Showing posts with label Lola. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lola. Show all posts
Thursday, 28 January 2016
Sunday, 18 October 2015
Sunday, 11 October 2015
Sunday, 4 October 2015
Sunday, 13 September 2015
Sunday, 14 December 2014
Sunday, 9 November 2014
Sunday, 7 October 2012
GALPOT Weekly #51
Welcome to GALPOT Weekly #51 a review of the last seven blogs that have been published at "Gettin' a li'l psycho on tyres".
The week kicked off at the recent Goodwood Revival where I spotted the 1955 Series E Vauxhall Velox Pick Up seen above.
Tuesdays post featured this 1938 MG VA some of which were supplied with synchromesh on the top two gears and others with synchromesh on the top three gears of the four speed gearbox.
On Continental Curiosity Wednesday I looked at this 1962 Trabant P60 which was rescued from on top of a pile of cars in Gatebeck, Cumbria.
Americana Thursdays blog was about Jerry Grant who not only drove this Lola Ford T70 for Dan Gurney's All American Racers team in 1966 but also recorded the first open wheel 200 mph average lap speed at Ontario Motor Speedway in 1972.
On Ferrari Friday I looked at, what for my money is, the coolest Ferrari ever built, Count Giovanni Volpi di Misurata's Ferrari Breadvan which FIAT's Gianni Agnelli had painted black by his butler because he thought it looked like a hearse !
Yesterday post was about the promising but ultimately ill feted all wheel drive Lotus Ford 64 which would prove to be Colin Chapman's final attempt at building a car for the Indianapolis 500, one which he threatened to personally cut up and bury after failing to negotiate a sale with Andy Granatelli.
Today's blog features the Dodge Charger Daytona that Buddy Baker recorded the World First 200 mph race lap with at Talladega in 1970.
Thanks for joining me on this "GALPOT Weekly #51" edition of "Gettin a li'l psycho on tyres" I hope you have enjoyed using the links to catch up with the last seven posts and that you will join me daily during the week ahead. Don't forget to come back now !
The week kicked off at the recent Goodwood Revival where I spotted the 1955 Series E Vauxhall Velox Pick Up seen above.
Tuesdays post featured this 1938 MG VA some of which were supplied with synchromesh on the top two gears and others with synchromesh on the top three gears of the four speed gearbox.
On Continental Curiosity Wednesday I looked at this 1962 Trabant P60 which was rescued from on top of a pile of cars in Gatebeck, Cumbria.
Americana Thursdays blog was about Jerry Grant who not only drove this Lola Ford T70 for Dan Gurney's All American Racers team in 1966 but also recorded the first open wheel 200 mph average lap speed at Ontario Motor Speedway in 1972.
On Ferrari Friday I looked at, what for my money is, the coolest Ferrari ever built, Count Giovanni Volpi di Misurata's Ferrari Breadvan which FIAT's Gianni Agnelli had painted black by his butler because he thought it looked like a hearse !
Yesterday post was about the promising but ultimately ill feted all wheel drive Lotus Ford 64 which would prove to be Colin Chapman's final attempt at building a car for the Indianapolis 500, one which he threatened to personally cut up and bury after failing to negotiate a sale with Andy Granatelli.
Today's blog features the Dodge Charger Daytona that Buddy Baker recorded the World First 200 mph race lap with at Talladega in 1970.
Thanks for joining me on this "GALPOT Weekly #51" edition of "Gettin a li'l psycho on tyres" I hope you have enjoyed using the links to catch up with the last seven posts and that you will join me daily during the week ahead. Don't forget to come back now !
Saturday, 10 September 2011
16 Blocks of Classics ! - Carmel by the sea Concours d'Elegnce 2011
Here in the UK the Autumn is already closing in with days of rain. To cheer myself up with a hint of California sunshine I thought to share with you these fabulous photo's from last month's Carmel by the sea Concours d'Elegance kindly sent to me by Geoffrey Horton.
I understand for the day of the event sixteen blocks in central Carmel are closed down and given over to that part of the motoring fraternity that is fanatical about presenting their cars built between 1945 and 1989 in better than new condition. First up a Cadillac powered 1955 Allard J2R.
