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Tuthill Porsche clients enjoyed a reliable weekend at the recent 76th Goodwood Members’ Meeting. Despite freezing temperatures, with snow covering the car park and continuing to fall during some of the practice sessions, both of the cars we were supporting on the event had a trouble-free run from flag to flag, with a Tuthill-built 2-litre coming home as first 911.
David Clark’s delightful Porsche 904 Carrera GTS was one of eight 904s entered for the Ronnie Hoare Trophy: a celebration of pre-1966 historic racing. 1966 was the year when Goodwood was closed down for thirty years, as the owners did not want to modify the circuit layout with safety chicanes to control the ever-increasing top speeds.
James Cottingham set the pace in qualifying, taking his 904 to a lap time more than one second ahead of closest challenger: Vincent Gaye in the 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/C. The polesitter was over five seconds ahead of the closest 904: a substantial difference on such a short circuit. Behind the Ferrari came the lightweight Morgan SLR, then a trio of 911s – Ambrogio Perfetti, Mark Sumpter and Mark Bates – then the two 904s of Afschin Fatemi and David Clark. The five 911s and 904s were covered by four-tenths of a second, which set the scene for a very close race.
Cottingham never relinquished track position, taking the overall win after 13 laps. The Morgan and Ferrari rounded out the podium, with Mark Bates’ 1965 911, which was built here at Wardington and runs our latest spec engine, coming home fourth overall and highest-placed 911. Mark’s excellent result came after a magnificent battle with Ambrogio Perfetti through the early laps that ended when Perfetti spun off the track whilst under tremendous pressure from Bates.
David finished sixth overall – first of the chasing pack of 904s – and James came home in P17. Finishing inside the top twenty was a satisfying debut for this brand new car, which also runs our latest-spec flat six.
The silver 904 and Irish Green 911 have now returned to Wardington, where they will be prepared for further racing this year. The 904 is heading for the Modena Cento Ore, while the Irish Green 911 will be part of our grand assault on the 2L Cup with Peter Auto, in which no fewer than eight Tuthill Porsche 2-litres are taking part. More on that later.
Photo by Mark Gussin – reproduced with kind permission
