Above; Chris and Mark fighting for third in race two

The structure of the series was again to have two half hour races for one or two drivers over the weekend.  M & C had three E-Types competing in the races with Jamie going solo in 5 RPP and Chris driving in both his cars with his Son ant for company in XAN 555 and Mark Wright in with him in 968 UXY.

A packed grid of over thirty E-Types were competing with many of the front running cars having professional drivers at the wheel. Qualifying on the Saturday was badly disrupted by rain meaning only the cars that got straight out and on the pace from the off made it to the front of the field.

Race one was furious from the start with Alex Buncombe and Martin O’Connell fighting until the penultimate lap for the win with Buncombe sending O’Connell off whilst dicing for the victory. This left Graham Dodd second, Jon Minshaw third and Jason Minshaw fourth with Ant Scragg in XAN 555 finishing fifth; first home of the non-professional drivers. Chris came seventh and Jamie came in eighth meaning a first, third and fourth of the owner drivers competing for the M & C team.

Race two’s grid was formed from the finishing positions of race one with Chris now in XAN 555, Mark in 968 UXY and Jamie in 5 RPP.  A frantic start saw Mark and Chris battling for third, with Mark then passing Jon Minshaw a lap later into the old hairpin for Second. Jon clawed the position back with Chris now in the rhythm in XAN 555 bringing down the gap to Mark. Martin O’Connell however had come through from the back and passed Chris and then Mark for Third. It later transpired that Jamie had had an electrical problem meaning he retired on lap 2.

Unfortunately the race was then cut short due to a multi-car accident that started due to the ex-Bruce McLaren E-Type’s engine letting go down the start finish straight leaving oil and various engine components across the circuit. Fortunately despite one driver having to be cut free from his car no one was seriously injured and the race result was declared from the positions the cars were running in at that point leaving Mark Fourth and Chris fifth.

May we take this opportunity to congratulate all the drivers on winning this prestigious award and give all our team at M & C Wilkinson a pat on the back for preparing the car to run faultlessly for the full 6 hour duration to make this result possible!

Qualifying saw a field of 18 cars on the ‘200′ track at Snetterton it was an interesting qualifying session with Some wild driving exhibited by some of the other competitors, but at the end of the session  Chris had qualified 3rd on the grid.  

The Race was on a very hot afternoon for 30 minute beginning with a standing start.  Chris got away fine and held 3rd into the first corner and stayed there for several laps until a mistake by the second placed Cortina GT baulked Chris and allowed the No. 10 Jag to pass both Chris and the Cortina.

Chris then also after passed the Cortina and set off after the Jaguar, passing it after a few laps.  With the clock running down we were not sure if he would catch the quick Warwick GT350 but as it turned out he could and took the lead with just 2 laps to go to the finish.  This meant we had achieved a win in the inaugural race in this series and a first overall win for the MK2.

To view images of the event please click on the link below

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hrdc/sets/72157627809750168/show/

Glorious sunshine accompanied the biggest historic race weekend of the year. The M & C Wilkinson team had hopes of a highly competitive weekend against the cream of historic Pre 66’ GT cars and drivers.

With a dry forecast for the most important weekend on the calendar the team were in high spirits of finally achieving a top ten result and a problem free six hours. Qualifying was late on Friday evening with Chris Scragg, Dave Coyne and Mark Wright aboard XAN555.

With Chris out first he set about finding clear air with a 108 car field making space at a premium. He immediately was on the pace managing to dip below the 3 minute mark before handing over to Dave Coyne. Traffic was again making the perfect lap difficult to reach but Coyne was determined to do so and managed a 2 minute 53 seconds before Mark Wright took over.

Mark then set about acclimatising himself to the car for the first time setting a series of quick times before returning to pits in order to allow Dave one final flying lap. With a hour and a quarter of the session gone Dave had a clearer track and managed in one lap to go a second quicker than his benchmark set earlier leaving us 12^th overall with a 2 minutes 52 seconds lap, fourth in class and second E-Type on the grid behind John Clarks E-Type 11^th and ahead of three time winner John Minshaw 13^th

The race then came late on Saturday afternoon starting just after four o’clock with Chris out first he made a great start keeping himself in the mix right from the off. Within the first hour he had settled within the top ten until the pace car was released due to a car rolling several times, the incident then led to a further four car pile up meaning an even longer safety car period which went on for well over half an hour.

When racing resumed Chris completed his 2 hour stint bringing the car in 9^th and handing over to Dave. By not pitting for fuel under the safety car we had lost a large chunk of time and we soon knew we had a mountain to climb to try and regain our way in the standings. Dave was down in 38^th at his point and within his first hour he had moved up and up making the top ten once more and by the end of his stint we lied in 3^rd overall but still with a final fuel stop to make.

As dusk approached Dave stopped to allow Mark to take over XAN 555 for its final leg before the finish. We had now dropped down to sixth behind two GT40’s, one E-Type, one TVR Griff and a Daytona Cobra. Another safety car period came for around fifteen minutes before the action commenced once again.