When I first started reading 'Motor Sport' in 1973 the car to have in touring car racing was the 3.0 litre / 183 cui BMW CSL which in full works Group 2 specification with 'batmobile' rear wing fairly wiped the hitherto dominant Ford Capri off the top place on the winners rostrum of the European Touring Car Championship. A #55 Jaegermeister sponsored 3.0 CSL looking very much like the car in Geoffrey's photo, but without the 1974 IMSA GTO spec vented flared wheel arches, driven by Derek Bell and Harald Ertl, won the RAC Tourist Trophy on the 23rd Sept 1973.
I have already posted a blog about the unique 1956 Ferrari 250 GT Boano Convertible, that was declared the winner of this years Carmel Concours, so with best wishes for the Birthday boy most of you know from his posts on this blog as Jr Cracker here is a Ferrari 250 GT Boano chassis 0553 GT which has gone through several colour changes and engine changes but after a twenty plus year gap now has it's original motor safely re-installed. Last sold in January 2008 for US$ 975.000.
The 1957 Indy 500 was won by Sam Hanks in the Epperly Belond Exhaust Special, Jack Turner driving the #19 Bardahl Special a Kurtis 500G started 19th and came in 11th last man to complete the full 200 laps.
I believe this wonderful Lola T70 Mk 2 is the only car to have ever to have won a Can Am race powered by a Ford V8, a 302 cui motor fitted with Westlake heads, which Dan Gurney used to take honours in the second ever Can Am race at Bridgehampton in 1966. John Surtees won the 1966 Can Am series in a similar, but Chevrolet powered, Lola T70 Mk 2.
The vintage and history of this Morgan 4-4 is still a mystery to me but nice to see someone flying the motherlands flag in a swinging sixties style.
My thanks to Geoffrey for his wonderful photos, I hope you will join me in wishing the man behind GALPOT's Ferrari Friday's, Jr Cracker, a very Happy Birthday !
Thanks for joining me on this Jr Cracker birthday edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres, I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I'll be taking a close look at a rare Aston Martin by Touring. Don't forget to come back now !
I understand for the day of the event sixteen blocks in central Carmel are closed down and given over to that part of the motoring fraternity that is fanatical about presenting their cars built between 1945 and 1989 in better than new condition. First up a Cadillac powered 1955 Allard J2R.
When I first started reading 'Motor Sport' in 1973 the car to have in touring car racing was the 3.0 litre / 183 cui BMW CSL which in full works Group 2 specification with 'batmobile' rear wing fairly wiped the hitherto dominant Ford Capri off the top place on the winners rostrum of the European Touring Car Championship. A #55 Jaegermeister sponsored 3.0 CSL looking very much like the car in Geoffrey's photo, but without the 1974 IMSA GTO spec vented flared wheel arches, driven by Derek Bell and Harald Ertl, won the RAC Tourist Trophy on the 23rd Sept 1973.
I have already posted a blog about the unique 1956 Ferrari 250 GT Boano Convertible, that was declared the winner of this years Carmel Concours, so with best wishes for the Birthday boy most of you know from his posts on this blog as Jr Cracker here is a Ferrari 250 GT Boano chassis 0553 GT which has gone through several colour changes and engine changes but after a twenty plus year gap now has it's original motor safely re-installed. Last sold in January 2008 for US$ 975.000.
The 1957 Indy 500 was won by Sam Hanks in the Epperly Belond Exhaust Special, Jack Turner driving the #19 Bardahl Special a Kurtis 500G started 19th and came in 11th last man to complete the full 200 laps.
I believe this wonderful Lola T70 Mk 2 is the only car to have ever to have won a Can Am race powered by a Ford V8, a 302 cui motor fitted with Westlake heads, which Dan Gurney used to take honours in the second ever Can Am race at Bridgehampton in 1966. John Surtees won the 1966 Can Am series in a similar, but Chevrolet powered, Lola T70 Mk 2.
The vintage and history of this Morgan 4-4 is still a mystery to me but nice to see someone flying the motherlands flag in a swinging sixties style.
