Mike Hawthorn & XK Challenge. Snetterton 31st Aug 2019

Mike Hawthorn Challenge

Snetterton on the 31st of August & the JEC XKs & Mike Hawthorn Challenge headed to the AMOC race meeting for the 4th race of the season.

Qualifying

A slightly reduced number of Jaguars attended due in the main part to cars being saved for the Goodwood Revival meeting but we did welcome 2 new drivers to the saloons, James Ramm the current Saloon & GT champion racing the MK1 of Simon Lewis & Guy Connew as well as Kevin Doyle who is better known for racing his V12 Coupe & the black XJ12 ‘Enola Gaye’, Kevin was out in the x Keith Buckingham MK2 he has just bought and blown the dust off having not been raced in about 20 years, Kevin has bought the MK2 to use while his MK1 is being built for the series.

Both Roger & Chris Gage were on camera duty & caught some great action shots.

Qualifying.

23 cars took to a cold but dry track for the 20 minute incident free session to set grid positions for the 30 minute race, John Young this time driving Nigel Webbs Lister MK1 again set the fastest Jaguar Lap followed by Glen Pearson also in a MK1 just ahead of Marc Gordon in his XK150 & Rob Newall in his XK120.

Unfortunately, Kevin Doyles MK2 rolled to a stop after 3 laps & was towed back after the session.

Z16
Z3
Z7

Race

22 cars lined up for the start, Kevin Doyles MK2 break down in qualifying was traced to a faulty coil and with a new one fitted the car managed to take up its grid slot.

As the lights changed the XKs of Chris Keith-Lucas & Rob Newall both appeared to have difficulty getting away both then not completing a racing lap & retiring back to the paddock, apparently both suffering a diff or gearbox breakage off the line.

John Young managed a start to finish Jaguar lead while behind Glen Pearson, Marc Gordon, Andrew Wenman, James Ramm and Derek Pearce were all busy mixing it up for the first half of the race, Gradually Pearson, Gordon & Wenman pulled off a bit of a gap to the others, Pearson & Gordon switching places a number of times.

Unfortunately, the XK12O of Andrew Wenman pulled over and retired on lap 10 with a suspected engine lock up. James Ramm had got to grips with the MK1 characteristics compared with his XJS and continued running in a lonely 9th place the nearest charge to him being Derek Pearce in his Mk2 who was busy holding off David Earls in his MGA.

Michael O’Shea in his MK2 was busy with Hannah read in the Aston, & while taking the inside line going into Murrays Hannah did a typical F1 move and squeezed Michael onto the kerbing, the result being under braking the MK2 decided to swap ends & into a dramatic off balanced spin lifting and looking like it was heading to roll, fortunately Michael managed to recover it & set off back in pursuit of the Aston. No contact was made by either car & continued to race to the flag.

Kevin Doyle in the MK2 that hadn’t seen a track or road in 20 years managed to keep the car running to the flag despite a leaking diff seal burning off its diff oil on the exhaust in a Smokey display

The eventual top 3 Jaguar positions were

Ist John Young Mk1

2nd Glen Pearson Mk1

3rd Marc Gordon XK150

The XKs & Hawthorn now move onto the Castle Combe Classic on the 5th of October.

Chris Robinson.

Photos by Roger & Chris Gage.

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