Classic and Competition Car 81 June 2017 by Simon Wright

June 2017

In this issue

The 21st Century magazine about cars and motorsport of the past and present. VSCC Formula Vintage Silverstone

Donington Historic Festival

Issue 81

VSCC Speed Trials Curborough

Worcester Motor Festival

VSCC Curborough

British GT Rockingham

Blancpain Endurance, Silverstone

Contents

Our Team. Simon Wright Editor Janet Wright. Staff Photographer.

Page 3

News.

Page 8

British Motoring Treasures, British Motoring Museum.

Page 12

1909 Albion A6 ride.

Page 13

Formula Vintage Round 1, Silverstone.

Page 21

British Hill Climb Championship, Prescott.

Page 26

Donington Historic festival, Donington Park.

Page 35

British GT Championship, Rockingham.

Page 40

The Worcester Motor Festival.

Page 46

Archive Photo of the Month.

Page 47

VSCC Curborough Speed Trials.

Page 52

Classic Car and Bike Night, Clifton upon Dunsmore.

Page 55

Blancpain 3 Hours of Silverstone

Page 66

Stratford upon Avon Festival of Motoring.

Front Cover. Main photo The Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 of Lucas Ordonez Katsumasa Chiyo/Alex Buncombe Blancpain Endurance. © Simon Wright. Donington Historic Festival © Syd Wall. VSCC Formula Vintage, Silverstone © Pete Austin, Worcester Motor Festival © Simon Wright, VSCC Speed Trials © Janet Wright, British GT, Rockingham © Motorsport Imagery.

Correction: In last months issue in the Pride of Longbridge report on Page 90, we referred to this as an Austin Special. We have been informed that it is an Austin Nippy which was one of two or three ‘sporting’ A7s built in the mid/late 30s. including the Ulster and the Speedy. Sorry for any confusion. June 2017

Independant Freelance contributors in this issue. Pete Austin. Syd Wall. David Goose & Stuart Yates of Motorsport-Imagery All content is copyright classicandcompetitioncar.com unless otherwise stated. All photographs are copyright and cannot be used for commercial purposes unless by prior approval of the original copyright holder. We try to ensure accurate and truthful reporting but if you spot an error, please contact us and will we verify and correct accordingly. We do not organise any events which are mentioned and we are not responsible if the event does not take place or is cancelled. Please contact the event organiser before making a long trip.

Classic and Competition Car is published by simonwrightphotos.com High View Drive, Kingswinford, West Midlands DY6 8HT E-mail simonwright57@hotmail.com Tel 07905 435973 As well as this magazine, you can follow us on Twitter @classcompcar and join our Facebook Group Classic and Competition Car.

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Editorial. Historic Motorsport continues to thrive in the UK, with lots of meetings having maximum grids and over subscribed entries. This is great and many of the ‘one-off’ events draw in huge crowds, but some of the racing circuits regular meetings do not attract many spectators. Hill Climbs draw in large crowd but a similar priced race meeting seems to attract less spectators. Why? We need to attract more spectators to regular events. © Simon Wright

News

Jordans win again. The father and son team of Mike and Andrew Jordan won again at the Donington Historic Festival in the Austin GT40. They took the overall win in the 45 minute HRDC Touring Greats for pre-60 Touring cars and invited TC63 race from pole position. They were nearly a minute ahead of their nearest rival, the Mk 1 Jaguar of Butterfield and Dorlin.

Bristol 406 GT (Zagato) Look out for cars in the paddock as well as on the track. Spotted at the Donington Historic Festival only 6 of these Zagato bodied Bristol 406s were built. They had a modified six cylinder 2216cc engine giving 10 hp more than the standard, with 115 hp and a stainless steel Abarth exhaust system. With the lighter weight, it gave the GT more performance than the standard Bristol 406. It was also one of the first cars to have 4 wheel disc brakes. The rear suspension was a Watt’s linkage system. © Syd Wall

June 2017

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RENAULT KANGOO Z.E.: A FUTURE OF NEVER PLUGGING IN ELECTRIC VEHICLES?

Celebrate Iconic cars produced by British Manufacturers.

Renault have demonstrated dynamic wireless electric vehicle charging (DEVC), which allows vehicles to charge while driving. Renault has participated with Qualcomm Technologies and Vedecom in designing a DEVC system capable of charging an electric vehicle dynamically with a charge of up to 20 kilowatts at speeds up to, and in excess of, 62 miles per hour (100kmh). The system has been designed to support real-world implementation of dynamic charging. The two Renault Kangoo Z.E. vehicles can pick up charge in both directions along the track. The dynamic charging demonstrations took place at the 100-metre test track, built by Vedecom at Satory, Versailles, near Paris, within the FABRIC project. Qualcomm Technologies and Vedecom installed the primary part of the DEVC system in the test track, whilst Vedecom and Renault installed the secondary part onto two Renault Kangoos Z.E. FABRIC is a â&#x201A;Ź9 million project, partly-funded by the European Union, addressing the technological feasibility, economic viability, and socio-environmental sustainability of wireless DEVC.

The British Motor Museum at Gaydon will celebrate British iconic cars when it hosts the BMC & Leyland Show on Sunday 2nd July 2017. The show was launched 5 years ago to pay tribute to the fantastic range of vehicles produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC), British Leyland, the Rover Group and all the individual companied pre BMC Group. There will be around 400 vehicles on display outside the museum, including cars, commercial and military, and will show the large and diverse range of vehicles produced, ranging from the legendary Mini and Morris Minor, right through to the big Rover 800 and trucks and lorries. There will be a non Mini Concours event that visitors can enter on the day. There will also be the Traditional Cowley Convoy starting at the BMW Mini factory at Cowley, and a Longbridge convoy starting at MG Longbridge, both due to arrive at the British Motor Museum during the morning. On the day ticket prices are ÂŁ14 for adults which includes admission to the museum and Collection Centre. See www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk for further information June 2017

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anodised aluminimum. The seats are finished in black alcantara with gold piping and a bespoke Gryphon motif embossed on the headrests.The Agera RS Gryphon comes wth the optional 1MW engine, with twin turbocharged V8, power output is 1360 HP. With a kerb weight of just 1,395 kg, the Agera RS Gryphon is within a hairs width of the magical 1:1 power to weight ratio. The only car to achieve this magical figure was the Koenigsegg One.

Koenigsegg Agera RS Gryphon At the recent Blancpain meeting at Silverstone, there were even more supercars in the paddock. This would have looked right at home on the track and the special black and gold finish certainly made it attract the crowds during the day. The Agera RS Gryphon is a bespoke iteration of the iconic Agera RS. The gryphon is named after the mythical namesake, a creature with the body and legs of a Lion and the head, wings and front talons of an eagle. The Gryphon was revered for its depiction of both strength and speed.

The car is finished in clear carbon with highlights finished in 24 carat gold leaf. All external striping and badging has also been done in Gold leaf, along with the hood struts, engine badging and interior highlights. The interior is a combination of black alcantara, polished carbon fibre and black © Simon Wright

June 2017

Formula 1 style wings reach hill climbing. The latest style of curved and multi plane front aerofoils that are popular in Formula 1 have now reached the Hill Climbing world. The front wing on the Gould GR59 of Wallace Menzies, seen at the opening round of the British Hill Climb Championship at Prescott, has a curved 3 layer design. Menzies took 8th place in the first Top Twelve run off with a time of 38.47 and improved to 5th in the second Top Twelve run off with a time of 37.62.

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MG CAR CLUB BRINGS ITS BIGGEST EVER RACING GRIDS TO SILVERSTONE FOR MGLIVE! The MG Car Club is bringing its biggest ever racing grids to Silverstone for the annual MGLive!, celebration, held on 17 and 18 June, with more cars battling it out for those all important championship points as they head to the mid-way point of the motorsport calendar. With 16 races over the two-day event taking place on the historic Grand Prix circuit and approximately 550 race entries, MGLive! welcomes six championships relating to the MG marque along with four fantastic guest championships. MG Race Committee Chairman Ron Gammons said: “Our own Championships, such as Trophy who can always be relied upon to put on © Simon Wright © Janet Wright

This Rover-Alvis P6BS Prototype was spotted outside the British Motor Museum during the launch of the new British Motoring treasures exhibition. See page 8 for more about the exhibition.