My thanks to Geoffrey for his wonderful photos, I hope you will join me in wishing the man behind GALPOT's Ferrari Friday's, Jr Cracker, a very Happy Birthday !
Thanks for joining me on this Jr Cracker birthday edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres, I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I'll be taking a close look at a rare Aston Martin by Touring. Don't forget to come back now !
Monday, 5 September 2011
Gold Cup Classic - Oulton Park
Oulton Park circuit is one of Britain's more difficult tracks, while attending racing school there I spun off on two separate occasions, located near Little Budworth in Cheshire.
The last time I was spectating at Oulton Park in Cheshire then future world champion Damon Hill was given a one off drive in the British Formula 3000 Championship race by Colin Bennett and future Oulton Park circuit owner Dr Jonathan Palmer had a one off drive in the Celebrity car that featured in the Honda CRX championship in 1989.
On Bank Holiday Monday I got to the track for the second day of the Gold Cup Classic meeting, just as qualifying got under way for the Sir Stirling Moss trophy race. Former FIA Historic Formula One Champion Bobby Verdon Roe, seen here driving a 1957 Aston Martin DBR1, going through a much altered Druids Corner on his way to qualifying on pole.
Oulton Park now has a tarmac Rally Stage and an interesting variety of vehicles were to be found trying to navigate the slippery conditions, including this Surprising Skoda Estelle, keeping spectators entertained with numerous 360 degree spins.
The Historic Formula Ford race for Ford Kent powered single seaters built from 1969 - 1972 was highly entertaining with Rob Wainright piping Ben Mitchell and Benn Simms in a three way last lap shoot out. Former Grand Prix driver Ian Ashley driving the #62 Lola T200 is seen here passing Stuart Baird in the #6 Merlyn MK11A for fifth prior to Ian's early retirement.
I missed the Historic Touring Car race won by Mark Jones in favour of having lunch with friends from The Nostalgia Forum, afterwards the Derek Bell Trophy race for a mixture of open wheel cars was run. Richard Evans in a Formula Atlantic March 79B snatched a last lap victory from Michael Lyons Formula 5000 Lola T400. I did not realise it at the time I took the photograph above but this is a recreation of the Lotus Martin built to Formula One regulations in 1966.
Judy Lyons, Michael's mother, driving the #33 Lola T332 above, gambled on rain returning during the race and opted for intermediate tyres, at the end of the race she showed no sign of disappointment that her strategy had failed or that she was not classified in the final results.
The small grid of Group 6 2 litre / 122 cui cars for the Martini Trophy race included this Martini liveried Chevron B31 belonging to Graeme and James Dodd which failed to finish.
Charlie Kemp did his best to make a race of it driving the 1970 vintage #10 Lola T210 but was eventually unable to keep up with John Burton who took the Martini spoils driving a Chevron B26.
The E Type challenge was probably the race of the day helped by tricky weather conditions, earning my personal vote for driver of the day was Jon Minshaw who worked through the field from the back of the grid to second place behind Martin O'Connell in a race filled with lurid 'moments'.
John Ure and Patrick Blakeney-Edwards won the Woodcote Trophy driving a Cooper Bristol finishing ahead of the #57 Allard J2 seen here of Malcolm Verey and Dennis Welsh after Stephen Bond, who had rarely been more than a few car lengths behind the Cooper, lost up to a minute making his mandatory pit stop.
Benn Simms made up for his disappointment in the Formula Ford race by winning from the back of the grid in the Classic Formula 3 race driving the #1 March 803B seen here lining up
to pass the Keith White in the blue Ralt RT1.
Brian White and Keith Stantton drove their Triumph TR2 in both the Stirling Moss and Woodcote Trophy races, Brian is seen here exploring the outer limits of the track at Old Hall during Woodcote Trophy on his way to a 19th place finish.
Jon Minshaw teamed up with John Stretton to win the Woodcote Trophy in the #133 'Knobly' Lister Jaguar above lapping the D-Type of Ben Eastick which finished 7th.
Final race of the day was the 'Amitsead Barnet Financial Services' Historic Formula Ford 2000 championship race for Pinto powered cars circa 1978 - 1981 which was won by Nelson Rowe. Nelson Duke, in the yellow helmet above driving a Reynard SF79 about to pass the Delta T79 of Robert Trusting, impressed the event race sponsor 'Mallory Dan' sufficiently with his drive from the back of the grid to 13th place to win the FF2000 driver of the day award.
