Ronnie Hoare Trophy to celebrate Maranello Concessionaires squad leader at #76MM

As Piper labelled his exploits with the Colonel: “Racing in terrific style” is firmly on the agenda for the all-new race, as a magnificent collection of Porsches, Alfa Romeos, Abarths and, of course, Ferraris fill the assembly area with some of the finest examples of International GT racers from the mid-1960s.

It is hard to mention the name Ronnie Hoare without the Prancing Horse following in swift fashion, the former Ford dealer forming Maranello Concessionaires Ltd, with the blessing of Enzo Ferrari himself, in July 1960.

Friends with Tommy Sopwith, who ran Jaguars for Mike Parkes under the Equipe Endeavour banner in the British Saloon Car Championship, the Colonel provided a Ferrari 250 for Mike Parkes to race in the GT races at British Saloon Car meetings. The results soon came flooding in, with victories coming in 1961 at Snetterton in the Lombank Trophy and Goodwood’s Fordwater Trophy, as well as the 1962 Brands Hatch Peco Trophy and Silverstone International GT meeting.

Further success came as the team branched off as a standalone outfit, including two consecutive victories at the RAC Tourist Trophy with Graham Hill at Goodwood in 1963 and 1964, as well as visiting the winner’s circle in 1964 at the Paris 1000km at Monthlery, the Reims 12 Hours and the Ettore Bettoja Trophy at Monza. A GT class victory at the 1966 Le Mans 24 Hours with Roy Pike and Piers Courage, and a win at the 1967 British GP support race with Richard Attwood at the wheel would be the team’s final successes.

Naturally, of course, it would be impossible for the Members’ Meeting to hold a race in Hoare’s name without a Ferrari on the entry list, and you can expect to see Ferrari 275 GTB/Cs taking their rightful places challenging at the sharp end of the grid, complemented by a handful of other beauties from Italy, including Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ1s and an Abarth-Simca 2000 GT.

Not forgetting that 2018 celebrates 70 years of Porsche, no fewer than ten examples of Stuttgart machinery will be put through their paces, with examples of the 901, 904 Carrera GTS and 911 in action during the 20-minute Saturday afternoon encounter.

It is not only the continental sportscars that will grace the Motor Circuit in March, with the best of British looking to wave the flag for Queen and country in the shape of MGBs, Morgan Plus 4 SLRs and Triumph TR4s.

Set to be the first race of Goodwood’s 2018 season, the Ronnie Hoare Trophy is almost certain to kick off the Members’ Meeting in signature Goodwood style and whet the appetite for a weekend of only the very best in historic motorsport.

Photography courtesy of LAT Images