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.”

Round Two of the Jaguar heritage Challenge saw some great racing.

• Martin Melling and Graeme Dodd win the second round of the Jaguar Heritage Challenge
• Lead changed hands on several occasions with Race 1 winners Andrew Kirkaldy and Martin O’Connell setting the early pace
• Commentators’ ‘Driver of the Day’ awarded to Harry Wyndham in his 1962 E-type
• Round three commences at Brands Hatch between 11-12 July
• Entrants and drivers can visit a dedicated web page for the new series at http://www.hscc.org.uk/jaguar-heritage-challenge for full details and information on how to enter

The pairing of Martin Melling and Graeme Dodd took the chequered flag at the second race of the Jaguar Heritage Challenge series at the Silverstone International Trophy at last weekend.

Melling and Dodd (Class E) driving their 1961 E-type, were pushed all the way to the finish line by four other competitive teams from the start – with the lead changing hands on several occasions. 

Andrew Kirkaldy and Martin O’Connell – winners of the inaugural Jaguar Heritage Challenge at Donington – set the early pace in their E-type up until the pitlane opened for the first driver change.

As the race wore on, Melling and Dodd stayed in the leading pack and began to establish a good rhythm.  After two retirements to rival cars fighting it out with the pair at the front of the field, they eventually crossed the line and take the top step on the podium.

Commenting on the race Grahame White, CEO of the Historic Sports Car Club, said: “Watching the race was tremendously entertaining as it was impossible to determine who would actually win the race up until the last corner. The Jaguar drivers made it yet another spectacular day of racing.”

The commentators’ ‘Driver of the Day’ went to Harry Wyndham who finished fourth overall.

The other class winners from the four other classes taking part in the Jaguar Heritage Challenge were Mark Donnor (Class A) driving a Jaguar XK120, 1988 Le Mans-winning driver Andy Wallace (Class B) in a MK1 saloon. Class C was won by the pair of Derek Weale and John Sykes in a C-type, while Bob Binfield in his E-type took Class D honours.

The third round of the Jaguar Heritage Challenge commences at Brands Hatch as part of the Brands Hatch Super Prix on 11-12 July, where the grid of Jaguar Heritage models will once again race wheel-to-wheel for overall honours.

For full regulations and details on how to enter the Jaguar Heritage Challenge Series visit

http://www.hscc.org.uk/jaguar-heritage-challenge

JD Classics celebrates successful Donington Historic Festival 2015.

• JD Classics takes two podium finishes and two pole positions at the 2015 Donington Historic Festival
• The team’s Costin Lister was driven from sixth on the grid to a second place finish
• In the new Jaguar Heritage Challenge, JD Classics’ E-type also raced to third in a strong field of pre-1966 Jaguars
• In a successful weekend of racing, the JD Classics team also posted two fastest laps in its Cooper T33 and Costin Lister
• JD Classics’ Bastos Rover SD1 and Cooper T33 both forced to retire from the lead following technical issues

JD Classics finished the Donington Historic Festival with two podiums, two pole positions and two fastest laps – despite technical difficulties forcing two of its entries to retire from leading positions.

Competing in the Stirling Moss Trophy for pre-1961 sports cars was JD Classics’ Costin Lister, which qualified well in sixth place at the hands of JD Classics’ own Chris Ward. 

A slight misfire prevented a higher qualifying position but with the car running smoothly for the race, the Costin Lister was in the lead by lap six, having posted the fastest lap of the race. 

With a time penalty for using just a single driver and a driver mistake while chasing the leader, the Costin eventually finished second.

In the newly created Jaguar Heritage Challenge event for pre-1966 Jaguars, JD Classics was competing in an E-type, again with Chris Ward at the wheel along with historic racing driver John Young. With a qualifying position of fifth, the team were in good shape for the race, and were dicing for the lead with two other E-types. 

At one point an oil spill forced all three cars off the track and the race was red-flagged. Following a driver change shortly after, the JD Classics’ E-type came home in third place.

JD Classics’ Bastos Rover SD1 was competing in the Historic Touring Car Challenge race, where former Touring Car driver, Steve Soper, drove it emphatically to pole position. 

As the race kicked off, the Bastos Rover began pulling away from the pack, looking set to dominate from the front. Unfortunately, though, it was forced to retire with technical issues before the chequered flag.

In the Woodcote Trophy, JD Classics’ entered its Cooper T33, which put in a brilliant qualifying time to take pole position more than six-tenths of a second ahead of the Aston Martin DB3S sitting in second. 

While sitting comfortably in the lead – and having posted a fastest lap of the race – the occasional puff of smoke in the corners hinted at a mechanical problem. With the car in the pits, the team were forced to retire the Cooper T33 with a head gasket failure.

Following its successes at Donington and at the 73^rd Goodwood Members’ Meeting earlier this year, JD Classics’ next challenge is to take on the gruelling Mille Miglia with a host of expertly prepared cars.

First race in the Jaguar heritage Challenge completed at Donington, and has been a huge success.

• Martin O’Connell and Andrew Kirkaldy driving Jaguar E-type take the chequered flag
• Pair of Joaquin Folch and Martin Stretton take second while Chris Ward and John Young finish third in one of the weekend’s most closely fought races
• Graeme Dodd chosen as the race commentators’ ‘Driver of the Day’
• Entrants and drivers can visit a dedicated web page for the new series at http://www.hscc.org.uk/jaguar-heritage-challenge for full details and information on how to enter
• Spectacular and diverse field of 39 heritage Jaguars on the starting grid
• Next race takes place at the Silverstone International Trophy between 16-17 May, 2015 

Martin O’Connell and Andrew Kirkaldy driving a Jaguar E-type have taken the chequered flag at the inaugural race of the Jaguar Heritage Challenge at the Donington Historic Festival.

