Modified Ford Series Silverstone International 8th October 2023
I was unfortunately unable to attend the Modified Ford Series' 2023 season finale at Silverstone on the 8th of October after a bout of Covid-19 but I compiled the following report using my pre-event notes, TSL-Timing.com's live timing page, the BRSCC YouTube livestream and a few of the posted in-car videos.
DAVIES DOUBLES UP IN COLOSSAL COSWORTH CLASH
The Modified Ford Series‘ 2023 season came to a close at Silverstone on Sunday the 8th of October, using the International version of the circuit. An over-subscribed entry was received, with 46 cars contesting qualifying for 44 grid spots. Dave Cockell’s brawny Escort Cosworth from Class SA is a fixture at the top of the timesheet whenever it competes but the 700bhp machine faced Jason Davies’s much-developed Class A Sapphire for the first time in the battle for overall glory. After his impressive showing at Lydden Hill, Luke Bennett’s ‘Taunus’ V8 Eurocar hoped to be there or thereabouts too. Piers Warwick was back with the turbocharged Nissan-powered Mk1 Escort and reserve Malcolm Wise made it onto the grid with his Escort Cosworth. Ashley Shelswell’s V6 Sierra and Alan Breck’s Capri V8 faced a pack of turbocars in Class A. James Allen’s fleet Focus RS was joined by Rory Jose’ rebuilt pink ST example, after the car was badly damaged during the opening race of the season way back in March, plus Ralph Higson’s Mk1 Turbo. Lloyd Jamieson hadn’t sorted his engine woes on the Escort Maxi Cosworth 4x4 so wheeled out a potent Mk1 Focus Turbo instead. The Sierra Cosworths entered saw David Matthias’ Trakstar replica RS500 facing 2023 race winner Steve Scott-Dunwoodie, Brian Lilley and Sean Fairweather. Scott Matthias also put in an entry with his Sapphire Cosworth, along with the Martini-liveried 2WD Escort Cosworth of Mike Head. Jason Davies’ incredibly quick Sapphire Cosworth would likely be the pacesetter in the class and would go head-to-head with Cockell’s Escort Cosworth for overall victory. A stunning entry was received in Class B+, headed by the Mk2 Escorts of Piers Grange, Malcolm Harding - the car now sporting a taller rear wing, series founder Paul Nevill, Laki Christoforou, Neil Argrave and Nigel Craig. Kester Cook and David Guthrie went into bat for the Ecoboost Fiestas, whilst some retro flavour was provided by Wayne Crabtree’s Mk1 Escort, Josh Payton’s Cortina Mk2 and Steve Goldsmith’s turbocharged Anglia. Further entrants in the class included the Mk6 Fiestas of Tim Sandhu and Dan Cowan, whilst Fiesta ST240 championship regulars Adam Clark, Caitlin May and Simon Horrobin got some extra track time. The Escorts of Chris Baker (Mk3) and Mike Thurley (Mk1) were the likely Class B pacesetters among the nine cars in the field. Aaron Tucker wheeled out his smart 2.3 Pinto-powered three-door Sierra and Harry Hardy’s giant-killing 2-litre Puma would try to run with the class front runners, especially if it rains, Sam Shimwell and Mac McCarthy’s Fiestas plus Paul Solbe and Adam Underhill's Focus Mk1s completed the original entry, whilst reserve Gary Johnson made it into the field late in the day with his beautiful Escort Mk1. The ever-battling Fiestas of Jimmy Neophytou and Dave Barrett had the rapid Mk6 Fiesta of Alex Boam to contend with for Class C glory, Kevan Hadfield’s Puma completed the lineup.
