SILVERSTONE CLASSIC RACES ON ITV4 TELEVISION SCREENS   Special highlights programme broadcast later this week   Cameras focus on racing plus off-track entertainment  Provisional date confirmed for viewers keen to attend in 2017   Highlights of this year’s record-breaking, all-action Silverstone Classic will be screened to terrestrial television audiences later this week.   A special one-hour programme will be aired on ITV4 at the peak viewing time of nine o’clock (21.00hrs) on the evening of Thursday 11 August, with repeats broadcast at 10am on the morning of Sunday 14 August and, again at five o’clock (17.00hrs) on the afternoon of the following Tuesday 16 August.   With so much to see and do over the full three days at the world’s busiest motor sport meeting, there is far too much action, excitement and entertainment to squeeze into one hour-long show. Even so, it is a show that no lovers of classic cars or fans of historic motor sport will want to miss regardless of whether they were among the 100,000 visitors attending this year’s blockbuster.   Three of the Classic’s stand-out races will enjoy extended coverage: ‘Tin Top’ Sunday’s crowd-pleasing showdown for ever-sideways Under 2-litre Touring Cars (U2TC), the thrilling FIA Masters Historic F1 Championship encounters and this summer’s commemorative grids to mark 50 years of the monstrous North American Can-Am sportscar series.   Recalling the epic duels of the early sixties, the U2TC grid featured hordes of battling Lotus Cortinas, Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprints, BMW 1800Tis and, of course, lovable Mini Coopers.   The Williams F1 Team scored its first-ever GP win at Silverstone, so it was only right and proper that both last month’s Masters F1 races were won by Nick Padmore in a similar Williams FW07 to the one raced by Clay Reggazoni for that breakthrough victory back in 1979. Sunday’s spectacular showdown was more than just a pertinent nod to history, though, as the race for second place behind Padmore was one of the most exciting ever seen at Silverstone. Tune in to ITV4 to find out more!           The pair of equally evocative Can-Am 50 Interserie Challenge were also among the best at this year’s Classic – both featuring great duels between Rob Hall’s wailing V12 powered Matra MS670B/C and Andy Newall’s thunderous McLaren M8F propelled by its awesome 8.8-litre Chevy V8. The on-board footage from the Matra is not to be missed.   While the experienced Martin Haven commentates on all of the exhilarating track action, the cameras also follow Andy Jaye out and about enjoying many of the sights and attractions away from the famous Grand Prix circuit which make today’s Classic such an attractive proposition for all ages and interests.   With the Classic also celebrating the 40th anniversary since James Hunt’s won the World Championship back in 1976, Jaye also catches up with Alastair Caldwell who was the Team Manager for McLaren back in the seventies as well as James’ son, Freddie, who curated a dedicated display of father’s F1 racers at the festival.   The must-see Silverstone Classic ITV4 show all adds up to 72 hours of epic entertainment, shoe-horned into an hour of unmissable television. For viewers loving what they see, the provisional date for next summer’s Silverstone Classic is 21-23 July 2017 with tickets going on sale in November – in good time for Christmas!   For more information on the Silverstone Classic visit www.silverstoneclassic.com

