2025 Earl Howe Trophy highlights | 82MM

Earl Howe Trophy highlights

With cars ranging from the 1920s to the late '30s, the race provided an apt demonstration of the advances made in the period. By and large, the smaller the car the later it was manufactured as it became apparent to constructors that lighter, more nimble cars were faster.

No car illustrated that more clearly than the Alta Sports of Gareth Burnett. He set a pole time with just one flying lap and was just as dominant in the race. After a fluffed start, he retook the lead and set off on his own, not seeing another car until he began lapping back-markers.

Closer battles raged further down the order, these skinny-tyred cars flowing around the circuit wheel-to-wheel. But Burnett made the race his own, crossing the line more than 12 seconds ahead of second-place man Patrick Blakeney-Edwards.

Photography by Joe Harding, Jordan Butters and Pete Summers. 

Official Practice for the Earl Howe Trophy

But it wasn’t before long until Gareth Burnett took the lead with a time four seconds clear of the field aboard the Alta Sports of 1939 – the youngest car on the grid. Richard Wilson and the Squire 1500 SC ‘Skimpy’ was running well in seventh until smoke poured out from a lock-up which took him out of the session and brought out a yellow flag.

So secure was Burnett with his lead that he came in to the pits with four minutes still on the clock. The Alta was unmatched, and Blakeney-Edwards, running in second, knew it. He also chose to pit early, however third place was decided at the flag, Clive Fidgeon climbing to the second row in his own Frazer Nash TT Replica from 1932.

2025 Earl Howe Trophy Official Practice (Top 10)

The race is named after the 5^th Earl Howe, Francis Curzon, who co-founded the British Racing Drivers Club in 1928 alongside the 1927 Le Mans 24 Hours winner Joseph Benjafield, and served as the Club’s President until his death in 1964. Among his accolades as a driver, which include his own victory at Le Mans in 1931, is a 110-miles-in-an-hour record he set in 1939 at the wheel of a Lagonda V12, a car that will be in action in this year’s Earl Howe Trophy.

A field of stunning ‘30s sportscars, the second oldest at the 82^nd Members’ Meeting, will complete a 20-minute race on Sunday.

Which cars race in the Earl Howe Trophy?

The Earl Howe Trophy has traditionally been a race for sportscars from the 1920s and ‘30s, but this year the entry list has been limited to British-built models only. The likes of Bentley and Aston Martin will make up the bulk of the field, but the breadth of British marques in those days was wide.

The Lagonda V12 will be joined by two of its kin, while Frazer Nash, Talbot, Alta, MG, Invicta, Vauxhall and Squire will all be represented. MG K3 Magnettes will battle Frazer Nash TT Replicas and Invicta S-types, while a Vauxhall 30-98 will be a unique exhibit on the grid.

When is the Earl Howe Trophy?

These cars will be in action for the first time at the 82^nd Members’ Meeting for their Official Practice session at 14:00 on Saturday. The race is scheduled to begin at 15:20 on Sunday afternoon.

Previous winners of the Earl Howe Trophy

With this year’s tickets sold out, we’re delighted to announce that tickets for the 83^rd Members’ Meeting will be available for a limited time immediately after this year’s event -  at the best price they will be available – only for Members and Fellows of the GRRC. Admission and Grandstand tickets will go on sale on Monday 14^th April for Members, and Wednesday 16^th April for Fellows.

If you are not yet part of the Fellowship, join by the 16^th April 2025 to benefit from early access to tickets at the lowest possible price.

Photography by Joe Harding.