Qualifying: As expected, the two flying Cosworths headed the timesheet after the fifteen-minute session. Steve Scott-Dunwoodie drew first blood and set a 1:17.534 to head Piers Grange’s Mk2 Escort, the pair then improved on their second flyers with the Sierra setting a 1:15.982 to head Grange by just 0.120 seconds. After a steady start, Davies lit the blue touch paper to go top with a 1:14.253 on his second flying lap. Scott-Dunwoodie improved to 1:14.663 the next time around before Davies smashed in 1:11.605 to move further ahead on provisional pole. Scott-Dunwoodie followed up with another improvement to head Davies’ chasers on a 1:12.901. Dave Cockell’s Escort Cosworth had started the session quietly but leapt up to fourth after eight minutes on a 1:13.640 to slot in behind Scott-Dunwoodie’s RS500, as Ashley Shelswell went second with a 1:12 817. Cockell then went second on his next lap, setting a 1:11.994 to move just over 3/10ths away from pole. That was as close as the Escort Cosworth would get as Davies improved to a 1:10.819 with four minutes left and his next lap was just 0.001 seconds slower! Cockell then pitted with two and a half minutes left, content with his time. Davies moved the pole position goalposts again with one minute left, ripping out a 1:09.690 to snare the top spot from Cockell by 2.304 seconds. David Matthias moved up to third late in the session aboard his Robb Gravett replica RS500 from Shelswell and Scott-Dunwoodie. Another late improvement moved Malcolm Harding’s Mk2 Escort to the top of the Class B+ runners in sixth overall by 0.314 seconds from Grange and Kester Cook, whose Ecoboost Fiesta sat only another 0.114 seconds adrift. James Allen’s Focus RS from Class A and Laki Christoforou’s B+ Mk2 Escort completed the top ten. Returnee Rory Jose’ rebuilt Focus ST set the eleventh best time and started beside the RS2000 of Paul Nevill. Chris Baker was fastest of the Class B runners in nineteenth by 0.969 seconds from Harry Hardy’s Puma, with Mike Thurley’s Mk1 Escort in third. Sandwiched between the second and third Class B runners sat Alex Boam’s Fiesta that headed Class C in 28th, 3.577 seconds clear of Jimmy Neophytou and Dave Barrett’s Fiestas.
Race One: Race one was to be an eagerly anticipated clash of the Cosworths as 2022 Classic Thunder pace-setter Jason Davies’ Sapphire took the fight to Dave Cockell’s muscular 4x4 Escort. Cockell blasted ahead into Abbey at the rolling start but Davies retook the lead into Village for the first time. However, Cockell ended lap one back ahead after using the Escort Cosworth’s ‘longer legs’ down the Hangar Straight. Davies was soon in front again, repeating his opening lap move at Village on lap two but Cockell had stayed with the flying Sapphire as both set a searing pace on lap three, lapping in the 1:09s. Davies was able to take his lead out to over one second on the fourth tour before edging slowly clear thereafter, holding a 2.553-second margin with two minutes left. However, a late yellow flag for Malcolm Wise’ Escort Cosworth stopped at Stowe whilst the leaders were among lapped traffic had brought the pair back together and they were separated by just 0.931 seconds going on to the last lap. Whilst doing his utmost to stay close to the Sapphire, Cockell ran slightly wide onto the Hangar Straight and cost himself the chance to use the Escort’s power advantage down to Stowe so Davies eventually won by 1.454 seconds and the Welsman lapped just 0.006 seconds slower than his fastest lap last time around to seal the deal. Behind the Cosworths at the head of the field, the fast-starting Mk2 Escort of Malcolm Harding had been hassling the David Matthias and Ashley Shelswell pair initially, whilst Steve Scott Dunwoodie held off Piers Grange’s Mk2 Escort after losing out to Harding on lap one. The Matthias and Shelswell Sierras settled into third and fourth places respectively in the early