Eyre gives new Brands Hatch layout a good airing

HSCC: Brands Hatch Superprix

A brace of well-supported Orwell International Supersports races were the highlight of the 14th running of HSCC Historic Superprix at Brands Hatch. This was the first car meeting on the Grand Prix circuit since the Dingle Dell chicane was erased in favour of the new Sheene Curve.

Richard Eyre won both Supersports races in his mighty 900bhp McLaren M8F and also established a new outright lap record. Geoff Farmer offered an early challenge in the first race, but a sticky throttle cable kept the March 717’s throttle partly open, prompting Farmer to pull off. With the Richard Dodkins-owned car on duty at the following weekend’s Festival of Speed at Goodwood, it wasn’t risked in the later race.

Simon Hadfield won the combined Classic F3/Derek Bell Trophy race by a staggering one and a half minutes in his Chevron B40. He was disappointed, though, to miss out on the outright lap record, his pace being 0.6sec away from Eyre’s best.

Win Percy put in one of the drives of the weekend, taking his Jaguar D-type from 37th — and last — to first place in just five laps of the 60-minute Gentleman Drivers race. His co-driver Gary Pearson continued the good work to win by 12sec.

Sadly, Sunday’s racing was marred by a dreadful accident that befell veteran racer Don Shead when his 1951 Allard J2 rolled five times after ploughing into the gravel at Paddock Hill Bend during the BRDC Sports Car race. The car’s roll hoop and seat belts saved him from serious injury, but he had to be rushed to hospital for treatment.