DK on the Podium at Le Mans Classic 2022

The 2022 edition of the Le Mans Classic was surely the most anticipated yet, having been cancelled in 2020 and 2021. Held over Friday 1st July to Sunday 3rd, the event is now in 20th iteration and is the only historic motor racing event to be held on the legendary Circuit de la Sarthe, the 14km part permanent race track, part public highway that has hosted the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 1923. The Le Mans Classic, features 6 main grids or “plateaux” which race in alternation for 24 Hours, this meaning each grid will race 3 times over the 24 Hour period. There are also three hotly contested support grids for Porsche, Group C and Endurance Racing Legends, cars.

As part of an extremely busy summer of events for DK, our Acquisition Consultants James Cottingham and Harvey Stanley were present and racing in three DK owned cars. The 2004 Dallara Judd Sp1 – a veteran of 3 Le Mans 24 Hours in the 2000s, the 1959 Tojeiro Jaguar Sports which had contested Le Mans with Ecurie Ecosse in 1959 and also the Carreras Colombia AC 289 Cobra.

The nature of the Le Mans circuit is famously hard on cars, and sadly despite qualifying 3rd and showing very strong pace the Dallara had to be withdrawn from the race on Saturday morning. The AC Cobra had suffered an alternator failure in qualifying but still managed to qualify 9th for Plateaux 4, behind a gaggle of superior GT40s and Daytona Coupes, but in front of all of the other Cobras and E-Types (bar one). Race 1 saw a progression to 7th place, however a wheel bearing failure at 2am forced a DNF in race 2 meaning Harvey and James would start from 50th in Race 3. After a hectic first lap the pair battled the Cobra up to 8th overall and remarkable effort having started almost last.

Luck was still not totally on the side of the Tojeiro team, driven by James Cottingham and Max Girardo, having finished 5th in race 1, the duo were set for a comfortable podium finish before a sudden tyre delamination caused a long pit stop and 5th place finish. All three cars were run by Pursuit over the weekend, although the Tojeiro had been prepared and restored by ADP. By the last race of the event on Sunday at 3pm, no member of the Pursuit team has slept but their hard work paid off as James and Max both drove faultlessly earning a lights to flag commanding victory in race 3 and with it a 3rd place overall for Plateaux 3.

The event will unusually be ran again in 2023 - to mark 100 years of Le Mans, DK intend to return and we intend to improve on already impressive weekend.