June 2017

a scintillating show, you have Cockshoot and BCV8 together so will be a big grid with some quick cars. Adding to that the Equipe GTS on both days will swamp the grid with 1960s sports cars, well prepared and well driven. “Amongst the visitors we have Porsche on Saturday, Masters on the Sunday with the pre 66 saloons, and of course Radicals on both days. Expect two days of Club racing at its very best” With races from the MGCC Iconic 50s Series, the Watt Electrical BVC8 Championship with MGCC Thoroughbred Sports Car Championship and Cockshoot Cup, and the Lackford Engineering Midget and Sprite Challenge, there’s no shortage of variety out on track. See www.mglive.com for further information. Page 6

McLaren line up with 12C GT3 at the front

New McLaren display In the paddock area at the recent Blancpain meeting, there was a display of modern McLaren sportscars including the 12C, 12C GT3, 570 GT, 570S GT4, 575 LT, 650 S, 650 S Sprint, 688 HS, 720 S, P1, and P1 GTR

The McLaren P1 GTR

June 2017

Black Beauty arrives from down under for Silverstone Classic. Kiwi legend Jim Richards will be re-united with his iconic, title winning, JPS liveried BMW 635 CSi for it’s European debut in two epic saloon car races at this years Silverstone Classic (28-30 July). This is the first time it will have been seen outside it’s native Australasia and it will compete against several Ford Sierra RS500s in the Jet Super Touring Car Trophy races. The more modern Super Tourers from the nineties will line up at the front of the grid and take the first rolling start, then 30 seconds later the combined Group 1, Group A and now Group C cars will take the start ‘Gentleman’ Jim Richards is a seven times winner of the Bathurst 1000 race and multiple Australian Touring car champion. He first raced the BMW 635 CSi in 1983. Back then Australia had it’s own Group C Touring car regulations, which permitted more freedom than the more widely adopted Group A rulebook. Initially it had limited success against the more powerful V8 Fords and Holdens, but when Australia finally adopted the International Group A formula in 1985, the combination proved to be almost un-stoppable, with Richards winning 7 of the 10 rounds and the inaugural Australian Touring Car Championship. He also claimed the AMSCAR series and Australian Endurance Championship to his collection of titles. For more info on Silverstone classic visit www.silverstoneclassic.com Page 7

ÂŠ Janet Wright

Report on the Exhibition launch by Simon & Janet Wright with additional photos by Pete Austin. June 2017

Julie Tew, Managing Director of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust opened the exibition

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The British Motor Museum at Gaydon has a new exhibition in place called British Motoring Treasures, the British Motor Car in Fifty objects. Funded by the Arts Council England, it tells the story of the British Motor Industry using 50 objects, each with its own unique story. The exhibition includes archive material, artwork, publicity material, sign, tools and even a couple of motor cars.

1899 Wolseley Voiturette

There is the 1899 Wolseley Voiturette on display, the first 4 wheeled car that was designed by Herbert Austin. There is an original sketch by Alec Issigonis from 1944 of the Mosquito and even a publicity booklet from 1910 from the Shell Company that throws some light on the ill fated Antarctic expedition led by Captain Scott. Most of these valuable treasures are on display in glass cabinets, but are displayed so that the original item can be June 2017

clearly seen and there is information displayed relating to the history of the object. Lucas Industries is best known as a major supplier of lighting and electrical equipment for the motor industry. The company started back in 1860 when Joseph Lucas, a reformed alcholic decided to go in to business to support his family. On display is the original account Journal from 1860 in which he kept details of all his transactions. Another interesting item in Joseph Lucas account book 1860 the collection is a silver scale model of MG EX135 from 1938. This model was a personal gift from Lord Nuffield, the owner of the MG Company, to Major A T G ‘Goldie’ Gardner who had set a new speed © Pete Austin record of 186 mph on a newly completed autobahn near Frankfurt in Germany, Goldie Gardner MG EX135 silver scale model

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driving a specially adapted vehicle known as MG EX135. The following year the same car, driven again by Gardner went on to become the first 1100cc vehicle to exceed 200 mph. Many of the objects may not have been seen before in public, while others, like the stained glass windows removed from the Automotive Products Austin Mini cutaway car factory in Leamington Spa, have been on public view since they were made. Choosing just 50 objects involved many discussions and compromises as staff from the curatorial, archive and learning teams all contributed to the final selection, and all have their own favourites. The Curator, Stephen Laing, said “This exhibition celebrates the rich history of an industry that has dominated the economic and social development of the West Midlands region for more than a century. The curatorial and archive teams have worked together to find © Pete Austin Michelotti concept drawing for Triumph Stag.

June 2017

Rover T3 Gas Turbine Car.

50 objects which they feel give visitors a flavour of the many hidden treasures within our collection.” The People’s 50 The story continues with an additional part of the display for the People’s 50, which has evolved through community projects that People’s 50 display cabinet.

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make it in to the final 50, but which are on display in the museum. Visitors can pick up a trail leaflet at the entrance desk. The British Motor Museum is located at Gaydon in Warwickshire, just off junction 12 of the M40 motorway. This exhibition is on display on the mezzanine in the main museum building and is included in the cost of admission to the museum and collection. For further details, including opening hours and costs, see the museum web site at www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk

Rudge-Whitworth Index of Performance Trophy 24 Heures du Mans 1934.

Strained glass windows from Automotive Products factory in Leamington Spa

have taken place at the museum this year. Local people including past motor industry employees have talked about and even donated objects or motoring treasures which may hold great personal significance. A selection of these objects will also be on display on rotation within the exhibition, with © Janet Wright information about the object in an accompanying display folder and on screen. Hidden Treasures Trail. Alongside the exhibition, the museum is also running a Hidden Treasures Trail, allowing visitors to discover 1907 watch awarded to Ernest Courtis for other hidden treasures from winning the 1907 TT race for cars in a Rover the collection which didn’t 20 hp Tourer June 2017

View of the British Motor Museum from the 1909 Albion

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1909 Albion A6 24/30hp Tourer. While at the launch of the British Motoring Treasures, we were lucky enough to have a short ride in a 1909 Albion A6 5600cc 24/30hp Tourer.

manufactured between 1906 and 1912 as a large luxurious car. The chassis had pressed steel channel section side members. It had leafspring suspension and the chain drive to the rear wheels is completely enclosed to prevent injury. The 5.6 litre side valve engine had four separate cylinder barrels and a T head with side valves on each side of the engine.Compared to other vehicles of the period, it had modern handling and superior performance. They were mainly sold in Scotland, so demand was low and in 1913, the commercial vehicle side of the business took off and car production ceased.

This vehicle is a world away from todays cars, but it is quite an experience to ride in one. The back side doors open wide and are quite high up, so the side running boards are required to step on, to climb in to the vehicle. The rear seat is quite long, so if you have your back in the seat, your legs won’t bend over the front. The front seat is also bench style and there is a lot of space between the front and rear seats, which would probably allow for some luggage to be stowed inside the vehicle, as I didn’t see a boot. Even with the hood up it is very draughty as there are no side windows and with the thud thud thud of the engine and wind noise, it would be quite difficult to communicate with the driver. By todays standards, the suspension was very hard and you felt most bumps in the road. The dashboard consisted of many brass pipes and gauges, plus a small tank and fire extinguisher. The manual ignition advance and retard controls were mounted on the steering wheel. The Albion motor car company was started in 1899 by Thomas BlackwoodMurray and Norman Osborne in Glasgow. The Albion A6 was

June 2017

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Formula Vintage Round 1. Silverstone.

22/23 April

2017.By Simon and Janet Wright and Pete Austin.

ÂŠ Janet Wright

June 2017

Steven Smith Hotchkiss AM80 in the GP Itala & Lanchester Trophies race.

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Ruediger Friedrichs won the Silverstone Trophy in his Alvis Firefly

The Vintage Sports Car Club (VSCC) have re-launched their race meetings as Formula Vintage for 2017. The first meeting was the annual Spring Start at Silverstone, using the shorter National circuit, this year over two days. The feature race for the first round was the GP Itala Trophy as part of the eighteen race program. The Silverstone Trophy for Special Pre-war Sports cars incorporating the Fox & Nicholl Trophy for large capacity Standard and Modified Pre-war Sports cars was the first race on the packed programme. The race was won by Ruediger Friedrichs in the Alvis Firefly who took the Silverstone Trophy, finishing over 13 seconds ahead of Douglas Cawley in his GN/

Winner of the Fox & Nicholl Trophy was Richard Pilkington in his Talbot T26 SS

Ford Piglet. The Fox and Nicholl Trophy was won by Richard Pilkington in his Talbot T26 SS ahead of Marcus Black in his Talbot Lago T23. The second race was an invitation event for the HGPCA for Pre-1966 Grand Prix cars. There was a great entry with cars ranging from a superb Maserati 250F of Graham Adelman to the classic Lotus 25 of Andy Middlehurst. However it was the Lotus 18 907 driven by Chris Middlehurst that won, heading a Lotus 18 1-2-3-4 with Peter Horsman 2nd and winning his class, Sam © Simon Wright Wilson 3rd and Andrew Hibberd 4th. The other class winners were Paul Grant in a Cooper Bristol Mk2, Graham Adelman in the Maserati 250F, John Bussey in a Cooper T43, Tony Ditheridge in a Cooper T45, Eddy Perk in a Heron F1 and Sid Hoole in a Cooper T66 F1.