In between races and watching the rally car demonstration there was a feast of classic cars on display including my personal nomination for car of the day this Piper GT
After a great day out all too soon it was time to say 'until next time' to Barry, Roger, David, Mallory Dan, Alan, Phil and Simon from the Nostalgia forum and head for home.
Thanks for joining me on this Gold Cup edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres', I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don't forget to come back now !
The last time I was spectating at Oulton Park in Cheshire then future world champion Damon Hill was given a one off drive in the British Formula 3000 Championship race by Colin Bennett and future Oulton Park circuit owner Dr Jonathan Palmer had a one off drive in the Celebrity car that featured in the Honda CRX championship in 1989.
On Bank Holiday Monday I got to the track for the second day of the Gold Cup Classic meeting, just as qualifying got under way for the Sir Stirling Moss trophy race. Former FIA Historic Formula One Champion Bobby Verdon Roe, seen here driving a 1957 Aston Martin DBR1, going through a much altered Druids Corner on his way to qualifying on pole.
Oulton Park now has a tarmac Rally Stage and an interesting variety of vehicles were to be found trying to navigate the slippery conditions, including this Surprising Skoda Estelle, keeping spectators entertained with numerous 360 degree spins.
The Historic Formula Ford race for Ford Kent powered single seaters built from 1969 - 1972 was highly entertaining with Rob Wainright piping Ben Mitchell and Benn Simms in a three way last lap shoot out. Former Grand Prix driver Ian Ashley driving the #62 Lola T200 is seen here passing Stuart Baird in the #6 Merlyn MK11A for fifth prior to Ian's early retirement.
I missed the Historic Touring Car race won by Mark Jones in favour of having lunch with friends from The Nostalgia Forum, afterwards the Derek Bell Trophy race for a mixture of open wheel cars was run. Richard Evans in a Formula Atlantic March 79B snatched a last lap victory from Michael Lyons Formula 5000 Lola T400. I did not realise it at the time I took the photograph above but this is a recreation of the Lotus Martin built to Formula One regulations in 1966.
Judy Lyons, Michael's mother, driving the #33 Lola T332 above, gambled on rain returning during the race and opted for intermediate tyres, at the end of the race she showed no sign of disappointment that her strategy had failed or that she was not classified in the final results.
The small grid of Group 6 2 litre / 122 cui cars for the Martini Trophy race included this Martini liveried Chevron B31 belonging to Graeme and James Dodd which failed to finish.
Charlie Kemp did his best to make a race of it driving the 1970 vintage #10 Lola T210 but was eventually unable to keep up with John Burton who took the Martini spoils driving a Chevron B26.
The E Type challenge was probably the race of the day helped by tricky weather conditions, earning my personal vote for driver of the day was Jon Minshaw who worked through the field from the back of the grid to second place behind Martin O'Connell in a race filled with lurid 'moments'.
John Ure and Patrick Blakeney-Edwards won the Woodcote Trophy driving a Cooper Bristol finishing ahead of the #57 Allard J2 seen here of Malcolm Verey and Dennis Welsh after Stephen Bond, who had rarely been more than a few car lengths behind the Cooper, lost up to a minute making his mandatory pit stop.
Benn Simms made up for his disappointment in the Formula Ford race by winning from the back of the grid in the Classic Formula 3 race driving the #1 March 803B seen here lining up
to pass the Keith White in the blue Ralt RT1.
Brian White and Keith Stantton drove their Triumph TR2 in both the Stirling Moss and Woodcote Trophy races, Brian is seen here exploring the outer limits of the track at Old Hall during Woodcote Trophy on his way to a 19th place finish.
Jon Minshaw teamed up with John Stretton to win the Woodcote Trophy in the #133 'Knobly' Lister Jaguar above lapping the D-Type of Ben Eastick which finished 7th.
