start and lost three positions, but remained ahead of Ellie Birchenhough in the opening TC skirmishes, with Barbara Lambert, Arabella Welch and Beverley Phillips behind in their Bs on lap two. Can any other ‘open’ series boast five feisty female racers running consecutively?
Dodd Jr displaced Chiles on lap 3 and went after leader Kent, taking the initiative a dozen circuits in, then creeping away as Richard, trying hard to the point where he was locking wheels occasionally as he battled in vain to match James’ pace. Both Jaguars made their first stops, 13 seconds apart, on lap 19, but the Cobra threat had gone. Chris Jr was about to hand over the reins to his father when gearbox input shaft failure spelled retirement after 15 laps. Already out was the sole Morgan, King having spun and lightly kissed the barrier, bingling a wing on lap 13. Clark’s Cooper was the third to fall when its throttle cable pulled out, stranding the car.
Although Smithies roared his Tour de France tribute liveried Cobra Daytona Coupe up to split the Elans in the initial stages, the race became a veritable Jagfest up front, with Dodd, Kent and Minshaw the top three before their driver changes. Like Jason and the leaders, Smithies pitted after 19 laps, one further than Evans and Ellis who were fourth and sixth respectively when Robin handed his Lotus fastback to Classic Formula Ford champion Ben Tinkler.
Anderson’s Jaguar, held a promising seventh ahead of Ellis for much of his first stanza. Blair continued Marcus' good work, bringing it up to fourth for a while before a split exhaust ended a promising GTSCC debut. Far from throwing in the towel after a marathon weekend, the crew dived underneath and attempted to bandage it up, but Motorsport UK scrutineers would not allow the car to continue.
By then Dorlin - flying in Dyson’s E-Type and posting third fastest lap, a tenth off Kent’s early pace and 1.2s from James Dodd’s best of 2:24.488 (90.67mph) - grabbed fourth. Dorlin made up ground on third placed Evans, putting the dark green car in contention for a podium place, work which Dyson was continuing stoutly when half-shaft failure forced abandonment five laps from the finish.
Pearson enjoyed three laps in the lead, purely by running longer than Graeme Dodd in the middle stint, but the status quo was restored once the pit stagger unwound. James Dodd duly resumed and extended his advantage over Kent to the chequered flag. Tinkler also nosed ahead of Evans by stopping a lap later, but Simon was past when Ellis re-emerged and remained unlapped, the top three completing 48 circuits.
The retirement of Dyson/Dorlin brought Ellis/Tinkler back to fourth, one lap down but one clear of the snarling Smithies/Clarkson Cobra coupe, which was 47 seconds ahead of GT3 winners Pangborn/Woods at the close. Seventh overall, SP1 victors Finburgh/Crosthwaite in their plucky little Lola and the uber-sleek E-Types of Gomm and Melling/Minshaw were well spread on the same distance.
The fight for GT3 category honours had been superb, with Pangborn/Woods hanging on to Muirhead/Welch for 40 laps. Woods left fastest lap at 2:34.302 (84.90mph) mid-race, but Muirhead was narrowly ahead of Pangborn when his steed spluttered, out of fuel, on lap 43, Doug’s team having gained 19 seconds over the two pit stops. Thus Mark passed his stricken rival and completed the final three laps to claim a memorable victory and a top six finish overall. Muirhead’s efforts did not go unrewarded as Baudouin Jager of Baltic Watches presented him with the prestigious ‘Driver of the Day’ prize.
Gray and Bond enjoyed an incredibly steady and consistent race in their Elan, running between eighth and 12th throughout. Up a place to 10th on the opening lap, they eventually finished there on 45 tours, a lap ahead of GT3 runners-up Allan and Daniel Ross-Jones in the lone TR and Gordon/Finburgh in the Classic Autos-run Jaguar.
The GT2 scrap went sensationally to the wire. Ward’s TVR led Hope’s MGB to the first round of stops - both boxing after 17 laps - whereupon Conoley climbed aboard the Grantura for an eight-lap interlude, but Mark resumed as Minshaw was not out of Melling’s E-Type. Jason leapt in just after half-distance, at 25 laps, and hounded Joe down, charging past six laps later. Both then drove flat out to the finish, Minshaw crafting the best class lap of 2:39.234 (82.27mph) on lap 37.
