The pole man led off the line in Peter Burton’s blisteringly quick Lotus 30, only to be shuffled down the order almost immediately after he wrong-slotted and took to the grass at St Mary’s. Lola T70 man Oliver Bryant then assumed the lead with fourth place starter Tony Sinclair moving up to second in his similar car. Keen wasn’t to be denied, though, but had a battle on his hands as Sinclair batted away challenges until 16 minutes into the 25-minute encounter. Keen then made it stick on the Lavant Straight and set off after the leader.
Bryant, whose lead at quarter-distance had stood at 6.5-seconds, was soon reeled in, Keen assuming the lead with less than two minutes to go. Sinclair held on for third, with Ford T70 ace Mike Whittaker having made his way from 22nd on the grid to a remarkable fourth place by flag fall.