With their event still billed as “the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival,” the organizers of the annual Silverstone Classic stepped up another gear with the latest event, held July 26–28, boasting an 1100 racecar entry and a 24-race program that brought in 90,000 spectators. With a wide range of attractions, this is the ideal event for introducing new fans to the pleasures of historic and vintage racing.
Past Classic victor Michael Lyons completed the double in the FIA Masters Historic Formula One Championship races as he backed up his Saturday win in his RAM Williams FW07 with another on Sunday. Motor racing is a family affair for the Lyons clan as dad Frank took part in his Hesketh 308E and mom Judy was aboard her Surtees TS9. Lyons junior also took wins in the F2 vs F5000 doubleheaders in his Lola T400.
With the 50-year anniversary of Jim Clark’s maiden British Grand Prix win and World Championship being celebrated at Silverstone, it was fitting that his original 1963 Lotus 25 (pictured below) should be taken to a class victory by Andy Middlehurst. The Jim Clark Trophy for HGPCA pre-’66 GP cars was won overall by Jason Minshaw in a Brabham BT4.
The Ferrari 250 SWB of Gary Pearson and Le Mans winner Jackie Oliver won the Tourist Trophy after a late charge. Prolific winner Pearson took the spoils in the pre-’56 Sportcars event with a Jaguar D-Type and also the pre-’66 GT Cars race in a Jaguar E-Type, sharing on both these occasions with brother John.
Froilan Gonzalez, who died earlier this year, won the very first World Championship British Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1951, taking Ferrari’s maiden win with the 375 V12, while beating the might of Alfa Romeo. It was appropriate that the two Pre-1961 Grand Prix races were dedicated to his memory, and Julian Bronson steered his Scarab-Offenhauser to popular victories in both rounds, beating Tony Smith’s Ferrari Dino and Tony Wood’s TecMec Maserati.
The first of the two Group C races was cancelled due to adverse weather conditions, but the second race made up for the disappointment with Nicholas Minassian taking a commanding victory in a Jaguar XJR14 from Gary Evans’ Mercedes C11.
By Keith Booker