The Maserati 250F of Graham Adelman leads John Bussey Cooper T43 Harindra De Silva Lotus 24 and Paul Grant Cooper Bristol Mk2 in the HGPCA race for Pre-61 GP cars

June 2017

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Race 3 winner Andrew Mitchell HRG 1 1/2 litre led the first lap from Andy Bush Riley TT Sprite Replica through Brooklands

Race three was for Standard and Modified Pre-war Sports Cars. Andrew Mitchell in the HRG 1 1/2 litre took a close victory, just © Simon Wright 1.09 seconds ahead of Tim Kneller in his Riley TT Sprite. The other class winners were Ralf Emmerling in his Riley Brooklands, David Ozanne in his Aston Martin Speed Ulster, John Polson in a Talbot AV 105 and Peter Bradfield in an Invicta S Type. In the VSCC Standard Cars it was an Aston Martin Ulster 1-2 with Richard Bradley ahead of John Briggs. The Team Handicap was won by The Three Awls and first on GP Itala Trophy winner Julian Majzub Bugatti T35B Handicap was Philip June 2017

Champion in a Frazer Nash Super Sports. Race Four was the feature race, the GP Itala & Lanchester Trophies race incorporating the Stanley Mann Cup for Pre-1931 Vintage Bentley Cars. Julian Majzub was a clear winner of the GP Itala Trophy, from start to finish in his Bugatti T35B finishing ahead of a pair of Frazer Nash Super Sports driven by Patrick © Janet Wright Blakeney-Edwards and Charles Gillett. One of the more unusual cars in the race was the Hotchkiss AM80 of Steven Smith, with its offset body with the driver and main body set to the left of the vehicle, that finished 11th overall. The Handicap winner Stanley Mann Cup winner Ewen Getley Bentley 3/4 1/2 litre

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exotica like a Ferrari 500 TRC, a Maserati 300S and an Alfa Romeo Giulietta SVZ from Italy. Guillermo Fierro Eleta in the beautiful Maserati lapped the entire field on the track, but was penalised 3 minutes for not complying with the pit stop regulations which dropped him down to 2nd overall. This promoted Christopher Keen, in the 4.7 litre Kurtis, to the win in the race, and officially they were the only two cars to complete 26 laps. The Maserati was officially 1 minute and 50 seconds behind in 2nd place. Best of the rest, in 3rd place, was Steven BoultbeeBrookes at the wheel of the classic Aston Martin DB3S. © Simon Wright

2nd placed Guillermo Fierro Eleta Maserati 300S in the FISCAR Tom Cole Trophy race

was James Morley in a Bentley 3/4 1/2 litre while the Stanley Mann Cup winner was Ewen Getley in a Bentley 3/4 1/2 litre, who was presented with his trophy by Prince Michael of Kent in the paddock after the race. Another invitation race was next, with the FISCAR Tom Cole Trophy race. The Fifties Sports Car Racing Club (FISCAR) also covers GT cars from the fifties and contained a fantastic variety of sports and GT cars from that era. There were plenty of home grown Austin Healey sports cars in the race, but also foreign

Harry Painter MG PA took the win in the All-Comers Short handicap

The Ferrari 500 TRC leads winner Christopher Keen in his Kurtis 500 S

June 2017

Race 6 was an All-Comer short handicap race for pre-war cars with a pretty full grid of 33 cars. This was a 5 lap event that saw a close win for Harry Painter in his MG PA by just 1.62 seconds ahead of Paul Baker in his Frazer Nash Sports and Theodore Hunt in his Frazer Nash TT Rep The Patrick Lindsay Memorial & Amschel Rothschild Trophies © Janet Wright race for pre-1961 Racing Cars saw a demonstration by Frederick Harper in the Kurtis IndyRoadster who led from start to finish to

Harper won the Amschel Rothschild Trophy in the Kurtis Indy Roadster

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claim the Amschel Rothschild Trophy. The battle for 2nd was between Guillermo Fierro Eleta in his Maserati 250F and Charlie Mark Gillies ERA R3A won the Patrick Lindsay Memorial Trophy Martin in his Cooper Monaco T49 who finished in that order. The Patrick Lindsay Memorial Trophy was won by Mark Giles in ERA R3A in front of Nicholas Topliss in ERA R4A and Terry Crabb in ERA R12C. The twenty minute race for 1950s Sports and Sports Racing cars saw a smaller field than a lot of the races, but was an interesting mix of Lister, Cooper and Lotus variants plus others. Steven Boultbee-Brooks led from start to finish in his Lister Jaguar Flat Iron with a narrow 2 second lead over class winning Justin © Janet Wright

Maeers in his Cooper Monaco T49. Third place went to Tony Bianchi in his Farrellac Allard Sports who also won the Post 1956 Car over 2000cc class. The other class winners were Stuart Dean in his MG Dick Jacobs Special (Pre 1956 Car up to 1500cc), John Are in his Cooper Bristol T24/25 (Pre 1956 car 1501-2000cc class) and John Clark in a Cooper Bristol (Post 1956 car up to 1500cc). The 500 Owners Association has assembled a reasonable field of cars for their Formula 3 (500) race. These small cars are big on racing and the race was won by Gordon Russell in a Mackson F3 by just 0.22 of a second from Xavier Kingsland in a Staride Mk3. Richard de la Roche was 3rd in the first of several © Simon Wright

Gordon Russell in the Mackson F3 won the 500CC Formula 3 race

Coopers in the race, in his Mk5. The other class winners were Nigel Challis in a Cooper Mk8 and JB Jones in a JLR. The final race on Saturday was an All-Comers short scratch race for Pre-war cars and Mark Gillies took a comfortable second win Boultbee-Brooks Lister Jaguar Flat Iron won the 1950s sports race

June 2017

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of the day in ERA R3A ahead of Julian Grimwade in a Frazer Nash Norris Special and Terry Crabb in ERA R12C, with all three winning their respective classes. The other class winner was 13th placed Mark Elder in an Austin Sports Special. VSCC Formula Vintage, Silverstone, (Day 2, 23rd April) By Pete Austin © Pete Austin

Keith Ahlers - Morgan Plus 8 won both Morgan Challenge races

(VSCC Set 5) which was won by the familiar Frazer Nash Norris Special of Julian Grimwade from the Riley Super Rat of Pete Candy. © Pete Austin

Tom Waterfield - GN Special - leads the High Speed Trial away at the start

St. Georges Day dawned bright for day 2 of the VSCC Formula Vintage meeting. First off was the 30 minute High Speed Trial for Pre-War Sports cars with Tom Waterfield in his GN Special taking the win from the Riley Falcon of Leonard Lord. The AR Motorsport Morgan Challenge had two races, both of which were won by rapid Jerseyman Keith Ahlers in his Morgan Plus 8. Next up was an all-comers scratch race for Pre-War cars June 2017

Julian Grimwade - Frazer Nash Norris Special took win on Sunday

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Railton LS Tourer of Anthony Fenwick-Wilson ahead of the interesting Hillegrass Sprint Car of Douglas Martin. The second of these two races was taken by Stephen Riddington’s Riley 12-4 Special from the Alvis 12-70 of Ian Fyfe. © Simon Wright

Peter Horsman - Lotus 18-21 won the 2nd HGPCA Pre-66 GP race

The HGPCA Pre-1966 Grand Prix Cars were next out for their second race of the weekend. Following the retirement of yesterdays winner, Chris Middlehurst in his Lotus 18, the honours went to Peter Horsman in his Lotus 18-21 from the Lotus 18 of Andrew Hibberd. © Pete Austin

The HRDC Commbs Heritage Challenge for Pre-66 Jaguar Touring Cars was next with victory going to the Mk1 of Alistair Dyson. The final race of the day was the Mike Stripe team Relay race, which was won by Manche D’Enchanteur, which consisted of Charles Gillett in the Frazer Nash Super Sports, Dougal Cawley in the GN/Ford Piglet and Brian White in the Frazer Nash BMW TT Replica. © Pete Austin

Anthony Fenwick-Wilson in the Railton LS Tourer won the 1st All-Comers Handicap

The field for the All-Comers Handicap for Pre-War Cars (VSCC Set 6) was split into two races with the first being taken by the June 2017

Clean sweep for Alistair Dyson - Jaguar Mk2

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Tim Harrison - The Hornet Racing Special Andy Middlehurst Lotus 25 R4 in the Pre-66 GP race

Dougal Cawley GN/FordPiglet spins at Luffield

Darrell Woods Cooper Mk 12 chased by Kerry Horan Trenberth Vincent Comet 500 F3 practice

Sue Darbyshire working on her Morgan Super Aero © Simon Wright

Vivian Bush Bentley 3 litre GP Itala race

June 2017

Douglas Martin - Hillegrass Sprint Car

Alan Harpley Avon/Alvis Special

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Â© Syd Wall

The 2017 Avon Tyres / TTC Group MSA

British Hillclimb Championship. Prescott Hill Climb 22nd-23rd April 2017. By Syd Wall

June 2017

Alex Summers trying hard at Orchard

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The immaculate 1960 Mini of Matt Clarke

The 2017 Avon Tyres / TTC Group MSA British Hillclimb Championship could not have begun better for Trevor Willis. He left Prescott with two second places in 2016 but but hit the jackpot with victories in both championship run-offs at this year’s first event at the Cotswolds venue. He overcame the expected new season set-up problems to head the table, lighting up the course with showers of sparks on the straights. Current and four time champion, Scott Moran, has decided that the family motorhome business must take priority in 2017 so he has restricted himself to taking part in just 8 events. But he must June 2017

have been pleased with a 2nd and 3rd, to lie 2nd overall in the table. His target is to end the season in the top 10 so he must have left Prescott feeling very upbeat about his prospects. Third place is held by Dave Uren who has graduated from a 1.3 © Syd Wall turbo class car to the top, unlimited class, using the same 3.5 Gould GR55 driven to four champion ships by Martin Wallace Menzies at speed in the superb looking new Gould GR59 Groves. Quite a performance for such a big step up in performance. Incidentally, the Nicholson McLaren V8 engine powering the Moran and Uren cars is a development of the NME turbo engine used in the Indy car series in the USA. © Syd Wall Following Uren was the first of the 1600cc class cars driven by Richard Spedding. Incredibly, he was fastest of all after the practice runs but lying 4th at the end of the day must have been satisfactory. Ex rally driver, Eynon Price lies 5th in the Suzuki engined Gould GR59 he shares with

Sean Gould just a few seconds from an expensive spin

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Trevor Willis lights up the hill to take two first places

Sean Gould. Sean clobbered the Esses barriers on his 2nd run but still holds 8th place. The car needs some repairs after sustaining broken front suspension and a reportedly £7000 front wing. Wallace Menzies, who was the driver of Uren’s car last year lies 6th. He improved his times in the new Cosworth powered Gould GR59 in every run up the hill.

