1969 Lola T70 Mk3B

Forget, for a minute, the origins of the Lola GT, the Mk6, the connections with the GT40, the Spyder, the Lola-Aston, and the differences between an Mk3 and 3B. We’ll get to some of that shortly. First, let’s get down to basics. When I first arrived in the UK in 1968, it was some three days before the Brands Hatch Six Hour race, but this major change in my life didn’t afford me the opportunity to rush off to that race. Likewise, I missed the Oulton Park 1000 Miles, where the singleton Lola T70 Mk3, entered by Sid Taylor for Brian Redman, beat the assembled GT40s, Ferrari Dinos, and Porsches to win by nearly two minutes.

However, I was there at Silverstone on April 27 for the International Trophy race. The Players Trophy race of that weekend was the third round of the British Sports Car Championship where six GT40s, David Piper’s Ferrari 250LM, a horde of Lotus 47s, and Porsche 906s would be up against Denny Hulme in Sid Taylor’s white T70 Mk3 and the colorful Jo Bonnier T70, resplendent in yellow with red and white stripes. I parked myself on the outside of Copse Corner at the end of the pit straight for my first experience of the Lola T70, powered by big Chevrolet engines. This was to be a 20-lap sprint, so it was flat out from the drop of the flag.