Following an excellent run of results in recent years, the Boss 302 returned for the 79th Goodwood Members Meeting Gerry Marshall Trophy. 2020 winner, Fred Shepherd this time partnered up with three time World Touring Car champion, Andy Priaulx to take on the meeting's blue ribbon event.
Qualifying saw congestion for Fred, who in an interview with Goodwood's resident Ed Foster, described the track as a "car park". Andy was more fortunate, finding a quieter track later on in the 20 minute session. Lining up in 4th for the race, a tantalising tenth of a second off a spot on the front row, the two looked well in the mix of what seemed to be a difficult race to call.
Opting to start, Fred got a good initial getaway, before having to check the throttle as the nippy Capri of Ric Wood cut to the inside of the track, across the front bumper. The loss of momentum hampered the Mustang, Rob Huff in a similarly rapid Capri also making the most of the lightweight Fords superior launch, sneaking past.
By the exit of Lavant on the first lap, Fred had dispatched the Ric Wood Capri, with his sights firmly on the Huff car ahead. The next lap round, a move round the outside into Woodcote's braking, compromised Huff's trajectory, causing his outside wheels to dip onto the grass on corner exit. Using the loss of momentum, Fred fired the Boss through the chicane, and round the outside of the Capri down the pit straight. The following scrap resulting in Huff coming back at the Mustang with an audacious attempt round the outside of Lavant, side by side on the exit, the superior grunt of the 5 litre engine pulling the Mustang back ahead.
With the leaders now bolting and Fred having lost time battling with the Capris, a string of consecutively quick laps saw him catch up to the rear bumper of the Darren Turner Camaro. The Camaro, which had been puffing blue smoke throughout the race, expired shortly afterwards, leaving Fred some clear track to try and catch the front two.
By the opening of the pit window, Fred had closed the gap by over 5 seconds to second place, pitting early for an undercut attempt.
Andy jumped in for the second stint, finding his rhythm immediately hampered by a safety car following David Brabham's excursion into the tyre barrier. The result also curtailing the undercut strategy, the Mustang remaining in third place, but now with fourth place, Gordon Shedden's Camaro having made up the 25 second deficit from the first stint.
Going green again, Andy stuck with the leading 2, trailing at a consistent gap, but, like Fred, was unable to mount a challenge.
Following the retirement of the second place Mustang of Jason Plato, Andy was promoted to second position, and despite late pressure from Shedden behind, it was a place he kept until the line. The result cementing a 3 year run of consecutive podiums for the car.
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