HSCC: Donington Park & Cadwell Park

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Cox topples big bangers in dramatic season-opener

Dan Cox came out ahead in a superb season-opener for Historic Racing Saloons at the HSCC’s Easter Sunday Donington Park meeting when his Ford Anglia slayed the ‘big bangers’ en route to a maiden win.

Dave Loudoun (Ford Mustang) grabbed the early lead but, as the American car started to wilt, Graeme Dodd’s Jaguar Mk2 moved into the lead, with Cox closing fast. On lap six, Cox pulled off a great move at the Old Hairpin to grab the lead and then began to pull away. Loudoun had one last say, though, when his engine seized going under Starkey’s Bridge, dumping all its oil on the road as the Mustang spun into retirement. The midfielders hit the slick first, all just surviving, but a lap later Cox had a huge moment, hitting both lockstops as he battled to keep the Anglia on track. He made it. Just.

Neil Fowler won a hectic Historic Formula Ford Championship race after initial challenger Jason Minshaw spun into the gravel trap at McLeans. John Pearson later rode over the top of Fowler’s Lola at the Chicane, which put Pearson out on the spot, but Fowler survived to win from Guy Minshaw and Andrew Newall.

Edwin Jowsey’s Lotus 22, rebuilt after a Mallory crash, won the Formula Junior race at a canter, and he later added Classic Racing Cars honours.

The Historic Roadsports race was dominated by Laurence Bailey’s TVR Griffith, while Charles Barter embarrassed the 70s Roadsports field with the pace of his Datsun 240Z.

Simon Hadfield lapped the entire Derek Bell Trophy field in his Trojan T101, while Steve Maxted won the Classic Formula Three race.

Cadwwell Park

Two weeks later, The HSCC took a superb entry to Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire, and the Historic Saloons again starred. This time it was father and son, Graeme and James Dodd, at the head of the battle, with James looking set to famously beat his father until his Alfa Romeo was blackflagged for a loose bonnet.

Barter, Maxted, Jowsey and Fowler all doubled up on their Donington Park wins.

Steve Worrad’s Lotus 23B and the Brabham BT16 of Matthew Watts were among the winners, too, while Dodd Snr made it a Cadwell double with a victory aboard his superb Jaguar XK120.