A Competitive Grid at Donington

The Donington Historic Festival always attracts some of the finest historic racing machinery in Europe, and this year’s Royal Automobile Club Pall Mall Cup was no exception. Organised by Motor Racing Legends and held as part of the prestigious Donington Historic Festival, the race featured a hugely competitive 43-car grid, including an impressive 16 Lotus Elan 26Rs competing in class.

For Connor Kay and Dominic Mooney, the objective was clear: maximise the potential of their MCR-prepared Lotus Elan 26R and challenge at the front of one of the most competitive historic racing fields of the season.

A Frustrating Qualifying Session

Qualifying proved far from straightforward, with the session interrupted by three separate red flags. Constant stoppages made it difficult to find a clear lap and establish any rhythm.

While attempting to work through traffic and pass a Cobra to create some space, Connor overheated the rear tyres, compromising the car’s performance during the crucial flying laps. The result was the 9th fastest time overall.

However, with Pall Mall Cup regulations only counting the lap times of designated owner drivers for the starting grid, the Elan was promoted to 4th on the grid after the professional driver times were removed from the final classification.

A Flying Start

Connor made the most of the improved starting position, launching the Elan into 2nd place by the first corner.

From there, the race quickly developed into an entertaining battle with the leading Low-Drag Jaguar E-Type. The pair traded positions several times, with Connor eventually making a decisive move into Turn 1 before navigating traffic effectively to make the pass for the lead stick.

Once in clean air, the MCR-prepared Elan demonstrated excellent pace and consistency. Connor gradually extended the advantage, building a lead of around six seconds before making the first scheduled pit stop after 55 minutes and 40 laps.

Building the Advantage

The car was handed over to Dominic Mooney, who immediately settled into a strong rhythm despite many of the professional drivers in rival entries taking over their own cars during this phase of the race.

Through the pit stop cycle, Dominic managed to return the Elan to the lead by lap 49 before coming in again on lap 51 to serve the team’s longer mandatory stop.

Unfortunately, during the stop an unexpected issue emerged when a starter motor circlip failed, requiring a bump start before the car could rejoin the race.

The additional delay dropped the team to 20th position overall, leaving a significant amount of work to do.

A Charge Through the Field

Undeterred, the MCR team focused on recovery. The Elan fought its way back through the field, enjoying several closely contested battles with fellow Lotus competitors, including a memorable fight with the ERA Motorsport Elan.

As many competitors delayed their final mandatory pit stops in the hope of a safety car or race interruption, the running order remained uncertain right up until the closing laps.

With just two laps remaining, the Elan climbed back into the podium positions as the various pit strategies played out.

Second Overall and Class Winners

The race was only truly decided in the final moments.

Connor and Dominic crossed the line an outstanding 2nd overall, securing 1st in Class 3A and finishing as the highest-placed Lotus Elan in a field featuring sixteen Elan 26Rs.

Just 14 seconds separated the MCR-prepared Lotus Elan from the winning Low-Drag Jaguar E-Type after a thrilling and hard-fought race.

The result represents another significant achievement for the team and highlights the competitiveness of both the drivers and the car in one of historic motorsport’s most respected endurance events.

Precision Preparation Delivers Results

Results like these are built long before race day. The performance of the Lotus Elan throughout the weekend was a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team at Midland Classic Restorations, whose ongoing development, race car preparation, setup and trackside race support continue to keep the car competing at the very front of historic motorsport.

From full race car builds and engine development to setup, tuning and event support, MCR provides the expertise required to compete at the highest level. Whether you’re looking to enter your first historic race or challenge for podium finishes in prestigious events such as the Pall Mall Cup, our team has the experience and knowledge to help you get there.

To discuss your next historic racing project, contact Midland Classic Restorations today.