Rob Huff and Michael Caine proved true the old adage that you only need two cars to make a race at this weekend’s Goodwood Revival.

Huff, a World Touring Car champion and historic racing regular, pit his Austin A40 against that of 2012 British GT champion Caine for an utterly enthralling 25-minute battle in part one of the St Mary’s Trophy. Neither was afforded a moment’s rest as they threw the underpowered and under-gripped cars around the small circuit, exchanging places at almost every turn.

That Frank Stippler chased down and passed Andrew Jordan and Jason Plato for the win went almost unnoticed, for they were simply the warm-up for what was following a few seconds later. Caine did just enough to step onto the podium, just 0.2sec clear of Huff.

It was an undoubted highlight of this year’s event, as Dickie Meaden suspected it might in his column last week.

In part two, Meaden claimed the honours, despite a lurid moment while leading. He and Mike Jordan locked horns for a similarly excellent encounter – the Alfa of Meaden beating the A40 of Jordan in another thriller.

Tom Kristensen starred again, as is now habit – he started from the pitlane in the giant Ford Thunderbird and oversteered his way into the top six. It proved too much for his exhaust, which all but fell off in the excitement.

The two-parter is a combined time race, and it was Plato and Nick Naismith’s consistency that ruled – Plato finished second in the opener after Andrew Jordan retired, with Naismith fifth in part two. Meaden and co-driver Steve Soper claimed runner-up ahead of Anthony Reid and Justin Law’s Jaguar Mk1.