HSCC's Legends of Brands Super Prix This Weekend
A key race meeting of the Historic Sports Car Club’s 2018 race season will be the Legends of Brands Super Prix on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit this weekend (30th June/1st July).
A fabulous entry has been assembled for the event, which includes a fine entry of 50 Formula 1 cars from the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association, split across two grids. Other entry highlights include an over-flowing grid of Historic Formula Fords, over 30 Classic Formula 3 cars and a strong field of Historic F3 cars contesting the annual Nations’ Cup.
After the first six races of the Historic Formula 3 Championship season Jon Milicevic remains unbeaten in his Brabham BT21B. Last time out at Silverstone Andrew Hibberd twice finished right on the winner’s gearbox in his ex-Chris Irwin Brabham BT18 and will +6.be determined to stop Milicevic making it eight from eight.
Steve Smith (Chevron B15), Michael Scott (Brabham BT28) and Jim Timms (Brabham BT21B) are other regular UK front-runners but added to the mix is a strong European contingent including Christoph Widmer (Brabham BT18A) Francois Derossi (Chevron B17) and Roland Fischer (Tecno) as the Nations’ Cup is contested.
Rounds nine and 10 of the Historic Formula Ford Championship will deliver more magnificent racing and two drivers are edging clear in the title race. Ben Mitchell has a modest 12-point lead over Cameron Jackson while defending champion Richard Tarling and former champions Benn Simms and Callum Grant along with other pacesetters including Max Bartell and Ed Thurston will be in the mix.
A double-header for the HSCC’s Derek Bell Trophy features an array of spectacular and powerful single-seaters from the 1970s. Half a dozen mighty F5000s will be topped by the Surtees TS11 of Greg Thornton and the ex-Peter Gethin Chevron B37 of Neil Glover. From the Formula 2 ranks comes Mark Charteris in his March 742, while a celebration of the Formula Atlantic category is a welcome addition. Leading the 1600cc single-seaters will be the cars of Paul Tonkin (Chevron B29), Iain Rowley (March 79B) and Rob Wainwright (Crossle 18F).
The pair of races for the HSCC Classic Formula 3 Championship will be a highlight as a strong contingent of drivers from France pack out the grid. Lee Cunningham heads the points after four rounds in the rare Dallara 381/382 from Edginton Racing. However, two weeks ago at Silverstone Cunningham was edged down the order as David Shaw took a first and a second in his ex-Piquet Ralt RT1.
A very welcome pack of around a dozen drivers from Europe add both quality and quantity to the grid and it was Valerio Leone (March 783) who took an impressive double win when the guests were last at Brands two years ago.
Three classic designs of the era are capably represented in the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association Pre ’61 pack: the Lotus 16 of Philip Walker, the Maserati 250F of Klaus Lehr and the Ferrari Dino of Tony Best. However, the absolute benchmark should be the US-built Scarab of Julian Bronson.
Lotus is well represented on the Pre ’66 grid, with leading drivers in Colin Chapman’s designs including Alex Morton (21) and Peter Horsman (18/21). Notable Cooper pilots include Tony Smith, Rudi Friedrichs and Rob Hall, while the Brabham BT11/19 of Jon Fairley is a likely pacesetter.
John Burton (Chevron B26) heads the field for the Pre ’80 Endurance races and lines up against another Chevron B26 for Andrew Schryver and the rapid Osella PA3 of John Spiers. Heading the Sports 2000 pack are Jonathan Loader (Tiga SC80) and David Axisa (Tiga SC79).
A round of the Classic Clubmans Championship is for the rapid front-engined sports-racing cars of the late 1960s and 1970s, and the weekend includes a celebration of 60 years of the Mallock marque.
Top of the pack is Mark Charteris in his Mallock Mk20/21, which he will race alongside his Formula 2 March 742 this weekend, and taking the fight to Charteris will be local racer John Harrison in his Mallock Mk21, along with similar cars for David Wale, Alan Cook and Mike Lane.
Running on Sunday afternoon is round six of 13 in the Historic Touring Car Championship. Only Ford Mustang racer Mark Watts has won more than one of the five races but the consistent class pace of Hillman Imp racer Adrian Oliver has put him at the head of the table. Donington Park winner Philip House leads the Lotus Cortina pack against similar cars for John Spiers and Nick Stagg, while in the V8 brigade Watts is joined by three more Mustangs including the car of prolific historic racer Greg Thornton.
A single race for the Historic Formula Junior Championship marks round six of the season’s 14 races. Notable contenders are Chris Goodwin in his newly-acquired Lotus 22, Stuart Roach in the rare Alexis Mk4, Peter Morton in the equally rare Lightning Envoyette and Greg Thornton in his Lotus 20/22. Among the front-engined field, the Lola of Justin Fleming should be to the fore along with Alex Morton (father of Peter) in his Condor and Keith Roach (father of Stuart) in his Alexis Mk2.
On Saturday, the first of eight races is at 13.20 after qualifying from 09.00.
On Sunday, the first of ten races is at 11.20 after qualifying from 10.00.
