1965 RAC Tourist Trophy
# 1965 RAC Tourist Trophy

1965 saw the revival of the world’s oldest motor race when the Royal Automobile Club brought the 30th RAC International Tourist Trophy Race with the Senior Service Trophy to Oulton Park. The TT, was the fourth round of the International Championship for Manufacturers (Division III). In addition, it was also round three of the British Sports Car Championship. This was the held at the Oulton Park circuit, in Cheshire, England, on 1 May.

## Report

### Entry

A total of 30 sports cars were entered for the event, across two classes, however just 25 took part in qualifying.

### Qualifying

The reigning World Drivers Champion, John Surtees took pole position for this own outfit, Team Surtees, in his Lola-Chevrolet T70, averaging a speed of 103.495 mph, around 2.761 miles circuit.

### Race

The final was held over four hour duration of the Oulton Park circuit, split into two heats of two hours. Denny Hulme took impressive overall victory, after winning the first heat in his Sidney Taylor Racing prepared Brabham-Climax BT8, and subsequently taking a second place in the second heat. Hulme won in an aggregated time of 4hrs 03:01.400mins., averaging a speed of 94.618 mph. Second place went to David Hobbs, in his Lola-Ford T70. The podium was completed by David Piper, in his Ferrari 250 LM. Hulme victory was his first win in the TT, he would go on and win a total of four, the last being in 1986.

## Classification

### Aggregate Results

| Pos. | No. | Group | Driver(s) | Entrant | Car - Engine | Time, Laps | Reason Out |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1st | 16 | SR/P+1.6 | Denny Hulme | Sidney Taylor Racing | Brabham-Climax BT8 | 4hrs 03:01.400, 138 | |
| 2nd | 2 | SR/P+1.6 | David Hobbs | Harold Young Ltd. | Lola-Ford T70 | 137 | |
| 3rd | 14 | SR/P+1.6 | David Piper | David Piper (Auto Racing) Ltd. | Ferrari 250 LM | 133 | |
| 4th | 21 | GT+2.0 | John Whitmore | Alan Mann Racing | Shelby Cobra roadster | 130 | |
| 5th | 28 | GT+2.0 | Peter Sutcliffe | Peter Sutcliffe | Ferrari 250 GTO | 130 | |
| 6th | 25 | GT+2.0 | Allen Grant | Radford Racing | Shelby Cobra roadster | 128 | |
| 7th | 22 | GT+2.0 | Jack Sears | Alan Mann Racing | Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe | 127 | |
| 8th | 26 | GT+2.0 | Neil Dangerfield John Sparrow | Radford Racing | Shelby Cobra roadster | 126 | |
| 9th | 6 | SR/P+1.6 | David Prophet | David Prophet (Racing) Ltd. | Lotus-Ford 30 | 122 | |
| 10th | 23 | GT+2.0 | Frank Gardner | Willment Racing Team | Shelby Cobra Willment Coupe | 119 | |
| 11th | 30 | GT+2.0 | David Wansbrough | D. Protheroe Ltd. | Jaguar E-Type Lightweight | 117 | 2: DNF |
| 12th | 27 | GT+2.0 | Mike Salmon | John Dawnay Racing | Ferrari 250 GTO/64 | 114 | 1: Brakes |
| 13th | 31 | GT+2.0 | Richard Bond | Red Rose Racing | Jaguar E-Type Lightweight | 107 | |
| 14th | 4 | SR/P+1.6 | Jim Clark | Team Lotus | Lotus-Ford 30 | 102 | 2: Transmission |
| 15th | 11 | SR/P+1.6 | John Coundley | John Coundley Racing Partnership | McLaren Elva M1A Oldsmobile | 101 | |
| DNF | 8 | SR/P+1.6 | Chris Williams | C. M. M. Williams | Lotus-BMW 23 | 81 | 1: Gearbox 2: Head gasket |
| DNF | 17 | SR/P+1.6 | Tommy Hitchcock | Celebrity Incorporated | Brabham-Climax BT8 | 72 | 2: Valves |
| DNF | 7 | SR/P+1.6 | Vic Wilson | Team Chamaco-Collect | Lotus-Ford 30 | 68 | 2: Clutch |
| DNF | 10 | SR/P+1.6 | Chris Amon | Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Ltd. | Elva-BMW Mk. VIII | 60 | 1: Overheating 2: Valves |
| DNF | 9 | SR/P+1.6 | Bruce McLaren | Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Ltd. | McLaren Elva-Oldsmobile M1A | 30 | 1&2: Oil Leak |
| DNF | 24 | GT+2.0 | Roger Mac | The Chequered Flag Ltd. | Shelby Cobra roadster | 29 | 1: Broken wheel |
| DNF | 19 | SR/P+1.6 | Tony Lanfranchi | Weybridge Engineering Co. Ltd. | Attila-Ford Mk.3 | 19 | 1: Drive shaft |
| DNF | 1 | SR/P+1.6 | John Surtees | Lola Cars/Team Surtees Ltd. | Lola-Chevrolet T70 | 13 | 1: Steering |
| DNF | 3 | SR/P+1.6 | Hugh Dibley | H. P. K. Dibley | Lola-Chevrolet T70 | 13 | 1: Suspension |
| DNS | 15 | SR/P+1.6 | Roger Nathan | Roger Nathan (Racing) | Brabham-Oldsmobile BT8 | | Clutch |
| Source: ||||||||

