The Toyo Tires/Watchdogapp.com Jaguar Saloon & GT Championship Rounds 11 and 12, Donington Park October 26th & 27th 2019

Race One

With conditions only marginally better, from the rolling start Ramm managed to out drag Clarke Jnr; around the outside of Redgate in the Class D battle to take the lead. Colin Philpott also made an excellent start moving up two places from eighth to be wheel to wheel with fellow championship contender Chris Boon, the Powerbell XJS getting past at McLeans and leading the Cov Cats XK8 into Coppice. Lap four saw Holt moving up through the field in the Class C X300 and onto the back of Michael Seabourne’s Class B XJ40. In an excellent Class A race Simon Dunford’s XJS was holding a charging Dean Sewell until Dunford got the car a little sideways at Coppice allowing Sewell’s XJ6 to carry greater speed through the bend the Yorkshireman taking advantage down Starkey’s straight.

Ramm had opened a two second lead on Clarke Jnr; by lap seven but an unfortunate error at the Old Hairpin by the latter saw the XJS beached in the gravel trap handing Ramm a comfortable overall victory and Class D win. Butterfield brought home the West Riding XJC second and first in Class C for saloon drive of the day in an unfamiliar car. Philpott keeping championship hopes just alive in third coming through from eighth, closely followed by Holt from the very back of the grid to fourth and second in Class C. Boon solidified his championship position with another Class B win and surely with his best drive of the season Sewell collected Class A honours. GT drive of the day went James Ramm for his masterclass drive in the wet.

Race Two

Glorious Sunday sunshine greeted the ‘Big Cats’ for our early afternoon race. After the ball drop for the front six Michael Holt found himself completely at the opposite end of the grid from Saturday and on pole with Lawrence Coppock’s Class D XJS alongside him. Off the line Coppock made a good start and led into Redgate for the first time but Philpott finding tremendous grip managed to drive around the outside of him to have the advantage into Craners, Butterfield also made a cracking start moving up to second into the Old Hairpin and pulling along Ramm with him into fourth. In the meantime, Sam Clarke Junior was making light of starting at the back of the grid with the XJS carving its way through the traffic and up to fifth by lap two. Lap three and Ramm who was now up to second made an outstanding overtake going into Coppice to pass Philpott to take the lead. An entertaining midfield battle was also taking place with Simon Lewis in the Class B X300, Tim Morrant in Howard Kirkham’s Class B XJ40, Nick Strong in the ex-Butterfield Class C XJS, Sewell’s Class A XJ6 and Seabourne’s Class B XJ40 all fighting in close order. Off the back of this pack Rick Walker’s stunning XJ6 was firing flames from the exhaust on each lift off, Rick who damaged his XJS qualifying on Saturday bravely returned on Sunday with the XJ6. Lap eight saw Clarke Jnr; come through and close onto the back of Philpott’s XJS in the battle for second while Ramm had extended the lead out to nine seconds. A mistake by Roger Webster on lap nine saw his Class B X300 end up in the gravel and consequently the chequered flag coming out early on lap ten which to the relief of Philpott saw him hang on to second from Clarke Jnr; Butterfield coming home forth to take Class C, Boon sixth winning Class B and securing the championship in the XK8, Dean Sewell sewing up Class A with a second class win of the weekend. Sam Clarke Junior collected GT drive of the day for his charge through the field and Dean Sewell Saloon drive of the day holding off many higher-powered cars. Congratulations go to our new Champion and Class B winner Chris Boon, Class A season winner Dean Sewell, Class C season winner Michael Holt and Class D season winner Colin Philpott.

Race One Results

Race Two Results