CAPTIVATING CARFEST NORTH BOWLS OVER BOLESWORTH AUDIENCE   • CarFest North enjoys spectacular start to new home at Bolesworth • Non-stop entertainment for the young and young-at-heart in Cheshire • Cars, music and family fun make weekend a unanimous success • High-octane festival now moves on to CarFest South on 26-28 August   A packed-out audience soaked up the summer sun, a captivating collection of cars, adrenaline-fuelled activities, fabulous food and timeless tunes at CarFest North last weekend (29-31 July), as the motoring-themed extravaganza settled spectacularly into its new home at Bolesworth in Cheshire.   The brainchild of BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show host Chris Evans, CarFest North 2016 marked the ninth edition of the family-friendly festival. The eight events held thus far have raised in excess of £6 million for BBC Children in Need, a figure that is set to rise significantly by the end of this year.   Bolesworth’s beautiful and capacious grounds provided a fitting backdrop to what has become one of the most well-loved and well-attended festivals on the calendar – with every CarFest to-date being a sell-out success.   CarFest North 2016, though, was extra-special and was indisputably the biggest and best yet, with more cars than ever before, countless manufacturers lending their support and some of the hottest – or should that be coolest – live music acts on the planet.   Multiple Formula 1 World Champions Red Bull Racing headlined the Track Sprint, as the title-winning RB7 – piloted by former Macau F3 Grand Prix winner António Félix da Costa and recently-crowned FIA Formula E Champion Sébastien Buemi – wowed onlookers with a series of high-speed runs along the hay bale-lined hill climb. Talking of legendary racing cars, there was also a 1993 Benetton-Ford B193B, in which Michael Schumacher won that season’s Portuguese Grand Prix.   The story of motoring was told via The Time Tunnel, as 40 iconic cars from down the decades went on display, from a classic turn-of-the-20th century Oldsmobile right up to the present day with a 2016 Tesla Model X from the pioneering American electric car manufacturer.   Other highlights included a 1913 Ford Model T – an example of the car that was generally regarded as the world’s first affordable automobile – a 1948 Series 1 Land Rover, a 1967 Ford Mustang Coupé and a homologated 1984 Audi Quattro. Not forgetting, of course, a 1982 DeLorean DMC-12 – think Marty McFly and ‘Back to the Future’ and you won’t be far wrong...   Throw in Chris Evans’ Famous Five, a Sporting Bears auction, the show-stopping Top Gear Stunt Team led by Paul Swift and smoke-spewing hot rods amongst a myriad of other automotive attractions, and petrol-heads were well catered for indeed over the weekend.   BBC Children in Need’s loveable mascot Pudsey Bear was much in evidence around the site, high-fiving enthusiastic festival-goers and cheerfully posing for photographs. Traditional favourites like ‘Britain’s Best’, meanwhile, were joined by welcome new additions including food fair demos with celebrity chefs Tom Kerridge and Rachel Allen, showjumping, camel racing, a sponsored rubber duck race and dancing workshops with TV stars Kevin, Karen and Joanne Clifton and Natalie Lowe.   There was even a new Guinness World Record attempt for the world’s largest selfie at Mega Mega Land, while each day, a chart-topping bill of live music had the capacity crowd dancing and swaying into the night. The acts ranged from electronica group Faithless to Scottish rockers Travis and The Proclaimers, reunited duo Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott, soul star James Morrison, Irish comeback quartet The Corrs and reggae king Billy Ocean, with indie legends the Kaiser Chiefs and global superstar Bryan Adams closing the show respectively on Saturday and Sunday night.   “This has been, quite simply, the best CarFest yet,” enthused event host Evans. “We had so much fun and it was fantastic to see so many people with smiles on their faces throughout the weekend – and better still, we get to do it all over again in four weeks’ time!”   The high-octane entertainment next moves on to the sold-out CarFest South at Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire over the weekend of 26-28 August.   All the latest CarFest news can be found on the festival’s official website (www.carfest.org), Twitter and Facebook platforms.

