Brands Hatch (April 15th)

The B.R. & S.C.C.’s Easter Monday Closed Meeting provided Southern fans with an entertaining 13-race programme, covering sports cars, G.T., Formula Junior, and Historic Racing Cars. Undoubtedly one of the most entertaining races was the first of three Slip Molyslip races in which the 1,650-c.c. Anglias of Chris Craft and Alan Peer scrapped for second place behind Chris Airey’s noisy A40, Craft getting the upper hand when Peer slid at Clearways.

Terry Bone’s Ecurie Freeze Lotus 23 had things virtually his own way in the Guards Trophy Race, leading Peter Gethin’s similar car over the line, with Mike Keens, who drove his Lotus 23 exceedingly well, in third place despite a poor start. Fourteen cars competed in the Historic Racing Car event, the E.R.A.s of Sid Day and Dudley Gahagan taking first and second places from Bergel’s Type 35 Bugatti. John Freeman’s Aston Martin was penalised one minute for jumping the start flag. The second Slip Molyslip race, catering for Minis and the like, went to Terry Nicholl’s Mini-Cooper, closely pursued by John Maas and John Ralph. The single-seater race was monopolised by Formula Junior cars, John Mew’s Lotus-Ford emerging a comfortable winner from Dennis O’Sullivan’s Lotus-Ford and the Malayan driver Hans Sing Lee in a Lotus 22. Doctor Goodwin’s G.T. Lotus 7 won the G.T. Handicap race, just managing to use his 34-sec. advantage to hold off scratch-man Vic Downie (T.V.R.). Winners of other races were as follows: Slip Molyslip Trophy (3): J. Fitzpatrick (Austin-Mini); Sports-Car Handicap: R. A. H. White (Lotus-Climax); Saloon-Car Handicap: M. F. Cox (A.40).