Final race of the day was the 'Amitsead Barnet Financial Services' Historic Formula Ford 2000 championship race for Pinto powered cars circa 1978 - 1981 which was won by Nelson Rowe. Nelson Duke, in the yellow helmet above driving a Reynard SF79 about to pass the Delta T79 of Robert Trusting, impressed the event race sponsor 'Mallory Dan' sufficiently with his drive from the back of the grid to 13th place to win the FF2000 driver of the day award.
In between races and watching the rally car demonstration there was a feast of classic cars on display including my personal nomination for car of the day this Piper GT
After a great day out all too soon it was time to say 'until next time' to Barry, Roger, David, Mallory Dan, Alan, Phil and Simon from the Nostalgia forum and head for home.
Thanks for joining me on this Gold Cup edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres', I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don't forget to come back now !
Tuesday, 16 August 2011
RIP Peter O'Shea - Castle Combe August Cup
Thanks to the generosity of Simon Lewis I was able to see five, of the ten, races at Castle Combe this weekend in between looking after two otherwise empty houses and a dog called Zed, who naturally was not permitted to come with me to the race track.
You could have heard a pin drop as I arrived at the Circuit around mid day on Saturday, as I got out of the car and looked across Dean Straight and saw a large accumulation of circuit vehicles 2 ambulances and a police car the reason soon became clear, there had been an incident.
It transpired that a Formula Ford car had left the circuit at Bobbies Chicane and come to a rest in the infield during the 2nd lap of the Formula Ford qualification race. Seeing the driver motionless the race was immediately red flagged and marshals arrived at the scene seconds later to find the driver had suffered a heart attack, neither the the marshals, the circuit medics or the crew of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance were able to do anything to revive Peter 'Pete' O'Shea' who was pronounced dead on the scene.
An hour or so later the time table for the weekends activities was hastily rescheduled with the planned Formula Ford races postponed for a day and racing resumed with Chaterham 7 Super Graduates reminding us why we were all at Castle Combe with a thrilling race.
Pole sitter Chris Rome was immediately swallowed up by a pack including Toby Briant, Luke Tzoufrou, Reece Somerfield and Neil Shinner who entertained us with a thrilling battle in which at least three of the Caterhams lost rear wings in an otherwise fair and good natured 4 way dice.
Neil Shinner seen here in 5th place eventually took a well earned win, with the top six finishers being covered by just 2 seconds.
The Sports & GT Championship proved a bit of a disappointment for Ian Hall who got bogged down at the start and was eliminated when he was clipped by Jeremy Irwin. Both Halls fearsome Darrian Wildcat T98 - GTR and Irwin's Jertona 85/09 were eliminated on the spot. Pole sitter Simon Tilling did not get away cleanly either which allowed Andrew Shanley, in his #86 Radical Prosport, a few short laps of glory before Simon in his orange #23 Radical SR3 got up to speed and back into the lead and a comfortable race win.
The final race I saw on Saturday was for the Caterham Sigma and Classic Graduates the two classes started on separate grids 10 seconds apart with the Ford Sigma powered cars going first, each of the six starters led the class with victory going to John Gil this time the top 4 finished within 1 second of each other. The Caterham Classic Graduates race also had an interesting battle with the odd wing being lost in combat, John Parker won the class from James Carvey by over 3 seconds which did not reflect the close fought competition during the opening 10 laps of the 15 lap race.
On Sunday I arrived at the Circuit just in time to catch the main event of the weekend a one hour race for Sports 2000 cars. These vehicles first seen in the late 1970's were an extension of the thinking behind Formula Ford and Formula Ford 2000 open wheel series but with closed bodies and like FF2000 used crate Pinto motors. I believe all three categories got started thanks to former Brands Hatch promoter John Webb.
Nowadays SRCC runs a championship for these cars in original Pinto form and for later Duratec powered cars which run with more sophisticated aerodynamic packages. This round of the series took the place of the cancelled round at Donington Park, due to problems with the local authorities regarding number of days permitted for racing. Sports 2000 teams can run either one or two drivers and must make a scheduled 4 minute pit stop during which refuelling is permitted.
After long time leaders Sherrington and Jenvey experienced suspension failure, Craig Mitchell driving the Duratec powered #22 Lola T88/90 won the event overall,
with Peter Williams and David Pittard coming second in the #88 MCR despite this early indiscretion at Bobbies chicane.