Will Hall overcame last season’s problems to hold 7th. Ed Hollier lies 8th with Alex Summers 9th in an ex Wallace Menzies DJ Firestorm Cosworth and Jason Mourant from Jersey 10th. Mourant drives the Judd powered Gould GR55 which was new in 2003 for Roy Lane’s last run-off victory of his career. © Syd Wall

Ryan Earner’s very loud 1380cc Metro

June 2017

Simon Braithwaite flat out at Orchard

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Rupert Marks drove this McLaren M12 on the road to Prescott - 150 miles from Essex

There’s no rest for the championship, Sean Gould in particular, with less than a week to go before the May Bank Holiday rounds at Craigantlet near Belfast.

David Uren lifts a wheel at Ettore’s © Syd Wall

You can’t have a Prescott meeting without a Bugatti - the Type 51 of Edmund Burgess

June 2017

Richard Spedding powers through the cement dust

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This isn’t what Alec Issigonis had in mind in 1956 - Alan McDonald’s Mitusbishi Evo based Mini

Impressively complex exhaust and turbo installation on Will Hall’s Force WH Xtec AER © Syd Wall

Scott Moran has a day off work selling motorhomes to take second place

June 2017

Heavy braking from Nigel Elliot’s 4.6 litre V8 engined TR7

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ÂŠ Pete Austin

Donington Historic Festival 28th-30th April 2017. By Simon & Janet Wright with additional material by Pete Austin and Syd Wall

June 2017

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claimed Pole position in his Lola Mk2, but in the cloudy conditions of Saturday and the sunshine on Sunday, it was John Sykes in a Merlyn Mk2 that won both races, from Justin Fleming in a Lola Mk2 and Nick Taylor in an Elva 100 on Saturday and Longton and Fleming on Sunday. Coming much more up to date was the first race of the weekend for the HSCC Super Touring Car Challenge for 1970-2000 Touring cars. There was a great entry of former Touring Cars with Honda, Audi, MG, BMW, Volvo, Alfa Romeo and Ford all represented. James Dodd took pole in his Honda Accord and won both races of the weekend comfortably from Neil Smith in an Alfa Romeo 150 STW who just pipped Chris Beighton in another Honda Accord on Saturday. On Sunday it was Graeme Dodd in 2nd in his Honda Accord from Jason Hughes in his MG BTCC. © Simon Wright

Donington Historic Festival was run over three days with a packed nineteen race program covering all types of historic motorsport, from single seater, through saloon, GT and sportscar racing plus some Rally action off circuit and static car club displays in the infield. Friday was practice and qualifying day, with the race action taking place over the weekend. Starting the action fest was the Pre-61 front engined Formula Junior cars, which was quite apt as they were the beginering © Simon Wright formula in their day for aspiring Grand Prix drivers. Richard Longdon Pre-61 Formula Junior winner John Sykes Merlyn Mk2

June 2017

Smith Alfa Romeo 150 STW about to be passed by winner Dodd Honda Accord Super Touring Car Challenge

The vintage teams were out next to show that age does not mean slow with the Mad Jack race for Pre-war sports cars. The Frazer Nash of Frederic Wakeman and Patrick BlackeneyEdwards dominated the 40 minute race, lapping the entire field. The Clive Morley Bentley 3/4 1/2 litre just held 2nd from the other Bentley 3/4 1/2 driven by Richard Hudson and Stuart Morley, Page 27

engined Ford Cortinas. However, it was the Andrew and Maxim Banks Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint on pole position ahead of six Ford Lotus Cortinas, and that was the finishing order of the first race with the Alfa Romeo over 23 seconds ahead of Touring car legend Steve Soper who was 2nd in his Ford Lotus Cortina and the similar car of Ambrogio Perfetti and Oscar Rovelli was 3rd. The second race on Sunday was a much closer affair with the same result for 1st and 2nd but this time the Alfa Romeo was only just over 3 seconds ahead of Soper at the finish, while Andy Wolfe was 3rd in another Ford Lotus Cortina. © Simon Wright

Mad Jack winner- Frederick Wakeman & Patrick Blakeney-Edwards - Frazer Nash

who also won their class. The other class winners were Chris Chilcott and Steve Futter in their 12th placed Frazer Nash Fast Tourer and Leigh Sebba and Peter Cole in their 18th placed Morgan 4-4 LM. The Under 2 litre Touring Cars Trophy for Pre-66 saloons always © Janet Wright offers a great spectacle round the sweeping curves of Donington Park with the nimble Mini Coopers being able to mix it up with the larger Andrew and Maxim Banks Alfa Romeo won the U2TC race

June 2017

Frazer Gibney won the first F2 race in his March 782

The high-light of the meeting was the HSCC FIA Historic Formula 2 International Race Series with two 25 minutes races, one on Saturday and the other on Sunday. Richard Evans stuck his March 742 on pole position from Mark Dwyer in another March 742. Dwyer took the lead for the first 7 laps. After an initial challenge from Daniel Gibson in a Chevron B42, Evans provided the most competiton, swapping the lead with Dwyer until Dwyer retired from the lead with just three laps remaining. Evans had already gone several laps earlier, so the race fell into the hands of Frazer Gibney driving a March 782. Class winner Robert Simac in a March 712M was 2nd overall and Martin Bullock was 3rd in a Chevron B17C. The second race on Sunday saw some order restored with Evans winning from Dwyer, with Simac Page 28

Historic F2 - Graham Adelman - Ferrari 166 Dino © Syd Wall

June 2017

Peter Mursall’s wonderful Batmobile, the ’74 BMW CSL

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F2 Race Two winner Evans March 742 comes up to pass Jeremy Wheatley Surtees TS15

winning his class again in 3rd place. However for most fans the star of the first F2 race and possibly the whole meeting was the Ferrari 166 Dino as driven by Graham Adelmann, which unfortunately retired on lap four. In practice on Friday, the sound of its 1600cc engine screaming down the Craner Curves was awesome. After the lunch break it was back to saloons with the Historic Touring Car Challenge with Tony Dron Trophy for cars from the 1960s, 70s and 80s with British and European Touring cars lighting up the track. After a very close qualifying it was the Steve Soper and Chris Ward Rover Bastos Vitesse in pole position from the Nick and Harry Whale BMW M3 E30. The one hour race was like a re-enactment of the European June 2017

Historic Touring Car Challenge Start with the Soper/Ward Rover Vitesse just in front

Touring car Championship, when British cars could win races and uphold national pride. It was Soper and Ward who won, having led every lap, with David Tomlin finishing in 2nd place in his Ford Escort RS1800 and Dominik Roschmann 3rd in a fabulous BMW 3.0 CSL. Keeping the mix in the action, the next race was the FJHRA/ HSCC Silverline championship race for pre-64 front and rear © Janet Wright engined Formula Junior single seaters. This series again had two races over the weekend. James Murray had pole position in his Lola Mk5A which he converted into a win in the first race, but could only manage 2nd in the race on Sunday. Benn Tilley was 2nd on Saturday in a Lotus 22 and John Fyda was 3rd in a Brabham BT6 but he improved

