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Exciting Races Highlight Classic Sports Car Club Events at Donington Park

Last weekend, the vibrant atmosphere at Donington Park showcased the thrilling competition among Classic Sports Car Club categories, with the Swinging Sixties race capturing significant attention.

In the 40-minute race, Dean Halsey piloted his 1971 Datsun 240Z to victory, overcoming early dominance from polesitter Simeon Chodosh, who had set a qualifying pace that was four seconds quicker than his closest rival. Chodosh claimed the lead initially but pitted early to address a concerning knocking sound from his Chevrolet Corvette. This strategic move left Halsey to contend with James Hughes’ Austin-Healey.

Once the pit stops unfolded, Halsey skillfully maneuvered his Datsun around the circuit, ultimately securing first place. Stephen Collins, driving an MGB, managed to overtake Hughes to finish second. Halsey commented on the challenges he faced during the race, revealing, “The car was a bit tail happy. Everybody thought I was being exuberant but actually I had a very minor oil leak throwing oil on the rear tyres!” In a separate group of the Swinging Sixties, Mark Halstead dominated in his Ginetta G4R, finishing ahead of Stephen Pickering’s Sunbeam Tiger.

The Slicks Series also delivered an engaging spectacle in the opening laps. Tom Walpole found himself outmatched by Andrew Christopher at Goddards, as Walpole sought to harness the full potential of his 440bhp GT4 KTM to catch Christopher’s Ferrari 488 Challenge. However, they were soon passed by Steven Gambrell, who managed to build a lead while the contest for second heated up, featuring Sam Howarth and British Touring Car competitor Colin Turkington.

Despite facing penalties for track-limit violations, Gambrell maintained his lead for the win, while Christopher received a 15-second penalty that eliminated him from podium contention. Walpole suffered even further, facing a 30-second penalty for a brief pit stop and an additional one-minute stop and go for track limit infringements. This situation resulted in Howarth’s Porsche 991 and Richard Wheeler’s Lamborghini Huracan rounding out the podium positions.

In the Magnificent Sevens opener, Christian Pittard clinched a win with a margin of 1.9 seconds. However, the second race proved more dynamic as Pittard started from deep in the field due to a penalty for his earlier victory. The initial leader, Stephen Nuttall, faced constant pressure but showed great resilience as he navigated the final laps of the race.

Pittard’s decisive move came on the last lap, capitalizing on Nuttall’s momentary setback with a backmarker. While Nuttall attempted to regain his lead, Pittard’s persistence paid off, allowing him to emerge victorious. “I didn’t plan it!” Pittard remarked after his win. “I was trying hard to get by as quickly as I could. I got very lucky with backmarkers frankly.”

Paul Sibley marked his win in the Midget & Sprite Challenge by fending off challenges from Stephen Watkins. A mid-race collision required a brief safety car intervention, and once racing resumed, Watkins put pressure on Sibley. Unfortunately for Watkins, his race ended after a suspension failure. “Under braking for the Esses, I just locked up – but I didn’t hit anything,” he explained. “Then, I was actually thinking of coming in as the engine wasn’t sounding right, so I was actually slowing, and under braking for the Esses again, the front-right suspension collapsed.” As a result, Sibley took an uncontested second race win with a significant lead.

In the Special Saloons & Modsports category, Danny Morris emerged as the winner of the first race, leveraging the power of his Cosworth-powered Peugeot 309 against Thomas Carey’s Honda CRX, who faced brake issues. The roles reversed in the second race, where Carey claimed victory, while Morris, after starting in tenth due to a success penalty, managed to finish in second.

The combined New Millennium and Turbo Tin Tops race unfolded with intensity, highlighted by several safety car deployments and caution flags. However, both Turkington and Mark Smith remained focused, piloting their BMW E36 to a solid win. Nathan Wells looked promising in his GTR specification BMW E46 but suffered brake failure, leading him to a halt at Redgate on lap six. “It was straightforward in terms of race pace, but it was more about basically doing everything by the book,” Turkington noted about navigating the complex race dynamics.

In the Jaguar Championship opener, Jack Robinson’s XK8 secured victory after initially losing the lead to Colin Philpott’s XJS. Robinson demonstrated his speed and overtook Philpott on lap two, allowing him to maintain control through the rest of the race. He continued this success in the second round, crossing the finish line without issue to secure another victory.

Dave Griffin triumphed in the Modern and Future Classics contest, coming back strong after an early hiccup. Despite starting on pole, a misjudged gear shift dropped him to the back of the pack, but he managed to recover and eventually took the win, followed closely by Michael Russell in a similar E36 M3.

Griffin fizzed back from troubled start to take Modern Classics spoils

Photo by: Mick Walker

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