The duo, Woodcote Trophy winners at the Silverstone Classic in 2007, teamed up again for the 2008 running of the famous race and under a blazing sun drove to victory with some style.

Towcester driver Cunningham qualified the Pearson Engineering-prepared car on pole position and Eastick started the race – taking the lead at the start. The former BRDC Historic Sportscar class winner held the top spot for a number of laps until he was passed by the Jaguar of Gary Pearson. He settled in third position as the race neared its halfway stage and the pit-stop 'window' opened.

Eastick handed the car over to Cunningham and the local ace rejoined the track in sixteenth place – nearly 90 seconds behind the leader.

Once up to full speed the two-time Le Mans 24-Hour Race winner was masterful and displaying superb car control he passed car after to car to bring the D-Type back towards the front of the field and into contention for overall victory.

With fifteen minutes of the race remaining, Cunningham took the lead and he then proceeded to pull out a mighty advantage of 53 seconds at the fall of the chequered flag to claim a memorable victory.

After the race, which was screened live on satellite channel Motors TV, Cunningham said: "I would like to thank Ben Eastick, the owner of this superb car, for letting me drive. The car is very valuable and has a great history, and to be able to drive at an event like this was fantastic."

He added: "Ben made a very good start from pole position, and handed the car to me in fine shape. I just drove as hard as possible, trying not to cause too much strain to the engine and was able to pull back the leaders and eventually take the lead. Once in front, I thought it would be good to put my foot down and disappear."

Fresh from winning the Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy with Ben Eastick, Neil Cunningham scored a second podium finish at Silverstone Classic at the wheel of a Lister Chevrolet owned by Jamie McIntyre and prepared by Buckingham's Mark Lewis Engineering.

The V8-powered car was qualified second for the BRDC Historic Sportscars race by Cunningham, after the car's owner McIntyre – winner of a BRDC Historic race at Dijon in France last month, had clocked some impressive times.

McIntyre started the car and led the early exchanges until he was passed by the Cooper-Monaco of Frank Sytner, and then the similar car of reigning BRDC Historic Sportscars champion, Graeme Dodd. McIntyre handed over the car to Cunningham at the halfway stage, only for a safety car period and a long yellow flag period to prevent the local crew making a challenge for overall victory.

At the end of the one-hour race, Sytner and his co-driver, Simon Hadfield, were leading from Graeme Dodd, with the Cunningham/McIntyre Lister a further 25 seconds back.

After his drive in the Lister Chevrolet, Cunningham switched his attention to driving a Ford Mustang in the Pre '66 Historic Saloon Car event.

Second on the grid, Cunningham, at the wheel of the car he won the British Grand Prix support race with, was in contention for race victory until the Royal Purple Oils-supported car stalled in the pits.

Forty-five seconds was lost as the Bob Pepper Racing team pushed the car along the pit road. Back in action Cunningham set the fastest lap as he moved the mighty Ford back up the order. At the end of the race, Cunningham was placed in sixth position, 24 seconds behind the race winner having lost 45 seconds in the pits.

Cunningham said: "This was sadly one race that slipped away from me. The car wouldn't start when I wanted to leave the pits and the team had to push. The car is very heavy and the engine compression very high. Sadly too much time was lost. However, the car was fast and I thoroughly enjoyed myself."

Cunningham will be in action at the wheel of a Mustang again this weekend at Castle Combe in Wiltshire.

Related stories:
Slideshow: Silverstone Classic 2008

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