Freddie March Memorial Race

Wood Claims emotional victory in Freddie March Memorial Trophy race

Terry Wood bought Saturday’s programme to a close with victory in the Freddie March Memorial Trophy race for early ’50s sports-racing cars. For much of the running pole-sitter James Cottingham appeared set for victory aboard his father David’s Ferrari 857S, but the 20-something pole-sitter suffered the cruellest of luck in the closing stages.

At the start it was Nick Wigley in Flavien Marcais’ Cooper-Jaguar who led, maintaining a small gap over Cottingham as Wood’s RGS Atalanta and Derek Hood’s Cooper-Jaguar gave chase with former BTCC man Patrick Watts a few seconds down in his Allard J2 in fifth. Wood and Hood had a brief moment at the kink before St Mary’s four laps in which allowed Watts to gain two places which he would lose at the same spot once backmarkers came into play.

Cottingham got a better exit to the chicane at the end of the fourth lap to out-drag Wigley. He proceeded to build up a healthy lead with Wigley gamely clinging on before his car’s engine let go at St Mary’s on the twelfth lap. Cottingham appeared set for victory ahead of the recovering Wood and Watts with former Group C2 racer Nick Adams keeping a watching brief in Adrian Hall’s ex-Mike Anthony Lotus MkX. But at 20 minutes into the 25 minute race, Cottingham’s pace began to slacken: on the penultimate tour he headed into the pit, which left Wood to claim an emotional win from Adams and Watts.