Mike Barnby won the single driver Pinto powered class in the #7 Tiga SC80 despite ignoring repeated black flags towards the end of the race which earned a formal reprimand from the stewards and 2 points on his racing license.
Peter and Harriet Needham won the two driver Pinto powered class in this Tiga SC82 ahead of
the Royal RP42 of William Howe and Formula Ford 1600 star of the 1970's Wil Arif.
My own retro paint job of the day award went to Mike Johns Duratec Royale RP42 which looked good, but was not classified being 22 laps down at the finish.
Twenty Formula Ford 1600's came out on Sunday and put on a splendid show in memory of Peter O'Shea, Petes Swift Cooper team mates all carried decals remembering their recently departed team mate and all FF 1600 drivers wore black armbands.
Rob Hall, seen leading above from Felix Fisher and eventual winner Ben Norton, were joined by Steven Jensen in an entertaining four way shoot out that was reflected all the way through the field, from the green flag all the way to the checkers
as evidenced by Adam Cooper, Edward Moore, Roger Orgee and Luke Cooper seen here entering Bobbies Chicane as one in an ultimately vane pursuit of David Vivian in 5th place.
Towards the back of the FF1600 race Pete O'Shea's friend Darren Hamlen driving the oldest car in the race, the 1980 #74 Royale RP36 managed to pass the #21 Vector of Mike Madge for 12th.
Peter O'Shea was born in Ireland in 1958 and drove in Formula Ford races for three years most recently with the Swift Cooper Team, I hope you will join me in sending condolences to Peter O'Shea's team, friends and above all his family.
A thread has been started in memory of Peter on this Castle Combe Forum.
My thanks to TSL Sports Timing for the results of all of the weekends races which can be found on this link.
Thanks for joining me on the Peter O'Shea memorial edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres', I hope you'll join me again tomorrow when I'll be looking at last weeks action during a test day at Mallory Park. Don't forget to come back now !
You could have heard a pin drop as I arrived at the Circuit around mid day on Saturday, as I got out of the car and looked across Dean Straight and saw a large accumulation of circuit vehicles 2 ambulances and a police car the reason soon became clear, there had been an incident.
It transpired that a Formula Ford car had left the circuit at Bobbies Chicane and come to a rest in the infield during the 2nd lap of the Formula Ford qualification race. Seeing the driver motionless the race was immediately red flagged and marshals arrived at the scene seconds later to find the driver had suffered a heart attack, neither the the marshals, the circuit medics or the crew of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance were able to do anything to revive Peter 'Pete' O'Shea' who was pronounced dead on the scene.
An hour or so later the time table for the weekends activities was hastily rescheduled with the planned Formula Ford races postponed for a day and racing resumed with Chaterham 7 Super Graduates reminding us why we were all at Castle Combe with a thrilling race.
Pole sitter Chris Rome was immediately swallowed up by a pack including Toby Briant, Luke Tzoufrou, Reece Somerfield and Neil Shinner who entertained us with a thrilling battle in which at least three of the Caterhams lost rear wings in an otherwise fair and good natured 4 way dice.
Neil Shinner seen here in 5th place eventually took a well earned win, with the top six finishers being covered by just 2 seconds.
The Sports & GT Championship proved a bit of a disappointment for Ian Hall who got bogged down at the start and was eliminated when he was clipped by Jeremy Irwin. Both Halls fearsome Darrian Wildcat T98 - GTR and Irwin's Jertona 85/09 were eliminated on the spot. Pole sitter Simon Tilling did not get away cleanly either which allowed Andrew Shanley, in his #86 Radical Prosport, a few short laps of glory before Simon in his orange #23 Radical SR3 got up to speed and back into the lead and a comfortable race win.
The final race I saw on Saturday was for the Caterham Sigma and Classic Graduates the two classes started on separate grids 10 seconds apart with the Ford Sigma powered cars going first, each of the six starters led the class with victory going to John Gil this time the top 4 finished within 1 second of each other. The Caterham Classic Graduates race also had an interesting battle with the odd wing being lost in combat, John Parker won the class from James Carvey by over 3 seconds which did not reflect the close fought competition during the opening 10 laps of the 15 lap race.
