AMOC Donington 10th October 2004 final round of the 2004 Millers oils Historic Formula Junior Championship.

Qualifying/practice Twenty eight cars faced the timekeepers, the weather was fine, bright and dry as the session got under way on time at 11.30am.

It was soon clear that the pacesetters were Mike Hibberd Lotus 27 and Edwin Jowsey Lotus 22, these two were 2/3 secs. ahead of Barry Westmoreland 22 and Neil Dawes heading class B in his Lotus 18, Derek Walker was a creditable fifth in the Terrier Mk4, ahead of James Claridge in his Lola Mk5A, and Andrew Hibberd Lotus 22.
About halfway through the session Mark Woodhouse coasted along on the grass under the pit wall, his 20/22 suffering again from the water in the fuel problem which troubled him at Mallory, he was able to restart and returned to the paddock.
So after twelve laps pole position went to Mike Hibberd Lotus 27 with a time of 1.21.634, Edwin Jowsey Lotus 22 was next on 1.22.333 only having managed seven laps.  Neil Dawes Lotus 18 was quickest in class B with a 1.25.279, Derek Walker maintained his pace to put the terrier at the head of class A2 with a time of 1.26.799.
Reg Hargrave returned to the grid in his familiar Kieft F3 to record 1.35.613 for solitary class D honours.
Peter Mullen Osca FJ was top of class A1 in a time of 1.35.619.

Race eight got under way just before 5 pm, when the red lights went out Mike Hibberd and Edwin Jowsey in their Lotus's led the charge to Redgate, side by side out of sight with the advantage seeming to go to Edwin. Sure enough it was the Lotus 22 ahead at the end of the first lap, Mike Hibberd was hard on the leaders heels the two them proceeded to lap in record 1.20s for much of the race, the race victory and quickest lap 1.20.048 went to Jowsey's 22 but lap times were very close, the deficit at the finish just 5.7secs.
While the leading pair lapped at ever increasing speed, Mark Woodhouse 20/22 was carving his way through the field from his twenty third spot on the grid up to third place overall at the end. 
The pit straight looked very crowded during the course the race, cars seemed to be racing in bunches, lots of overtaking and lapping, many private tussles back through the field, it all looked very close at times, especially when the lead cars were involved in high speed lapping, but everyone used their mirrors to good effect !
Neil Dawes Lotus 18 continued his practice form to take sixth and class B, from Andrew Taylor in the Brittania FJ who was a lap down at the finish.  Third in class B was the Waller Kieft FJ after a steady run.
Derek Walker Terrier was eighth, the last to complete the full race distance, to take class A2 from William Grimshaw in the Gemini Mk11, who was a lap behind at the end, with Cripian Besley Elva 100 third in class a mere couple of seconds away from the Gemini.
Reg Hargrave brought the Kieft F3 to the finish, sixteenth overall, going as well as ever, but looking rather lonely.
Peter Mullen's Osca FJ took class A1, from the Volpini of Ian Scott who was a further lap behind at the end.

So the last Formula Junior race of the 2004 season went off  smoothly, the weather was much better than the local forecast suggested, twenty six cars finished the race, Keith Blanshard in the Fafnir, Peter Lavender in the Elva 100,  not being classified.

Stan Hibberd 14th October 2004