* Fastest lap: Bruce McLaren, 1:39.000secs. (100.400 mph)

### Heat 1

| Pos. | Driver | Laps | Reason Out |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1st | Hulme | 69 | |
| 2nd | Hobbs | 67 | |
| 3rd | Coundley | 67 | |
| 4th | Piper | 67 | |
| 5th | Hitchcock | 66 | |
| 6th | Sutcliffe | 65 | |
| 7th | Gardner | 65 | |
| 8th | Whitmore | 65 | |
| 9th | Grant | 64 | |
| 10th | Bond | 63 | |
| 11th | Dangerfield / Sparrow | 63 | |
| 12th | Prophet | 62 | |
| 13th | Wansbrough | 62 | |
| 14th | Wilson | 62 | |
| 15th | Sears | 61 | |
| 16th | Clark | 61 | |
| DNF | Amon | | Overheating |
| DNF | Williams | | Gearbox |
| DNF | Salmon | 48 | Brakes |
| DNF | Mac | 29 | Lost wheel |
| DNF | Lanfranchi | 19 | Drive shaft |
| DNF | Mclaren | 14 | Gearbox |
| DNF | Surtees | 13 | Steering |
| DNF | Dibley | 12 | Suspension |
| DNS | Nathan | | Engine |
| Source: ||||

### Heat 2

| Pos. | Driver | Time, Laps | Reason Out |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1st | Hobbs | 70 | |
| 2nd | Hulme | 69 | |
| 3rd | Sears | 66 | |
| 4th | Salmon | 66 | |
| 5th | Piper | 66 | |
| 6th | Whitmore | 65 | |
| 7th | Peter Sutcliffe | 65 | |
| 8th | Grant | 64 | |
| 9th | Dangerfield / Sparrow | 63 | |
| 10th | Prophet | 60 | |
| 11th | Gardner | 54 | |
| 12th | Bond | 44 | |
| 13th | Coundley | 33 | |
| DNF | Williams | | Head gasket |
| DNF | Amon | | Valves |
| DNF | Wansbrough | 55 | DNF |
| DNF | Clark | 41 | Transmission |
| DNF | McLaren | 16 | Engine |
| DNF | Hitchcock | 6 | Transmission |
| DNF | Vic Wilson | 6 | Clutch |
| DNS | Surtees | | |
| DNS | Dibley | | |
| DNS | Nathan | | |
| DNS | Lanfranchi | | |
| DNS | Mac | | |
| Source: ||||