On Sunday I arrived at the Circuit just in time to catch the main event of the weekend a one hour race for Sports 2000 cars. These vehicles first seen in the late 1970's were an extension of the thinking behind Formula Ford and Formula Ford 2000 open wheel series but with closed bodies and like FF2000 used crate Pinto motors. I believe all three categories got started thanks to former Brands Hatch promoter John Webb.
Nowadays SRCC runs a championship for these cars in original Pinto form and for later Duratec powered cars which run with more sophisticated aerodynamic packages. This round of the series took the place of the cancelled round at Donington Park, due to problems with the local authorities regarding number of days permitted for racing. Sports 2000 teams can run either one or two drivers and must make a scheduled 4 minute pit stop during which refuelling is permitted.
After long time leaders Sherrington and Jenvey experienced suspension failure, Craig Mitchell driving the Duratec powered #22 Lola T88/90 won the event overall,
with Peter Williams and David Pittard coming second in the #88 MCR despite this early indiscretion at Bobbies chicane.
Mike Barnby won the single driver Pinto powered class in the #7 Tiga SC80 despite ignoring repeated black flags towards the end of the race which earned a formal reprimand from the stewards and 2 points on his racing license.
Peter and Harriet Needham won the two driver Pinto powered class in this Tiga SC82 ahead of
the Royal RP42 of William Howe and Formula Ford 1600 star of the 1970's Wil Arif.
My own retro paint job of the day award went to Mike Johns Duratec Royale RP42 which looked good, but was not classified being 22 laps down at the finish.
Twenty Formula Ford 1600's came out on Sunday and put on a splendid show in memory of Peter O'Shea, Petes Swift Cooper team mates all carried decals remembering their recently departed team mate and all FF 1600 drivers wore black armbands.
Rob Hall, seen leading above from Felix Fisher and eventual winner Ben Norton, were joined by Steven Jensen in an entertaining four way shoot out that was reflected all the way through the field, from the green flag all the way to the checkers
as evidenced by Adam Cooper, Edward Moore, Roger Orgee and Luke Cooper seen here entering Bobbies Chicane as one in an ultimately vane pursuit of David Vivian in 5th place.
Towards the back of the FF1600 race Pete O'Shea's friend Darren Hamlen driving the oldest car in the race, the 1980 #74 Royale RP36 managed to pass the #21 Vector of Mike Madge for 12th.
Peter O'Shea was born in Ireland in 1958 and drove in Formula Ford races for three years most recently with the Swift Cooper Team, I hope you will join me in sending condolences to Peter O'Shea's team, friends and above all his family.
A thread has been started in memory of Peter on this Castle Combe Forum.
My thanks to TSL Sports Timing for the results of all of the weekends races which can be found on this link.
Thanks for joining me on the Peter O'Shea memorial edition of 'Gettin' a lil' psycho on tyres', I hope you'll join me again tomorrow when I'll be looking at last weeks action during a test day at Mallory Park. Don't forget to come back now !
Thursday, 14 July 2011
Driver to Sponsor - Simon Lewis
During the early 1980's Simon Lewis was a regular spectator at Castle Combe where the biggest attraction used to be Formula Libre events run for any car built to known regulations.
At the top end of the entry would be vehicles that had run in Grand Prix like Alo Lawlers McLaren Cosworth DFV M30 resplendent in it's original colours and bearing the name of it's original driver Alain Prost,
or Formula 5000 vehicles like Tony Trimmers Lola Chevrolet T330,
and once in a while something extremely exotic like a Can Am 2 Lola Chevrolet T530 would appear.
A car with a large engine was not a pre requisite to be a contender to win as Eddie McLurg found out when he beat the big boys driving a 2 litre Formula 2 March BMW 822 Formula 2 car to victory in May 1989.
When he turned 18 Simon started on the long path to becoming a book mogul, surprisingly he specialised in automotive books with a business called Simon Lewis Transport Book Shop.