Rudolph Ernst PBA Mk2 in the Pre64 Formula Junior race

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on Sunday to win the second race, with Peter Morton 3rd on Sunday in the Lightning Envoyette. This was followed by a one hour race for the Stirling Moss Trophy for pre-61 sportscars. Chris Ward had started from pole position in the Lister Jaguar Costin and led until lap 15 when Will Nuthall took over in the Lister Jaguar Knobbly until lap 20 when the Lister Costin of Nigel Greensall and Chris Milner took the lead which he held until lap 27 when Ward re-took the Stirling Moss Trophy winner (41) Chris Ward Lister Costin chasing the Lister Knobbly of Bennett/Coyne lead which he held till the chequred flag on lap 44. In the later stages of the race he was chased hard by Nuthall but held on to win by over a lap at the finish. Justin Maeers and Charlie Martin finished 3rd in a Cooper Monaco. A forty five minute race for the HRDC ‘Touring Greats for pre-60 Touring cars and invited TC63 saw father and son team Mike and Andrew Jordan in their Austin GT40 take pole position and a comfortable win by over 52 seconds. In 2nd place was the Jaguar Mk1 of Richard Butterfield and Dorlin and 3rd June 2017

place went to Neil Brown in his Austin A35 Speedwell. The final race of the day was a 90 minute into the dark ‘1,000 Kms’ race for pre-73 Prototypes, Touring and GT cars. Disappointingly, this was probably the smallest grid of the meeting, with just 14 cars taking part in qualifying. Unsuprisingly it was the powerful Lola T70s which dominated the grid with Paul Gibson and Chris Ward on pole position in their 5 litre Lola T70 Mk3 B. They led easily till their pitstop during which the Leo Voyazides and Simon Gibson/Ward Lola T70 Mk3B 1000kms winner Hadfield Lola T70 Mk3B took the lead for a lap before they also pitted. This let Chris © Simon Wright Beighton and Nigel Greensall take the lead in their Lola T70 Mk3B until they too pitted. This returned the lead to Gibson and Ward, which they maintained until the end of the race, winning by just over 8 seconds from Voyazides and Hadfield with Beighton and Greensall in 3rd, 2 laps down by the end of the race. The other class winnwers included 4th placed Michael Whitaker in a Lola T70 Mk2, 5th placed Steve Brooks and Robert BeeBee

Mike & Andrew Jordan’s winning Austin GT40

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in a Chevron B8, 8th placed Jamie Boot in a Chevron B16, Peter and Daniel Mursall in a BMW CSL 3.0 which was spectacular on its approach to the chicane, spitting fire from the exhaust, and finally Dominik Roschmann in a BMW CSL. Sunday started with a two hour marathon GT and Sports Car Cup race for pre-66 GT and pre-63 sportscars. Leo Voyazides and Simon Hadfield were out again, this time in a AC Cobra 289, which they put on pole position. However it was another AC Cobra 289 that won the race, driven by Grahame and Oliver

Diane Osbourne Jaguar Mk1 was 2nd in class ahead of Yellow E-Type driven by Gate/Coyne and class winning XK120 of Keith-Lusa in the Jaguar Challenge

The Oliver & Grahame Bryant AC Cobra 289 winning the GT & Sports Car Cup race

Bryant. At the end of two hours they had built up a 38 second lead over the class winning, 2nd placed Gary Pearson and Carlos Monteverde Jaguar E Type. Behind them, in 3rd place, was another Jaguar E-Type of Alasdair McCaig and John Clark. After the second of the Pre-64 Formula Junior races it was time for the Jaguar Classic Challenge for pre-66 Jaguar cars and Gary Pearson just snatched pole in his Jaguar E-Type by just 0.003 of a second from the Nick Riley and Ben Short in the No. 83 Jaguar E-Type. The forty minute race saw another win for Gary Pearson, winning by just over 14 seconds from Ben Short June 2017

in the No. 145 Jaguar E-Type, with Grahame and James Dodd in 3rd in the No 21 Jaguar E-Type. The other class winners were Ben Eastwick in a Jaguar D-Type in 12th, Tim Mogridge in 13th in a Jaguar E-Type, Bob Binfield in another Jaguar E-Type in 19th overall, Roger Cope in a Jaguar Mk1 saloon in 21st, Andy Keith-Lucas in a Jaguar XK120 in 22nd and finally 24th placed Chris and Clair Keith Lucas in a Jaguar XK150. After lunch and the second of the Under 2 litre Touring Car races anf the Historic Formula 2 races, it was time for the RAC © Simon Wright Woodcote Trophy for pre-56 sportscars. This one hour race was led off by the pole position Cooper Woodcote Trophy race Chris Ward Cooper Jaguar T33

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Benjamin Eastick Jaguar D-Type in Woodcote Trophy

T38 of Frederic Wakeman and Patrick Blakeney-Edwards who went on to lap the entire field, completing 42 laps in just over the hour. In 2nd place it was the Wolfgang Friedrichs and Simon Hadfield Aston Martin DB3S a lap behind the winners and only six seconds ahaed of 3rd placed John Ure and Nick Wigley in their Cooper Bristol T24/25, with all of the first three winning their respective classes. The other class winners were Till Bechtolsheimer in an Allard J2, Martin and Lukas Halusa in the gorgious Maserati 300S and Nigel Batchelor in a Cooper T21. After the second HSCC Super Touring Car Challenge race took place, it was the turn of the HRDC Coys Trophy for pre-66

Touring Cars to take to the circuit. Jack Drury had put the Ford Falcon Futura on pole position, just ahead of Steve Soper out again in the Ford Lotus Cortina. It was Soper that led the first six laps before Drury pushed the Falcon in front for just 5 laps before Soper was back in front. That only lasted for 3 laps before Mark Burton put his Ford Mustang at the head of the field for 4 laps. Lap twenty, Drury got his nose in front for a lap before Soper was back out in front for another 3 laps. But now David Tomlin had worked his Ford Lotus Cortina past various cars to take the lead on lap twenty three and hold it until he took the flag. Graham Pattle was classified 2nd at the end in another Ford Lotus Cortina while Burton was a class winning 3rd overall in his Ford Mustang. Drury had dropped out on lap 21 and Soper had dropped out on lap 22. Mike and Andrew Jordan won their class in their Austin GT40 in 9th and the final class winner was Bruce Chapman in 20th, in an Austin A35 Academy car. The meeting closed with the second pre-64 front and rear engined Formula Junior race. © Simon Wright

Bruce Chapman’s ’58 Austin A35 got through the corner ahead of the Julian Thomas ’64 Falcon Sprint but didn’t stand a chance on the straight

June 2017

Part of the Car Club displays on the infield of the circuit.

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Synchro spinning between Viggo Lund’s ’66 Cortina and Chris Clarkson’s ’64 Falcon Sprint

Super Touring - Rick Wood - BMW M3 GTR

Hans Huebner ran wide in his E-type in the Jaguar Trophy

Aston Martin Owners club display infield

June 2017

Julian Crossley Jowett Javelin sweeps past the Saab 96 of Clynes/Nillar in the HRDC Touring Greats

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British GT Championship Rockingham 29-30th April 2017. By David Goose & Stuart Yates - Motorsport Imagery.

ÂŠ Motorsport-imagery

June 2017

Winning Team Parker Racing Bentley Continental GT3 leads the Ferrari.

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Spirit of Race (AF Corse) Ferrari 488 GT3 finished in 2nd place overall after a controversial result change .

Meeting two of the British GT Championship saw the competitors head to the Rockingham Motor Speedway circuit in Northamptonshire. Based on an American style oval circuit, Rockingham is popular with many race series for its ability to stage a race over part of a high speed oval, the remainder of the circuit comprising a tarmac infield circuit. The meeting featured one two hour race in the 2017 championship, with the usual suspects expected to dominate. However the race outcome could not have been predicted by anyone. June 2017

Practice saw the Lamborghini of John Minshaw and Phil Keen dominate, but they were later penalised for exceeding track limits. Qualifying saw the TF Sport Jack Michell and James Littlejohn's Macmillan AMR Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3. Aston Martin’s secure a 1-2 front row lock-out, with Jonny Adam and Derek Johnston claiming their second Rockingham pole in 12 months. In the GT4 class, the HHC Motorsport Ginetta GT4 of Stuart Middleton and Will Tregurtha securing their maiden GT4 pole. At the start of the race, Johnston retained the lead from the © Motorsport-imagery Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini of John Minshaw, with a lightning fast start from James Littlejohn making up six places from the grid in his Macmillan Racing Aston Martin, running in third place at the end of the first lap. Early in the race, the leading TF Sport Aston suffered steering damage and the challenge from Derek Johnston was over with both Minshaw and

Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan GT3.

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ÂŠ Motorsport-imagery

Derek Johnston & Jonny Adam in the TF Sport Aston Martin.

Littlejohn passing him with ease. Throughout the early part of the race, the Bentley of Rick Parfitt and Ferrari of Duncan Cameron were following the leaders waiting for their opportunity to join the fight for the lead. Unfortunately, the Ferrari was given a five second race penalty for track limit violations, this would have a dramatic effect on the outcome of the race. During the race, the Bentley now driven by Seb Morris and the Ferrari now in the hands of Matt Griffin continued the dog fight ÂŠ Motorsport-imagery but now for the lead. Griffin did manage to get the Ferrari into the lead and was working towards making a big enough gap to make the five second time penalty irrelevant, but GT4 race winner HHC Motorsport Ginetta G55 GT4.

