Oulton Park – Gold Cup

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Date/Time
Date(s) - 25/08/2014
8:00 am - 6:30 pm

Location
Oulton Park Circuit

Categories


Gold Cup Celebrates 60th anniversary in August

Reinvented in 2002 as a celebration of motor racing’s history, the Gold Cup’s uniquely rich and varied heritage features legendary cars and drivers. This colourful past will be recalled on and off the track this August.
The Oulton Park International Gold Cup began its life as a non-championship Formula One event in 1954, with Stirling Moss winning in a Maserati, a result he would repeat the following year. Moss would go on to win the trophy a further three times, doing so for the last time in 1961 behind the wheel of a Ferguson P99, to date the only victory for a four-wheel-drive car in a race run to F1 regulations.

Another notable performer during the early years of the Gold Cup was the late Sir Jack Brabham, who first won the event in a Cooper Formula 2 car in 1957. The Australian legend would record a further three victories at the Cheshire circuit’s signature event in 1964, 1966, and 1967, each time at the wheel of a car built by his own eponymous team.

World Champion drivers Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, John Surtees and Denny Hulme also tasted success at the Oulton Park Gold Cup, adding to the illustrious roll of honour.

From 1973 to 1975 the Gold Cup was run for Formula 5000 cars, a period which will be revisited at this year’s event in the Derek Bell Trophy. Ian Ashley was victorious at the event in 1974 and he has been competing in a F5000 March this year, so he will be aiming repeat his triumph, 40 years on. David Purley (pictured above) was another notable winner during the F5000 years.

During the late-80s the event focused on Thundersports sports cars, with former circuit owner John Foulston winning the event three times alongside John Brindley in a Lola-Chevrolet.

For two years the Gold Cup was awarded at a British Touring Car Championship round, during the series’ Super Touring glory days. Joachim Winkelhock collected the trophy in both 1993 and 1994 in a BMW. Super Tourers return to the Gold Cup this year, with period competitors John Cleland (Vauxhall Vectra) and Patrick Watts (Peugeot 406) both likely to compete.

This year’s event will welcome touring cars, GTs, sports-prototypes, and single-seaters from the past to celebrate the 60 years of Gold Cup competition. In addition to an extensive HSCC programme there will be a guest appearance from Fiscar, in which 1950s sports cars similar to those raced at the 1958 Gold Cup will compete.

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