But Ward never gave up, circulating nine hundredths slower two laps from the chequer, which they took nose-to-tail in 13th and 14th places overall. “If only the regulations didn’t say ‘as quick as you can’ for driver changes. Chris and I [both in their 70s] find it a bit difficult getting in and out these days. We lost 25 seconds in the pits, but it made for a damn good race and plenty of excitement on the pit wall as we almost clawed the deficit back,” said Joe.
Behind Newall/Marçais, fourth in GT3 aboard the open XK120, next over the line were the MGB of the Thompsons and the Brandts’ TVR, 13 seconds apart, third and fourth in GT2. Two laps down on the winners, Brian Lambert jostled the family MGB back to fifth in the division - he and Barbara worthy winners of the Royal Automobile Club family award - less than a minute ahead of Tognola/Monk in the Porsche, separated by the Locke/Green GT3 Healey. Tognola, feeling slightly queasy as he re-acclimatised to the GP circuit, stayed in the cream and red 911 for another three laps to complete the owners’ 50 per cent minimum before putting Monk in to bat.
Birchenhough/Topliss continued their fine season in the Dorset Racing Mini with another TC1 win, but the Alice Locke relayed Matt Green into the class lead after 15 laps, where the Broadspeed stayed until she leapt back in. Late gremlins saw the little coupe make two extra stops - sitting agonisingly in the pit lane with its bonnet up for a while - before restarting. These late dramas dropped it behind the Phillips and Welch family MGBs, but it made it to the finish.
Next stop for the GTSCC fraternity is the unmissable Castle Combe Autumn Classic feature - extended to two hours this year, within a superb two-day Historic-themed programme - on Saturday, September 21. The finale to our 18th season also returns by popular demand, at the Algarve Classic Festival on Portugal’s Formula 1 circuit, the majestic Autodromo Internacional Algarve, on October 25-27.
MARCUS PYE
1st Place Graeme & James Dodd - Jaguar E-Type
2nd Place Richard Kent & Gary Pearson - Jaguar E-Type 'CUT 7'
3rd Place Simon Evans - Lotus Elan 26R
2nd Overall - Richard Kent & Gary Pearson - Jaguar E-Type 'CUT 7'
3rd Overall - Simon Evans - Lotus Elan 26R
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE RACE WINNERS
Graeme & James Dodd
SP1 Class Winners - Nick Finburgh & Ollie Crosthwaite - Lola Mk 1
GT2 Class Winners - Mark Hope & Jason Minshaw - MG B
GT3 Class Winner - Mark Pangborn & Harvey Woods - Austin Healey 3000
GT4 Class Winners - Graeme & James Dodd - Jaguar E-Type
TC1 Class Winners - Ellie Birchenough & Nick Topliss - Austin Mini Cooper S
Royal Automobile Club 'Family Award' - Brian & Barbara Lambert - MG B
GTSCC Baltic Watches 'Driver of the Day' - Doug Muirhead & Jeremy Welch - Austin-Healey 100/6
SP1 Class Winners - Nick Finburgh & Ollie Crosthwaite - Lola Mk1
GT2 Class Winners - Mark Hope & Jason Minshaw - MG B
GT3 Class Winners - Mark Pangborn & Harvey Woods - Austin-Healey 3000
GT4 Class Winners - Graeme & James Dodd - Jaguar E-Type
TC1 Class Winners - Ellie Birchenhough & Nick Topliss - Austin Cooper Mini S
Royal Automobile Club 'Family Award' - Brian & Barbara Lambert - MG B
Baudouin Jager of Baltic Watches presents the 'Driver of the Day' Award - Doug Muirhead & Jeremy Welch - Austin-Healey 100/6
Photography Copyright: Mick Walker & @shotbyiz (Izzie Fitzgerald)
GTSCC SILVERSTONE 2024 RESULTS HERE
SAVE THE DATE
GTSCC Autumn Classic, Castle Combe - Saturday 21st September
GTSCC Algarve Classic Festival - 25/26/27 October
GTSCC END OF SEASON AWARDS LUNCH
Saturday 7th December at The Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall, London, SW1
E-Mail - cars@automobileshistoriques.com for entries