Big crowds enjoyed an action-packed Autumn Classic at Castle Combe circuit in Wiltshire on 23 September, kick-started by the first of two Ferrari Club Classic races, although it was red-flagged within a lap. It was only ever going to be between Gary Culverʼs 328GTB and Nigel Jenkinsʼ F355 Challenge for victory, and even then it took an error by Jenkins at Quarry for Culver to slip through, the margin less than a second at the flag. Jenkins got his revenge in the rematch, relieving Culver of the lead on the fourth lap and winning by 12 secs.
Polesitter Horatio Fitz-Simon (Lotus 22) was the favourite from the Formula Junior field, and it would have been an appropriate win with the meeting marking 75 years of Lotus. However, after a strong start, Fitz-Simon and challenger Stuart Roach (Alexis Mk4) went off on lap four to retire. The Brabhams of Mark Carter (BT6) and Geoff Underwood (BT2) were left to fight it out, with Carter prevailing by just 0.438 secs.
Richard Wilson and his Maserati 250S were the class of both the Historic Sports Car Club Griffiths Haig Trophy encounters, claiming the first by almost 20 secs. He was in control of the second, too, before a safety car neutralised proceedings and took the field to the chequered flag.
Two safety cars and a red flag then hit the Classic and Modern Motorsport Club Classic Challenge including the Norman Dewis Trophy and Ecurie Racing Classic Challenge, which went green again with only around 90 secs of racing remaining. On track, Peter Fisk (Opel Commodore B GS/E) just managed to hang on from Grant Williams (Jaguar Mk1), but those positions were reversed when Fisk received a penalty.
Marc Gordon came from fourth on the grid to claim the FISCAR 50s Intermarque spoils in his Jaguar XK150 after 30 minutes of racing. Almost 17 secs behind him was a close battle for second place, with Scott Quattlebaum taking it on the last lap in his fatherʼs Leco Sport from Andy Shepherd and son Murray in their AC Ace.
The AC Cobras of Chris Chiles and Chris Chiles Jnr, Alex Thistlethwayte/John Bussell and Mark Williams took charge at the start of the 90-minute GT & Sports Car Cup, before an incident for the latter brought out the safety car. Despite a penalty, the Chilesʼ Cobra fought back to win, more than 20 secs clear of the Lotus Elan 26Rs of Cliff Gray/Stephen Bond and Steve Jones/Ben Tinkler.
