Another good turnout of 500s joined the 750 Trophy cars at Oulton Park with the 750 Motor Club. The day was cloudy but not one drop of rain fell, making it a dry race, a welcome change! There were quite a few new boys to this wonderful circuit so practice was a learning experience. All made it round with few dramas, save for Kerry Horan's Trenberth which destroyed another piston. Darrel Woods' JAP was a little out of sorts but he would make the start. Chairman Challis managed several laps with his rear dragging along the road, until he was finally alerted to the loose bodywork. Mike Fowler, again in the Mk XI Norton, blitzed everyone with a 2:18.69 to take class pole and second overall followed by John Turner, in spite of a spin at Old Hall. Roy Hunt and Neil Hodges were third and fourth separated by only a tenth, with Nigel Ashman in fifth and James Holland sixth, both new to Oulton.

Mike, not paying attention to his pressures.

Team Turner in a mass fettle

Mike Fowler's domination continued in the race, after a slow getaway due to the wrong gear, he ran away and hid from the other 500s and had to play with the fastest Trophy cars until deciding to back off to ensure the points. This left John Turner in a slightly lonely second, well clear or Roy's Martin but, seeing little opportunity to catch Mike, he also backed off towards the end and would take second. James Holland had a good start and chased Roy Hunt for much of the race to finish a creditable fifth, followed by Nigel Ashman in the Mk VI. It was good to see Mike Bell, in his first full season, come home in seventh and for Darrell Woods' Creamer Kieft to finish.

Geoff Gartside (Cooper Mk VIII) and Roy Hunt (Martin)

Meanwhile, things hadn't started quite so well for Neil Hodges in his Mk VIII, the clutch failing as the car was started. He took the grid with everyone but, inevitably, had some difficulty selecting gear when the lights changed. By the time he had done so, the field were well gone and his first overtaking manoeuvres consisted of the tow truck (Old Hall) and safety car (Cascades).  By the end of lap one he'd taken four cars, another six on lap two and so on. By the finish, he would overtake a total of seventeen cars to finally claim third place ahead of Roy Hunt. All bar Geoff Gartside (engine) finished.

Classified Finishers

The Coopers of Mike Fowler and John Turner