stages until Shelswell’s XR4i pulled off just before Stowe on the fifth lap, which meant the Mk2 Escort of Malcolm Harding was promoted into fourth as a result from Scott-Dunwoodie, Grange, Laki Christoforou and Kester Cook - the Fiesta headed Christoforou early on before the Millington-powered Mk2 moved through on lap two with a move that started into Stowe and finished down towards Vale. Matthias’ stunning Trakstar Sierra eventually took a lonely third, some 23.579 seconds back from Cockell. Scott-Dunwoodie put a last-lap pass on Harding for fourth, the Mk2 Escort finishing on his bootlid to win Class B+ in fifth as Grange’s similar car completed the top six. Christoforou took seventh and Paul Nevill eighth, having got by Cook’s Fiesta at Village on lap six. Cook stayed close to the RS2000 to finish ninth and Josh Payton’s Cortina rounded out the top ten as Class B+ cars filled fifth to tenth places. Payton had been forced to borrow an alternator after his own unit failed in qualifying. Chris Baker won Class B in fourteenth overall, having battled through a fight with the Caitlin May, Adam Clark and Simon Horrobin Fiesta ST240s, second qualifier Harry Hardy hit trouble on the formation lap in his Puma and started from the rear but lasted four laps before retiring. Third starter Mike Thurley and Aaron Tucker’s Sierra also wouldn’t reach the chequered flag, Gary Johnson’s Mk1 Escort took second with Sam Shimwell’s Fiesta in third. Alex Boam won Class C in 23rd with his 1600cc Fiesta, whilst Dave Barrett’s MTS Motorsport Fiesta just defeated Jimmy Neophytou’s Mk1 Fiesta for second as their year-long struggle continued.
Race Two: A number of competitors were unable to start the final race of the season but a very healthy field of 38 cars lined up for one last race and made a superb sight as they ran in formation down the Hangar Straight leading up to the start. A promised Jason Davies vs Dave Cockell rematch from Race One got off to a promising start as Cockell’s Escort outdragged Davies’ Sapphire into Abbey for the first time but Davies was quickly back ahead at Village. Davies had opened a 1.669-second lead by the end of lap one, before setting the race’s fastest lap of 1:09.454 on the second tour to open out a lead of 3.199 seconds. Davies moved inexorably clear of Cockell as the race progressed, lapped traffic helping the Sapphire run 11.098 seconds away up the road with six minutes left. Davies eased his pace late on to win by 7.421 seconds from Cockell, who set a 1:10.154 best lap as he recovered some of the lost ground. Battling in their wake, Steve Scott-Dunwoodie charged up the outside into third towards Abbey at the rolling start but had fallen back behind David Matthias and the tussling Malcolm Harding, Piers Grange and Laki Christoforou Mk2 Escorts by Village. Scott-Dunwoodie swiftly repassed Christoforou for sixth down the Hangar Straight, whilst Josh Payton’s Mk2 Cortina went around the outside of Kester Cook’s Fiesta at Vale to end the opening lap in ninth behind Paul Nevill’s RS2000, having been pushed out into the first corner run-off by the sliding Cook Fiesta. Cook also lost out to Luke Bennett’s V8 Eurocar starting lap two after the Fiesta ruined its run onto the Hamilton Straight by clipping the sausage kerb on the inside of Club, the Fiesta wasted little time in repassing Bennett and took the place back at Village. Just ahead of the Fiesta, Payton battled ahead of Nevill through the Vale/Club sequence to take eighth ending the second lap. Not far behind these two lurked Cook and when Nevill ran wide at Abbey on the fifth lap, the RS2000 just fended the Fiesta off at Village. Matthias’ Sierra maintained third place throughout the opening ten minutes but the tied-together Mk2 Escorts of Harding and Grange weren’t far away. Grange passed Harding in traffic on lap eight and Scott-Dunwoodie also demoted Harding into Stowe before Mk2 Escort