Spa 6 Hours but really "Five" Hours 2007 merged

[Jeremy Hall]

Originally Posted by esper

allthough we all speak abvout the six hours......................there was no six hours Still can't see why it happened this way?

My understanding form Alain DeFalle was that the parade entry and exit to the circuit was via a pair of big circuit doors and that the marshalls, in there wisdom, made an executive decision to only open one door-in the belief that the cars could pass in and out through that one door.
They could and did not but there was a total unwillingness to revisist the executive decision until the visit of Alain to ''persuade them '' they were in error. Meanwhile 30 minutes was gone from a schedule which had already gone 20 minutes late.
There is a need for all sorts of reasons to get a pint into a pint pot and a stupid problem like this messes the whole thing up.

[rogerwills]

Great to see all the 10/10th'ers there. What an excellent weekend.

We had our fair share of dramas to say the least. The Corvette did the clutch in testing on Thursday. To get to it, the engine has to come out - all 400kg of it! We got a forklift to come Friday morning to pull it out and had ordered a clutch in England and had arranged a guy drive it across. The engine came out to discover the clutch failure had destroyed the gearbox. So we raced around and found that Julian Bronson had a gearbox and someone else loaned us a new clutch and the guys put it all back together right as the qualifying session started. What a marathon effort.

Elation quickly lead to heartache as I left the pits and went 200m when the sound of a bucket of bolts in a tumble dryer meant the second gearbox had destroyed itself!

So we missed qualifying and asked the organizers if we could run the Cortina in the 6 hour race instead of the Corvette. After an anxious night waiting, we got a positive answer on Saturday morning.

We finished 38th of 88 cars (having started in 88th at the back of the grid) and beat a lot of much faster cars. As the Cortina wasn’t set up for the 6 hour with a small tank etc we needed to stop for fuel every hour so we would have finished even higher if we had the big tank in. A pair of candles would have been more effective than the headlights fitted and we didn't even have illumination in the guages so I managed to glance at the temperature and oil pressure once a lap passing the well lit pits area!

Incrediby, the Cortina did a total of nearly 10 hours over the course of the weekend and was still running at the end – just! The valve clearances had closed so much (probably only on one cylinder) that it wouldn’t pull past 5k so the last few laps of the last race were a bit slow. But it still did incredibly well. Amazing.

I managed a pot for 2nd in class in the Top Hat race and we finished 3rd in class in the 6 hours so a great result given everything else.

The Elva also ran well in the Sport Racing Masters race and we finished a credible eighth (not including the WSM cars).

The one beer in the tent after the 6 hours quickly became 20 and my head was slightly fuzzy on Sunday morning! Good to meet you Esper. I can't imagine what your head must have felt like Sunday Zef. You were in very good form.

The ugly part of the weekend for me was the disaster in the rugby.

To me the circuit feels marginally slower than last year with the new Bus Stop and that seems to have been a common view.

3.05 in an MG B - of course its legal....... HAHAHA! Nice joke!

[terence]

Originally Posted by rpj

Terence Bower = Sat Nav?

Dont ask me,I,m lost rpj ,welcome on board

[zefarelly]

Well done Roger, and all the team, a fantastic result in the Lotit Tina after all the work put in over the last year and a h alf, and the punishment its been given as well !

and yes, a full English was required SUnday AM

[terence]

Full English?After what you got through Zef

[rogerwills]

Cheers Zef. My only racing incident of the weekend was being sideswiped down the straight towards Les Combes. A Mustang fastback with 3 German flags on the flank probably didn't see me beside him through Eau Rouge and came right across on me along the straight forcing me onto the grass and hitting the car. The guy seemed to be asleep at the wheel and got a real shock when he hit me! A small dent but a big fright!

[zefarelly]

The GErmans have a bit of a reputation at Spa 6 hour meetings it wouls appear ( I got pipped for position on the last lap by a German Run LC as well !!!)

[esper]

Originally Posted by terence bower

Full English?After what you got through Zef

I would say drinking "eau rouge" out of a bottle works better or? I plonked through the U2TC paddock sunday morning round nine with the BSA . it was all silence around the blue race campervan.

