Silverstone Classic Saturday, July 26th Results and Pictures
Peter Sowerby won the first FIA Historic Formula One race of the weekend in a lights to flag victory in front of a large crowd enjoying the glorious summer sunshine and entertainment at the 2008 Silverstone Classic. Sowerby took the flag in the ex-Carlos Reutemann Williams FW07C ten seconds ahead of Joaquin Folch in the Brabham BT49C-10 and the ex-Keke Rosberg Championship winning Williams FW08 of Richard Eyre.
The day’s racing got underway at 9am with the massive 52 car Formula Junior grid with Denis Welch taking the first win of the 2008 Silverstone Classic in the Merlyn Mk5/7 ahead of Gavin Pickering and Martin Walford. Single seaters provided the next on track action as the pre-1966 Grand Prix cars battled for the Jack Brabham Trophy. Enrico Spaggiari received the trophy from David Brabham after finishing just 1.4 seconds ahead of Peter Horsman and Mark Piercy.
Martin Stretton took the win in the first Group C race after a red flag caused the race to be shortened to 20 minutes. Stretton crossed the line in the Spice SE GTP just 1.1 seconds ahead of Justin Law’s Jaguar XJR8 and Andy Purdie’s Nissan R90-CK. The Group C cars will be providing the finale on Sunday with a 90-minute race for the David Leslie Memorial Trophy.
Mike Johnson took a dominant win in the Porsche Road Sports while Benjamin Eastick and Neil Cunningham won by a massive 53 seconds in the Jaguar D Type to lift The Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy.
Martin Stretton lifted his second winner’s trophy of the day as he and Jon Minshaw were first across the line in the Jaguar E-Type to take the Innes Ireland Trophy with Motors TV in the Gentlemen Drivers GT and Sports Endurance Masters race.
The Stirling Moss Trophy for HSCC Historic Road Sports cars race was won by the Morgan Plus 8 of James Patterson, crossing the line eight seconds ahead of the Porsche 928 of Paul Anderson.
The first James Hunt Trophy race for Grand Prix Cars was won by American Michael Fitzgerald in a March 761B after a great battle with Britain’s Peter Williams in a near-identical March 761.
The BRDC 500 Trophy for Pre-war Sports Cars was won by Peter Neumark and Simon Hope in their Alfa Romeo 8C Monza. The first day finale was provided by the World Sportscar Masters, 46 cars racing for the Denny Hulme Trophy with Hagerty in a 90-minute Le Mans style dusk race won by Ollie Hancock and his father Tony in the Lola T212, a lap ahead of their nearest rivals.
Off track the day began with a flyout by 30 hot air balloons and ended with a live performance by ‘Imagine the Beatles’ in front of a large crowd at Scarf & Goggles. Visitors to the Silverstone Classic also had plenty to see and do around the event. One of the highlights of the day was the two 30-minute performances by eScala, the four girls playing to a full house as visitors enjoyed the evening sunshine and convivial atmosphere.
Silverstone Classic Sunday, July 27th Results and Pictures
The final day of the 2008 Silverstone Classic exceeded all expectations with visitors streaming through the gate to push the total visitor number to 57,000, 40% up on the 2007 event and well above the target of 49,000. A packed program of 10 races and other off track activities kept everyone entertained in the glorious summer sunshine.
James Paterson was the first winner of the day, completing the weekend double in his Morgan Plus 8 in the HSCC Historic Road Sports for the Stirling Moss Trophy. The podium was a mirror image of the Saturday race with Paul Anderson and Alan Harper taking 2nd and 3rd respectively.
The Tony Rolt Trophy with Bonhams for the BRDC Historic Sportscars was won by Frank Sytner and Simon Hadfield in the Cooper Monaco, just ahead of Graeme Dodd’s Cooper T49.
Mike Johnson, winner of race 4 on Saturday, completed the double in the Porsche Road Sports Cars, lifting the Derek Bell Trophy.
The Pre ’66 Touring Car Race was dominated by the Ford Mustang with the famous American machine filling eight of the top ten places at the end of the 40 minute race. Max Rostrum and Ulf Larsson crossed the line ten seconds ahead of their nearest rivals to lift the Jack Sears Trophy.
The John Cooper Trophy race for the HGPCA pre 1966 Grand Prix Cars was fittingly won by the Cooper T53 of Mark Peircy, who had finished third in Saturday’s race for the Jack Brabham Trophy.
In the second FIA Historic Formula One encounter of the weekend Joachin Folch crossed the line in first place ahead of Saturday race winner Peter Sowerby only to be handed a penalty for a yellow flag infringement which reversed their finishing positions.
The Roy Salvadori Trophy with Scalextric for Historic Aston Martin Cars was won by Nick Leventis in the magnificent Aston Martin DBR1, crossing the line twelve second ahead of Darren McWhirter’s Lagonda V12 at the end of the twenty minute race. Jeff Pattinson was third overall in his Aston Martin DBR3 and first in the SR1 class.
Denis Welch completed the double in the 2008 FIA Lurani Trophy for Formula Junior cars in a incident packed race. Gavin Pickering and Martin Walford mirrored their performances in the opening race of the 2008 Silverstone Classic to finish second and third respectively.
The penultimate race of the 2008 Silverstone Classic was won Michael Fitzgerald, his second James Hunt Trophy win of the weekend in the Grand Prix Masters 1966-78.
The final 90-minute Group C race was full of incident providing a cracking finale to the 2008 Silverstone Classic. Peter Sowerby took his third winner’s trophy home to Lincoln as he and Calum Lockie crossed the line in the Nissan RC90-CK a lap ahead of their nearest rival David Hart in the Porsche 962. Justin Law and Andy Wallace were third in their Jaguar XJR8 after a puncture forced Wallace to make an unscheduled pitstop while leading the race.
The Silverstone Classic will be back on July 24-26 next year.
[Source: Silverstone Classic]
