JD Classics is celebrating an incredible 1-2 finish in the Jaguar Heritage Challenge race at Brands Hatch.

• JD Classics is celebrating an incredible one-two finish in the Jaguar Heritage Challenge race held at Brands Hatch this weekend
• The JD Classics-prepared lightweight racing E-Types driven by Chris Ward and John Young raced to a nail-biting finish
• The first and second place cars of JD Classics finished almost a minute ahead of the third place E-Type
• The JD Classics Competition Department is now busy preparing for Silverstone Classic

JD Classics completed a dominant one-two finish in the Jaguar Heritage Challenge race held at the Brands Hatch Superprix this weekend. The team’s expertly prepared lightweight E-Types, piloted by Chris Ward and John Young, crossed the finish line nearly a minute ahead of the third place car.  

This was the third round of the Jaguar Heritage Challenge, open to all pre-‘66 Jaguars, the pinnacle of which is the class contested by racing E-Types. JD Classics entered two of its most successful racers: ‘1196 WK’ driven by the team’s in-house racing driver, Chris Ward, and ’61 E’ driven by historic racer John Young.

Saturday morning’s qualifying session provided the first glimpse of the JD Classics cars’ pace, with Chris Ward setting successive fastest laps to put ‘1196 WK’ comfortably on pole. The first three cars on the grid were separated by just half a second, with ’61 E’ and John Young just behind in fourth position.

As the 40-minute race kicked off on Saturday afternoon both of the JD Classics E-Types started brilliantly, with John Young moving up to third place by heading around the outside of the pack through Paddock Hill. By Druids – the second corner of the track – ’61 E’ was sitting in second, just behind Chris Ward in ‘1196 WK’.

The two cars of JD Classics remained in a nail-biting battle for the lead until ’61 E’ pulled in for its compulsory pit stop, merging back in to the race in fourth position. As the cars ahead pulled in to the pit John Young regained second place, and Chris Ward in ‘1196 WK’ completed a flawless pit stop to maintain the lead.

But the race was far from over, as the two lightweight E-Types jostled for position, pulling away from the chasing pack and eventually finishing just under half-a-second apart. A spectacular race from both drivers saw the JD Classics E-Types finish almost a minute ahead of the next fastest car.

Derek Hood, JD Classics Managing Director, said: “This was a good old-fashioned race to the chequered flag; two excellent drivers getting the most from two brilliant race-bred machines. The fact both Chris and John were able to race so hard and be so consistently quick just shows the expertise and dedication of our engineers in the Competition Department.”

JD Classics’ legendary Ford Cologne Capri continues its winning ways with victories at the 2015 Spa Classic.

• JD Classics’ legendary Ford Cologne Capri continues its winning ways with a comprehensive victory at the 2015 Spa Classic
• The 1974 Ford chalked up impressive victories in the past year, including at the Silverstone Classic and Donington Historic Festival
• A dominant performance saw the Capri win both legs of the Heritage Touring Cup by 40 seconds and 30 seconds respectively

JD Classics’ Ford Cologne Capri has chalked up another comprehensive victory following a dominant season of racing in 2014. In the past twelve months, it has conquered its rivals at the Silverstone Classic and Donington Historic Festival.

As the 1974 Cologne Capri Works arrived at a warm and dry Spa Francorchamps circuit in Belgium, its drivers Chris Ward and Andrew Smith prepared for qualifying in the Heritage Touring Cup. Of a field of 38 strong contenders, the JD Classics Capri qualified second, sitting just behind the Rover Vitesse of Tim Summers and Richard Meaden.

But the work wasn’t over, with the night time practice session looming. Complete with an all-new lighting system, and never having run in the dark before, the Ford Cologne Capri showed just how dominant it can be, recording a lap that was six seconds quicker than any other in the field.

The following day was the first of two hour-long Heritage Touring Cup races, with driver Andrew Smith sitting on the grid behind the wheel of the Ford. At lights out, the JD Classics car’s searing pace was immediately obvious as the Rover ahead struggled to maintain its lead. By the time the cars were approaching the notoriously tricky Eau Rouge corner on lap one, the Ford Cologne Capri was in the lead.

And once in front, the Capri’s consistently quick lap times allowed it to pull out a lead that made it uncatchable. As the gap to second place lengthened, the JD Classics team called the Capri in for a pit stop, with time to give the car a once-over and allow Chris Ward to step in to the driver’s seat. By the time the chequered flag had fallen, the Capri had claimed fastest lap of the race and was 40 seconds ahead of second place – the Ford Capri of Steve Dance.

Later the same day, the JD Classics Capri headed out for the second of the Heritage Touring Cup races – an hour-long sprint in the dark, kicking off at 10pm.

Sitting on pole, the Capri extended its lead from the very first lap, but dropped to second as the team performed a pit stop and driver change with the safety car out. Nevertheless, the first-place Capri of Steve Dance couldn’t hold the lead for long, and before the out lap was through, the JD Classics Capri was back in the lead. Free to extend its lead once again, the Capri crossed the finish line 30 seconds ahead of its closest rival, showing no signs of interrupting its impressive winning streak.

JD Classics founder, Derek Hood, said: “The race results of our Ford Cologne Capri Works are a testament to the world-class engineers, drivers and support crew that make up our Competition Department. Its track record is seriously impressive and we believe there’s plenty more to come from this fantastic car.”