2018 GOODWOOD REVIVAL - CHICHESTER CUP
- 13 September 2018
Michael Hibbert claimed a sensational victory in the Chichester Cup race for rear-engined Formula Junior single-seaters on Sunday morning. Nevertheless, the pole-sitter’s victory was far from assured until the final tour.
Hibbert, whose father Michael won this race ten years ago, rocketed off the line at the start of the 20-minute encounter aboard his Lotus 22. He was chased hard by Cameron Jackson’s ex-Tulip Stable Brabham BT2 with Sam Wilson’s Lotus 22 in third, and Michael O’Brien keeping a watching brief in fourth in the similar car of Mike Flewitt. Just 0.9sec blanketed the lead quartet as they threaded their way through the chicane for the first time.
Former Formula Renault man O’Brien, who had never raced at Goodwood before, survived a lurid moment at Woodcote next time around. The lead battle was nullified, however, after the safety car was deployed on the third lap after another Lotus became stranded on-track. Once racing resumed, O’Brien endured another scare after his Lotus rode up over the back of Hibbert’s car exiting the chicane, but he survived to fight another day. The race soon descended into a battle for the lead between Hibbert and Jackson, with Wilson and O’Brien squabbling over third place a few seconds further down the road.
Hibbert and Jackson battled mightily in the closing stages, with the latter seeming to have the edge until Hibbert got past heading into Woodcote on the penultimate lap. On the final tour, the lead pair almost tangled with a backmarker in the run up to St. Mary’s, but held on to the flag. Hibbert’s margin of victory over Jackson was just 0.5sec. Wilson was third, with O’Brien virtually glued to his gearbox in fourth.
Report courtesy of GRRC.
2018 GOODWOOD REVIVAL - JACK SEARS MEMORIAL TROPHY
- 13 September 2018
Veteran charger John Young emerged as king of the Jaguar tamers after a frantic 25-minutes of racing during the Jack Sears Memorial Trophy touring car encounter. Young blasted his Mk1 saloon into the lead from the front row, but Neil Brown almost bested him in his Austin A35, only for his good work to be undone as he was robustly squeezed out by his rivals. Pole-sitter Justin Law then glued himself to Young’s tail. Welsh tyre dealer Grant Williams made it a Jaguar 1-2-3 lead battle, the first lap witnessing a fair amount of paint-trading further down the order. Law assumed the lead on the third lap, but Young reaffirmed his role as pacesetter at Lavant on the following tour before stretching his lead to 3.7sec at half-distance.
The remainder of the race descended into an epic Law versus Williams battle, with both men steering their cars at increasingly lurid angles. Williams’ Jaguar was never knowingly pointing straight, its tail often wagging onto the grass. Despite heroic efforts, he was never quite able to get past Law. Young, meanwhile, also recorded the fastest lap of the race late in the day just to add to his glory.
Report courtesy of GRRC.
2018 GOODWOOD REVIVAL - WHITSUN TROPHY
- 13 September 2018
Mike Whittaker claimed a convincing victory in the Whitsun Trophy race for pre-1966 unlimited sports cars on Saturday afternoon.
His open-cockpit, ex-John Surtees/Graham Hill Lola T70 was headed at the start by Rob Huff in the Tolman Motorsport Lotus 19 recreation in which he won this race two years ago. Darren Turner ran a close third in the purple Hamill-Chevrolet SR3 which he hadn’t so much as sat in until yesterday, the works Aston Martin star admitting that he had been a little apprehensive of driving the car prior to qualifying it on the front row.
Whittaker, a previous winner at Goodwood in his TVR Griffith, asserted his authority shortly before quarter-distance of the 25-minute encounter, and soon dropped Huff and Turner who were rarely more than a few metres apart for 15 laps. The latter finally pounced in a manoeuvre which started at Lavant and ended at the exit of the chicane. Fourth place went to James Cottingham in his Ford GT40 ‘MUF1’.
Report courtesy of GRRC.