ANOTHER COUP FOR RALLY ROUND

Kim Bannister Joins Rally Round           VIEW WEBSITE

ANOTHER COUP FOR RALLY ROUND   Renowned rally organiser Kim Bannister joins Rally Round Driving Adventures Rally Round Ltd is delighted to announce the appointment of Kim Bannister, experienced MSA Steward, route designer and Clerk of the Course on countless international events including four Peking to Paris Motor Challenges, seven Flying Scotsman Rallies, three Classic Safaris, three World Cups, two Trans America Challenges, the Lombard Rally and many more. As they prepare an ever-expanding programme of vintage and classic rallies in Europe and beyond, Director Liz Wenman and Rally Co-ordinator Heidi Winterbourne have greatly strengthened the Rally Round team in recent months, attracting a host of highly respected personnel. Nevertheless Kim Bannister is the most significant appointment to date. His knowledge, diplomacy and attention to detail are hugely valuable assets and his experience is exceptional; from Asia to Africa, Europe and the Americas, the list of countries he has rallied through is too long to list. Kim developed his passion for cars and rallying at a tender age, joining the Craven Motor Club and competing from the age of 15. The following year he began an apprenticeship as a mechanic and rapidly rose through the ranks into car sales, dealer management and consultancy whilst simultaneously indulging his love of motorsport at all levels. In 2005, after more than 12 successful years in the motor trade, a call from Heidi Winterbourne presented an opportunity to move into full-time rally organisation and he immediately gave up his automotive consultancy directorship to work on the 2007 Peking to Paris Motor Challenge. The resounding success of that event led him to design the route and act as Clerk of the Course on three more Peking to Paris rallies and many other events, establishing himself as one of the world's most experienced route designers and an indispensable member of the ERA team. Following Heidi's resignation in 2012 and the unfortunate death of Philip Young in 2014, Kim recognised the need for a fresh approach to classic rallying and is particularly pleased to have been approached by Rally Round, which offers exactly that - sporting events for enthusiasts who want to explore and enjoy distant lands without the rigours of relentless, car-breaking competition. "It's an honour to join such a talented and enthusiastic team," said Kim. "They've worked really hard to establish Rally Round as a standard-setting organisation, meeting the need for exciting, safe and sociable rallies and focusing on customer service. I'm sure that's the way forward for classic rallying and I'm looking forward to exploring new horizons and contributing to the success of future events, including some I've always dreamed of organising, like the Odyssey Italia in September 2017, visiting Corsica, Elba and Sardinia on the way to Tuscany - I can hardly wait!" We're thrilled to welcome Kim to the company," said Liz Wenman. "With Heidi's unparalleled experience and an amazing group of experts in everything from route planning to results, Rally Round is going from strength to strength and Kim represents the last piece of the jigsaw. We're already planning lots of events for the next five years, from short rallies starting in Paris to trips of a lifetime on the far side of the world, and we couldn't wish for a better team. It's going to be a fantastic adventure!" For more information email info@rallyround.co.uk or telephone +44 (0)1252 794 100

The Haka Classic   30 October to 25 Novermber 2016   A spcectacular, three-week rally on the North and South Islands of New Zealand.   Learn more     Paris Vienna   13 June to 18 June 2016   An exciting new six-day event inspired by the great race of 1902.   Learn more

IT'S OFFICIAL: MORE RECORDS TUMBLE AT THE SILVERSTONE CLASSIC

IT'S OFFICIAL: MORE RECORDS TUMBLE AT THE SILVERSTONE CLASSIC   100,000 visitors lapped up unrivalled nostalgic race action Epic three-day festival of fast cars and family fun  Massive car club displays and commemorative parades Event director vows next year’s Classic will be even bigger!   Last weekend’s epic Silverstone Classic (29-31 July) was another massive record breaker. For the second summer in succession, the pace-setting three-day festival of fast cars and family fun, attracted 100,000 visitors with hitherto unprecedented numbers lapping up the entertainment on both Friday and Sunday. Living up to its status as the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival, this year’s blockbuster once again featured more than 1,000 of the most valuable and revered competition cars from yesteryear. What’s more, the incredible programme of 20 races – all staged on the full Silverstone Grand Prix circuit – not only bought back some great memories of bygone eras but also provided some memorable entertainment of the kind not often served up in contemporary motor sport. Whether it’s abiding sights of much-loved classics drifting through corners, or the lasting sounds of roaring V8 and V12 engines at full chat, crowds were treated to some utterly unforgettable racing. Indeed, Sunday afternoon’s FIA Masters Historic F1 encounter was one of the most exciting showdowns ever staged at Silverstone. Six stupendous Grand Prix cars from the eighties – all still in their iconic period liveries – battled wheel-to-wheel, lap after lap, right down to the chequered flag.   