The annual visit to Cadwell Park by the Historic Sports Car Club for the Wold’s Trophy (May 18-19) delivered a great weekend of racing at this gem of a race track.
Each year the HSCC heads east to rural Lincolnshire for two days at the spectacular three-dimensional circuit. Cadwell Park is one of the finest and most challenging circuits in the UK with a glorious parkland setting and warm spring weather added to a great weekend away for everyone involved.
As ever, the HSCC says a huge thank you to the volunteer marshals and officials who ensured a busy weekend ran smoothly despite one or two incidents, including a significant oil slick early on Sunday morning.
It was a weekend of double winners and all eight grids featured a double victory for the driver in best form in that particular category. Samuel Harrison was mighty in Historic Formula Ford 2000 and won twice in the Reynard SF79 on loan from marque founder Adrian Reynard. However, it was never easy and on Saturday it was Ben Glasswell who really took the fight to Harrison as Graham Fennymore tucked in behind to make it a three way contest.
Unfortunately, Glasswell just put a wheel wide at Charlie’s Bend and spun into the barriers to end his race. That elevated Fennymore to second, but Harrison had things under control. On Sunday, Harrison did it again and won by a useful margin from Fennymore as Glasswell took the final podium place in his repaired car.
John Williams was in great form in 70s Road Sports and went into the opening race hoping to pull off a demon start to get his Porsche 911SC ahead of the Lotus pack. His prayers were answered when fellow front row qualifier Howard Payne (Lotus Europa) had a shocker of a start and dropped many places. Williams was clear by the first corner and was able to stretch clear as Payne set about recovering lost ground and fought back up to third before latching onto the tail of Mark Leverett’s Lotus Elan on the final lap. Despite a big challenge, Leverett defended and held the place to the flag. On Sunday, Payne got away better but dropped back from the Porsche and ended the race in second and clear of Leverett’s Elan.
The Formula Junior pack was split into front and rear engined grids and it was Alex Morton who was the class of the front-engined pack in his Condor S2 to win comfortably in both races. On Saturday, a great battle raged for second as Justin Fleming, John Sykes and Graham Barron disputed the place with Lola, Merlyn and Gemini respectively. That was how they finished after a thoroughly entertaining contest. On Sunday, Fleming was able to pull clear, but was still some way back from Morton at the flag.
There was a rare result in the rear-engined Formula Junior qualifying session as four Lotus 20s packed the top of the times, possibly for the first time for several decades, with Andrew Hibberd heading impressive newcomer Nathan Metcalfe, Nick Carlton-Smith and Martin Aubert. Unfortunately, Metcalfe was destined not to start after a bump late in qualifying.
Hibberd was able to stretch clear in the opening race from Carlton-Smith and Aubert and then did it again on Sunday, although Carlton-Smith was much closer at the flag with Alan Schmidt moving up to third in his Brabham BT6.
John Milicevic rejoined the Historic Formula 3 field to head an encouraging grid for the Justin Haler Memorial Races in his Brabham BT21B. On Saturday Peter de la Roche worked the Alexis Mk17 up to second and hassled Milicevic in the closing stages before retiring. That left Ross Drybrough to come through to second from Jason Timms. Milicevic had an easier time on Sunday with Drybrough a little way back, but clear of the battling Mark Carter (Chevron B15) and Richard Wise (Tecno).
The Historic Road Sports and Historic Touring Cars joined together to make a nice grid of cars and it was John Shaw who was the class of the field in his Morgan Plus 8. Jonathan Stringer saw off Fraser Gibney to be second in the opener as Neil Wood headed the Touring Cars in his rapid Ford Anglia. Shaw won again on Sunday as Gibney got the better of Stringer this time around to take second. Wood was again the best of the Touring Cars from Adam Cunnington’s Lotus Cortina.
Benn Simms and Callum Grant came back to Historic Formula Ford for the chance to race at Cadwell Park and had two memorable battles in the pair of races. As Callum celebrated his 29th birthday, there was no big present from Benn as the Jomo headed the Merlyn by a third of a second at the end of each race after two typically close and sporting contests. Spencer Shinner rounded out the podium on Saturday, but only by a whisker as Chris Porritt almost pulled up alongside on the rush to the line. There was more of the same on Sunday although Shinner had a little more in hand over Porritt after 13 laps.
The Historic Modsports and Special Saloon series delivered a double win for Myles Castaldini in his Davrian Mk8 after he was able to resolve a qualifying misfire and set a cracking pace. David Morrison went with Castaldini in his rapid MG Midget and was just four seconds adrift after 20 minutes on Saturday.
With Morrison absent for Sunday’s second race, it was Andrew Willis and Steve Watkins who led the chase of the flying Davrian. Willis had the wonderful Ford V8 Austin A30 wound up well to finish only three seconds adrift with Watkins in hot pursuit in his MG Midget.