June 2017

was hampered by a series of safety car incidents. Unfortunately the Ferrari made contact with the Bentley during the overtaking move to take the lead, and this was reviewed by the Stewards after the race had finished. An on circuit incident led to another safety car period and although the Ferrari was leading the race on the circuit, the 5 second time penalty meant that he was actually running 5th in the overall standings. The safety car, under MSA rules must pick up the race leader, therefore the Ferrari was waved through to rejoin the back of the pack. This effectively gave them nearly a full lap race lead, an unfair advantage and a strange way for them to win the race by just over 25 seconds. Post-race, the Stewards decided that through the contact during which the Ferrari took the lead and the following actions under the safety car, that the Ferrari team had gained an unfair advantage resulting in the race win, that they would be penalised with a 26 second post race time penalty, promoting Seb Morris and Rick Parfitt Jnr to race victors. ÂŠ Motorsport-imagery

TF Sport Aston Martin Vantage GT3.

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US talent Cameron Das.

The British Formula 3 series also ran three races during the weekend, with Enaam Ahmed winning the first race to make it 4 wins from the first 4 races of the © Motorsport-imagery season. American Cameron Das continued to impress claiming a second place in race 1, but went one better in race 2 with ex British GT GT4 champion and race 2 polesitter coming home second. Race 3 saw Ben Hingeley claim his first win in F3 in his Fortec Motorsports car, with Cameron Das finishing 3rd to claim a 1-2-3 in the three races over the weekend Also part of the race package, the JCW Mini Challenge continues to

Reece Barr.

provide plenty of action, with four races run this year, there have now been four different winners. Race one of the weekend saw Max Bladon take victory and Reece Barr taking victory in the second race. A very competitive series with several drivers capable of winning any of the races, the Mini Challenge is often overlooked by spectators, but for motorsports fans, this series should be watched closely. The GT Series moved to Snetterton in Norfolk over the weekend of the 27th / 28th May for two one hour long races.

Ben Hingeley on his way to claiming his first victory.

June 2017

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Anna Walewska and George Gamble always competitive in the Century Motorsport Ginetta G55 GT4.

Jamie Chadwick secured her first F3 podium.

Duncan Cameron and Matt Griffin in the Spirit of Race Ferrari 488 GT3.

June 2017

Max Bladon in the Excelr8 Motorsport Mini.

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The Worcester Motor Festival 20th May 2017. By Simon & Janet Wright

ÂŠ Simon Wright

June 2017

Four Classic Fords from the 60s and 70s with a Cortina Mk2, a Zephyr, Zodiac and Anglia

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This year’s 11th annual Worcester Motor Festival seemed to be a smaller affair than last years event, with fewer cars on display. This may have been due to the inclement weather, as it was raining most of the day. As in previous years, the vehicle displays were spread all over the city centre, with the high street mainly occupied with dealers displaying the latest car models. Cars from Vauxhall, Citroen, Kia, Skoda, and Seat were some of the models on display, with dealers happy to discuss details and arrange test drives. Also on the High Street was a display from Shelsley Walsh. The local hill climb venue is located only a few miles from Worcester, and members of the MAC were present to promote forthcoming events. To © Simon Wright help attract Brand New Kia on display in High Street

June 2017

the crowd was a Dallara F308 Mugen Honda F3 Cup single seater racing car from Team Fox racing, as driven by Mark Harrison. Next to it was a race prepared Ford Puma to show that hill climb events can be entered with any type of vehicle, not just the high performance single seater racing cars. Moving in to the side streets and there were all kinds of classic cars to discover. A few local car clubs had arranged for their members to display cars together, such as the local West Midlands Standard Car © Simon Wright

Standards on display including a Flying Nine and a Teignmouth

Dallara F3 car got lots of attention

Club, that had a selection of vehicles parked in New Street, near the Corn Market. These included three variations of the Standard Ten model, including A Super and a Companion, which is the estate version which was introduced in 1954. There was also a Standard Vanguard Estate and a 1930 Standard Teignmouth, which was the Long Wheelbase version of the Page 41

1931 Standard

Standard Nine of the period. At the other end of New Street, there was another selection of cars in Charles Street, lined up outside the shops, which included a Morris Ital estate, a Marina van and a Morris Minor traveller complete with exterior wood, plus a Ford Popular and two Thames Trucks. The displays continued in to Friar street, where there are some © Simon Wright

Morris Ital, Marina van and Morris Minor, Ford Popular and Thames trucks

June 2017

very old buildings to provide an interesting background for the classic cars on display, Unfortunately there were very few vehicles down here compared to recent years, with just a Hillman Imp, an Austin Healey Sportscar and an Austin A30/35 saloon. Two of the more interesting vehicles were just in the entrance to Friar street, with a 1957 Berkeley SE492 and a 1968 Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Junior. The Berkeley was built by Berkeley Cars of Biggleswade in Bedfordshire, between 1956 and 1960. The Austin Healey sportscar SE492 was introduced in 1957 using an Excelsior 3 cylinder 492cc engine with triple © Simon Wright carburettors. It was matched to a four speed gearbox and gave the vehicle a top speed of 80 mph. During the eighteen months the model was produced, it is thought that around 666 1957 Berkeley SE492 and Alfa Romeo

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Chevrolet SSR Pickup truck 2005

Nash Metropolitan

were built. Moving back towards the town centre, there was another unusual but far more modern foreign vehicle, a very sleek looking American 2005 Chevrolet SSR pickup truck. The SSR stands for Super Sport Roadster and the vehicle is a retractable hardtop convertible pickup truck which was build between 2003 and 2006. Powered by the 5965 cc LS2 V8 engine also used in the Chevrolet Corvette C6 and Pontiac GTO, the power plant produces 390 hp and was © Simon Wright

June 2017

Jaguar E-Type

offered with optional manual transmission for the first time. Round the corner, in the Shambles, which runs parallel to the high street were more classic cars. Here again the cars were mainly British icons, with E-Type Jaguar sports cars, classic Austin Mini saloons, the Metro, MG Midget and a couple of Rover saloons from the 1960s and 70s. Another foreign classic car on display in Worcester was a red 1971 Fiat Dino. This car was built in Italy between 1966 and 1973. The Dino refers to the

Fiat Dino Convertable

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Ferrari Dino V6 engine that powers the car. It was fitted to a Fiat so that Ferrari could achieve the production numbers to homologate the engine for Formula 2 racing, which were 500 vehicles produced in a 12 month period. Round the corner in Mealcheapen was a 1955 Oldsmobile 2 door saloon. Type of American cars of that period, there was plenty of chrome and a nice red and white two tone paint job. This model was before the

Tesco Albion Delivery Truck

1955 Oldsmobile

period of big wings and fins front and rear, but still very large for a two door saloon. There was a vintage HRG a little further down the road and in the Cornmarket square, Tesco had a very old delivery truck on display and some very nice staff who were handing out free fruit and botlles of water to people looking around the displays. The last significant area of display vehicles was in Broad Street, where apart from several classic cars, there was a display of Police and Emergency vehicles to look round, which were proving to be very popular with the children. June 2017

Local traders had been encouraged to spruce up their shop window displays with a motoring theme for the festival and quite a few shops had made an effort to enter into the spirit of the event.

This way to the cars.

Triumph Roadster

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Daimler Limosine © Janet Wright

1937 Buick © Simon Wright

Vintage HRG

June 2017

Shop window display

New Tesla Model X Electric SUV with Gull wing rear doors © Simon Wright

Ford Mustang

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Archive Photo of the month. By Pete Austin.

The end of May saw the release of the new film celebrating the life of Bruce McLaren. He is shown here in his McLaren M14A during the 1970 Race of Champions at Brands Hatch where he finished 4th. Sadly he was to lose his life in June of that year while testing a McLaren CanAm car at Goodwood.

ÂŠ Pete Austin

June 2017

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VSCC Curborough Speed Trials, Sunday 30th April 2017 By Simon & Janet Wright.

June 2017

Class winning Terry Crabb in ERA R12C 38.63 seconds

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The Curborough Trophy for the fastest time of the day went to Tom Walker driving the 1930 11.7 litre Amilcar Hispano Special who set a time of 36.56 seconds and even cut the grass at the © Simon Wright

Ian Seymour-Smith 1918 Mitcgell 4 litre single seat 2nd Edwardian

The Vintage Sports Car Club (VSCC) held the first round of their 2017 Speed Championship at Curborough, near Lichfield, over the May Day holiday weekend. The Speed Championship covers both Hill climbs and Sprints and this year has nine © Simon Wright events. The entry for the Curborough event was over subscribed, so a maximum field arrived on a sunny day to tackle the short and twisty track. This traditional event retains the single lap format for the course and saw plenty of action over the short 1/2 mile layout. The event always draws a good crowd, many arriving in their vintage cars, and who can enjoy a nice picnic while watching the Terry Brewster 1937 Lagonda LG45 action. June 2017

Curborough Trophy winner for FTD was Tom Walker 1930 Amilcar Hispano Special

mole hill on his way. The fastest Pre-war car was the 1934 3.5 litre Frazer Nash Single Seat car of Julian Grimwade, who set a time of 37.69 seconds. The trophy for the Fastest Vintage car went to Tony Lees in his 1925 AC/GN Cognac, with a time of 37.8 seconds, though Tom Walker was also in the Vintage © Janet Wright