There was a myriad of other stand-out highlights, too. Can-Am cars celebrated the awesome series’ 50th birthday and in the FIA Masters Historic Sports Cars the rarely seen light-blue Matra MS650 overcame all the Lola T70s to win Saturday evening’s thrilling contest. Two-wheel heroes Wayne Gardner and Freddie Spencer were among the World GP Bike Legends back aboard their fearsome 500cc bikes and then came all the typical touring car thrills and spills of Tin Top Sunday. The circuit also hosted a huge number of special parades organised by car clubs marking important milestones in their chosen marque’s history. Biggest of these was the 200-plus cavalcade from Porsche Club GB celebrating 40 years since the introduction of the company’s first ‘transaxle’ model in 1976. Other equally honourable commemorative processions featured large numbers of Lamborghinis, Vipers, Morgans, Lotuses, Hondas, Mercedes’, Lancias, Nissans, Pipers, Panthers, Jaguars, BMWs, Allards, Westfields and even Austin A35s. When not parading, all these automotive gems were part of an amazing showcase of more than 10,000 privately owned classics, all on public display on the Silverstone infield, and this year the event hosted its first Concours d’Elegance in recognition of the great contribution of car clubs to the event. Across the various categories, there were a huge variety of winners all receiving prizes from Concours supporters Autoglym, Classic & Sports Car magazine, Miller Oils and Silverstone Real Ales. The overall winner was the Mercedes w111 220 Cabriolet owned by Paul O’Keeffe. Other awards went to a Jaguar XJ40 (original/unrestored), Piper P2 (Historic Classic Car), Mini Cooper S (Judges’ Special) and a Panther Kallista (Spectators’ Choice). Wes Price took the Longest Distance Travelled accolade having come all the way from Australia with his Abarth 750GT Zagato. The areas of the infield not bejewelled in classic cars, were crammed with a vast array of family attractions: the JET Village Green featuring the JET big wheel, period funfair and Scarf & Goggles pub, the Shopping Village, the Adrenaline Zone, Range Rover off-road experiences and then, of course, the music stage which hosted outstanding sets by chart-toppers – The Boomtown Rats, Reef and The Stranglers on Friday and Saturday evenings. This year’s Classic also introduced some new crowd-pleasers. Jaguar brought its Art of Performance Tour to Silverstone, with eager fans queuing throughout the three days for a chance to go drifting in a F-TYPE. Festival goers could also experience the restoration of a 1983 Range Rover Classic, successfully revived at eBay’s RESTORATION LIVE using only parts sourced from the renowned online marketplace. The completed off-roader was then driven onto the eBay stage for TV-star Mike Brewer to evaluate as part of his ever-popular Car Clinics. Silverstone Auctions also enjoyed a successful weekend with £4.9m of total sales over the weekend while the special James Hunt tribute curated by the 1976 world champion’s son Freddie was another notable attraction. From whichever angle you looked, the immensity of the blockbuster Classic was hard to fathom. It all, quite literally, kicked off on Thursday afternoon with a special car football match harking back to England’s famous World Cup in 1966 and promoting the festival’s official Charity: Prostate Cancer UK. Fifty years on, two teams of three SsangYong Tivoli SUVs took the whistle blown by Premier League referee Lee Probert. The England team, sporting red, included two international footballers John Barnes (captain) and Steve Hodge as well as John Stiles (son of World Cup hero Nobby). The Germans – in white – lined-up with ex-Formula 1 stars Damon Hill (captain), Johnny Herbert and Anthony Davidson. The result? This time an honourable three-all draw, and no penalty shoot-out for the Germans to win! A film of the match is available here. More than 72 action-packed hours later the curtain finally came down to the fading thunder of growling V8 engines as the second of the weekend’s two Can-Am races bought the exhilarating track show to a fittingly grand finale. “I know we say the same every summer but this year’s Silverstone Classic really was the biggest and best yet,” enthused Nick Wigley, CEO of Goose Live Events, the company behind the Silverstone Classic. “A massive amount of work goes into the organisation of what’s the biggest classic motor racing meeting on the planet but when you see all these amazing grids, all the phenomenal car club displays and all the smiling faces of the young and not quite so young, you can’t help but be both proud and inspired. Once again, we have raised the bar. Our target is now to raise it still higher in 2017!” The provisional date for next summer’s Silverstone Classic is 21-24 July 2017.

