The diminutive Formula 3 single seaters were five or six abreast into Madgwick after the start, with the top five leaving in grid order, Simon Armer in the March-Ford 703 leading.
Race report: Derek Bell Cup 73MM – Members’ Meeting Favourite Moments
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Peter Thompson in the Brabham-Ford BT21A swiftly moved into fourth, displacing Tim Kary’s Brabham-Ford BT28 while Ian Bankhurst in the Alexis-Ford Mk8 HF moved from eighth to sixth on the same lap. James King in the Chevron-Ford BT28 took second place from Thierry Gallo’s Tecno-Ford who suffered further misfortune on lap five with a spin at Madgwick that dropped him to seventh place.
Oil at Woodcote saw Kary leave the track, collecting the previously parked Brabham-Ford BT21 of Mike Pascal and leaving debris on-track prompting a safety car period, wiping out the 3.8-second lead Armer had created for himself. Armer, King and Thompson made up the first three, followed by Bankhurst, Lamplough and Derossi.
Released with eight minutes left on the clock, less than a second covered the top four on lap 10, Bankhurst snatching third from Thompson at Lavant a lap later before relinquishing it at Woodcote.
At the one-minute mark the finishing order looked settled until King closed to within touching distance of Armer on the last lap. Harried by the American, Armer locked up going into the chicane for the final time and the ensuing drag race to the chequered flag saw King snatch victory by 0.018 seconds. That, ladies and gentlemen, is the closes finish to any race at Goodwood.
Image by Jochen Van Cauwenberge.
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