Julian Grimwade Frazer Nash Single Seat was fastest pre-war car Page 48

James Crabb fastest Young driver ERA R12C

Tom Waterfield GN Special locks a brake at Molehill

June 2017

Bob Drewitt with his Swift Anzani Special

Guy Lachlan 1914/18 Fafnir Hall-Scott Special

Lawton Green Wolseley Hornat Special

Cecil Schumacher Talbot 95/105 S/S

Ms Hannah Enticknap 1924/26 Morgan GN Salome

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Tim Harrison had a spin at the hairpin in The Hornet Racing Special

Class, but a driver can only win a single award. The other Overall awards went to Douglas Cawley in his 1929 GN/Ford Piglet for Fastest Sports Car in a © Simon Wright time of 38.99 seconds, and to James Crabb for the fastest Young driver, in ERA R12C with a time of 39.54 seconds. The entry was split in to twelve separate classes based on engine size and type of vehicle, allowing competitors the opportunity to compete for an award, whatever size or type of car they drive. Sometimes if there is a lack of entries, classes may be combined. The class winners at Curborough were Peter June 2017

Howat in an Austin 7 Ulster, Miss Joanna Collins in a Riley Brooklands, Mrs Jo Blakeney Edwards in a Frazer Nash Super Sports, and Marcus Black in a Talbot Lago T23. The Edwardian automobile engined and non automobile engined cars were combined in to a single class that saw Andrew Howe-Davies in a 1911 Scat Racer take class honours. The Special Sports Cars class winners were Keith Morton in a 1931 Riley 9 Special, Dr Christopher Downham in a 1935 Riley 9 Ulster Imp replica, and Jonathan Mellor in a 1922 AC/GN Beetle. Finally, the Racing Car Class winners were Carl Gary in a 1922/24 Hardy Racing S/S, plus overall winning drivers Terry Crabb, Tony Lees and Tom Walker.

Norman Tidd 1935 Austin 7 Special

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Andy Lloyd 1913 Chalmers 17

Mrs Jo Blakeney-Edwards 1929 Frazer Nash Super Sports

June 2017

Geoff Toms 1936/37 Fiat 508S

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‘Classic Car and Bike Night’, The Bull, Clifton upon Dunsmore, 25th April 2017. By Pete Austin

Volkswagen Karmann Ghia & Alvis TA14 June 2017

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American classics were much in evidence with two Mustangs of different periods, a rare Pontiac Tempest, the huge Plymouth Custom Suburban and a Ford Lightning pickup. German classics included no less than two examples each of the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia and Porsche Carrera. Other British classics were not forgotten with a Lotus Elan +2, a couple of Jaguars and a TVR Chimaera. A selection of motorbikes completed the lineup. Paul Stanley from the Bull was pleased with the turnout despite the cool weather and this boded well for future monthly gatherings which will continue throughout the year.

Humber Saloon and Ford Lightning. The first of this years Classic Car and Bike Nights at ‘The Bull’ in the village of Clifton upon Dunsmore, Warwickshire was held last month. The rain cleared up in time for a good selection of vintage and classic cars and bikes to gather in the car park of the ‘local’. VSCC member Robert Renshaw, who conveniently lives next door to the pub brought along both his Austin 7 (which he uses in trials and tests) and the vintage Humber Saloon which he is currently restoring. Looking the part in the rural surroundings was an Alvis TA14 Shooting Brake with its distinctive woodwork. © Pete Austin

Ford Mustang Mach 1 & Pontiac Tempest June 2017

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Austin 7

Alvis TA14 Shooting Brake

TVR, Porsche and Mustang lineup

June 2017

Plymouth Custom Suburban

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ÂŠ Janet Wright

Blancpain GT Series 3 Hours of Silverstone Silverstone 13th-14th May 2017 By Simon & Janet Wright and additional photos by Syd Wall.

Close racing was the order of the day in the Blancpain GT series with the McLaren 650 S G3 of Ben Narnicoat, Rob Bell and Come Ledogar driving round the outside of a Lamborghini Huracan GT2 at Luffield. June 2017

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First lap, mid field Club corner, Silverstone

The Blancpain GT series has probably the greatest field of modern GT cars in the World at the present time. Teams have entered cars from Aston Martin, Audi, Bentley, BMW, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Jaguar, Lamborghini, McLaren, Mercedes Benz, Nissan and Porsche, so cars from all around the world are represented. Silverstone was the fourth round of this years series, having already had two rounds of the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup at Misano and Brands Hatch and one round of the Blancpain GT Endurance series at Monza. The winners at Monza were Christian Engelhart, Andrea Caldarelli and Mirko Bortolotti in the No. 63 GRT Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini Hyracan GT3. There were 55 cars entered June 2017

ÂŠ Syd Wall

for Silverstone, including the winners from Monza, but after qualifying, they were only second. Fastest was the No. 88 Mercedes AMG GT3 of Tristan Vautier, Felix Serralles and Daniel Juncadella for the AKKA ASP team. The fastest Pro-AM Cup car was also an AKKA ASP team Mercedes AMG GT3 driven by Nico Bastian, Jean-Luc Beaubelique and Jules Gounon in 5th place. It took two attempts to start the race after an untidy first formation lap for the rolling start, but second time all fifty five cars streamed through Copse to start the 3 hour race, with the No. 63 Lambourghini of Engelhart/Caldarelli/Bortolotti grabbing the lead from the rolling start. In the early stages there was Page 56

contact between the No. 2 Audi of Treuyer, Berthon, Richemi and the No. 11 Ferrari of Broniszewski, Rizzoli, Cressoni at Stowe corner, which resulted in a 5 minute Stop/go penalty for the Audi. The next car in trouble was the No. 188 McLaren of Alexander West/Chris Harris/Chris Goodwin, which had originally started from the pit lane and later in the race was clipped from behind and ended up stuck in the gravel, Meadows/Mortara/Marciello Mercedes AMG GT3 resulting in a full course finished 3rd yellow, which was then converted in to a safety car period. When the lights went green again, Bortolotti pulled away again in the the bright green Lambourghini from the chasing pack, still headed by the No. 88 Mercedes of Vautier/Serralles/Juncadella. The next incident occured on the fast apprioach to Becketts at Maggots, when the No. 31 Team Zakspeed Mercedes of Kriton Lendoudis/Jose Manuel Balbiani/Rui Aguas was clipped on the

The Ferrari 488 GT3 of Salikhov/Mattschull/; were excluded from the final results

front corner by the No. 44 McLaren of Jonny Kane, David Fumanelli and Sam Tordoff, which resulted in the McLaren loosing a left rear wheel and hitting the wall at Becketts quite hard, with the loose wheel then hitting the rear of the car and doing more damage to the left rear bodywork. Fortunately Kane was fine after the impact and a full course yellow then followed, which again turned in to a Safety car period. The leading cars took this opportunity to pit which shuffled up the race oder. When it went green again it was the No.90 Mercedes of Michael Meadows, Edoardo Mortara and Raffaele Marciello that was leading, being chased hard by the No. 84 Mercedes of Jimmy Eriksson, Maximillian Buhk and Franck Perera which had managed to squeeze up the inside of the No. 63 Lamborghini © Simon Wright

Lamborghini Huracan GT3 of Gattuso/Beretta/Piccini leads Audi R8 LMS of Fässler/Vanthoor/Stevens and Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 of Ordonez/Chiyo/Buncombe

June 2017

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The only Porsche in the race the Porsche 911 GT3 R of Haring/A. Renauer/R. Renaur finished 28th

June 2017

AF Corsa Ferrari 488 GT3 of Lathouras/Rugolo/Pier-Guidi finished 6th

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No. 84 Mercedes soon got back to 2nd, but traffic let the Lambourghini open up a lead, which the Mercedes closed up again and they started the last lap together. The No. 63 Lamborghini managed to hold on to take their second victory of the series for Caldarelli, Engelhart and Bortolotti, but the No. 84 Mercedes of Eriksson, Buhk and Pierera was only 0.344 of a second behind at the flag, after 3 hours of racing. In 3rd place it was the other Mercedes No.94 of Meadows, Mortara and Marciello only 3 seconds further back. In 4th place was the No. 72 SMP Racing Ferrari 488 GT3 of Victor Shaytar, Miguel

12th placed Emil Frey Jaguar G3 of Hirschi/Seefried/Klein

through Luffied in traffic. Meadows held off the challenges to maintain the lead, and the top five all came in together for their final pitstop. Excellent team work by the GRT team got the No 63 Lamborghini back out first and back in to the lead, with the No. 84 Mercedes down to 3rd place. In the latter stages of the race, the two Emil Frey Jaguars started to work their way through the field with the No. 14 car of Jimmy Eriksson, Maximilian Buhk and Franck Perera finally finishing in 10th place and the sister car of Jonathan Hirschi, Marco Seefried and Christian Klien finished in 12th place. The © Simon Wright