fought back through Club, Harding running a smaller wing in this encounter. The two Sierra and Mk2 Escort squabbles paired off as Grange took third from Matthias at Abbey on lap ten, whilst Scott-Dunwoodie fended off Harding. Matthias was forced to defend his fourth place from Scott-Dunwoodie’s similar car at Vale with a minute and a half to go before Harding drove up inside of Scott-Dunwoodie through Club but the RS500 powered back ahead along the Hamilton Straight as they started the penultimate tour. Class B+ victor Grange took the flag in third overall as the group containing Matthias, Scott-Dunwoodie and Harding was covered by 2.118 seconds. Christoforou just beat Payton for seventh after traffic brought the pair together around half distance, Payton got under the Millington Escort at Village for the ninth time and the Cortina got away for a lap or two until Christoforou made amends with a couple of big laps to pass Payton last time around but one. Cook and Nevill also got involved with the two red cars but made contact at Village, without inflicting damage, which dropped them away. Nevill had led Cook until the Fiesta dived ahead into Vale ending lap nine but Nevill reclaimed the spot on the following lap down into Stowe. Cook took ninth spot for good at Village on the penultimate lap, after a wayward couple of corners from Nevill gave the Fiesta a run at the RS2000. Luke Bennett’s V8 Eurocar claimed eleventh, whilst race one retiree Rory Jose climbed to twelfth from 33rd. Jose had an auxiliary belt break just after halfway through the opening race when running in tenth, the pink Focus had climbed to seventeenth after lap three, taken the Class B leader Chris Baker for fourteenth on lap six and had reached eleventh after ten minutes before slipping back to twelfth at the finish. Chris Baker’s Mk3 Escort took another Class B victory in fifteenth, one spot ahead of Steve Goldsmith’s recovering Anglia which had started 38th after an opening race puncture. Harry Hardy took second in Class B and Gary Johnson’s Mk1 Escort came home in third. Alex Boam took his second Class C win of the day in 22nd as Dave Barrett again defeated Jimmy Neophytou, Boam was crowned series winner for 2023 after taking multiple Class C victories throughout the season.
That brought another successful year for the Modified Ford Series to an end, with 2024 set to continue in the same vein as more exciting projects come to fruition. The calendar for 2024 was recently unveiled, with the journey starting again at Silverstone on the 16th/17th of March and finishing with an October trip to MSV’s Navarra circuit in Spain.
DAVIES DOUBLES UP IN COLOSSAL COSWORTH CLASH
The Modified Ford Series‘ 2023 season came to a close at Silverstone on Sunday the 8th of October, using the International version of the circuit. An over-subscribed entry was received, with 46 cars contesting qualifying for 44 grid spots. Dave Cockell’s brawny Escort Cosworth from Class SA is a fixture at the top of the timesheet whenever it competes but the 700bhp machine faced Jason Davies’s much-developed Class A Sapphire for the first time in the battle for overall glory. After his impressive showing at Lydden Hill, Luke Bennett’s ‘Taunus’ V8 Eurocar hoped to be there or thereabouts too. Piers Warwick was back with the turbocharged Nissan-powered Mk1 Escort and reserve Malcolm Wise made it onto the grid with his Escort Cosworth. Ashley Shelswell’s V6 Sierra and Alan Breck’s Capri V8 faced a pack of turbocars in Class A. James Allen’s fleet Focus RS was joined by Rory Jose’ rebuilt pink ST example, after the car was badly damaged during the opening race of the season way back in March, plus Ralph Higson’s Mk1 Turbo. Lloyd Jamieson hadn’t sorted his engine woes on the Escort Maxi Cosworth 4x4 so wheeled out a potent Mk1 Focus Turbo instead. The Sierra Cosworths entered saw David Matthias’ Trakstar replica RS500 facing 