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British Empire Trophy

Silverstone, Great-Britain

Date: 8/7/1961
Track length: 4.710 m
Attendance:
Entries accepted:
Starters:
Finishers:

Pole position: Salvadori?
Fastest lap: Hill in 2.05,2 = 135,44 kmh

Distance: 12 laps
Average speed:
Weather: Dry start, then a cloudburst
Ruleset: Group 2
Car info:  

 

An astonishing race, as it was called by the contemporary press. Shortly after the start, a cloudburst made a lot of cars spinning everywhere. The result would be that 1000 cc cars would finish third, fourth and fifth overall - with the victor only 700 cc large...
Nevertheless, there were a few troubles before the start. Gurney had returned with the big Impala, but could not start because of mysterious circumstances, which would be revealed by a letter from the big man himself - protests could be the cause. Another large American car on the grid should have been Chuck Daigh with his Galaxie; but the driver was in hospital after a practice crash with the Scarab.
The start of the race saw Salvadori taking the lead, only to be passed by Parkes after lap 1. They were followed by Hill, McLaren, Harper, Hutcheson, Kerrison, Blydenstein and Whitmore - who was ninth overall!
In lap 4, the heavens had opened, and McLaren as well as Salvadori lost it and smacked into the bank at Club. In the mean time Whitmore had spun too but could continue.
Now the 1600 class was almost wiped out when Blydenstein hit the bank at Stowe, Hutcheson lost it while avoiding Powell’s spinning Jaguar and Harper crashed out after an enormous slide.
After six laps, the order was Parkes, Hill, Linge, Whitmore, Aston and Cuff-Miller. Only two more crashed Jaguars and the race would be won by a German driving a 700 cc BMW... But this was not to be, so Parkes won, closely followed by Hill with Linge third. Cuff-Miller won the 1600 cc class, Kerrison won the 3000 cc class.

Class A-D
Pos Pos in class # Team / Entrant
Car- Engine		 Drivers, Nationality Engine
vol. (cc)		 Engine
Type		 Group Distance,
time		 Qualifying position Qualifying time Fastest lap Reason out,
remarks
1 1 40 Equipe Endeavour
Jaguar Mk II 3.8		 Michael Parkes, GB
 3781 L6 D 12 laps, 28.48,8 2?      
2 2 41 Equipe Endeavour
Jaguar Mk II 3.8		 Graham Hill, GB
 3781 L6 D 12 laps, 28.49,4 3?   2.05,2  
3 1 1 R.J. Ashley
BMW 700 CS		 Herbert Linge, D
 697 B2 A 12 laps, 30.31,0     x  
4 2 3 Don Moore
Austin Mini Seven		 John Whitmore, GB
 848 L4 A 12 laps, 30.36,8        
5 3 8 Downton Engineering Ltd.
Morris Mini Minor		 Bill Aston, GB
 848 L4 A 12 laps, 30.40,6        
6 1 30 Gerrards Cross Motor Co.
Jaguar Mk II 2.4		 Chris Kerrison, GB
 2483 L6 C 12 laps, 31.09,0     x  
  1 23  
Sunbeam Rapier Series IIIA		 Ellis Cuff-Miller, GB
 1592 L4 B 11 laps, 29.01,6        
  2 20  
Riley 1.5		 Edward Lewis, GB
 1489 L4 B 11 laps, 29.19,8        
  2 31  
Ford Zephyr		 David Haynes, GB
 2553 L6 C 11        
  3 21  
Riley 1.5		 Peter Pilsworth, GB
 1489 L4 B 11        
  4 7  
Morris Mini Minor		 Frank Hamlin, NZ
 848 L4 A 11        
  5 9  
Morris Mini Minor		 Mick Clare, GB
 848 L4 A 11        
  6 5  
Austin Mini Seven		 Christabel Carlisle, GB
 848 L4 A 11        
  7 12  
Auto Union 1000S		 Nicky Byrne, GB
 981 L3 A 11        
  8 6  
Morris		 Tony Rutt, GB
 848 L4 A 11        
  3 45 Peter Berry (Racing) Ltd.
Jaguar Mk II 3.8		 Albert Powell, GB
 3781 L6 D 10        
  3 32  
Ford Zephyr		 Jeff Uren, GB
 2553 L6 C 9        
DNF?   4 Don Moore
Morris Mini Minor		 John Aley, GB
 848 L4 A          
DNF   42 John Coombs
Jaguar Mk II 3.8		 Roy Salvadori, GB
 3781 L6 D 3 1?     Accident
DNF   46 Peter Berry (Racing) Ltd.
Jaguar Mk II 3.8		 Bruce McLaren, NZ
 3781 L6 D 3 4?     Accident
DNF   25  
Borgward Isabella TS		 Bill Blydenstein, GB
 1493 L4 B         Accident
DNF   22 Barwell Motors Ltd.
Riley 1.5		 Alan Hutcheson, GB
 1489 L4 B         Accident
DNF   24 Sunbeam Talbot Ltd
Sunbeam Rapier Series IIIA		 Peter Harper, GB
 1592 L4 B       x Accident
DNS   48  
Chevrolet Impala		 Dan Gurney, USA
 6702 V8 D         Protest by Jaguar
DNS   47 Reventlow Automobiles
Ford Galaxie		 Chuck Daigh, USA
 6997 V8 D         Protest/Driver injured
DNS   44 Gawaine Baillie
Jaguar Mk II 3.8		 Gawaine Baillie, GB
 3781 L6 D          
DNS   43 John Coombs
Jaguar Mk II 3.8		 Mike MacDowel, GB
 3781 L6 D          
DNS   2  
BMW 700 CS		 George "Doc" Shepherd, GB
 697 B2 A          
DNS   11 Paddy Gaston
Auto Union 1000S		 J.V. Brownlee, GB
 981 L3 A          
DNS   10  
Auto Union 1000S		 John Sparrow, GB
 981 L3 A