Mark was putting in a consistent set of times and as the final hour approached the TVR made an unscheduled stop with brake issues moving us up to 5^th overall and 3^rd in class. Ten minutes later and the E-Type of Sandy Watson also made an unscheduled stop for brake issues also. We again moved up with just the Cobra left to try and overcome.

Mark had really found a rhythm setting the fastest lap of the race for team in the dark of the night. Half an hour to go and all started pacing the garage and pit lane. Could we keep going and survive to the finish.

Suddenly the Hart Cobra came in with yet again brake problems the cause. We had a lap to make up so as the clock ticked slowly the Cobras mechanics set about bleeding the brakes. With the Cobra still stationary Mark crossed the line and moved ahead in the standings but they soon made chase.

But despite all their efforts they could not match Marks consistency as he gradually increased the gap lap by lap. The team could barely dare to watch as the clock ticked down ever slower to the finish. Finally the chequered flag fell and as Mark crossed the line the team erupted into jubilation.

First in class, third overall in the hardest ever Spa 6 Hours in its nineteen year history with an average speed of over 94mph with only 2 GT40’s finishing in front. The whole M & C Wilkinson team would like to particularly congratulate Chris for this incredible achievement.

Michael and Chris Scragg had been elected to race by Mike in the Ex Jackie Stewart E-Type, this was the first time Chris had driven the car and competed at the revival. It was Michaels second time out at Goodwood and both drivers drove a strong race finishing 16^th overall bringing the car home in one piece and leaving the team in good spirits for the Spa Six Hour race next weekend.

In the Guards Trophy Chris elected for Dave Coyne to race his E-Type XAN 555 solo for the forty minute race. He immediately followed Jon Minshaw from the off trading fastest laps until the first pit stops.

Dave left the pits after his compulsory one minute stop and straight away went after Minshaw and as they approached the end of their first lap he was in front and pulling away until on the penultimate lap he spun on oil letting Minshaw through and ten seconds clear with one lap to go when they crossed the line to the chequered flag he was three seconds adrift. A real shame not to see the win but promising signs for the Spa Six Hour race in September.

In the first E-Type Challenge race Chris finished 6^th and Jamie 9^th in a highly competitive field. In the second race both drivers made further progress with Chris finishing just of the podium in 4^th and Jamie 6^th.

In the Gentleman Drivers Race Jamie had qualified 11^th and Chris 13^th against a strong field of over 60 cars. Both Drivers drove exceptionally given the opposition and conditions with Chris finishing 4^th and Jamie 5^th both just missing out on the podium but still very pleased.

Qualifying came on the first of a three day meeting on the Friday with Chris Scragg & John Bussell teaming up in UXY 968 Chris’s other E-Type. Chris went out first putting in some fast times until he then handed over to John who managed to qualify them 4^th out of the 42 E-Types on the grid.

Saturday and Sunday would provide a twenty five minute race for each driver with John out first on the Saturday. A slow start put John down to seventh but he soon re passed John Pearson in his E-Type and started pressing on behind the Jason Minshaw Low Drag Coupe. Lap after lap went by and they where neck & neck. Finally John managed to find a way through but by then the other cars in front had pulled away leaving him a mountain to climb to try and catch them.

On the final lap Gary Pearson in third spun moving John up to fourth overall behind the eventual winner Graham Dodd, Second John Minshaw and third Marucs Oeynhausen.

The second of the two races on the Sunday pitted Chris against another seriously strong field with some different drivers to contend with. A good start put Chris amongst the front five and he battled hard against Dave Coyne in Graham Bulls Fixed Head Coupe for most of the race getting the upper hand eventually finishing fifth overall.

The first of the three races was on Saturday afternoon with rain falling heavily Chris took the lead of the race from Mike into Redgate with the AC Cobra of Shepherd in close pursuit. They battled hard with the Cobra passing Chris and holding first until the compulsory pit stops. A quick Stop saw Chris closed the gap once again and pressured the Cobra into a mistake giving Chris the lead which he held until the finish.

On Sunday the rain had disappeared and we had glorious sunshine to accompany the second & third pre 66 GT races. The afternoon races were ten minute sprints all televised on Motors TV. Chris started the second race from pole with John starting sixth in the other E-Type. A rolling start and Chris held the lead into the first corner with John moving up to third moving past the Cobra into second down the Craner Curves and then passing Chris into the Old hair pin. John held first place to the finish whilst Chris again had a race long battle with the Andy Shepherd Cobra crossing the line side by side he finished 0.039 behind.

The final Pre 66 GT race of the weekend pitted Mike against Chris once again. Chris managed to again have the upper hand leading into Redgate. Mike lost out further dropping down to sixth after the first lap. A late entry for the Sunbeam Le Mans Tiger of Chris Beighton however gave Chris some stiff opposition and he was passed on lap three by him. He pushed hard but to no avail finishing five seconds adrift by the finish with Mike coming home in fifth.