01/09/2026
Race 2 finally brought the CSCC R-Werks Special Saloons & Modsports some dry running. This is a look back to yesterday, at the Gold Cup.
The Capri’s of Ric Wood and Nigel Mustill would miss out on this one, but Paul Brooks (Imp) and James Melady (MGB) would be back in, making it a 26 car grid.
With race 1 winner, Andy Southcott starting in P11, the rolling start was beautifully controlled by Bernard Foley (MGB GT V8), alongside James Naicki (Skyline). The question was how long would it take for Southcott to reach the front, the answer was just one lap (see video)!
Foley was outgunned in this company in dry conditions, but kept pushing, some ten seconds a lap down on pace. Ross Irvine (Golf turbo), finally on the right tyres was pushing hard, quickly dispatching the other Golf of Daren Scholes, with Scholes and Mark Burley (Sprite) enjoying a tussle. Danny Morris was matching the lap times of the top four, but having started from the back there was a big gap to make up. Mark Campbell (TR5) was flying inside the top ten, his Yokohama A052 performing well against those on slicks.
It was entertaining to watch the pair of closely matched Imps, Paul Brooks’ was on wets, Jerry Burgoyne on Slicks. James Melady had flown in from North America, just happy to be here for the experience, whatever his pace.
With Tom Carey (CRX) up to speed, he and Southcott were joined by fellow class HC friends Mark Primett (Midget), Janicki and Matthew Howell (Mini). What a sight they made as a pack, alas, it didn’t last, with Southcott dropping out, rolling to a halt on the grass at Brittens with a failed alternator. Meanwhile, a close pack of five or six cars formed in the midfield, surely the most varied set of cars at the meeting.
Burley had a spin but continued, Scholes skipping through the Druids gravel in avoidance, but no damage done. Scholes went on to finish just over a second ahead of the ‘Fandango’ Sprite.
Martin Reynolds slowly retired to the pits having lost his brakes into Old Hall, debris having damaged a rear brake line.
With five minutes to go Primett had taken the lead, only for him to spin but rejoin, some seconds back. Carey was finally at the front, with Janicki and Howell within a couple of seconds. A call came across the radios of fire at Clay Hill on the way to Water Tower, a disaster for Paul Dolan, whose new Vauxhall engine decided to throw a rod through the block of his bright orange Elan. Circuit wide red lights curtailed the action; Dolan was safe, but the track had a prodigious quantity of oil smeared across it, with the poor Elan now covered in powder and a little burnt. Primett and Tony Paxman both spun on it but continued, even at a slow, red flag pace. Danny Morris (309) said afterwards he had seen fluid coming from underneath the Elan a lap before. Alas, time had run out once again for the field, as they headed to parc ferme. With the result going back a full lap, Mark Primett was the surprise winner, Carey once again just losing out.
Partly due to the aggregate result and partly due to his fight from the back and fastest lap overall in race 1, the Tony Sugden Trophy was awarded to Tom Carey. The R-Werks driver of the day went to Matthew Howell, the rapid Mini securing fastest lap overall across all three sessions, with a 1:48.149. Famous racer of the era, Doug Niven presented this and all other trophies to our overall and class award winners. The quietly-spoken Scot had seemed enthralled on the pit wall, watching the class of ’26 race by. Thank you to Dave Taylor, for firing up the Beetle and bringing it in shot for the prize-giving.
Team members deserve a special mention, with many having to change tyres many times and at the very last moment, in the impossible to predict conditions. Thank you to the Marshals and Officials for having us.
Thank you to Dickon Siddall for the on-track photos and Dave Smith, Danny Morris and Vince for their support throughout the meeting.