[John Elwin]

Thanks to everyone for all the entertainment over what was a fabulous weekend. Special mention must be made of Roger & his remarkable Cortina I'm amazed it survived so many trips over the rumble strips, especially the occasion at La Source when you were completely off the tarmac - on the inside! Almost grazed my knuckles too, consequently leading to an out-of-focus photo.

Good to meet-up with Peter again, & also to meet Terry Bower.

[zefarelly]

I was probably out for my morning Jog Esper

or maybe brewing up a 3rd pot of strong coffee

Originally Posted by esper

I would say drinking "eau rouge" out of a bottle works better or? I plonked through the U2TC paddock sunday morning round nine with the BSA . it was all silence around the blue race campervan.

[terence]

Likewise John,how long were you at La Source? Every time I came round you were clicking away.

[FISCracer]

Originally Posted by rogerwills

Great to see all the 10/10th'ers there. What an excellent weekend.

We had our fair share of dramas to say the least. The Corvette did the clutch in testing on Thursday. To get to it, the engine has to come out - all 400kg of it! We got a forklift to come Friday morning to pull it out and had ordered a clutch in England and had arranged a guy drive it across. The engine came out to discover the clutch failure had destroyed the gearbox. So we raced around and found that Julian Bronson had a gearbox and someone else loaned us a new clutch and the guys put it all back together right as the qualifying session started. What a marathon effort.

Elation quickly lead to heartache as I left the pits and went 200m when the sound of a bucket of bolts in a tumble dryer meant the second gearbox had destroyed itself!

So we missed qualifying and asked the organizers if we could run the Cortina in the 6 hour race instead of the Corvette. After an anxious night waiting, we got a positive answer on Saturday morning.

We finished 38th of 88 cars (having started in 88th at the back of the grid) and beat a lot of much faster cars. As the Cortina wasn’t set up for the 6 hour with a small tank etc we needed to stop for fuel every hour so we would have finished even higher if we had the big tank in. A pair of candles would have been more effective than the headlights fitted and we didn't even have illumination in the guages so I managed to glance at the temperature and oil pressure once a lap passing the well lit pits area!

Incrediby, the Cortina did a total of nearly 10 hours over the course of the weekend and was still running at the end – just! The valve clearances had closed so much (probably only on one cylinder) that it wouldn’t pull past 5k so the last few laps of the last race were a bit slow. But it still did incredibly well. Amazing.

I managed a pot for 2nd in class in the Top Hat race and we finished 3rd in class in the 6 hours so a great result given everything else.

The Elva also ran well in the Sport Racing Masters race and we finished a credible eighth (not including the WSM cars).

The one beer in the tent after the 6 hours quickly became 20 and my head was slightly fuzzy on Sunday morning! Good to meet you Esper. I can't imagine what your head must have felt like Sunday Zef. You were in very good form.

The ugly part of the weekend for me was the disaster in the rugby.

To me the circuit feels marginally slower than last year with the new Bus Stop and that seems to have been a common view.

3.05 in an MG B - of course its legal....... HAHAHA! Nice joke!

The Sidery-Smith six hour challenge was brought to an end by failure of a £5 rotor arm but he was happy with the marshall's barbeque at Radillion whilst the rest of the team wondered where he was and what had happened.......

If you want to be seriously knackered do 3 races at Monza and then Spa on consecutive weekends and change the gearbox (engine out) with no crew to help you.

For what it's worth my Midget was about 2.5 secs slower due to the revised bus stop but I think 3.12 on £25 bridgestones with 119 bhp is fairly respectable. Pity a Crapi driver decided to take me out in the race at Pouhon (they're not all gentlemanly Peter)

Of course 3.05 in an FIA MGB on L sections or ZZs is possible on a slower track!............after all the BCV8 class B cars of Johnny Wheeler and Mike Harris did 3.10s in Barry's one hour race - but the poor souls have to run on A048s with full house 1950 engines with less weight.

I was seriously impressed with the performance of the red and gold LC

BTW who was the white LC going down the A3 (straight on at Hindhead) at about 10pm Sunday night?

Richard

[Tim Falce]

Some pictures from a few races (not sure which apart from the BSSC) here. All unedited and lowish res so I can get them on my server.