IT’S SHOWTIME SATURDAY AT THE STUNNING SILVERSTONE CLASSIC

30/07/16   IT’S SHOWTIME SATURDAY AT THE STUNNING SILVERSTONE CLASSIC   Huge crowds wowed by 11 rousing retro showdowns Wins for Williams, Aston Martin, Matra and Ferrari Porsche Club GB takes ‘Scarf and Goggles’ Award Spotlight now switches to Tin Top Sunday      Even by its own record-breaking standards, Saturday (30 July) was very special at the 2016 Silverstone Classic with more than 16 hours of awe-inspiring action and epic entertainment wowing tens of thousands of fans at the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival.   It all started at dawn with 21 hot air balloons taking to the skies and ended after dusk with eighties chart-toppers, The Stranglers bringing down the curtain on another memorable day at the ‘Rocking and Racing’ Classic.    In between, the famous Grand Prix circuit hosted no fewer than 11 fiercely-fought races featuring something for everyone, ranging from early eighties DFV-powered F1 cars and fifties GTs, to slightly more modern Super Tourers and Group C prototypes. Spectators also witnessed three high-speed demonstrations and a succession of significant anniversary track parades.   Notable among these were the Lamborghini Club celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Miura plus 100 years since the birth of founder Ferruccio Lamborghini, the Viper Club marking its 20thbirthday and Porsche Club GB which was honouring Porsche’s first ‘transaxle’ sports cars 40 years ago.   Indeed, the German marque was out in force with a massive display fronted by its Le Mans winning 919 Hybrid plus an impressive number of beautifully restored 924s, 944s and 968s. In total, no fewer than 2,500 club members were displaying 1,200 Porsches, including 200 transaxle models which took to the famous track for the special parade.   The efforts of Porsche Classic and the Porsche Club GB were rewarded with the coveted Mervyn Garton ‘Scarf and Googles’ Award for the best off-track visitor attraction.    While the unrivalled quantity and quality of the racing absorbs many, the amazing array of in-field entertainment is an equally important attraction at the Classic. Those at Silverstone were treated to an incredible array of privately-owned classic cars, fun fair rides, adrenaline zone activities and live festival music. The Boomtown Rats topped the bill on Friday before Reef and The Stranglers sent the fans home happy on Saturday evening.   Many of today’s highlight races will be back in action tomorrow along with a number of saloon and touring car showdowns on what’s a dedicated Tin Top Sunday.    Race 1: Commander Yorke Trophy for Historic Formula Junior   A huge grid of late 1950s and early 1960s Formula Junior single-seaters opened the weekend’s packed programme of racing, with more than 50 cars stretching back right around Club Corner at the start.   Sam Wilson took the lead, while Westie Mitchell, Callum Grant and pole-sitter Andrew Hibberd squabbled behind him. Hibberd moved into second and began to reel in Wilson but ultimately was unable to make up the lost ground.   There was a great battle between Cameron Jackson and Nicholas Fennell who were switching places all over the circuit and they caught Grant ahead, with Fennell battling through into third. But Grant wasn’t to be denied a podium grabbing back third place on the penultimate lap. Further back, Ray Mallock finished first of the older-generation front-engined cars, in 14th overall.   The trophies were presented by racing legend Richard Attwood, the 1970 Le Mans winner and more relevantly victor of the high profile Formula Junior race supporting the Monaco Grand Prix in 1963. Sam Wilson (Lotus 20/22) 9 laps Andrew Hibberd (Lotus 22) +1.073s Callum Grant (Merlyn Mk 5/7) +16.611s   Race 2: Stirling Moss Trophy for pre-’61 Sports Cars   Next up was the first of the pit-stop races, with drivers competing for the actual trophy awarded to Sir Stirling Moss for his first ever Grand Prix victory at Aintree in 1955.   The crowds were treated to a great train of cars from first to fifth positions with the Lister Jaguars leading from the off. It wasn’t long, however, before Sam Hancock fought his way to the front in the scarlet Ferrari 246S ‘Dino’ with Oliver Bryant’s little Lotus picking its way through to second place.   