As and when resources allowed Simon turned to competing in rally events running against £50,000 Subaru's in an comparatively archaic gargantuan Rover SDI after three seasons the enlarged to 4.5 litre / 274 cui Rover V8 was put into a Ford Escort shell for a season.
When that project proved fruitless Simon moved to circuit racing at Castle Combe with a Rover Montego Turbo and then with some success he ran the Rover 220 Turbo seen above.
Simon has also tried his hand at Grass Track racing with an MG Maestro, that vibrated so bad in top gear that the bits of roll cage in Simon's eye line 'became almost invisible',
and at hill climbing with a Kawasaki powered Morrish built in Cornwall.
(# 6 Roger Orgee Van Diemen RF00 & #17 Alex Drabble Swift SC92)
Inspired by the reaction to a thread on The Nostalgia Forum Simon has taken a leap of faith and decided to sponsor a new Mono Libre series at Castle Combe in 2011.
(Winner of the first race #85 Peter Bragg Nemesis Mygale)
With a snappy title THE SIMON LEWIS TRANSPORT BOOKS FREE SINGLE-SEATER SERIES is open to any open wheeler that can pass the 108 db noise test.
(# 3 David Cox Ralt RT3)
An interesting array of single seaters took part in the first race was on July the 18th, I caught practice the day before and look forward to seeing the next races on July 24th.
If you have a single seater that can pass the 108 db noise test and is in need of exercise you could do worse than make enquiries at the Castle Combe website.
Hope you will join me in wishing Simon and his series all the best.
Thanks for joining me on this Simon Lewis Transports Books Free Single Seater edition of 'Gettin' a lil psycho on tyres', join me again tomorrow for a Grand Prix edition of Ferrari Friday. Don't forget to come back now !
At the top end of the entry would be vehicles that had run in Grand Prix like Alo Lawlers McLaren Cosworth DFV M30 resplendent in it's original colours and bearing the name of it's original driver Alain Prost,
or Formula 5000 vehicles like Tony Trimmers Lola Chevrolet T330,
and once in a while something extremely exotic like a Can Am 2 Lola Chevrolet T530 would appear.
A car with a large engine was not a pre requisite to be a contender to win as Eddie McLurg found out when he beat the big boys driving a 2 litre Formula 2 March BMW 822 Formula 2 car to victory in May 1989.
When he turned 18 Simon started on the long path to becoming a book mogul, surprisingly he specialised in automotive books with a business called Simon Lewis Transport Book Shop.
As and when resources allowed Simon turned to competing in rally events running against £50,000 Subaru's in an comparatively archaic gargantuan Rover SDI after three seasons the enlarged to 4.5 litre / 274 cui Rover V8 was put into a Ford Escort shell for a season.
When that project proved fruitless Simon moved to circuit racing at Castle Combe with a Rover Montego Turbo and then with some success he ran the Rover 220 Turbo seen above.
Simon has also tried his hand at Grass Track racing with an MG Maestro, that vibrated so bad in top gear that the bits of roll cage in Simon's eye line 'became almost invisible',
and at hill climbing with a Kawasaki powered Morrish built in Cornwall.
(# 6 Roger Orgee Van Diemen RF00 & #17 Alex Drabble Swift SC92)
Inspired by the reaction to a thread on The Nostalgia Forum Simon has taken a leap of faith and decided to sponsor a new Mono Libre series at Castle Combe in 2011.
(Winner of the first race #85 Peter Bragg Nemesis Mygale)
With a snappy title THE SIMON LEWIS TRANSPORT BOOKS FREE SINGLE-SEATER SERIES is open to any open wheeler that can pass the 108 db noise test.
(# 3 David Cox Ralt RT3)
An interesting array of single seaters took part in the first race was on July the 18th, I caught practice the day before and look forward to seeing the next races on July 24th.
If you have a single seater that can pass the 108 db noise test and is in need of exercise you could do worse than make enquiries at the Castle Combe website.
Hope you will join me in wishing Simon and his series all the best.
Thanks for joining me on this Simon Lewis Transports Books Free Single Seater edition of 'Gettin' a lil psycho on tyres', join me again tomorrow for a Grand Prix edition of Ferrari Friday. Don't forget to come back now !
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