[Peter Mallett]

Add my get well soon Iain to those above please.

Well, Having settled down after a tremendous weekend I think its time to put some thoughts on eletronic paper.

We entered the Capri in the Masters Top Hat race and the Barry race. Both one-hour two driver races and Terry kindly invited me to share his MGB in the 6 hours. This would be my debut in both the race and an MGB!

First practice on Friday was for the Masters Top Hat race and to say we were disappointed would be an understatement! I think our best time was 1:24! About 12 secs slower than last year. We know the car is about 40bhp down on the opposition but that shouldn't account for such a deficit. Oil on the tarmac was possibly the biggest influence but we weren't last and Terry enjoyed himself. As a first try on the revised circuit I though it ok, the new Bus Stop may be a bit difficult but we can't go back and the rest of the track is still great fun!

Then to qualifying for the six hours. Terry got the car car warmed up and I jumped in. Things to consider were my inexperience with the car and that it isn't mine! So a cautious start lead to a gradual improvement in times but a minor problem with the dizzy made me pull in. We were 77th but not last!

On Saturday we qualified for the Barry race and times although not what I would like were coming down, so a bit further back than I'd hoped but we looked forward to the races on Sunday.

Terry's given you the low-down on the six hours but I have to say that it was fantastic beine out there at last and the B is a joy to drive, especially when slightly sideways. getting on the power out of Stavelot is a lot earlier than in the Capri which explains why times would be similer. As my stint went on my confidence grew and we would have given most of the class a good run but as Terry explained above it was not to be (for this year anyway!).

The Masters Top Hat race was a scream. Terry made up ten places on the first lap and from there it was progress all the way. We'd changed the suspension on Friday afternoon and it worked, lap times tumbled to what was a reasonable level considering the power deficit. We were plaesed to collect
2nd in class for our efforts.

The Barry race was not so good. Ken was getting his times down in the first stint when a misfire came in at 6krpm. Then when I got in the temperature stated to climb so rather than risk a major problem I parked at Radillon.

Overall I think this has to be one of the best Six Hours meetings I've attended. Driving standards were pretty good, the facilities were excellent and the company was great.

A few thanks to:

Terry for the use of his car.

Masters for providing the hospitality, the Top Hat race (and the others that were weren't in), the garages and generally making sure we were all catered for.

Ken Clarke and his team for looking after the cars.

And Tim Clarke for putting in the overtime to look after us in the 6 hours.

Esper for the invite for beer and food (and not showering us with Champagne).

Guido Scheiff and his lady for the sympathy on Sunday afternoon (and no you can't have my car!).

Eddie V for the beers (You didn't come back to share them).

Tatounet and his friend for the pics of the original Belga Capris.

Oh and Paul Clayson for his birthday bash in the pit garage.

Scrutineering

Formula One!

The Equipe!

Party Time!!!

Ahem.

[terence]

Excellent posting Peter,a slight understatement though"Terry Enjoyed "should have read thoroughly enjoyed.I was so pleased that you fitted into the car,must have been something to do with the diet and training!There are not very many people who get THE INVITE to drive my car,as I said earlier,you are welcome for a second attempt next year.You know I,m still very suspicious about the Rotor Arm remnants getting stuck in-between the points and dizzy body the way they did ,almost defies logic!!
Where,s the rest of the TEAM pix??

[Mark Griffiths]

Just a quick word to say "hello" to all the Ten-Tenthers I met over the course of a fantastic weekend, especially Terry and Zeffs. As you may be aware, "Madge" distinguished herself by going verrrrrrry slowly indeed (Malcolm had to drive flat out just to keep up on the green flag lap). "Whizzo" asked me whether it was true that I'd been slipstreaming a wasp up the Kemmel straight in qualifying. I denied that- I was hoping to persuade it to give me a push. Never mind, she'll go quicker next time as we have several cunning-but-nevertheless-legal mods in the pipeline. And we'll still be last.

