Brands Hatch 6/7 July 2013

Opening the weekend Mike Whitaker in his well proven TVR Griffith took pole position and then outran the similar car of John Davison over 30 laps to win the HRDC Allstars Race (Pre-66 Historic Sports GT and Touring Cars) at Brands Hatch by 3.69 seconds. The AC Cobra of Michael Squire was third, a further 2.90 seconds down, with Richard Skinner’s Marcos 1800GT fourth and Wolfgang Friedrichs (Aston Martin DP214) fifth. Seven of the thirty cars that started gave in to the hot weather, including Team Retro-Speed member Ding Boston in his familiar Riley 1.5, prepared and run by the Oxford Universities Motorsport Foundation.

The last race on Sunday, the HRDC Touring Greats for pre-60s historic touring cars, saw Paul De Havilland (Jaguar XK150 FHC) fastest in qualifying but once again it was an Austin A40 that took the chequered flag; Neil Brown winning by a massive 22.77 seconds from Andrew Keith-Lucas and Richard Gomm, both driving Jaguar XK150s. Nigel Webb, in yet another Jaguar (Mk1 saloon) finished fourth, just beating James Taylor in the Ford Zodiac Mk2. It was a good race for Team Retro-Speed as Jason Kennedy, Lancia Aurelia, finished 12th overall and second in class. Sadly the Fiat Abarth 850TC of Louise Kennedy retired with a suspected head gasket failure. Thirty-three cars started the race, held on the Brands Hatch 2.4332-mile GP Circuit in scorching heat, which probably accounts for the high, nine-car attrition rate.

This popular Historic Racing Drivers Club series is very good value for drivers, provides great spectator entertainment and runs in conjunction with the Aston Martin Owners Club AMR GT4 Challenge of Great Britain. However, the next outing for HRDC will be at the two-day Donington GP Superstars International Series Meeting on 31 August/1 September.

To join the Historic Racing Drivers Club go to hrdc.eu.