The Historic Sports Car Club’s race series for powerful single seaters will be retitled to the Derek Bell Trophy for 2024. Having run under the Aurora Trophy tag for several seasons, the popular series will revert to being the Derek Bell Trophy as a celebration of the club’s patron.
Derek Bell OBE has an incredible record of racing through the era covered by the club and remains one of Britain’s most popular racing drivers with success in sports cars and powerful single seaters.
With a fresh impetus, a competitor-friendly calendar and on-event hospitality for competitors and teams, the reformed Derek Bell Trophy promises to be one of the HSCC’s most spectacular race series in the coming season.
The Derek Bell Trophy will cater for a wide range of single-seater racing cars from the late 1960s through to the early 1980s. Headlining the action will be the magnificent Formula 5000s as raced from 1968 through to 1977. Formula 2 cars, in both 1600cc and two-litre specification until the end of 1979, will be eligible and 1600cc Formula Atlantic cars from the early 1970s through to 1984 (non-ground effect) will be a key element of the grid.
In addition to the spectacular Formula 5000, Formula 2 and Formula Atlantic cars, Classic Formula 3 cars will be welcome within the series, both in 1600cc trim from the early 1970s and in two-litre specification up to the end of 1984.
Meanwhile, Classic Formula Ford 2000s will have a place with classes for the cars up to 1979 and then the later cars through to the end of 1983 as previously seen in the URS supported series.
The provisional six-event, 12-race schedule is as follows:
20-21 April Snetterton 200
8-9 June Donington Park
13-14 July Brands Hatch Superprix
27-28 July Oulton Park Gold Cup
10-11 August Croft
12-13 October Silverstone Finals
Particular emphasis will be placed on celebrating the most successful drivers in each of the classes, with podium presentations and awards for series class winners in all classes.
Andy Dee-Crowne, CEO of the HSCC, said: “The Derek Bell Trophy is a wonderful series for some of the most spectacular cars in historic racing. We’re delighted to re-affirm the club’s support for the category and look forward to a bumper season with new initiatives including race weekend hospitality and a calendar that should appeal to the drivers.”
For more details about the series please contact Mike Bainbridge on 07432 623388