The winning Lamborghini Huracan GT3 of Caldarelli/Engelhart/Bortolotti

Molina and Davide Rigon, 5th was the No. 8 Bentley Team MSport Bentley Continental GT3 of Vincent Abril, Andy Soucek and Maxime Soulet and in 6th place was the No. 50 AF Corsa Ferrari 488 GT3 of Pasin Lathouras, Michele Rugolo and Alessandro Pier Guidi. The winner of the Pro-Am class was 20th placed Barwell BMW M6 GT3 of Schiwietz/Walkenhorst/Henkola finished 42nd

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Aston Martin V12 GT3 of Al Harthy/Adams

Motorsport No. 77 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 driven by Martin Kodric, Adrian Amstutz and Patrick Kujala, who won by just over a second from the 21st placed No.97 Oman Racing Team with TF Sport Aston Martin V12 GT3 driven by Ahmad Al Harthy and Jonny Adams. The final podium place for the Pro-AM Cup was © Simon Wright

Caygill/Mayr-Melnhof/venter Audi R8 LMS

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Abril/Soucek/Soulet Bentley Continental GT3

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Robert Shwartzman. Palmer slowly extended his lead to the chequered flag as the field dropped back with a five car battle for 2nd place. At the flag it was Palmer from Chaves, Shwartzman and Max Fewtrell winning rookie award in 4th followed closely by Sacha Fenestraz and Alex Peroni right behind for the top six places. © Janet Wright

Very Close racing in Formula Renault Eurocup A. Korneev just ahead of N. Razak

Supporting the Blancpain Endurance series at Silverstone was the Formula Renault Eurocup with a couple of races over the weekend. It was Belgium born Max Defourny who claimed pole position from his R-ace GP team mate and local driver Will Palmer. At the start, near the rear of the grid, Jarno Opmeer, made a very slow start and was immediately rammed right in the rear by an unsighted Neil Verhagen, which pushed both cars off the outside of the track next to the grid. This brought out the Safety car, that picked up the field in the pit lane as the marshalls directed the field through the pit lane for the first couple of laps. Defourney had grabbed the lead from the start but pulled off on the first lap down the Hanger straight to retire with clutch problems, which gave the lead to Palmer. The safety car pulled off at the end of lap two and Palmer led the field off, persued by Henrique Chaves and © Janet Wright June 2017

Race 1 winner Will Palmer

Race 2 winner Shwartzman ahead of Fewtrell in race 1 Formula Renault Eurocup

The second race was on Sunday on a dry and sunny track, with Robert Shwartzman on pole position from local driver Daniel Ticktum in the Red Bull Sponsored Arden car. It was a clean start with Shwartzman who led off the line but by Becketts it was Ticktum in the lead of the race. He then ran wide on the entrance to Club and dropped back to 3rd behind Shwartzman and Will Palmer who both pulled away from the rest of the field on the opening lap. Ticktum held on to 3rd until the start line when Defourny took the place and Ticktum ran very wide again at Copse but held 4th place. Ticktum and Defourny contined to swop places as the leading pair continued to pull away. Then the safety car was deployed while a stranded car was pushed Page 61

ÂŠ Simon Wright

ÂŠ Janet Wright

Start of the first Lamborghini Super Trofeo race at Silverstone with L. Mauron/C. Schreiner leading a group Daniel Ticktum finished 3rd in race 2 Formula Renault Eurocup

away from the approach to Club corner. When the safety car finally came in there were just over 7 minutes of the race remaining and the leading pair began to pull away again from the rest of the field. Defourny ran wide and had a spin at Club corner while trying to pass Ticktum for 3rd, which dropped him back at least ten places. The last few laps saw Shwaetzman open up a slight lead to Palmer, both being well clear of the fight for 3rd place between Ticktum and Fewtrell, who had a broken front wing. Despite this slight handicap, he tried everything to get in front of Ticktum on the last lap, but finished right behind him in 4th place. Raul Guzman was 5th at the flag and Richard Verschoor was in 6th. The other major support June 2017

series to the Blancpain Endurance championship is the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe, which had two 50 minute races over the Silverstone weekend. Seventeen year old Jonathan Cecotto, the son of former Motorbike champion and Formula 1 driver Jonny Cecotto, was paired with last years race winner Vito Postiglione in the Imperiale team. The more experienced Italian driver got pole position and took the start of the first race and led until the pitstop when he handed over to the Venzuelan Cecotto, who drove a perfect stint to win the first race of the weekend. Behind them it was chaos as Rapael Abbate from Brazil and Yuki Nemoto from Japan finished 2nd on the road. They were demoted to 3rd for not having spent the minimum time in the pits for the driver change. This put Loris Spinelli and Mikael Grenier in to 2nd place. Then they were excluded for a technical irregularity which returned Abbate and Nemoto back to 2nd. Rik Breukers and Axcil Jefferies were then classified 3rd. ÂŠ Simon Wright The second race was a repeat

Lamborghini Super Trofeo Race 1 G. Van der Horst leads C. Sarrea

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Postiglione/Cecotto won both Lamborghini Super Trofeo races

performance of the first for Postiglione and Cecotto who scored their second win of the season to go top of the Pro category. This win was not like the first race though. Nemoto had started from pole with Cecotto next to him and had led through to the pit stop Abbate took over in the lead and looked like they were heading for victory when with just 3 minutes remaining ; did a stunning overtake manoeuvre to snatch victory. Austrian Gerhard Tweraser and Russian Sergei Afanasiev took 3rd place. Special mention must be made of the remarkable drive of Loris Spinelli who started from the back of the grid and made up twenty five positions to be in 6th place when he handed over to his Canadian co-driver Mikael Grenier who got them to 5th by the end of the race.

Jon Minshaw took two wins in the Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan GT3

The Blancpain GT Sports club offers bronze drivers the chance to fight their peers for overall race wins aboard modern GT cars. Each race meeting consists of a 25 minute non-pitstop qualifying race and a 40 minute main race. British GT ace Jon Minshaw in the Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan GT3 had a perfect weekend at Silverstone winning both the Qualifying and main races. In the Iron Cup class, Kessel Racing’s Stephen Earle in a Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 also scored victories in both races which extended his points lead in the series. Minshaw was making his debut in the Blancpain GT Sports Club and started by getting Pole position on Friday afternoon. He led the Qualifying race from start to finish but was pursued all the way by Cedric Leimer in the Autovitesse Garage R.Affolter Lamborghini Huracan GT3 and Karim Ojjeh’s Boutsen Ginion

J. Judek lead a group through Becketts in the Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo

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BMW M6 GT3. In the main race Minshaw led for the majority of the race, then with 5 minutes remaining Leimer saw a gap and went for it to take the lead of the race and Ojjeh was able to follow him through to take 2nd. Minshaw recovered quickly to regain 2nd spot. This became 1st when Leimer got a thirty second penalty for exceeding track limits with just two laps remaining. This penalty cost him a podium place and promoted Anthony Pons to his third podium of the season and the overall points lead in his Mercedes AMG GT3 after also finishing a solid 5th place in the Qualifying race.

A Pons Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 finished 3rd in the main race

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GT Sports Club racing under the Wing

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ÂŠ Janet Wright

German Clones? They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. P. Hirschi BMW Z4 GT3 leads M. Thomas Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 in the Blancpain GT Sports Club race at Silverstone. The new Rallycross circuit is starting to be built in the centre of the circuit ÂŠ Simon Wright

The battle for 2nd went to K. Ojjeh BMW M6 GT3 after N. Vandierendonck Lamborghini Huracan GT3 got a 30 sec penalty for exceeding track limits with a Page 65 June 2017 couple of laps to go

Â© Syd Wall

Stratford upon Avon Festival of Motoring 30th April - 1st May 2017 By Syd Wall

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THE FIFTH annual Stratford upon Avon Festival of Motoring took place over the first May Bank Holiday weekend, attracting tens of thousands of visitors from across the country, who weren’t put off by the frequent showers. Cars from across almost the whole history of motoring were entered with displays from manufacturer s and from local museums, the Coventry Transport © Stratforward.co.uk Museum and An AC Cobra takes part in the town centre parade the British Motor Museum at Gaydon. Gaydon supplied an impressive selection of Jaguars – this year’s Featured Marque – from the Jaguar Heritage Trust, recently relocated to the museum. The two-day event features closed roads in the town centre to June 2017

enable more than 300 cars to be displayed in almost every available space. Highlight for the drivers were a pair of feature runs through stunning Warwickshire and Gloucestershire countryside. The runs take place on both days with half of the cars going in one direction and half in the other to ensure that South Warwickshire Page 67

© Syd Wall is not hit by gridlock! The cars then arrive back to take part in a slow parade through the closed central roads. One run featured the ford Coughton Court. During the recce, the organisers found the water depth was a couple of inches but the Phil Jones’ Alfa V6 stops for a drink weekend rain increased the depth to about 10 inches with quite a fast current. This put off many drivers who used a modified route to bypass the ford. Phil Jones must have wished he’d done so too, as an enthusiastic entry to the ford in his Alfa meant he didn’t make it to the other side, his 3.0 V6 ingesting water and a number of us got wet feet pushing him out! Dates for the 2018 Festival are Sunday 6th and Bank Holiday Monday 7th May.

Five Porsche 914s tried to outdo each other in making the biggest splash

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