2023 race winner Steve Scott-Dunwoodie, Brian Lilley and Sean Fairweather. Scott Matthias also put in an entry with his Sapphire Cosworth, along with the Martini-liveried 2WD Escort Cosworth of Mike Head. Jason Davies’ incredibly quick Sapphire Cosworth would likely be the pacesetter in the class and would go head-to-head with Cockell’s Escort Cosworth for overall victory. A stunning entry was received in Class B+, headed by the Mk2 Escorts of Piers Grange, Malcolm Harding - the car now sporting a taller rear wing, series founder Paul Nevill, Laki Christoforou, Neil Argrave and Nigel Craig. Kester Cook and David Guthrie went into bat for the Ecoboost Fiestas, whilst some retro flavour was provided by Wayne Crabtree’s Mk1 Escort, Josh Payton’s Cortina Mk2 and Steve Goldsmith’s turbocharged Anglia. Further entrants in the class included the Mk6 Fiestas of Tim Sandhu and Dan Cowan, whilst Fiesta ST240 championship regulars Adam Clark, Caitlin May and Simon Horrobin got some extra track time. The Escorts of Chris Baker (Mk3) and Mike Thurley (Mk1) were the likely Class B pacesetters among the nine cars in the field. Aaron Tucker wheeled out his smart 2.3 Pinto-powered three-door Sierra and Harry Hardy’s giant-killing 2-litre Puma would try to run with the class front runners, especially if it rains, Sam Shimwell and Mac McCarthy’s Fiestas plus Paul Solbe and Adam Underhill's Focus Mk1s completed the original entry, whilst reserve Gary Johnson made it into the field late in the day with his beautiful Escort Mk1. The ever-battling Fiestas of Jimmy Neophytou and Dave Barrett had the rapid Mk6 Fiesta of Alex Boam to contend with for Class C glory, Kevan Hadfield’s Puma completed the lineup.
Qualifying: As expected, the two flying Cosworths headed the timesheet after the fifteen-minute session. Steve Scott-Dunwoodie drew first blood and set a 1:17.534 to head Piers Grange’s Mk2 Escort, the pair then improved on their second flyers with the Sierra setting a 1:15.982 to head Grange by just 0.120 seconds. After a steady start, Davies lit the blue touch paper to go top with a 1:14.253 on his second flying lap. Scott-Dunwoodie improved to 1:14.663 the next time around before Davies smashed in 1:11.605 to move further ahead on provisional pole. Scott-Dunwoodie followed up with another improvement to head Davies’ chasers on a 1:12.901. Dave Cockell’s Escort Cosworth had started the session quietly but leapt up to fourth after eight minutes on a 1:13.640 to slot in behind Scott-Dunwoodie’s RS500, as Ashley Shelswell went second with a 1:12 817. Cockell then went second on his next lap, setting a 1:11.994 to move just over 3/10ths away from pole. That was as close as the Escort Cosworth would get as Davies improved to a 1:10.819 with four minutes left and his next lap was just 0.001 seconds slower! Cockell then pitted with two and a half minutes left, content with his time. Davies moved the pole position goalposts again with one minute left, ripping out a 1:09.690 to snare the top spot from Cockell by 2.304 seconds. David Matthias moved up to third late in the session aboard his Robb Gravett replica RS500 from Shelswell and Scott-Dunwoodie. Another late improvement moved Malcolm Harding’s Mk2 Escort to the top of the Class B+ runners in sixth overall by 0.314 seconds from Grange and Kester Cook, whose Ecoboost Fiesta sat only another 0.114 seconds adrift. James Allen’s Focus RS from Class A and Laki Christoforou’s B+ Mk2 Escort completed the top ten. Returnee Rory Jose’ rebuilt Focus ST set the eleventh best time and started beside the RS2000 of Paul Nevill. Chris Baker was fastest of the Class B runners in nineteenth by 0.969 seconds from Harry Hardy’s Puma, with Mike Thurley’s Mk1 Escort in third. Sandwiched between the second and third Class B runners sat Alex Boam’s Fiesta that headed Class C in 28th, 3.577 seconds clear of Jimmy Neophytou and Dave Barrett’s Fiestas.
