2009 Springbok series - South Africa - Page 3

simon drabble · 10 Feb 2009, 09:13 (Ref:2392194)

having worked for a South African bank for the last 12 years I hope you are wrong but fear that you are right.
A country that are good petrol heads as well.... most beautiful in Africa? I prefer Kenya

delta · 11 Feb 2009, 07:10 (Ref:2394317)

Hi everyone we have just arrived at East London and looking foward to going to the Track.Ref Simon and Driftie's coments we have had the most fantastic time and everyone is just so freindley.I could easily live here.All the parts i brought back for the Wainer were a waist of time as the engine threw a rod so thats him out. Been helping a Aussie change his engine and replace broken input shaft anyone every had that happen the shaft has broken inside the end of the crank.Ive never seen one brake?John Chissom had his drive shaft bolts sheerhe should of got driver of the meeting award they gave that prize to the American Stanguleeni driver not sure what he did to deserve it.Historic racing down here is so different to what we are used to and there are cars that have Zetec engines instead of Lotus twin cams 500 Coopers with modern motor cycle units but who cares everyone just has so much fun and they all enjoy their moto racing.Still hoping for a drive in something been suggesting to the Aussie that i test his Lotus22. Funny story he awas telling me about his trip to Spa in 2007 and that he was a bit cheezed as someone had a shunt at La Source and stopped the race on the second lap.Who was that i said.

terence · 11 Feb 2009, 08:24 (Ref:2394332)

Glad its going well Iain,good luck with getting a drive!

driftwood · 11 Feb 2009, 09:31 (Ref:2394375)

It would not surprise me that the reason these ZA hysterical cars have modern motors fittes is 1 its cheaper 2 the old units give more hassle in prepping and maintaining them which all adds up to spenidig more money

The Wainier is that the car owned by the Italian guy now living down there-get his email tel no for me

I knew a girl who lived in ZA for many years loved the place and wanted to go back but after the shooting of a friend of hers on his door step having been followed back from town that was the last straw plus living in Gated community starts to take its toll
I had a few chats with Fred Goddard about ZA and he said it went down hill after Nelson was released

simon drabble · 11 Feb 2009, 10:08 (Ref:2394407)

Quote:

Originally Posted by terence bower

Glad its going well Iain,good luck with getting a drive!

one of the few places in the world where the tracks are safer to drive on than the roads!!!
at least the marshalls dont fine you on the spot and demand cash payemnt!!!

simon drabble · 11 Feb 2009, 10:10 (Ref:2394409)

Driftwood its a long story and I dont wont to turn this into a political thread but it s a great shame that it took until last summer for Mandela to say Mugabe is wrong...

driftwood · 11 Feb 2009, 11:20 (Ref:2394995)

we of course in the free world have varying views on ZA and its previous legacy of segregation but i did see TV programme last year that said whilst ZA had that policy in place form the 60`s to the late 80`s it was a great trading nation had many EEC usa companies investing there and the country had great wealth and generally "the people" where better off- i dont know if that meant whites or the others ie the indigenous people as well as the mix of asians and "coloureds" that lived there
Also back then 2 rand to the Pound today 10-14
the crime was lower and it was a superb place to be and visit but i do recall the world wide political view on the country and it was not the done thing to visit and if you did you had to put blank paper in passport for teh entry stamp and throw it away when you left the country if you had ZA entry stamp in your passport as it could stop you from entering other countries who oppossed the system there

we are all hypocrits we can complain about the way it was run sitting in our warms houses watching Steve Beko on TV and then book a holiday there and others will be living off pension funds from investments made there whilst other went there to race this year and did not give me a free ticket so i could carry there bags!

Alan Morgan · 11 Feb 2009, 11:27 (Ref:2395010)

On a lighter note...

I texted Iain earlier to tell him that Jim Clark's fastest lap at East London in 1965 was 1:27.6. A few minutes later I got a text back saying that he'd just done a 2:36 in the hire car!

john ruston · 11 Feb 2009, 12:43 (Ref:2395399)

Its another Zimbabwe waiting to happen.

**John Turner** · 11 Feb 2009, 13:01 (Ref:2395414)

Drifty, I'm sure it was better for the white population, but the wealth was built on exploitation, suppression, control and segregation of the indigenous peoples, and that can never be right. People should have the right to screw up their destiny but, of course, the Mugabe regime has damaged the very people he was supposed to be 'saving' from old style colonial rule, and has damaged them far more. I sincerely hope that John is wrong about South Africa going the same way.

However, these really are issues to be discussed in PF, not here, so can we please stick to motor racing.

john ruston · 11 Feb 2009, 13:23 (Ref:2395428)

Agree John .Having spent years travelling in and out of the place in 70/80's understand the blacks concerns at the white government.Problem is that black revolutionary people have the ability to screw up throughout Africa once they have power.The Afrikaans led government was very good for their own people and nobody else.The majority of the good cars were shipped out at end of 80's and very few are left.

delta · 12 Feb 2009, 06:47 (Ref:2395901)

Back on track now done to a 2min 34.Sub 2 30 comming up.Ive taken lots of picsof the track at East London but will have to get Alan Morgan to help me up load them when i get back.Best way i can describe the track conditions and facilities are bit like Goodwood was when i first went testing there back in the early 70's.They only have 4 race meetings a year and yesterday there must of been 50 orso people cutting grass clearing up the track.We asked for some more lighting in our garage so will see today if they have fullfilled our wish.We are all set up but the Aussie container has not turned up yet wich is a bit worrying.The Wainer is Brian Mitchams Drifty.