Bryant briefly nosed the Lotus ahead of the Ferrari but then dropped back to fourth after spinning on oil at Stowe. He fought his way back past the Listers back into second but the Lotus lost ground later on after Oliver handed over to father Grahame.   Up front the Ferrari Dino won comfortably, the car taking back-to-back wins at the Classic in ’15 and ’16, Hancock thrusting both hands into the air in jubilation as he took the flag. Sam Hancock (Ferrari 246S) 20 laps Richard Kent (Lister Costin Jaguar) +28.255s Tony Wood / Will Nuthall (Lister Knobbly) +29.837s Race 3: Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy for Historic Cars (Pre ’63 GT)   The coveted Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy for Historic Cars was won by the pole-sitting Aston Martin DB4 GT of Wolfgang Friedrichs and Simon Hadfield… but the victory was far from straight-forward.   The early laps of the 50-minute, pit-stop encounter for Pre ’63 GTs were led by the striking and unique Ferrari 250 SWB ‘Breadvan’, with the AC Cobra of Martin Hunt and Patrick Blakeney-Edwards plus a pack of jostling E-type Jaguars in hot pursuit, as Friedrichs dropped back in the Aston.   The intervention of a safety car following an incident involving an Alfa Romeo TZ1 changed the face of the race, however. Lukas Halusa thought he’d taken advantage of the Safety Car to make his compulsory pit-stop, but came in before the pit stop window was open and thus was forced to make a second stop a few laps later.   Friedrichs, though, got his timing right and handed over to hot-shoe Hadfield as soon as the window opened and, when all the pit-stops had been completed, the Aston held a comfortable advantage over the AC Cobra with the fastest of the E-types shared by James Cottingham and Andrew Smith in third. After his earlier error, Halusa charged back through the field in the fabulous Ferrari and only just missed out on reclaiming a place on the podium, crossing the chequered flag right on the back bumper of the Jaguar. Wolfgang Friedrichs / Simon Hadfield (Aston Martin DB4 GT) 18 laps Martin Hunt / Patrick Blakeney-Edwards (AC Cobra) +16.468s James Cottingham / Andrew Smith (Jaguar E-type) +30.698s   Race 4: Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy for Pre '56 Sports Cars Presented by Jaguar   Pole-sitting Chris Ward in the Cooper-Jaguar was expected to take an easy victory in the 50-minute Woodcote Trophy showdown for pre 1956 sports cars after qualifying more than a second ahead of the opposition. But, come raceday, he was challenged all the way by Frederic Wakeman / Patrick Blakeney-Edwards in another of the Cooper-Jaguars.   Wakeman stole the lead at the start, with Ward harrying him all around the opening lap before nipping through at Chapel, then building a comfortable lead as cars made their mandatory pit-stops.   However, the on-form Blakeney-Edwards exited the pits right on Ward’s tail and then grabbed the lead with 15 minutes left. Blakeney-Edwards eked out a lead of just over a second, but Ward was always close behind.   With less than five minutes remaining Ward caught back up and re-took the lead, getting the power down exiting the Loop in a controlled slide. He pulled ahead onto the Wellington Straight, before holding on for a hard-earned victory in a fantastic contest between the two Jaguar-engined cars. Chris Ward (Cooper-Jaguar T33) 19 laps Frederic Wakeman / Patrick Blakeney-Edwards (Cooper-Jaguar T38) +3.370s Tony Wood / Barry Wood (RGS Atalanta) +1m 35.440s Race 5: FIA Masters Historic Formula One   The pair of 25-minute FIA Masters Historic Formula One races are always two of the big draws at the Classic. The huge crowd was treated to the spectacle of a rolling start for 29 DFV-engined Formula One cars from the late 70s and early 80s.   At the start, Ollie Hancock made a fantastic pass around the outside of pole-sitter Nick Padmore to lead in the 1978 Fittipaldi F5A, but Padmore would have none of it, wasting no time in re-gaining the lead at Brooklands.   