HSCC (& Archie Scott Brown Memorial dedication) - Snetterton,1 & 2 July (with photos)

[Peter Horsman]

Thanks for the photos, guys

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by ScottDay

Anyone know what happened to Paul Sleeman.....Jamun T2 Historic Formula Ford race 1. Thanks

Paul, unfortunately, failed to finish Race 9 (part 1) and didn't start race 14 (part 2) of the Historic FFs. More info. no doubt, is or will be, provided here:-

www.ff1600.co.uk

[ScottDay]

I reliesed he didnt start race 2 but wonderd what was his reasons for not finnishing. I shall see him soon anyway but.....just wonderd. Nothing on the ff1600 sight yet

[MikeHoyer]

Will be on there later tonight I expect.

[ScottDay]

ok cheers people

[ScottDay]

Its on the website now, but it does not state the reason he failed to finish

[Ian Sowman]

There's nothing on there now that wasn't on when you made your earlier post! The full report will be going up shortly, there was a delay with one of our photographers who I'm afraid was a bit slow.

[LAK]

Thank you John and Andrew for the wonderful pictures of the Griffith. You could say that Jason and I are over the moon at Jason's (in my opinion, biased of course!) deserved victory. It was his first "proper" race win - he technically won a couple of years ago at Silverstone but the "Invited" car that crossed the line first took all the plaudits.

Jason did make a good point on the day - he has had harder and tougher races while driving his Lancia Beta and as he "only" came mid field, no one noticed his achievements. Not that we are in it to be noticed but some recognition is always great. So he thinks of his victory as a victory also for those of us who fight as hard as the leaders but don't necessarily get the recognition they deserve.

Saying that though, Jason is overjoyed to at a race win and wouldn't trade it for anything else!

[zac510]

Not really mad on the colour of the Lenham, but love the car.

Thanks for the photos.

[johngee]

A thoroughly deserved win and please give Jason my congratulations.

[LAK]

Thank you John - I will pass your message on. It was so good to see you over the weekend.

Do you know that one of the most wonderful parts of the day was Jason being congratulated by racing friends (and others he has never met) from other race series, and we have had lovely emails and calls from our friends that raced the day before who checked up on the results. They absolutely shared in our joy and understood how much it meant to us. It really makes you understand (not that we need reminding) of why racing historics can be so fantastic and rewarding - most people share in your joy and also the (more often) pain.

[simon drabble]

Originally Posted by Peter Horsman

Simon, I think that a number of the drivers feel that they would rather take their valuable pieces of kit (and some probably have dozens of other cars....) to what they believe are prestige events appropriate to the cars. BRDC recognise this and are reducing the number of championship rounds next year to six key events.

hope that you are right but I seem to recall James saying that 4 years ago! It really should be the flagship series in historics and its fast becoming an also ran series
I think that there is an element of drivers hanging up their helmets as well (Nick Linney et al) or moving more into more gentle disciplines like Tour Auto etc whatever reason you are right the big meetings do get them out thankfully!

[John Turner]

Race 12 was for HSCC Classic Racing cars, for the Retro Track and Aor Trophy (Part 1) and was won easily by Matthew Watts (a common occurrence!) in his Brabham BT16 with Ian Jones (Lotus 59), 2nd and Simon Diffey (the latest recruit to Ecurie Scalpel), in John Monson's Crossle 19F was 3rd. Ian Gray in BT30 was next up with Richard Kendle, seen here in his BT21B, 5th:-


Michael Scott was 6th in one of my favourite's, the March 702:-


The Derek Bell Trophy Race (part 2) suffered a slightly depleted grid due to noise level regs, although a certain amount of commonsense was applied which I understand would have allowed all those originally entered, to have run. Nevertheless, the quality of cars that lined up was good. Poleman, James Denty took a good early lead, in the Lotus 70, and it was several laps before Frank Lyons (who posted fastest lap) got on terms in his Lola T330, only to have a moment which dropped him back again. However, Denty failed to finish and Lyons went on to win:-


Russell Bend is a pretty tight place for two big F5000 cars! Simon Diffey in John Monson's Surtees TS8 and Steve Ward (over from NZ) in Lola T332 somehow made it through OK. They finished 2nd and 4th respectively. Stuart Tilley seen behind in the Modus M1, failed to finish the race:-


Incidentally, John Monson's own site for his Ecurie Scalpel is well worth a visit, and in fact, John, one of our members here, was at the meeting on the Saturday and has already written an account of his day's racing activities. See his site here:-

www.johnmonson.co.uk

[MikeHoyer]

I wish these had been racing on Sunday when I was there... couple of awesome cars!

[Andrew Kitson]

...or these testing on the Thursday before the HSCC.
Snapped by Dave Wick. Cheers Dave!

[John Turner]

I'm afraid I missed Race 14, part 2 of the Historic FF, but Nelson Rowe repeated his Part 1 victory.

Part 2 of the BRDC Historic Sports Car Championship was next up, and I sampled another part of the circuit. Graeme Dodd was able to start this one and did win, comfortably in the end. However, he and Peter Horsman entertained us for a few laps and are here seen in the middle of the Esses:-


John Pearson in his Lister Jaguar chases Jim Woodley's Lotus 17 out of the Esses and heads off towards the Bomb Hole:-


Matthew Watts duly won Part 2 (Race 16) of the HSCC Classic Racing Cars event, although he was run closer this time by Simon Diffey in the Crossle (not the TS8 recorded by MST!) and Ian Jones, Lotus 59:-


Steven Wilkinson's Brabham BT21 which failed to finish. (Steven has acquired a Chevron B8 which he is restoring, and I'm looking to seeing that out when its finished!):-

[Al Weyman]

Originally Posted by Andrew Kitson

Unfortunately MSV have not been able to have this enlarged in time so it will go up at a later date. Some nice cars testing today beforehand.

If scanning the original is problem Andrew I have a huge scanner and would be happy to do a one off FOC for a good cause such as this.

[Andrew Kitson]

Wow thanks Al, very generous. They actually have the trannie to scan and is underway anyway, but thanks.

[John Turner]

The final race of the meeting was for the HSCC/HRSR Bate IT Historic Saloon car Championship and saw some good dicing. Eventual winner Les Ely in his BMW 2000 has taken second place from Neil Wood's Anglia and is heading out of the Bomb Hole towards Coram in his chase of leader Jonathan Gomm's Lotus Cortina:-


Simon Benoy's Sunbeam Imp:-


The winning margin of 1.24 seconds was not representative of the gap for most of the lead dice, as after Ely took the lead Gomm not only held on but attempted to get it back in more than one occasion and this is more typical of the gap:-


As a parting shot, some of the key ingredients required to successfully run a motor race:-

[Andrew Kitson]

Originally Posted by John Turner

In your last picture here John, some of Snetterton's old history can be seen.
Note the extended tarmac run-off area of the Revett Straight to the right. It was never meant to be run off, it was infact the start area for the drag strip which ran the opposite way up the straight. There were temporary grandstands put up each side of this area. Snetterton hosted drag races in the mid 70s and speeds of over 220mph were attained, still the quickest machines to have ever run at Snett. The tarmac running across the grass in the middle of the picture is the dragster fire-up road as their paddock was on the old home straight up towards the market to the left. I remember being there when one top fueller lost both its brakes and shute and ended up in the second field after Sear!

[MikeHoyer]

Great stuff John! My photos should be online shortly, I've been rather busy, and got a backlong building up...