GT40 High, Cortina Low – Steve Soper's 74MM Weekend

Steve was looking forward to following up his win the in the Ford GT40 in the Alan Mann Trophy and third in the Capri in the Gerry Marshall Trophy earlier in the day. But his Lotus Cortina didn’t get to complete one lap when the suspension broke and he had to park the car – depriving everyone of what was expected to be a close battle for the lead.

‘I thought we were in for a good race but it wasn’t to be,’ Steve told us. ‘Richard Meaden (eventual winner) and me could have had a great battle. I didn’t get off the line as well as he did and when he shot away I thought, damn it. But we could have had a real ding dong battle.’

What about his other results over the weekend?

'I think third was the best we could have done with the Capri in the Gerry Marshall Trophy. We were never going to beat the Camaro and SD1.

‘I enjoyed the race for GT40s the most. In a  GT40 round here it’s pretty hairy anyway, and getting a win racing into dusk, I was very pleased with that. It is something to cherish coming to Goodwood and very special to win a race like that.’

And next up for Steve Soper? ‘I am looking forward to the Festival of Speed when I will be driving a very special car BMW will be bringing over from Germany for me, as part of BMW’s centenary celebrations.

Steve, a million BMW racing fans will be looking forward to that as well…

Photography by Drew Gibson, Tim Brown, Amy Shore and Bob Murray