Martin Stretton, who struggled to get heat into his tyres in qualifying, fell back to fifth in the ex-Michele Alboreto Tyrrell 012. Ahead of him, Hancock was under pressure from the fast-starting Loic Deman, the earlier Tyrrell 010 up from seventh to third on the first lap. The Belgian made a bold but necessary move up the inside going into Copse as the iconic black and gold Lotus 91/5 of Gregory Thornton was catching them both. The Fittipaldi fell back down the field, but took the victory in the pre ’78 class.   Thornton continued to press Deman in his Lotus, raced by Elio de Angelis in period, but couldn’t quite find a way past, pirouetting at Abbey on the last lap. He caught the spin after one rotation and continued without losing a spot.   Championship front-runner Nick Padmore claimed his fifth consecutive victory this season and a fitting one at Silverstone, where Clay Regazzoni took Williams’ first-ever Grand Prix win racing a similar FW07 in 1979. Nick Padmore (Williams FW07C) 14 laps Loic Deman (Tyrrell 010) +3.861s Gregory Thornton (Lotus 91/5) +8.402s Race 6: JET Super Touring Car Trophy   Evoking memories of the BTCC races of the nineties, the JET Super Touring Car Trophy was another crowd-pleaser coming immediately after the Masters Historic Formula One event.   Pole-sitter Colin Noble Jnr, running a Vauxhall Vectra from 2000 (when Jason Plato partnered Vincent Radermecker) started well and opened up a gap to James Dodd’s Honda Accord and Frank Wrathall in his ex-Emanuele Pirro Audi A4. Dodd, though, soon settled in and began to reel Noble Jnr back in.   Once he caught the leader, Dodd’s ex-Peter Kox Accord darted left and right in search of a way past, but the youngster kept a cool head in front and held his own to take a narrow but well-earned victory.   Craig Davies led the Group A runners in his flame-spitting Ford Sierra RS500, while two-time Bathurst winner Tony Longhurst – in his 1994 Australian Manufacturers’ Championship winning BMW 320 – finished just inside the top 20 after a race long battle with 1985 European Touring Car Champion, Gianfranco Brancatelli. Colin Noble Jnr (Vauxhall Vectra) 9 laps James Dodd (Honda Accord) +0.206s Frank Wrathall (Audi A4) +9.824   Race 7: Can-Am 50 Interserie Challenge    This year’s Silverstone Classic is celebrating 50 years since the birth of the fearsome Can-Am sports car series with two very special showdowns. Saturday’s opener featured no fewer than ten of these mighty V8 beasts plus a great array of less potent but more agile cars from European championships and Le Mans.   The mighty Can-Am breed was headed by the brute force of Andrew Newall’s thundering 8.8-litre McLaren M8F from 1972 with Rob Hall’s glorious sounding V12 Matra MS670B/C from 1974 fastest among the World Sportscar interlopers.   Hall started slowly from pole with Andrew Newall blasting the McLaren into the lead but could not drop the hard-chasing Matra which harried the McLaren for the first 15 of the 20-minute race.   Then, with the McLaren starting to struggle on worn tyres, Hall slipped through into the lead. Newall used his car’s power to blast back alongside but eventually had to settle for second place overall and victory in the Can-Am category. The trophies were presented by Jackie Oliver; winner of the Can-Am Championship in 1974 which was the series’ final year. Rob Hall (Matra 670B/C) 10 laps Andrew Newall (McLaren M8F) +1.758s John Grant (McLaren M8C/D) +31.944s Race 8: Maserati Trophy for HGPCA pre ’66 Grand Prix Cars   48 fantastic Grand Prix cars dating between 1937 and 1964 took the flag at the start of this race, with third-placed qualifier Jon Fairley leading as the field went through Abbey. Pole-sitter Will Nuthall soon put the Brabham BT11 under pressure, his older 1960 Cooper T53 harrying the 1964 machine.   Indeed, the Cooper passed the Brabham at Brooklands, but Nuthall was unable to slow the car and allowed Fairley to re-pass, before running wide himself at Stowe, giving up the lead.   Once Nuthall went ahead he was able to stretch the Cooper’s legs, opening up a good advantage, before Fairley began to put the pressure on again. Behind them, Peter Horsman was running a steady race in his Lotus 18/21, ready to pick up any positions if things went awry in front.   Fairley’s Brabham re-took the lead with just over two minutes left, Nuthall briefly slowed in the Cooper, before picking up speed again and setting up a final lap showdown.   