This year is Oulton Parkʼs 70th anniversary, and for the Historic Sports Car Clubʼs Gold Cup meeting, from 28-30 July, the Cheshire track delivered another busy programme.
Contesting the Jackie Stewart Cup were the Historic Formula Three racers and Samuel Harrison twice took his Brabham BT21B to victory, having now won all eight of 2023ʼs encounters. Kevin Kivlochan was another double winner, in the Historic Touring Car Championship, claiming the John Whitmore Trophy aboard his Shelby Cobra (making a guest appearance as part of a Historic Road Sports class). In the first, there was fierce competition for the remaining podium places between the Lotus Cortinas of David Dickenson, Michael Cullen and Rod McGovern. In the end, Cullen snatched second, 0.03 secs ahead of McGovern, who beat Dickerson by only 1.338 secs.
There was another clean sweep as the Historic Formula Junior grids vied for Jim Clark Trophy glory, with Horatio Fitz-Simon (Lotus 22) having to overcome Sam Wilson (Lotus 20/22) in the first race, eventually winning by 13.587 secs after Wilson retired with his throttle stuck open. In the wet re-run on Sunday, Wilson returned and gave chase, but Fitz-Simon was nearly 5 secs clear at the chequer. In both races, Alex Morton (Condor S2) was the best driver in a front-engined car.
Several other series joined the HSCC at Oulton Park. There were two Historic Racing Driversʼ Club grids and it was an all Mk1 Ford Cortina podium in the Jack Sears Trophy, headed by the pairing of Mike Gardiner and Dan Cox, while Michael Whitaker (Rover SD1) emerged victorious in the Gerry Marshall Trophy.
Motor Racing Legends had two grids, too, for its Historic Touring Car Challenge. For the Tony Dron Trophy and ʼ60s Touring Cars with U2TC, Paul Mensley and Michael Lyons were victorious in their Ford Sierra Cosworth RS 500 by 45.39 secs, after just over 50 mins of racing. Meanwhile, the winning margin was more than a minute for the Lister-Jaguar ʻKnobblyʼ of John Spiers and Nigel Greensall in the RAC Woodcote Trophy & Stirling Moss Trophy race, taking the overall win and the Stirling Moss Trophy, while Chris Ward and Nigel Webbʼs second place secured them the Woodcote Trophy in a Jaguar C-type.
Justin Maeers (Brabham BT11A) just held on to win both Historic Grand Prix Cars Association races, while the Vintage Sports-Car Clubʼs Egerton Cup spoils were split between Andrew Smith (Frazer Nash Super Sports) and Joshua Beebee (Frazer Nash TT).
The Classic Sports Car Clubʼs Special S
