Graeme Dodd and Jon Minshaw were the stars at Brands Hatch (2/3 July) when the opening two races for the E-type Challenge ran on the fabulous Grand Prix circuit during the HSCC Historic Superprix.

The pair of races, featuring a fabulous 34-car field, got the E-type Challenge off to a tremendous start as the race series marks the 50th anniversary of the Jaguar E-type. The series, managed by the Historic Sports Car Club in conjunction with Jaguar Heritage, is supported by JD Classics and runs with two classes, for cars prepared to a period race trim and standard cars.

Dodd led the opening race away as poleman Minshaw got too much wheelspin and German racer Marcus Oeynhausen nipped into second place. But Minshaw soon got into his stride and grabbed second before diving ahead of Dodd to take the lead as they lapped backmarkers.

“I thought I’d got it,” said Minshaw. “But with two laps to go the tyres had gone, the brakes had gone. I braked early for Paddock and before I knew it, Graeme was through. Fair play to him, it was a great move.”

Over the final laps, Gary Pearson worked up to make it a three-way battle, but he spun into the gravel on the last lap while trying to attack Minshaw for second. “It was extremely hard work,” said Dodd. “The cars were very equal and the backmarkers played a big part. It could have gone either way. It was a fantastic race!” Oeynhausen took the final podium place while Roger Cope won the class for standard cars.

Minshaw bagged race two after an easier time as Dodd’s car was taken over by Steven Skipworth. Minshaw was pursued early on by Oeynhausen until the German’s car fell on to five cylinders, which allowed John Pearson up to second and Mark Clubb to third.

Minshaw was unstoppable, though, and ran out a clear winner with drivers finding the hot conditions hard work. A weary Pearson secured second from Clubb, both admitting that it was impossible to live with Minshaw. In a family double, Jon’s septuagenarian father Alan took Class B after Saturday winner Cope retired with a jammed gearbox.

“It may have looked easy, but it certainly wasn’t. It is so hot inside these cars,” said Jon Minshaw. “It’s a great initiative and it is good to see so many cars for this first race weekend.”

The next date for the E-type Challenge is at the Nurburgring (13/14 Augus