Silverstone Classic 2016

Silverstone Classic is undisputedly the World's biggest Classic Car Festival and with 100,000 Spectators and more drivers than any other Motorsport event in Europe. Each of the 20 Races saw a packed grid and very close competition, in a welcome contrast to last year every session was run in the dry and at times, even bathed in sunshine!

The Classic has always been a large part of DK's racing schedule however this year due to Le Mans Classic just a few weeks ago and other events looming in August and September we were only running two cars at the event. The 500 TRC to be driven by David Cottingham in the Woodcote Trophy and the Burgundy "Pre-63" E-Type to be driven by James Cottingham and Andrew Smith in the prestigious RAC Tourist Trophy.

Always a very challenging qualifying session with 60 mixed cars in the grid, James and Andrew had qualified the E-Type 5th on the grid and as the fastest Jaguar. The First lap of the Saturday's race saw James make a fantastic get away into 2nd place, by the time a brief safety car period was over the DK car had gained a commanding lead, a lead which remained for the majority of the race. At the pit stop in close proximity to the end of the race the Aston DB4 GT of Wolfgang Friedrichs co-piloted by Simon Hadfield and the Cobra of Martin Hunt and Patrick Blakeney-Edwards managed to squeeze past, leaving Andrew in a fight to keep a charging Ferrari Breadvan off the Podium. Andrew and James enjoyed a hard earned 3rd place Podium, the 4th consecutive podium for the E-Type in this event. At the culmination of the race when the flag was waved, the DK car was 26 seconds clear of the next Jaguar.

For David the 500 TRC is a familiar steed and the ex Le Mans winner and David have completed over 100 races together! Overall victory in the Woodcote trophy was a Jaguar powered affair, with a pair of very well driven Cooper Jaguars (T33 and T38) after the ever-fast D-Type of Gary Pearson had fallen away. A typically good start by David had seen him 2nd in class by the middle point of the race, unfortunately some oil on the circuit dampened the final stages of the race but the yellow 500 TRC still finished a hugely credible 4th in Class.

Other highlights of the weekend included a very close Pre-66 GT race in the closing hours of Saturday and a thrilling 70s Formula Race on Sunday, which saw Ollie Hancock back a string of faster and later cars to earn the "Driver of the Weekend" award.

Not needing any rest, David will return to Silverstone this Saturday to contest a round of the Fiscar Championship in the Pale Blue AC Ace Bristol.

In addition to DK's racing presence, Kate Cottingham attended with The Doghouse WMRAC, the world's longest standing club for ladies in Motorsport, fundraising for their official Charity 'Hope For Tomorrow' by offering an opportunity to ride in a Maserati pace car around the Silverstone Race Circuit.