From Esports glory to on-track promise: Lucas Blakeley
Reigning Formula 1 Esports champion Lucas Blakeley shone after making a return to Formula Ford competition at Silverstone last weekend with leading outfit Kevin Mills Racing.
The 21-year-old, who famously defeated Sebastian Vettel in a heat at the 2022 Race of Champions, held his own in United FFord against experienced counterparts.
Having competed in two rounds of Scottish FF1600 last year in a Graham Brunton Racing-owned Ray, Blakeley quickly adapted to the KMR Spectrum, leading all but two laps of the opening contest before finishing third. His challenge was cut short in race two after a nudge from behind caused him to crash into the pitwall, but he was nonetheless happy with the weekend.
“I’m just grateful to be here, excited to be driving a race car, something I thought I’d never do,” said Blakeley, who will also take part in this weekend’s National FF1600 opener at Oulton Park. “Now I have that opportunity, I’m grabbing it, trying to make the most of it.”
Ex-Moss machine: HWM Alta-Jaguar
A 1950 works car raced by marque co-founders George Abecassis and John Heath, Stirling Moss (who won at Castle Combe), Lance Macklin and Rudi Fischer debuted at Goodwood last weekend.
Oscar Moore acquired the car for 1951, registering it XMC 34. With Terry Grainger from 1965, it was entered in hillclimbs with Jaguar power for Georgina Baillie-Hill and Gillian Fortescue-Thomas.
Bobby Verdon-Roe was behind the wheel at Goodwood, qualifying on pole for the Tony Gaze Trophy contest although it only completed two laps of the race.
Pikes Peak tribute: Oakland-Romano
Intrepid young American John Romano claimed a $2000 purse for winning the 1916 Pikes Peak hillclimb in Colorado with a unique special powered by a Curtiss OX-5 V8 aero engine.
British craftsman Mick Sharpe built this charismatic tribute on an Oakland chassis, then sold it to vintage ace James Baxter of Tip Top Engineering.
Overgeared, Baxter - who finished third in the opening SF Edge Trophy race at Goodwood last weekend - didn’t need third in the Hudson ’box, not reaching 1900rpm in second!
Ex-BTCC racer to Sports 1000: Chris James
Former British Touring Car Championship driver Chris James made his full-season return to racing in the 750 Motor Club’s Sports 1000 Championship at Croft last weekend.
James, who competed in a Chevrolet Lacetti and Vauxhall Vectra during the 2011 and 2012 BTCC seasons, had a difficult debut in a Rotor.
Gearbox issues hampered the car in qualifying and a lack of engine power meant the car was uncompetitive in the races. His best result was 20th.
Scots in sync: Clubs unite at Knockhill
For the first time in their combined history, the Knockhill Motor Sports Club and the Scottish Motor Racing Club raced together on the same bill, as the 'Best of Scottish Racing' weekend kicked off the 2023 season in style.
Headlining the two-day meeting was the popular Scottish Legends Championship, which held a double-header across both days, while the KMSC's SuperLap Scotland time trial and the Modsports Championship also produced entertainment.
The centrepiece to the meeting was the Armed Forces and NHS Appreciation Weekend, which offered free entry to any serving or veteran member of the Armed Forces and NHS employees.
A local pipe band, the Dunfermline and District Scots, performed during the public grid walk before the second Modsports race.
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