Final 2016 races for HRDC Words and images by Peter Baker. Click to view Gallery
The Jordan A40 limps into retriement
HRDC at Donington Park, Saturday 15 October. The weather, murky with light rain early on, could have gone either way, but the skies cleared before lunch and stayed that way for both the 45-minute HRDC Touring Greats/TC63 race and the shorter, 30-minute outing for HRDC Allstars (including the A35 Academy and A Series Challenge). Both grids attracted healthy numbers with 41 cars and 43 cars respectively.
It looked as if the Mike and Andrew Jordan-entered Austin A40, fastest in qualifying, would win the Touring Greats race with some ease, challenged only by the Jaguar Mk2 of Nigel Webb and Andy Wallace (yes, that Andy Wallace), but after 19 laps the Austin A40 retired with smoke pouring from the nearside rear wheel hub.
However, any thoughts of a Jaguar victory quickly evaporated after Neil Brown (Austin A35 Speedwell) took charge, winning in grand style, with a gap of some 5.5 seconds, followed across the line by Mark Daniell (Austin A40) and the Geoff Gordon/Richard Meaden Alfa Romeo Giulietta Ti. Team Retro-Speed member Ding Boston finished 10th in the OUMF Riley 1.5 that had received a substantial chassis rebuild since its 'off' at Castle Combe.
Peter Blomfield rolls
The Naismith Westminster and A30/A35 sandwich
The Allstars/Academy/A Series Challenge saw Mike Whitaker on pole but his TVR Griffith was under real pressure from the 'clone' car of Mike Jordan. Mark Halstead (Lotus Elan) was fastest of the rest, while the quickest Austin A35 was driven by Nick Powell. Unfortunately, head gasket problems side-lined the Riley 1.5.
Ding Boston had brake problems
From the start Jordan built up a lead with Whitaker, seemingly content to watch progress from second place. Meantime, several battles raged further down the field, Ambrogio Perfetti finally shaking off a determined Nick Naismith (Aston Martin DB4), while Harry Naismith in the bulky Austin A95 Westminster slowly picked off the Academy cars, one by one. Peter Blomfield overdid things through Redgate, his A35 rolling and, although he continued, his race ended with a black flag. Hardly surprising, as the car was later declared a write-off.
The pair of TVRs finished first and second, Mark Halstead was third. Peter Crewes (Austin Cooper S) won the A Series Class and James Colburn was the leading Academy driver. My car of the day could only be the beautiful 1959 Austin Healey 'Jamaican', driven by Matthew Moore into a fine 14th place.
