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I wasn’t around in 1958, but here's why I said what I said. The race programme for the event on 20th September 1958 calls it "International Car Meeting for Sports Cars", the title page the "Oulton Park International Meeting" and the main race "Sports Car race over 1100cc". On the awards page it states that first prize is £150 plus "The Lookers Cup", and on the race entry page "A Race for Sports Cars". Curiously, Roy Salvadori in his autobiography on page 123 discusses the race without mention of the title Gold Cup, and even has a picture of him receiving the trophy (from Colin Chapman) without calling it the Gold Cup.
I don’t doubt that earlier in the year the race had been advertised as the Gold Cup, and I am sure some people called it the Gold Cup at the time. Also, I don’t doubt that a few years later the race was counted as a Gold Cup when they started creating winners' lists. And yes, the race was televised so I am sure the commentators may have called it the Gold Cup. I just don’t think there was actually a real Gold Cup race in 1958. Just a Lookers Cup that the Alchemists turned into a Gold Cup!
As for the Lotus Eleven driven by Keith Hall, I think it won its heat in the British Empire Trophy race in April rather than the Lookers/Gold Cup.
Whatever, the good news is that it looks as if Oulton (and Brands etc) have been saved by Jonathan Palmer. Shame really, it would have been nice to have had a house on the Avenue...
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