Donington signs off with VSCC SeeRed

Just as it had run the final race meeting on the original Donington Park track in August 1939, the Vintage Sports-Car Club organised the last meeting on the current circuit ahead of its proposed re-development for the 2010 British Grand Prix.

The VSCC’s annual SeeRed event became the final race meeting on the track opened in 1977 and was held as earthmovers worked all weekend on remodelling the circuit. After many months of inactivity, the re-development project was in full swing as the Richard Seaman Memorial Trophies took centre-stage.

Mark Gillies clinched the Historic Seaman Trophy in ERA R3A, while Geraint Owen’s intrepid handling of his Bugatti T35B earned him the Vintage Seaman Trophy. Among several high-profile races for later cars, brothers Ewan and Jamie McIntyre starred. Ewan’s Lotus 15 won the BRDC Historic Sports race by a second and a half, but Jamie turned the tables in the 50s Sports Car race to bring his Lister-Corvette home first by just half a second.

Although plans for racing at Donington over the opening months of 2010 are currently unknown, the VSCC intends to run SeeRed again next season. It would be fitting for the VSCC to run a circuit-opening meeting ahead of the 2010 British GP, but club secretary Mike Stripe would not be drawn on any such possibility.

“Donington Park is always a particular highlight of the VSCC calendar,” he said. “We aim to be back there next year, flying the flag for vintage and historic racing.”