The Historic Sports Car Club’s annual trip to Donington Park would this year feature events on both the National and Grand Prix circuit, a rather ingenious idea that provided the fastest machinery on display with additional overtaking opportunities whilst allowing the less powerful cars to take advantage of the National Circuit’s more natural flow.
The Derek Bell Trophy, featuring largely Formula 2, 5000 and Atlantic machines, was one such series that benefitted from the Grand Prix loop with the racing excellent on both occasions. Mark Dwyer, aboard his March 742, would prove the man to beat but it was far from easy. Indeed after a rain shower delayed the start of race 1 Dwyer would drop back from his 3rd place starting position before expertly charging through the field and slipping past the March 772 of Mark Harrison 2 laps before a red flag prematurely ended proceedings.
Race 2 would be a little more straightforward for the Bang & Olufsen backed machine but race 1 runner up, Chris Porritt (chevron B40), would keep the March man honest and briefly take the lead before being forced into retirement late on. Mark Mercer (March 78B) meanwhile would follow up an earlier 4th with an excellent second in race 2 by getting the better of Mark Harrison late on, thus leaving the March 772 pilot having to settle for a pair of 3rd place finishes on the day when qualifying perhaps promised so much more.
The Thundersports Series was another grid to make use of the Melbourne loop, but this proved less of a spectacle mainly due to the rate of attrition. Indeed just 8 cars would take the chequered flag at the end of the thirty minute encounter as Mark Richardson aboard his gorgeous Lola T290 claimed top spot. Frank Bradley, once up-to speed, had charged through the field to lead in his March 717 but would sadly retire in the second half of the race. Meanwhile the fellow front running machines of Julian Stokes (Vogue SP2) and Adam Sykes (Harrier LR5) would hit trouble early on leaving Gary Furst to claim the runners up spot (Lola T212) and Dave Karaskas (Harrier LR4) to complete the podium.
The final grid to make use of the Grand Prix circuit were the guesting pre 66 machines from the Dutch organised Super Sixties Racing League. However, despite many a competitor from the Netherlands, it was British drivers in the form of Graham Moss (Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe) and David Methley (Marcos 1800GT) who would claim the spoils in the two forty minute encounters.
In Sunday’s race 2, long time Marcos racer, Methley briefly lost the lead to the Lotus Elan 26R of Jan Van Der Kooi but the win never really seemed in doubt. Behind, Roelant De Waard would top the battle of the V8s to claim third aboard his Shelby Mustang GT350, just keeping the Ford Falcon of 1991 Le Mans winner Volker Weidler at bay.
On the National circuit meanwhile, relatively recent Lotus Elan convert John Davison would star in both Roadsport encounters with the Londoner claiming a 9 second race 1 victory over the Lotus 7 of Mark Godfrey and Porsche 911SC of John Williams. Race 2 would be a little less clearcut but still no-one was able to topple the former Olympic Skeet Shooter as Frazer Gibney made it an Elan S1 1-2 with Williams once again rounding out the podium positions.
Perhaps suffering from the absence of 2025 champion Graham Fennymore, Sunday’s Formula Ford 2000 race was not quite as exciting as we have come to expect. Indeed 2025 series runner up, Ben Glasswell, was in a league of his own, following up victory on Saturday with another dominant display in race 2 aboard his Reynard SF77. Behind, Andrew Storer would claim a pair of second places across the weekend whilst Adrian Reynard and Greg Robertson each took a turn on the final step of the podium; Reynard actually second across the line in race 2 but dropping back after a 5 second penalty for track limits was applied.
Close entertaining racing is almost guaranteed when Historic Formula F3 and Historic Formula Ford machinery is on the bill and whilst the second Formula Ford encounter was brought to a premature end by yet another red flag with Ben Simms claiming a second race win of the weekend (Jomo JMR 7) the second Historic F3 race proved a pulsating watch from lights to flag.
Jeremy Timms had looked a dead cert for victory having broken away from the lead pack by half distance but all was clearly not well with the Chevron B15 allowing the Alexix MK17 of Peter De La Roche, Alexis MK8 of Ian Bankhurst and Brabham BT21 of Jason Timms to catch up, with the latter taking over the lead of the race on lap 9.
All 3 remaining front runners were in with a shout of victory with De La Roche perhaps looking most likely having snatched the lead on the penultimate lap. It was not to be for the 2025 champion on this occasion however as Timms reclaimed the lead on the final lap and just managed to keep the Alexis man at bay to claim a second victory of the weekend, this time by the narrowest of margins (0.013 seconds)!
The Guards Trophy for 60s Sports Racing and GT cars has on more than one occasion been a little light on numbers but this was not the case at Donington. Indeed, following the HSCC’s excellent idea to combine it with the new for 2026 Alfa Romeo 105-cup, some 28 machines would line up for the 50 minute encounter.
As it was Ben Tusting, this time without father Rob, would produce a dominant display aboard the family Lenham P69 Spider, leading from pole and never really looking troubled. Adam Sykes (McLaren M1A) and Elliot Paterson (Ginetta G16) would keep the Bedford man in sight before the stops but that was as close as it got; the big McLaren never re-emerging from pit lane following it’s scheduled stop and a slower turn around for the Ginetta ensuring Tusting would go on to wrap up a 51 second victory! Hugh and Mark Colman meanwhile would top the Chevron B8 runners and claim the final step of the podium whilst Paul Wallis and Jon Wagstaff would be first of the 105-cup runners home aboard their Alfa Romeo Sprint GT.
Completing the run down of the Sunday’s action, Jamie Thwaites would record a second Alfa Romeo & Italian Intermarque victory of the weekend aboard his Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR, with Jack Berry (Alfa Romeo 4c) and Barry McMahon (Alfra Romeo Giulia) completing the podium. Meanwhile Jas Sapra and Paul Cook each claimed a 750 Motor Club BMW Car Club Racing victory apiece in their respective M3 F80 and M3 E46 machines; races that proved incredibly popular as some 39 cars lined up for race 1.
The Classic Formula Ford runners would this time find themselves confined to the opening day of the meeting where Tom Gadd (Van Diemen RF81) claimed double victory, impressively getting the better of 2025 champion Jordan Harrison (Van Diemen RF79) on both occassions. Saturday’s action would also include 2 races for another of 750 Motor Club’s series, the All Porsche Trophy, where Warren Allen (Porsche Cayman S) twice came out on top of a 29 car field to claim victory.
The HSCC had admirably taken on the gargantuan task of attempting to fit 22 races into the Spring Trophy Weekend’s schedule which in retrospect was probably a couple of events too many! Indeed the rain shower enforced delay to the first Derek Bell Trophy race on day 2 caused havoc with a schedule that already lacked wriggle room causing the days remaining racing to be shortened or red flagged at the first opportunity. There were a lot of positives to take from the weekend though, the switch between the circuit configurations a great success as were the level of entries. Perhaps one fewer guest series would be the perfect balance.
GALLERY
Paul Commons Motorsport 