THROWBACK THURSDAY. Ahead of this weekend’s Goodwood Revival, we go on-board a 1964 AC Cobra as it fights for the lead of last year’s RAC TT against a 1963 Jaguar E-Type. Expect sliding.
Ever wondered what it must be like going hell for steaming leather for victory in the closing stages of a race…in a pristine ‘64 AC Cobra?
That was the situation Andrew Smith found himself in during last year’s Goodwood Revival, when unsighted rival Chris Ward in a ’63 Jaguar E-Type leapt into the lead of the 2015 RAC TT with only a couple of laps to go. Oh, it is VERY on now brah!
Of course this being a V8-powered icon from the 1960s capable of at least 220kph and pushing upwards of 260bhp (even 425bhp with the 7-litre unit), the Cobra is not exactly the easier of machines to drive on the approach to the limit, let alone on it. Hence a considerable amount of controlled arm waving by Smith in the Cobra hot seat, as well as the loose arse on the E-Type he’s hunting down through the turns (check out the slide at the 52s mark.
Herculean efforts behind the wheel weren’t quite enough to get the Cobra back in front unfortunately, Ward and co-driver/two-time British Touring Car Champion Gordon Sheddon taking the chequered flag just over 14s ahead of the Smith/Oliver Bryant duo after 41 laps. A scan down the official results (HERE) reveals some other notable names too, including Le Mans legend T. Kristensen in a ’63 Lister-Jaguar Coupe (4th), BTCC legend A. Reid in a ’53 Shelby Cobra (5th), and 1970 Le Mans winner R. Attwood in a ’52 E-Type (13th).