In what proved to be one of the most closely fought races of the weekend, the lead changes on several occasions before a red flag brought a temporary halt to the action as marshals cleaned up the track following an earlier incident.

After the restart the Martin and Andrew got into a rhythm and began to stretch the lead out to eight seconds. The team managed to maintain this pace for the remainder of the race, and crossed the line ahead of second-place finishers of Joaquin Folch and Martin Stretton followed by the pair of Chris Ward and John Young who finished in third.

Winning driver, Martin O’Connell said: “We are delighted with the result but for us it is fabulous to see Jaguar get behind such an exciting series and the way they have put the package together is what historic racing is all about. There is such a competitive field and it makes for some incredibly close racing. Delighted with the result and we’re looking forward to the next round at Silverstone.”

Taking class honours were Chris Scholey and Nick Finburgh (Class A), Tom Barclay in his MK I (Class B), Benjamin Eastwick driving a Jaguar D-type 'Long Nose' (Class C) and Bob Binfield in a Jaguar E-type (Class D). Meanwhile, Graeme Dodd was chosen by the race commentators as their ‘Driver of the Day’ for a stellar drive and coming home fifth after starting near back of the grid.

John Edwards, Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations, said: “We’d like to congratulate Martin O’Connell and Andrew Kirkaldy and their team on their race victory in the first round of the Jaguar Heritage Challenge. It was captivating to witness such a diverse array of classic Jaguars competing out on the track and we are looking forward to welcoming the teams, our customers and fans to the next exciting round at Silverstone."

Andy Wallace, Jaguar Heritage Challenge competitor and 1988 Le Mans winner with Jaguar, said: “This has been a fantastic weekend and it’s been so exciting to race competitively with some of the most iconic Jaguars ever made. The brand gave me the opportunity and the car to win Le Mans and it’s always a special occasion to race a Jaguar.”

The Jaguar Heritage Challenge is open to all Jaguars manufactured before 1966 including the XK-series, C- and D-types, MK I and MK II saloons and E-type. It complements the growing portfolio of Jaguar Heritage activities, which also incudes the recently launched Jaguar Heritage Driving Experiences and factory sourced Heritage Parts and restoration – all under the expert direction of Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Operations division.

Following yesterday’s action at Donington, the single-marque series heads to Silverstone for the Silverstone International Trophy on 16 and 17 May, 2015.

The remaining dates for the Jaguar Heritage Race Series are as follows:

16^th– 17^th May: Silverstone International Trophy (GP Circuit)

11^th– 12^th July: Brands Hatch Super Prix (GP Circuit)

7^th– 9^th August: Nürburgring Oldtimer Grand Prix

29^th– 31^st August: Oulton Park Gold Cup 

Entrants and drivers can visit a dedicated web page for the new series at http://www.hscc.org.uk/jaguar-heritage-challenge for full details and information on how to enter.

Jaguar Heritage Race Series gets under way on may Bank Holiday Weekend.

• Jaguar Heritage division growing further with the launch of the Jaguar Heritage Challenge with the Historic Sports Car Club (HSCC)
• First race of inaugural Jaguar Heritage Challenge begins at Donington Historic festival on 4 May, 2015
• Exciting five-race series compliments growing portfolio of Jaguar Heritage activities, which already includes Jaguar Heritage Drives and factory-sourced Heritage Parts and restorations
• Top three consistent performers over the season in-line to win a stunning Bremont watches and Globetrotter luggage after final race in August
• Entrants and drivers can visit a dedicated web page for the new series at http://www.hscc.org.uk/jaguar-heritage-challenge for full details and information on how to enter

The inaugural race of the Jaguar Heritage Challenge 2015 is set to begin at the Donington Historic Festival over the May bank holiday weekend. The first race of the Jaguar Heritage Challenge – run with the Historic Sports Car Club (HSCC) – will feature a full field of 34 Jaguars including a 1957 MK I saloon driven by 1988 Le Mans winner, Andy Wallace.

The series is open to all Jaguars manufactured before 1966 including the XK-series, C- and D-types, MK I and MK II saloons and E-type. It complements the growing portfolio of Jaguar Heritage activities, which also incudes the recently launched Jaguar Heritage Driving Experiences and factory sourced Heritage Parts and restoration – all under the expert direction of Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Operations division.

John Edwards, Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations said: “We are extremely excited to welcome the drivers and fans of classic Jaguars to the very first race of the Heritage Challenge.

“Jaguar already has a long established tradition in appearing at the world’s foremost classic car celebrations including the Mille Miglia and Goodwood Revival and the Heritage Challenge is another exciting way in which the brand is celebrating its rich racing legacy.”

Graham White, CEO of the HSCC, said: “There is a tremendous affinity amongst the British public for classic Jaguars and the Jaguar Heritage Challenge is a fantastic addition to our 2015 racing calendar.”

The single-marque series will feature at five of the most high-profile historic festivals both in the UK and at the Nurburgring in Germany over the summer and the competitive series will see drivers competing in five different classes.

The top three most consistent drivers over the course of the season will be presented with a Bremont watch and Globetrotter luggage.

The dates for the Jaguar Heritage Race Series are as follows:

2^nd– 4^th May: Donington Historic Festival

16^th– 17^th May: Silverstone International (GP Circuit)

11^th– 12^thJuly: Brands Hatch Super Prix (GP Circuit)

7^th– 9^th August: Nürburgring Oldtimer Grand Prix

29^th– 31^st August: Oulton Park Gold Cup