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Goodwood Revival 2017 – St. Mary’s Trophy Report

Drew Gibson
Steve Soper and Richard Meaden, 1959 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Ti at the Goodwood Revival - Photo: Drew Gibson

The St. Mary’s Trophy race at the Goodwood Revival 2017 was held September 8-10 at the Goodwood Motor Circuit in West Sussex, England. Part One and Part One of the race could have been held on different weekends — with Saturday’s race being subject to a torrential downpour and Sunday’s being utterly bone dry.

GT star Frank Stippler dominated the opening installment of the St. Mary’s Trophy double-header, leading home BTCC veteran Jason Plato home by 18.5-seconds after 25 minutes of racing. The German’s Jaguar MK I initially vied with Andrew Jordan’s improbably quick Austin A40, but the former British Touring Car Champion retired his car shortly after half-distance. Stippler ran unopposed thereafter, with Plato’s bucking Austin A105 coming home in the runner-up spot despite a deflating tyre late in the day.

All eyes, however, were on the battle for third between Austin A40 duo, Rob Huff and Michael Caine. The tin-top stars were never more than a few inches apart, routinely swapping places on each lap. Caine just held on, a late challenge by Tom Kristensen’s monstrous Ford Thunderbird ending with barely two minutes left to run after the car’s exhaust threatened to fall off. The Dane hadn’t driven the car before the race and had steered it from the back of the field with gusto.

Goodwood Revival 2017 – St. Mary’s Trophy Race One Results

  1. Frank Stippler, 1958 Jaguar Mk I
  2. Jason Plato, 1956 Austin A95 Westminster
  3. Michael Caine, 1958 Austin A40

Goodwood Revival 2017 – St. Mary’s Trophy Race Two Report

Richard Meaden emerged victorious in the second installment of the St. Mary’s Trophy following a race-long battle with touring car veteran Mike Jordan.

Richard Shaw took the early lead, only to spin onto the grass on the approach to St. Mary’s. The race descended into a two-car battle between Meaden’s Alfa Romeo Giulietta Ti and Jordan’s improbably quick Austin A40 thereafter. The sparring partners were rarely more than half a car length apart, although a safety car period after Neil Brown crashed his Austin A35 at Woodcote bunched up the order.

At the restart, Meaden and Jordan continued from where they left off, with Jordan inadvertently pushing the Alfa onto the grass, before Meaden gave his rival a little nudge going into Woodcote and assumed the lead. Jordan wasn’t finished, though, and soon asserted himself once again.

Meaden took the lead on the last lap amid the traffic and clung on to the flag.

Jordan said: “That was epic. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Richard’s car was faster in a straight line, but mine handled better.”

Meaden added: “I had a massive moment at Fordwater and thought I was finished, but we came back and nipped ahead. That was a great race. I loved it.”

Aggregate victory in the St. Mary’s Trophy went to the Austin A95 Westiminster of Nick Naismith and Jason Plato.

Goodwood Revival 2017 – St. Mary’s Trophy Race Two Results

  1. Richard Meaden, 1959 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Ti
  2. Mike Jordan, 1958 Austin A40
  3. Grant Williams, 1959 Jaguar Mk I

Goodwood Revival 2017 – St. Mary’s Trophy Overall Race Results

  1. Nick Naismith and Jason Plato, 1956 Austin A95 Westminster
  2. Steve Soper and Richard Meaden, 1959 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Ti
  3. Anthony Reid and Justin Law, 1959 Jaguar Mk I

Goodwood Revival 2017 – St. Mary’s Trophy Video

[Source: Goodwood; photos: Drew Gibson]