Marcus Mussa · 13 Feb 2009, 14:48 (Ref:2396898)

Just back from practice at East London - fabulous circuit, lots of run off area (grass) - we are about 9-10 secs off Jim Clark however! Qualifying and race Saturday.
All the best
Marcus

Alan Morgan · 15 Feb 2009, 17:47 (Ref:2397900)

I can't find any results for East London on the net - how did it go?

Marcus Mussa · 15 Feb 2009, 18:56 (Ref:2397915)

Robin Longdon won the first heat by 0.9" and I won the second by 0.1" so he won overall this time - Doug Mockett was third overall. I got fastest lap in 1' 35.787". It rained 2 laps from the end of the second heat.

Delta finally got his race in the rain in Duncan's Alexis and acquitted himself brilliantly as you would expect. He got yet another award for being such a nice guy. The only thing left for him is sainthood. He has already been made an honorary citizen of Brisbane.

It is a wonderful track, completely as it was in the 60's. On the club house wall there are faded photos of Hill Clark Brabham and co. The local club is run by real enthusiasts fighting hard to keep the circuit alive (the local government want to build a university! as if there was not lots of space available for that elsewhere!

All the best
Marcus

delta · 16 Feb 2009, 07:50 (Ref:2398315)

Marcus has told you i finnally got a race at East London well heres the full story.Been rushing from one FJ to to another all day "gear knobs breaking,missfires,some bodywork damage not to mention Duncans Alexsis starter motor which is not a five minuite job". So both FJ races finnished everyone happy and there is just the last single seater race to go. Duncan Rabagliati said i can race his car if i want. "Yes please" i then wander up to Alan Baillee's pit and he says do you want to race his Lotus 23 in the same race. Right so back to Duncan and explain the situation and off corse Duncan being the nicest bloke i know understands and i get my race kit on and jump in the 23 and get her warmed up. At this point it starts raining "heavy" and Alan says i need to get some fuel for the car. Scrounged fuel of varios drivers and filled the Lotus ready for the race"very excited". Still raining still heavy.Now at this time Mrs Baillee walks into the pit and suggest to Alan that he does not race and why has Iain got his race suit on?. Poor old AB has no option but pull out "you dont argue with Mrs B but then Alan says that she does not want either of us to race. So cap in hand i return to explain to Duncan and ask if i can race the trustie Alexsis . A few of the other drivers heard what was going on and i then got offered a drive in a rear engined Junior but thought i had better not muck Duncan any more. Race came still raining but not as heavy and i was a bit cautios for the first few laps but had a great time and was only beaten by the local FFord drivers comming home in 5th place.We all then went to the prize given in the club house which a Marcus said has the old black and white pic's on the walls the place just oozzes with history and atmosphere.Will write up a more informative report with pic's when i get home. ps still raining.

terence · 16 Feb 2009, 08:03 (Ref:2398318)

Sounds like a just reward for whats obviously been a few easy weeks Iain

Well done!

**John Turner** · 16 Feb 2009, 08:38 (Ref:2398333)

Thanks for keeping us informed, Marcus, and well done for the victory. Also, it sounds like a great job all round from Iain and well deserving of both his special award and the Alexis drive.

The latest issue of Autosport actually carries a 2 page spread of the Killarney event.

john ruston · 16 Feb 2009, 14:18 (Ref:2398517)

We know what happened in Juniors .What happened to other Brits?

delta · 17 Feb 2009, 10:20 (Ref:2398938)

John non of the other Brits went to East London.Michael Waller took his Cooper F1 but blew the CWP on his first lap out.Alan Baillee raced his Cooper and won the first single seater race but as said in my race report his Mrs would not let him race in the second event as it was raining heavily.Every ZA trip i have been on the organisers have talked about going to East London but it took Duncans determination to get transport ect for trip to happen.Now that we have done it i think it will happen again and the saloon car and sports car boys will come as well.

jminsh · 19 Feb 2009, 21:04 (Ref:2400443)

Well done Iain sounds like EL was fun glad i missed the rain and only did the sunny ones !! lol
just think you'd have been 6th behind awaving merlyn driver if i'd gone !

delta · 20 Feb 2009, 13:04 (Ref:2400797)

Ive got some photo's from East London. Going to try and post them this weekend.We had a lot of fun racing the hire cars around the track im sure you would of joined in Jason.You had to watch out for on comming traffic and the local's painting the kerb's though.

jminsh · 20 Feb 2009, 22:33 (Ref:2401096)

dodge the oncoming bicycles a bit like on the mototrways no doubt ? good luck to the healh n safety warriors with ZA ?

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