Gold Cup supplies rain, sun and classic racing - Aug 29

Oulton Park Chevron anniversary a great success

29/08/2005 - The Oulton Park Gold Cup finished on Bank Holiday Monday with smiles all round - the day may have started off cloudy with drizzle hitting the Cheshire circuit but the sun came out, the track dried and there was some great racing between classic machines.

Race 11 - Historic Motor Racing News Gentlemen Drivers GT and Sports Endurance Race

The first victory of Bank Holiday Monday went to Frank Sytner and Simon Hadfield; the win was never really in question throughout the 90-minute race which started wet but dried as the race went on. Sytner got the car off of pole and into the lead at the start with Peter Horsman slotting into second. Horsman would only race for 10 laps though before dropping out of the running.

By the chequered flag, with Hadfield now at the wheel, his machine headed Irvine Laidlaw who had taken over from James Diffey in the Porsche earlier in the race. John Bendall and Bill Wykeham worked themselves into the final podium position by the end, with Marshall Bailey and Gary Pearson fourth.

Race 12 - Open Wheeled Chevron Race

Simon Hadfield took his third win of the weekend in his ex-Keke Rosberg Chevron B40, leading from start to finish after beating Christian Fischer into the first corner. Fischer remained second until lap five when Gareth Burnett went around the outside into Knickerbrook.

Before the weekend, Brian Redman hadn't raced at Oulton Park since 1972, but behind the leaders he was mighty. Chris Sharples was passed at the start of lap four, before Redman set off after fourth-placed Marcus Pye.

By the time he caught Pye the place he was chasing was third, because Burnett had come together with Anthony Taylor as he lapped the B24 coming over Hill Top. Both drivers would retire, giving Fischer second and Pye third. Redman did close in and tried to overtake at Knickerbrook on the final lap, but Pye defended and held on to the last podium place.

Race 13 - Historic Sportscar Championship

After a wet qualifying session left the grid in a somewhat unusual state, Jamie McIntyre got swamped at the start as several drivers piled passed him. One of those drivers was Graeme Dodd, who had started eighth and was second going into the first corner... but not on the way out.

Dodd spun exiting the corner after a phenomenal start, but he was still back up to fifth as they crossed the line for the first time. Philip walker was leading from Tony Wood and John Harper. Dodd was soon up into second though, and he crossed the line side-by-side with Walker as they went onto lap nine.

The two drivers went through Old Hall door handle-to-door handle, but as they went through Cascades there was contact, and Walker spun. That left Dodd to take an unchallenged victory with Walker dropping down the order. Walker eventually finished fourth beind Dodd, Wood and Rupert Whyte.

Race 14 - Closed Wheel Chevron Race 2

Mike Catlow took the lead at the start and held it until the end, with Richard Piper slotting in behind him. Unlike Catlow though, Piper didn't manage to stay there to the finish. Sandy Watson had started four places from the back after retiring a day earlier, and stormed through the field to grab second place.

As they crossed the line at the end of the first lap Stephen Minoprio, Alan Minshaw and Brian Redman follow Catlow and Piper. Redman was pushed out of the top five by Watson on lap two, as Watson got fourth.

Race 15 - Historic Racing Saloons Championship Race

Les Ely got a good start away from pole to take the lead, but he would end the race in third place behind James Dodd and Dan Cox. As in the Historic Sportscars, wet morning qualifying meant that the grid was shuffled up somewhat, and the race was spent with drivers battling their way through to where they felt they deserved to be. As they crossed the line at the end of the first lap Ely led by 1.6 seconds from Neil Wood, Roger Ebdon and Cox. Dodd worked his way through from sixth on the grid though to win by over 3 seconds.

Race 16 - Derek Bell Trophy Supported by Motor Sport Magazine

As he had done on Sunday, Simon Hadfield stormed away into an unassailable lead in the second Derek Bell Trophy race, taking his legendary Chevron to victory over Christian Fischer by 3.4 seconds at the end. Fischer drove well to stay in contention in case Hadfield made a mistake, but Hadfield's B37 was simply beautiful as it raced around a sunny Oulton Park, and he claimed his fourth victory of the weekend.

As Hadfield got away from pole into the lead at the start, behind him Fischer slotted into second and Judy Lyons third. Lyons would drop down the order to fifth though as Martin O'Connell got up into third and Ian Jacobs fourth. Although he did slip up at one point at Knickerbrook, Hadfield won yet again.

Race 17 - Miller Oils Classic Sports Car Championship

Rain in the morning meant another jumbled grid and another frantic start, with Stuart Tizzard shooting through from 15th place to sixth as they went through the first corner. Tizzard was deemed to have jumped the start though, and was given a 10-second penalty. From then on it was the identical golden Lotus Elans of Sean Walker and Martin Stretton who kept the crowds entertained, racing nose-to-tail throughout. Stretton tried his hardest to beat Walker, but finished 2.132 seconds behind. In their drive to beat each other, the duo had pulled well clear of third-placed Allen Tice by the chequered flag.

Race 18 - Legends Racing Historic Formula Ford

Nelson Rowe appeared to get away well, but it was Neil Fowler who managed to get ahead into turn one, around the outside. That left Rowe ahead of Jason Minshaw, who was right on his tail as the pair crossed the line at the end of the first lap. A lap later and Rowe didn't have to worry about Minshaw too much and he was able to go after Fowler, trying the inside line at Old Hall. It wasn't to be though.

It was another two laps before Rowe got into the lead, passing Fowler as they crossed the line. Fowler had little choice but to concede the place, and Rowe was ahead. On lap seven the two came together as Knickerbrook; Rowe was forced onto the grass at the chicane as he tried to get ahead of Fowler and dropped back.

Greg Caton got ahead of Nigel Bancroft for third as they completed lap nine, and they swapped places twice again on the next lap while Rowe continued to chase down Fowler yet again. At the end of lap nine though, Fowler came round alone. The engine in his machine had given up, leaving Fowler to win from Caton and Bancroft.