Tremendous racing marks first day of Silverstone Classic
Some spectacular action from capacity grids marked the first day of racing at the 2010 Silverstone Classic today (Saturday 24 July) as 12 races put a mouth-watering collection of historic cars into action on the high-speed Historic Grand Prix circuit at the Northamptonshire track.
Despite many of the cars being immensely rare and valuable, the racing was fast and furious as single-seaters, sports, GT and touring cars wowed thousands of fans at the world’s biggest classic racing festival.
Significantly, the day marked a return to the track for British motor racing legend Sir Stirling Moss OBE who, now aged 80, was only denied victory in his class in the RAC Woodcote Trophy for pre-1965 sportscars when his OSCA became stuck in gear. The winners of the race outright were Gavin Pickering and Spencer Marsh in their 1955 Jaguar D-type.
Other notable winners were Andy Wolfe and Rob Hall, who scored a double success. First they took their Lotus Cortina to victory in the Under 2-litre Touring Car race and then also won the Gentleman Drivers Pre ’66 GT and Sports Endurance race in their AC Cobra.
Event director Nick Wigley took time out from his hectic schedule to jump into his Cooper T51 Grand Prix car for the Sir Jack Brabham Trophy for Pre ’66 Grand Prix Cars. Wigley was part of a fabulous five-car lead battle and eventually he finished second to the ex-Innes Ireland Lotus 18 of John Chisholm.
There were also wins for Steve Hartley in the James Hunt Trophy for Grand Prix Masters in his Arrows A4 (pictured above) and local ace Jon Milicevic from Towcester in the Colin Chapman Trophy for Historic Formula Juniors. Dean Forward, meanwhile, came out on top of a hectic battle – in which rival Patrick Watts span out after they collided – to win the Alan Mann Trophy for Big Engine Touring Cars race in his Ford Mustang, one of 30 mighty American muscle cars from the 1960s that were on the 40-strong grid.
But the on-track racing is only part of the story of the Silverstone Classic as the famous venue is packed with a vast array of attractions for all the family. Car clubs, classic cars, hot-rods, motorbikes, hot air balloons, air displays and parades all add to the fantastic spectacle of the biggest classic racing festival in Europe. The entertainment carries on into this evening with The X Factor stars Ruth Lorenzo, Danyl Johnson and Jedward plus rocker Rick Parfitt Jnr all performing on stage.
The action on-track resumes tomorrow (Sunday) with another full day of racing, starting at 9am and running right through to 6pm. Among the highlights will be the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy for Historic Cars, where the grid of pre ’63 GT cars has a total value of more than £70 million and the World Sportscar Masters race, with 15 5-litre Lola T70Mk3Bs and four Ford GT40s in the field.
Results from Saturday:
Masters FIA Mini with Oldies but Goldies:
1 Andrew Hack (Mini Cooper S); 2 Nick Swift (Mini Cooper S); 3 Mark Hunt (Mini Cooper S)
Colin Chapman Trophy for Historic Formula Juniors:
1 Jon Milicevic (Cooper T59); 2 Michael Hibberd (Lotus 27); 3 Urs Eberhardt (Lotus 27)
Jack Sears Trophy for Under 2-litre Touring Cars:
1 Andy Wolfe/Rob Hall (Lotus Cortina); 2 Leo Voyazides (Lotus Cortina); 3 Howard Redhouse/Mike Jordan (Lotus Cortina)
Sir Jack Brabham Trophy for Pre ’66 Grand Prix Cars:
1 John Chisholm (Lotus 18); 2 Nick Wigley (Cooper T51); 3 John Clark (Cooper T51)
Gentleman Drivers Pre ’66 GT and Sports Endurance Cars:
1 Andy Wolfe/Rob Hall (AC Cobra); 2 Chris Chiles/Paul Ingram (AC Cobra); 3 Neil Cunningham (Jaguar E-type)
James Hunt Trophy for Grand Prix Masters (pre ’85):
1 Steve Hartley (Arrows A4); 2 Rob Austin (Surtees TS19); 3 Bill Coombs (Tyrrell 009)
Phil Hill Trophy for HGPCA Pre ’61 Grand Prix Cars:
1 Gary Pearson (BRM P25); 2 Mark Gillies (ERA R3A); 3, Tony Smith (Ferrari 246 Dino)
Alan Mann Trophy for Big Engine Touring Cars (pre ’66):
1 Dean Forward (Ford Mustang); 2 Nick Whale (Ford Falcon); 3 Leo Voyazides (Ford Falcon)
RAC Woodcote Trophy for pre ’56 Sports Cars:
1 Gavin Pickering/Spencer Marsh (Jaguar D-type); 2 Will Arif/Alex Buncombe (Jaguar D-type); 3 Lukas Huni/Gary Pearson (Maserati A6 GCS)
Trofeo Abarth 500 GB:
1 Stefan Hodgetts; 2 Ben Winrow; 3 Charlie Butler-Henderson
Lawrence Bloom Trophy for Masters FIA Mini with Oldies but Goldies:
1 Mark Hunt (Mini Cooper S); 2 Ben Adams (Turner 1650); 3 Daniel Wheeler (Mini Cooper S)
Cat: Silverstone Classic News Stories
Comments
Author: Chris Harwood
Enjoyed a three day car fest, sun, a couple of mates a few drinks..... and some very loud fast cars, what more can you ask for? Hope next year see the pre-war racing cars on show and racing like last year!!!!
Date: 2010-08-02 19:14:22
Author: Millie Elliott
went there for the first time this year, i am 13, and i have loved every single moment of it... god i wish i was still there :'( :')
Date: 2010-07-26 10:32:39
Author: Ruth Miller
Took my 12-yr old nephew and got a photo of Stirling Moss leaving the pits after his race. Made a fantastic weekend even greater. Not a bad way for my nephew to remember his first visit to Silverstone!!
Date: 2010-07-26 10:11:36
Author: Dave W
A great day on Saturday. Is there any information on the condition of the E-type driver who crashed? We only saw the remains on the recovery truck,and the ambulance coming past us between Bridge and Priory. No working tannoy near us either.
Date: 2010-07-25 16:54:00
Author: clive skoulding
Great time on Saturday, marred by lack of loo's and over priced food and drink
Date: 2010-07-25 15:39:52
Author: Clive Pritchard
Why no Motors TV this year, & why is the Silverstone Radio not working on the website, I click on the link, but it just says "coming soon" ??
Date: 2010-07-25 07:08:25
Author: David Ballard
The cars etc were great, but why make people exit through rough tracks and fields onto a minor road with no signs, when there is a perfectly good official exit onto the dual carriageway?
Date: 2010-07-24 21:28:17
