Classic Endurance Race at Silverstone – Results and Photo Gallery

Story by Ed McDonough and photos by author and Simon Wright

The Classic Endurance Series again provided a superb entry and race to accompany the 1000 Kilometer Le Mans Series event at Silverstone on Saturday, September 12. 56 entries practiced and qualified over two days, with Rob Hall in Abba Kogan’s Matra 670C taking pole position from Ludovic Caron’s 1973 Chevron B21-BDG. The three sessions saw a number of incidents and mechanical woes meant 44 cars took the starter’s flag on a brilliant sunny Saturday afternoon.

Notable non-starters included the Prototype 1 Lola T210 FVC of Gareth Burnett and Geoff Lister which had topped the class qualifying. An oil leak in the final session made them decide not to risk the engine. Noted drummer Neil Primrose had a rod go through the block on Friday in his quick Lola T212 which had been 3rd fastest in the class.

Though Rob Hall headed the field on the race warm-up lap, having gotten the ‘no down-force’ Matra into the 1 minute 49 second bracket, it was a very quick starting Paul Knapfield who came charging round in front on the first lap, his new tires and some adjustments having given him an edge. Knapfield was driving the ex-Mario Andretti Ferrari 712P Can-Am car, something of a handful with no wing and rather ‘tall’ ride height, but it was flying. Hall followed, with David Gathercole having moved the ex-Gitanes Lola T290-BMW onto the Matra’s tail.

As the famed Howmet TX Turbine car steamed by near the back with a very interesting mix of cars, there was real fighting at the front. After three laps of the Grand Prix circuit, Knapfield had two seconds on the Matra and another two to Gathercole. A few seconds further back, the tussle of the race was beginning to take shape. Caron’s Chevron held 4th as the famed Porsche 936, Ickx’s ex-Le Mans winner, driven by Jean-Marc Luco moved up into 5th, with a fierce scrap going on between Bobby Rahal and John Burton. The Indy winner was driving the Lola T290-BDG which he had driven many years ago and had bought back for historic events. Burton, one the top Chevron drivers in the 1970s, was in a B26. Da Rocha in a Lola T298-BMW the Busst/Freeman Chevron B31 were right behind, and the 2-liter cars were never more than a few inches apart. Philippe Brunn had the Sauber-BMW in this group as well, all sliding through the Abbey Chicane every lap. Marc Devis had started the Mirage further down the field but was making up ground in spite of brakes that needed to be pumped on every corner.

One of BMW M1s only lasted a lap, and the fast March of Hart/Caton only made three tours. Rob Hall eased past Knapfield on lap five, as did Gathercole, and then the Ferrari stopped after 11 laps. The Howmet made a few stops, and then the Brunn Sauber was gone on lap 17. On the same lap, Rob hall came round with a puncture and went into the pits, not to return. Gathercole in the Lola had one glorious lap in front and he too was out. Though many cars only had a single driver, there was a mandatory pit stop. After the stop, the advantage went to the flying Rahal, chased very hard by John Burton. Two great stars were having a superb race through traffic.

At the one hour finish, at 30 laps, Rahal won by less than five seconds from Burton. Da Rocha took third near the end after some very robust driving from Busst/Freeman. Lafargue’s Lola T298 was next from the similar car of Cazalieres and Luco’s Porsche.

Rahal took Class P2, John Sheldon’s Chevron B16 P1, the McInerney BMW M1 GT2 and Ostmann’s Mangusta GT1. Ten cars, including the three original leaders, retired with Rob Hall taking fastest lap. It was generally agreed that the modern prototypes would be hard pressed to put on such a good show the next day.

