RACE PREVIEW
Jag , ahead of David Piper ( GTO ) and privateer Dick Protheroe .
Ferraris enjoyed a strong record at Le Mans , where GT honours were celebrated alongside outright victories . After 250 SWB drivers had scooped fourth to seventh places in ’ 60 , Belgian Pierre Noblet and Frenchman Jean Guichet improved to third overall the following summer . Re-equipped with a GTO , the combo finished an astonishing second in ’ 62 , with ‘ Elde ’/‘ Beurlys ’ third in Equipe National Belge ’ s sister car . Jaguar E-types were classified fourth and fifth , crewed by American team owner Briggs Cunningham / Salvadori and Peters Lumsden and Sargent .
Narrow-arched AC Cobras , big Healeys - including DD300 , a regular at The Classic - and rumbustious Chevrolet Corvettes also went into battle at La Sarthe . A representative field is guaranteed at Silverstone , where a Pre- ’ 63 GT race has been run since 2009 . Germany ’ s Max Werner prevailed in the unique Ferrari 250 GT ‘ Breadvan ’ created by Giotto Bizzarrini for Venetian statesman Count Volpi on that occasion .
Friday 12:04 - 12:31 RACE 14 Sunday 11:40 - 12:30
Since being awarded the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy title in 2010 , with big club interest focused by Motor Racing Legends , victors have been Carlo Vogele / Willie Green ( Ferrari 330 GTO ), Porsche ’ s 1970 Le Mans winner Richard Attwood paired with motorcycle and touring car TT winner Stuart Graham ( Aston Martin DB4 GT ), Gary Pearson / Jackie Oliver ( Ferrari 250 SWB ), Wolfgang Friedrichs / Simon Hadfield ( three times running in DB4 GT and AM Project 212 ), Martin Hunt / Patrick Blakeney- Edwards ( AC Cobra ) and Austrian Lukas Halusa in the Breadvan which was sadly damaged at the recent Le Mans Classic .
This year , competitors are also gunning for a new Team Award , supported by Historic Motor Racing News . Teams have a car from each of the four classes , three in total , the best performing cars across the race will net the prize . The top podium spots will be disputed by the Jaguar E-types , with a good hand entered it will be a splendid battle . The Wrigley car of father , Mike and son , Matt , won the Le Mans Classic Jaguar race in July and both drivers are in great form this season . Jaguar marque specialist , Gary Pearson ’ s machine is always well on the pace and Caterham supremo Danny Winstanley exudes eye watering pace .
James Cottingham and Harvey Stanley ’ s ‘ Huffaker ’ E-type spent its life in California , before coming to the UK in 2019 for a full restoration . Gary Pearson will also appear in Carlos Monteverde ’ s glorious Ferrari 250 GTO , a car that should qualify within the top five . A thrilling battle is on the cards and the opportunity to have one ’ s names immortalised in the trophy cabinet of the Royal Automobile Club is motivation enough for the drivers to be giving it their all .
MARCUS PYE
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