Fairley seemed to have the 20-minute race all under control with half a lap left, but he then suffered a leery moment letting a surprised and delighted Nuthall finish in front. Will Nuthall (Cooper T53) 9 laps Jon Fairley (Brabham BT11) +1.403s Peter Horsman (Lotus 18/21) +13.041s   Race 9: FIA Masters Historic Sports Cars   The pole-sitting Andy Willis’ Matra MS650 led the 50-minute FIA Masters Historic Sports Cars race from the start with Chris Ward’s Lola T70Mk3B taking second from Nick Padmore’s Chevron B19 before the Lola grabbed the lead to cap an entertaining first lap.   Padmore then slipped past the Matra too, and the Chevron began to catch the leading car before things settled down with Oliver Bryant holding off Gary Pearson – both in 5-litre Lola T70 Mk3B’s – battling for fourth.   Willis was the first of the front-runners to make the mandatory pit-stop handing over to team-mate Rob Hall, looking to capitalise on Hall’s speed to regain the lead.   Up front, Ward and Padmore continued to battle for the lead, the little Chevron briefly nosing ahead before the grunt of the Lola helped it retake first place.   The two leaders pitted together but with Hall’s Matra now lapping faster than them on track he took the lead, with Max Smith-Hilliard now in the Chevron coming out in second and Ward’s Lola now driven by Paul Gibson in third.   Bryant, running the whole race solo, passed the Chevron and quickly set after Gibson, passing the T70 soon afterwards.   But Rob Hall was too strong for the field in the light blue Matra, pulling away to take an impressive victory, and the second of the day for the French equipé. Andy Willis / Rob Hall (Matra MS650) 23 laps Oliver Bryant (Lola T70 Mk3B) +28.536s Chris Ward / Paul Gibson (Lola T70 Mk3B) +52.577s   Race 10: International Trophy for GT Cars (pre ’66)   The day’s final 50-minute pit-stop race – the International Trophy for GT Cars – starred a capacity 57-car grid packed with wonderful Jaguar E-types, AC Cobras, Austin Healeys, Lotus Elans and MGBs. It was the TVR Griffith of Mike Whitaker which led away from pole position chased hard by the growling AC Cobras of Oliver Bryant and Leo Voyazides.   Bryant stalked the TVR for several laps before pouncing to take the lead. Behind him Julian Thomas in the leading E-type slipped past Voyazides for third and chased down the TVR.   After the mid-race pit-stops, just a handful of seconds covered the top four with Simon Hadfield now aboard Voyazides’ Daytona Cobra. He quickly slid past the E-type, which was then further slowed by a drive-through penalty, and set his sights on the leader. With a couple of laps remaining, the two Cobras – now with lights ablaze in the fading light – were battling side-by-side before Hadfield edged ahead to take the victory. Leo Voyazides / Simon Hadfield (Shelby Daytona Cobra) 20 laps Oliver Bryant (AC Cobra) +4.635s Mike Whitaker (TVR Griffith) +12.482s Race 11: Group C   An amazing day’s retro racing concluded with a spectacular 30-minute sunset showdown for Group C prototypes.   Stirring up memories of Le Mans in the eighties, Nathan Kinch took full advantage of pole position in his Judd V10 powered Lola. Behind the two Nissan R93s of Bob Berridge and Katsu Kubota, Christophe D’Ansembourg’s high-tech Jaguar XJR14 and Mark Sumpter’s Porsche 962 were all sending up sparks in the dusk as they skirmished for second.   Kinch wasted no time making his escape but the four cars behind put on a fantastic show. The Ross Brawn-designed Jaguar eventually making its way through the squabbling Nissans but then slowed on the final lap to elevate Kubota and Sumpter into the remaining places on the podium.   There was no stopping the dominant Kinch, though, who romped home to take the day’s final victory. Nathan Kinch (Lola T92/10) 17 laps Katsu Kubota (Nissan R93) +51.742s Mark Sumpter (Porsche 962) +57.885s Photo captions – Top: Can-Am McLaren battles against victorious Matra. Below (clockwise from top): Aston and Ferrari lead the packed TT grid; huge crowds in the paddock; Vectra leads Honda in Super Touring showdown; Williams recreating history at Silverstone; The Woodcote Trophy winning Ferrari; The Boomtown Rats; Porsche Club GB being presented with the ‘Scarf and Googles’ Award; battling Cooper-Jaguars; fun for all the family; Group C racing into the Silverstone sunset.