Classic Endurance Race at Silverstone Results and Photo Gallery (click on image for larger picture)

1st Place - Bobby Rahal in his Lola T290. Photo: Simon Wright

2nd place - John Burton Chevron B26. Photo: Simon Wright

3rd place - Frederic Da Rocha Lola BMW T298. Photo: Simon Wright

Much of the interest focussed on the 2-liter cars: this is Caron’s Chevron B-21 leading John Burton and Rahal, with the Sauber, March and Lafargue’s Lola T298 right behind. Photo: Ed McDonough

Pole position Matra 670C of Rob Hall. Photo: Simon Wright

The first lap of the race and Paul Knapfield has slotted the Ferrari 712 in front of pole-sitter Rob Hall in the Matra, as David Gathercole slipped into 3rd in the Lola T290. Photo: Ed McDonough

Ian Gijzen's good-looking Ferrari 275 GTB4. Photo: Simon Wright

BMW 3.5 CSL of Ian Guest and Sean Walker. Photo: Simon Wright

At one point, long time Chevron expert John Burton was ahead of Bobby Rahal’s Lola. Photo: Ed McDonough

David Gathercole Lola T290 takes 2nd place early in the race. Photo: Simon Wright

The mid-field group in the opening laps: Da Rocha’s Lola T298 heads the David Ferrar Lola T280-DFV, as Devis catches him in the Gulf-Mirage. Porsches and other Lolas try to hang on. Photo: Ed McDonough

Typical of the Classic Endurance series, nimble sports cars have to fight their way past the heavier BMW M1 and Porsches. Photo: Ed McDonough

Bobby Rahal’s Lola T290 had a hard tussle in the opening laps with the March 75S which soon retired. Photo: Ed McDonough

Ralf Huber Gutierrez in his Chevrolet Corvette. Photo: Simon Wright

First lap in front of the BRDC centre. Photo: Simon Wright

Chevron B16 being prepared in the paddock. Photo: Simon Wright

Sauber BMW C5 of Siegfried and Philipp Brunn. Photo: Simon Wright

CER Class Champion Jean Marc Luco Martini Porsche 936. Photo: Simon Wright

Howmet TX gas turbine racer. Photo: Simon Wright

The Howmet TX Turbine makes a classic sculpture in the collection area before the race. Photo: Ed McDonough

Further down the field, the heat haze rises from the Howmet TX which holds off the Oliver Bryant Lola T70 which retired at the very end. Photo: Ed McDonough

Xavier Micheron managed to spin the Howmet turbine off twice at Luffied. Photo: Simon Wright

Knapfield drove superbly in spite of the challenging aerodynamics of the Ferrari 712. Photo: Ed McDonough

The BMW M1 flames as it brakes for the daunting Bridge Corner at Silverstone. Photo: Ed McDonough

GT1 class winner Heiko Ostmann in the De Tomaso Mangusta. Photo: Simon Wright

Brumos Porsche 911 RSR 3L of Jean Louise Bonnet and Francois Luc Brossel. Photo: Simon Wright

Varied field BMW M1, Chevron B21 and Lola T70 battle it out. Photo: Simon Wright

John Sheldon Chevron B16 1st in class P1. Photo: Simon Wright

Michael and Sean McInerney 1st in GT2 with BMW M1. Photo: Simon Wright

March 75S of Doug Hart and Greg Canton retired on lap 3. Photo: Simon Wright

Lola T70 Mk III GT of Oliver Bryant. Photo: Simon Wright

Chevron B31 leads trio of Chevrons. Photo: Simon Wright

Chevron B31 of Russel Busst and David Freeman. Photo: Simon Wright

Lola T70 Mk IIIB of Pierre Alain France. Photo: Simon Wright

Class Champion Jean Marc Luco in his Porsche 936. Photo: Simon Wright

Rob Hall Matra 670 takes the lead early in the race. Photo: Simon Wright

As the cars go out for final qualifying, Siggi Brunn pedals his bicycle alongside son Philippe in the Sauber-BMW to make sure everything is working! Photo: Ed McDonough

The shapely Mirage heads into Bridge Corner. Marc Devis had to pump the brakes at every corner. Photo: Ed McDonough

The Nahum/Thuner Ford GT40, #48, has a long history back to 1968. Photo: Ed McDonough

Devis in the Mirage gets by the Lola T280 DFV at the Abbey Chicane. Photo: Ed McDonough

David Gathercole Lola BMW T290. Photo: Simon Wright

Early leader Paul Knapfield Ferrari 712. Photo: Simon Wright

Porsche 935 of Michael Foveny and Stefan Roytmayer 3rd in GT2. Photo: Simon Wright

[Source: Story by Ed McDonough; photos, Ed McDonough and Simon Wright]