James Cottingham stormed to victory in the Ronnie Hoare Trophy which kicked off the 76th Members’ Meeting race card. The historics ace belied his lack of experience of Phil Hylander’s mid-engined Porsche 904 to conquer a quality field, but only after making up for a tentative start in damp conditions.
76MM Ronnie Hoare Trophy – race report
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The pole-sitter was beaten to Madgwick for the first time by fellow front-row starters, Ferrari 275GTB/C man Vincent Gaye and James Bellinger aboard Keith Ahler’s shapely SLR-Morgan. However, Cottingham was in front as the lead trio descended on St. Mary’s for the second time and had a one-second advantage next time around. By quarter-distance of the 20-minute encounter, the top three had a nine-second advantage over the warring Porsche 911s of Mark Bates and Ambrogia Perfetti in fourth and fifth.
Cottingham worked the traffic more efficiently than his pursuers, Gaye and Bellinger being never more than a few inches apart. On the penultimate lap, Gaye closed appreciably on Cottingham, only to spin off at St. Mary’s. He rejoined the fray and dropped only one place. He clung on for third behind Cottingham and Bellinger following a storming drive for the veteran racer.
The elated winner said later: “I knew my start was going to be tricky. Vincent was trying so hard and driving so well. I thought he was going to get me. I would like to dedicate this win to Henry Hope-Frost and his memory. He helped make the Goodwood events so special and my thoughts are with his family.”
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