Race One: Race one was to be an eagerly anticipated clash of the Cosworths as 2022 Classic Thunder pace-setter Jason Davies’ Sapphire took the fight to Dave Cockell’s muscular 4x4 Escort. Cockell blasted ahead into Abbey at the rolling start but Davies retook the lead into Village for the first time. However, Cockell ended lap one back ahead after using the Escort Cosworth’s ‘longer legs’ down the Hangar Straight. Davies was soon in front again, repeating his opening lap move at Village on lap two but Cockell had stayed with the flying Sapphire as both set a searing pace on lap three, lapping in the 1:09s. Davies was able to take his lead out to over one second on the fourth tour before edging slowly clear thereafter, holding a 2.553-second margin with two minutes left. However, a late yellow flag for Malcolm Wise’ Escort Cosworth stopped at Stowe whilst the leaders were among lapped traffic had brought the pair back together and they were separated by just 0.931 seconds going on to the last lap. Whilst doing his utmost to stay close to the Sapphire, Cockell ran slightly wide onto the Hangar Straight and cost himself the chance to use the Escort’s power advantage down to Stowe so Davies eventually won by 1.454 seconds and the Welsman lapped just 0.006 seconds slower than his fastest lap last time around to seal the deal. Behind the Cosworths at the head of the field, the fast-starting Mk2 Escort of Malcolm Harding had been hassling the David Matthias and Ashley Shelswell pair initially, whilst Steve Scott Dunwoodie held off Piers Grange’s Mk2 Escort after losing out to Harding on lap one. The Matthias and Shelswell Sierras settled into third and fourth places respectively in the early stages until Shelswell’s XR4i pulled off just before Stowe on the fifth lap, which meant the Mk2 Escort of Malcolm Harding was promoted into fourth as a result from Scott-Dunwoodie, Grange, Laki Christoforou and Kester Cook - the Fiesta headed Christoforou early on before the Millington-powered Mk2 moved through on lap two with a move that started into Stowe and finished down towards Vale. Matthias’ stunning Trakstar Sierra eventually took a lonely third, some 23.579 seconds back from Cockell. Scott-Dunwoodie put a last-lap pass on Harding for fourth, the Mk2 Escort finishing on his bootlid to win Class B+ in fifth as Grange’s similar car completed the top six. Christoforou took seventh and Paul Nevill eighth, having got by Cook’s Fiesta at Village on lap six. Cook stayed close to the RS2000 to finish ninth and Josh Payton’s Cortina rounded out the top ten as Class B+ cars filled fifth to tenth places. Payton had been forced to borrow an alternator after his own unit failed in qualifying. Chris Baker won Class B in fourteenth overall, having battled through a fight with the Caitlin May, Adam Clark and Simon Horrobin Fiesta ST240s, second qualifier Harry Hardy hit trouble on the formation lap in his Puma and started from the rear but lasted four laps before retiring. Third starter Mike Thurley and Aaron Tucker’s Sierra also wouldn’t reach the chequered flag, Gary Johnson’s Mk1 Escort took second with Sam Shimwell’s Fiesta in third. Alex Boam won Class C in 23rd with his 1600cc Fiesta, whilst Dave Barrett’s MTS Motorsport Fiesta just defeated Jimmy Neophytou’s Mk1 Fiesta for second as their year-long struggle continued.