The 6 Hours was terrific, marred only by the curtailment of the race- what were they playing at? Anyway, I agree with Simon H: this meeting is the best there is right now, and the atmosphere before and during the 6 Hours beats the Le Mans Classic anytime- this is a proper endurance race and I'm extremely proud of our achievements in simply finishing. We weren't helped by the TVR clattering Bill in the side at the start- come the pit stop and we couldn't get the door open- and some dodgy prawns for dinner meant that Andrew commenced projectile vomiting just as we were due to swap drivers, necessitating a quick change in strategy. All a bit different from last year when the biggest dramas were running out of crisps after 4-and-a-half hours and the door falling off Bill's motorhome.

Can't wait for next year, and hopefully we'll see some of you at Paul Ricard.

[Peter Mallett]

A few more pics then.

Told you it would fit.

The drivers

The Prize

Ken was surprised to find they had food at the restaurant.

And beer

I suggested they put a wheel on each corner.

[Eddy V]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Hall

My understanding form Alain DeFalle was ..... that the marshalls, in there wisdom, made an executive decision to only open one door-in the belief that the cars could pass in and out through that one door.
They could and did not but there was a total unwillingness to revisist the executive decision until the visit of Alain to ''persuade them '' they were in error.

From what a little bird (someone I rather believe than Mr. D) told me, it weren't the marshals that caused the problem, but the police. It seems they were not allowing the cars out through that gate, as that gate is supposed to be used for emergency vehicules only.
It sounds like Mr. DeFalle took the easiest way: blame the marshals. To be safe I will ask the group that manned that post next Saturday to avoid any lies on my behalf.

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Eddie V for the beers (You didn't come back to share them).

Sorry Peter, my back started to play up in the late afternoon and I left after the BSCC race. We can share them nex time.

[esper]

One thing I would almost forget. lets provide some plus 1 or 2 glasses to some of the six hours competitiors who still can't read how many Watts their frontlight bulbs are. ( Some really cant read the 100W on their racecars bulbs...... .well it was rather anoying on the track allthough the rule changes were a great great improvement over last year!!!!

[terence]

Yes absolutly Esper,I had noticed the use of "Modern" lighting,I thought it was supposed to be period,there were a lot of cars with the correct units though.Another thing I noticed on MGBs was the use of non FIA front valences.Did they go home with red dots on their papers I wonder.Thats one of the problems when one man decides that something is legal and twists things around to suit his own needs.These valences are a 1980s invention,no works car ever had them!

[terence]

Congratulations on you,r finish Mark,it is still an attchievement just to get to the flag!.I,m sure the car was quite quick in its own right though.It must have been flat thru Eau Rouge,which is more than a lot of drivers can lay claim to!!

[Mark Griffiths]

TY. That's two finishes in two years, as Bill builds a very good car. I can't own up to taking Eau Rouge flat; I had a big lift every time. Madge was absolutely flat out and still needed a change down to 3rd halfway up Kemmel.

[AGD A105/6]

Hi All, just joined the forum having first encountered it just before Spa, glad most people's weekends went better than mine, hope Iain recovers soon, for the longest 1.5 seconds of my life I thought I would be joining him as I headed towards the wall at Blanchmont 2 in the Barry race.

Have to say thanks to the marshalls for running a damn long way hauling a fire extinguisher, and to the medical crew for a rapid response, luckily not needed but reassuring to be checked over.

Eike's rotor arm broke on the downhill to Pouhon, don't think he dropped the oil. I have video of a blue MGB finding it the hard way, I was still having a very enjoyable race with Ken I presume?? in the Capri and a very wide Morgan at this point, but we had all seen the flag, not to mention the slick glistening in unaccustomed Spa sunshine, and backed off.

Hopefully repaired in time for next season.

[Peter Mallett]

Welcome Andrew,

Yes it was Ken in the Capri.

[rogerwills]

Originally Posted by esper

One thing I would almost forget. lets provide some plus 1 or 2 glasses to some of the six hours competitiors who still can't read how many Watts their frontlight bulbs are. ( Some really cant read the 100W on their racecars bulbs...... .well it was rather anoying on the track allthough the rule changes were a great great improvement over last year!!!!

Yes, this was quite prevalent among some of the E-types, Mustangs and others. You could see they left them off in the pits and then as they went up the hill out of the pit exit there was the unmistakeable flash of xenon lights firing up.