2018 GOODWOOD REVIVAL - FREDDIE MARCH MEMORIAL TROPHY
- 13 September 2018
Martin Hunt claimed honours in the 25-minute Freddie March Memorial Trophy race which brought the curtain down on Saturday’s on-track action.
The HWM-Jaguar driver vied with four-time winner Darren McWhirter in his Lagonda V12 for the first few corners, but he had streaked into a lead of 3.9sec by the end of the opening lap. McWhirter fought back while dropping third-place man Richard Woolmer in Matthew Collings’ HWM-Cadillac, and briefly looked set to challenge for the lead on the second tour, but Hunt responded and stamped his authority. His advantage was nullified, however, following a safety car period to rescue Alain Rüede’s stricken Cunningham C4R from a gravel trap. Once racing resumed with nine minutes left to run, Hunt picked up from where he left off and recorded a time that was eight-tenths of a second faster than his pole lap. His margin of victory after 13 storming laps was 10.359sec. McWhirter held on for second, with last year’s winner Woolmer claiming the third spot.
Report courtesy of GRRC.
2018 GOODWOOD REVIVAL - BARRY SHEENE MEMORIAL TROPHY
- 13 September 2018
RACE 1
Glen English and John McGuinness claimed the spoils in the opening instalment of the Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy double-header.
The Norton Manx duo starred in this thrilling 25-minute encounter, but victory appeared to be heading the way of Duncan Fitchett/Jeremy McWilliams going into the last lap. However, McWilliams took a tumble coming out of the chicane for the final time and dropped his Norton Daytona Manx. He had been leading by eight seconds prior to his spill.
Star during the early running was Australian legend, Troy Corser, who was sharing a 1929 BMW R57 Kompressor with the motorcycle’s owner, Herbert Schwab. Despite riding a ’bike that was considerably older than most machines competing in this 25-minute race, the abnormally brave Corser tore through the order following a Le Mans start, the supercharged BMW writhing and bucking beneath him. He was in the lead inside four laps and stretched his advantage until handing over the reins with just over ten minutes left to run.
McWilliams was the man on the move once all the rider changes were made, and appeared set for a seventh victory at Goodwood, only for the commentators’ curse to strike. Within a split second of his sure-fire win being trumpeted, his ’bike slid out from under him. English and McGuiness came home first after 16 action-packed laps, 1.437sec ahead of Norton Manx men, Ian Bain/James Hillier. Corser and Schwab placed a brilliant third.
RACE 2
Australian superstar Troy Corser starred on Sunday afternoon as he and wingman Herbert Schwab won the second thrilling instalment of the Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy. Glen English dominated the early running aboard his Norton Manx, and was leading by 2.6sec at the end of the first lap.
He had extended this to 5.47sec by the end of the third tour, and to an incredible 13sec by the time he pitted to hand over the ’bike to 23-time Isle of Man TT winner, John McGuinness. Second place man Schwab had already pitted, and there was no stopping Corser aboard his supercharged 1929 BMW R57.
He ate into McGuinness’ lead, clawing back the deficit. He was clocked at an incredible 125mph more than once, and streaked past McGuiness with five minutes left to run. He had time to pat his friend on the back as he did so… Corser’s margin of victory was 11.628sec. English and McGuinness were second from Ian Bain and James Hillier.
Report courtesy of GRRC.
2018 GOODWOOD REVIVAL - GOODWOOD TROPHY
- 13 September 2018
Former British GT Champion Callum Lockie claimed repeat Goodwood Trophy honours this afternoon to go with his 2016 triumph. The Scotsman guided Sean Danaher’s nimble Maserati 6CM to win the 20-minute race for Grand Prix and Voiturette cars built and raced between 1930 and ’51. Five-time winner Mark Gillies didn’t make it easy for him, however, and the ERA man led at various points, and only 0.4sec blanketed the top two as the chequered flag descended. Tom Dark had featured during the early laps in his Bugatti T73C, only to lose pace in the final few laps. Gareth Burnett avoided a late scare when lapping an errant backmarker to take the final podium spot in David Baldock’s two-litre Alta.
Report courtesy of GRRC.