Goodwood #83 Members Meeting - The Protheroe Cup

If the E Type is "the most beautiful car in the world" the much debated quote attributed to Enzo Ferrari, then is the all Jaguar E-type Protheroe Cup the most beautiful race in the world? Subjective, and I dont doubt the most fervent Jaguar enthusiast would agree, and, in my opinion the most beautiful race in the world would be from the E type's era and contain a number of pure race, race modified and road going E types.

A friend of Sir William Lyons and a respected Jaguar dealer, owning County Motors in Leicestershire, it is no surprise that Dick Protheroe was one of the first to get an E-type in 1961. 

The first right-hand drive examples were all Roadsters, and delivered to the likes of John Coombs, Tommy Sopwith. The first right hand drive coupé's Fixed Heads came later in the year,  Dick Protheroe got the fourth one.

Chassis 860004, was registered to his wife Rosemary Massey (of the famous tractor manufacturer), Protheroe wasted no time preparing the car, registered as CUT 7, for racing. He gave the number its competition debut at Snetterton in March 1962, and finished third.

More of the one eyed war hero can be read on Goodwood's website here.