Race Two: A number of competitors were unable to start the final race of the season but a very healthy field of 38 cars lined up for one last race and made a superb sight as they ran in formation down the Hangar Straight leading up to the start. A promised Jason Davies vs Dave Cockell rematch from Race One got off to a promising start as Cockell’s Escort outdragged Davies’ Sapphire into Abbey for the first time but Davies was quickly back ahead at Village. Davies had opened a 1.669-second lead by the end of lap one, before setting the race’s fastest lap of 1:09.454 on the second tour to open out a lead of 3.199 seconds. Davies moved inexorably clear of Cockell as the race progressed, lapped traffic helping the Sapphire run 11.098 seconds away up the road with six minutes left. Davies eased his pace late on to win by 7.421 seconds from Cockell, who set a 1:10.154 best lap as he recovered some of the lost ground. Battling in their wake, Steve Scott-Dunwoodie charged up the outside into third towards Abbey at the rolling start but had fallen back behind David Matthias and the tussling Malcolm Harding, Piers Grange and Laki Christoforou Mk2 Escorts by Village. Scott-Dunwoodie swiftly repassed Christoforou for sixth down the Hangar Straight, whilst Josh Payton’s Mk2 Cortina went around the outside of Kester Cook’s Fiesta at Vale to end the opening lap in ninth behind Paul Nevill’s RS2000, having been pushed out into the first corner run-off by the sliding Cook Fiesta. Cook also lost out to Luke Bennett’s V8 Eurocar starting lap two after the Fiesta ruined its run onto the Hamilton Straight by clipping the sausage kerb on the inside of Club, the Fiesta wasted little time in repassing Bennett and took the place back at Village. Just ahead of the Fiesta, Payton battled ahead of Nevill through the Vale/Club sequence to take eighth ending the second lap. Not far behind these two lurked Cook and when Nevill ran wide at Abbey on the fifth lap, the RS2000 just fended the Fiesta off at Village. Matthias’ Sierra maintained third place throughout the opening ten minutes but the tied-together Mk2 Escorts of Harding and Grange weren’t far away. Grange passed Harding in traffic on lap eight and Scott-Dunwoodie also demoted Harding into Stowe before Mk2 Escort fought back through Club, Harding running a smaller wing in this encounter. The two Sierra and Mk2 Escort squabbles paired off as Grange took third from Matthias at Abbey on lap ten, whilst Scott-Dunwoodie fended off Harding. Matthias was forced to defend his fourth place from Scott-Dunwoodie’s similar car at Vale with a minute and a half to go before Harding drove up inside of Scott-Dunwoodie through Club but the RS500 powered back ahead along the Hamilton Straight as they started the penultimate tour. Class B+ victor Grange took the flag in third overall as the group containing Matthias, Scott-Dunwoodie and Harding was covered by 2.118 seconds. Christoforou just beat Payton for seventh after traffic brought the pair together around half distance, Payton got under the Millington Escort at Village for the ninth time and the Cortina got away for a lap or two until Christoforou made amends with a couple of big laps to pass Payton last time around but one. Cook and Nevill also got involved with the two red cars but made contact at Village, without inflicting damage, which dropped them away. Nevill had led Cook until the Fiesta dived ahead into Vale ending lap nine but Nevill reclaimed the spot on the following lap down into Stowe. Cook took ninth spot for good at Village on the penultimate lap, after a wayward couple of corners from Nevill gave the Fiesta a run at the RS2000. Luke Bennett’s V8 Eurocar claimed eleventh, whilst race one retiree Rory Jose climbed to twelfth from 33rd. Jose had an auxiliary belt break just after halfway through the opening race when running in tenth, the pink Focus had climbed to seventeenth after lap three, taken the Class B leader Chris Baker for fourteenth on lap six and had reached eleventh after ten minutes before slipping back to twelfth at the finish. Chris Baker’s Mk3 Escort took another Class B victory in fifteenth, one spot ahead of Steve Goldsmith’s recovering Anglia which had started 38th after an opening race puncture. Harry Hardy took second in Class B and Gary Johnson’s Mk1 Escort came home in third. Alex Boam took his second Class C win of the day in 22nd as Dave Barrett again defeated Jimmy Neophytou, Boam was crowned series winner for 2023 after taking multiple Class C victories throughout the season.
That brought another successful year for the Modified Ford Series to an end, with 2024 set to continue in the same vein as more exciting projects come to fruition. The calendar for 2024 was recently unveiled, with the journey starting again at Silverstone on the 16th/17th of March and finishing with an October trip to MSV’s Navarra circuit in Spain.