BRSCC/FIA Lurani Trophy Meeting Donington Park 4/5th May 2003

Over the May Bank Holiday weekend the BRSCC staged a veritable feast of motor racing at Donington Park, what a shame the public seem to be unaware of the quality of racing on offer, the crowds though sparse were enthusiasts, many staying right to the late finishes on both days- The first practice session on Saturday featured several Formula Junior drivers qualifying in the sports car race.

The serious business of qualifying for the FJ cars got under way pretty much on time, this was a crucial session with many drivers of the 37 cars entered needing to qualify for a place in their class, the full grid to be 32 cars, and the times set to determine grid positions for both heats of the race, conditions were very good fine and sunny with a slight breeze.

The pace was set by Edwin Jowsey Lotus 22 who recorded a 1.21.723, very close in second place was Michael Schryver also in a 22 with 1.21.749, Denis Welch was back in the groove in his Merlyn in third spot with 1.22.604. fourth was Mike Hibberd in his Lotus 27 on 1.22.641, Mark Woodhouse fifth Lotus 20/22 1.23.763, the top six being completed by Neil Dawes in his Lotus 20/22. The best of the front engined runners was David Stevenson in his U2 Mk2 in a time of 1.30.877,  Clive Wilson Lola Mk2 recorded a 1.31.222, class A runners Phoebe Rolt Elva 200 1,31.386, and Michaela Axelsson Lotus 18 1.31.555 were very close, promising a close tussle for class honours. The session ended after 22 Of the 25 minutes allowed due to Dietrich Merkel going off at Redgate in his Lola Mk 2, this excursion resulted in his fire extinguisher discharging with very messy results for his car, Dietrich spent most of what remained of Sunday washing the evil powder out of the Lola.

Race 5 our first heat, finally got under way after what seemed to be an interminable delay on the grid, every one in the pit lane was getting concerned that the cars would overheat! Edwin Jowsey Lotus 22 took an early lead from pole, he was closely pursued by the Merlyn of Denis Welch and the Lotus 27 driven by Mike Hibberd, also in touch were the Lotus 22's of Schryver and Walford, one of the front engined runners was visibly dropping liberal amounts of oil all around the circuit, this eventually caught out Edwin Jowsey's Lotus, both the Welch Merlyn and Hibberd's Lotus were able to scramble by, Welch briefly taking the lead but then Hibberd was able to get the Lotus past the Merlyn into first spot, the first four cars were all covered by a couple of seconds, Walford and Woodhouse both in Lotus's were slightly out of touch but never more than 20 secs behind, Michaela Axelsson's Lotus was leading her class, closely followed by Tony Steel’s Lola Mk2 leading the front engined runners, this was the pattern for the rest of the race with Hibberd Lotus 27 holding on to the narrowest of leads from Jowsey Lotus 22 now back in second place and challenging hard for the lead, Welch's Merlyn now third with Schryver 's Lotus 22 close in fourth, a very hard fought clean contest with all the front runners in good shape for Monday's round two.

Monday was another nice sunny day in spite of all the forecasts predicting showers. The grid for the second heat was formed up on time ready for the start, then came the waiting not quite as bad as for the heat one start, as the lights turned to red Schryver’s and Jowsey moved then paused, on the green Hibberd had the Lotus 27 in front into Redgate with all the other front runners swarming over his tail, halfway round the first lap he left his braking too late at Coppice comer and after spinning and stalling his engine resumed in fifteenth place, Edwin Jowsey in his 22 was contesting the lead with Welch's Merlyn and Schryver’s 22 when on the ninth lap the leading bunch caught up with a dice between Tony Steele Lola Mk2 and Andrew Hibberd’s Lotus 20 at Starkey’s Bridge, Jowsey thought he spotted a gap but it proved to be not wide enough, the resulting contact with Steele's Lola Mk2 led to it's retirement and also the retirement of Jowsey a couple of laps later with a damaged rear wheel, meanwhile in the closing stages Schryver’s Lotus 22 was leading from Welch's Merlyn. Walford Lotus 22 third, with Woodhouse Lotus 20/22 and Diffey Lotus 20 battling for fourth, this went Diffey's way when Woodhouse had a spin a couple of laps from the end, Mike Hibberd was desperately trying to make up his lost ground and on the final lap passed Diffey's Lotus into fourth, the contest in class B saw a reversal of the previous race when Phoebe Rolfs Elva was eleventh ahead of the Lotus of Michaela Axelsson, Erik Justesen U2 Mk 2 headed the front engined runners, Michael Schryver Lotus 22 took the chequered flag 1.8 secs ahead of Denis Welch in the Merlyn, Martin Walford Lotus 22 was third 11 secs behind and Mike Hibberd fourth 15 secs behind the winner. Simon Diffey Lotus 20 was fifth, with Robert Goodwin Lotus 22 sixth.

The Lurani Cup and the class wins were awarded for the combined race classification Michael Schryver Lotus 22 first, Denis Welch Merlyn Mk5 second at 1,279secs, Mike Hibberd Lotus 27 third at 14.206 secs. Class B was won by Michaela Axelsson Lotus 18 at 1 lap behind, Class A by Erik Justesen U2 Mk2 at 2 laps behind.

An excellent two day meeting, with two full grids for both the heats, everyone enjoyed the racing, even the weather was perfect, well deserved thanks went to Duncan at the prize giving for organising such a fine event.

Stan Hibberd 6^th May 2003