Oulton Park Gold Cup

[GSD]

Originally Posted by Speedy norm

My comment on merging the 2 grids was just for this meeting. As for speed dif 2 yrs ago at same meeting John Burton qualified Gp 6 car in 1 min 39. In the guards trophy race B8 were doing 1.49. However this time was vastly faster than the twin cam racers in same grid. This has been discussed on other threads. Pos take b6 b8 out of guards I would hate to see HSCC drop the martini series as for me they are the most attractive cars out there.

Oh i completely agree. It's been said before but putting the pre-66 sports racers back in with the Guards GTs (where they historically belong, and are no faster than quickest GTs) and then putting all the Post-66 Sports racers in with Martini's would solve the problem.

I believe a few b8's etc would also encourage the b16's/lotus 47s/porsche 906s out into martini, who are eligible but have little to reaslistically race against in that series currently.

[Brynmor]

Must admit in (far too many years of Gold Cup visiting) that has to be one of the most disappointing entry lists since it became an Historic event.

The Super Tourer entry is very low (perhaps expected as it's the second visit to Oulton) and quite a few reulars are missing from other fields also

I can't help but feel that since MSV & HSCC took on the mantle in 2004 jointly that it's lost some of the wow factor, plus of course there are now far more Historic meetings in general. Our planned visit for at least two days has now become one only...

[Mike Bell]

I had a chance conversation a couple of hours ago with a regular Martini competitor about the poor grid. His observation was that Oulton is not popular with some drivers of those cars due to the circuit itself. If things go wrong there is a lot to hit.......

[GSD]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

I had a chance conversation a couple of hours ago with a regular Martini competitor about the poor grid. His observation was that Oulton is not popular with some drivers of those cars due to the circuit itself. If things go wrong there is a lot to hit.......

That is true, often Martini and Derek Bell Trophy races have red flags at OP. Doesn't seem to have effected the DBT entry list though, great to see such an impressive grid for them.

Martini has often suffered small grids, a shame because it really is spectacular.

[Rudernst]

Originally Posted by GSD

That is true, often Martini and Derek Bell Trophy races have red flags at OP. Doesn't seem to have effected the DBT entry list though, great to see such an impressive grid for them.

Martini has often suffered small grids, a shame because it really is spectacular.

yes, I agree
I like the circuit and i enjoy driving it
but there are some corners that I treat with respect due the unyielding scenery

up to a point this influences now what car I would race there

OP is now very close to the new Zandvoort meeting which is growing ever more popular
some possible entrants will be at Zandvoort a week later and skip OP before that

and then there is the weather
either beautiful sunshine, or cats and dogs...

+ the funny timetable which cant be helped, but means the you spend a lot of time at the circuit in relation to actual track time

OP used to be one the cornerstones of my timetable
no i only do it if there is nothing else on at that time of the year

and one more thing
I think the HSCC experiments to much with the racecard at this event
some years 500 F3s are, then they vanish
same for the HGPCA
and so on
that might not be the HSCCs chosing but it prevents some people forming a habit of entering

all in all
a shame
hope is improves next year

Rudolf

[delta]

For once Rudy , I totally agree with you. Very good post.

[Rudernst]

Originally Posted by delta

For once Rudy , I totally agree with you. Very good post.

Delta,
thanx for the compliment

do mean to say that normally You disagree with me ?
I am so hurt to the bottom of my tender little heart

Rudolf

[John Turner]

[Sodemo]

Does anyone have a definitive super tourer entry list? I see the one on the HSCC site lists 15 cars, but I know people can drop out at the last minute...?

[Alan Morgan]

To the best of my knowledge there haven't been any withdrawals and the list on the HSCC site is still correct

There are still a few days to go though...

[brands]

Pitched at the Oulton campsite.
New fence at Lodge looks a pain for photos
Will check the rest of the circuit tomorrow.
Forecast for the meeting is mixed.

[RickT]

Hi Guys

Dad will be running our McLaren M10B in the DBT, drop by garage 6 and say hello if ur passing. Its 53 years since he did his first race at Oulton Park and he still cant get enough of the place !

Great F5000 entry in our race for once, heres hoping for a dry weekend !!

Cheers
Rick

[911thillclimber]

Very much looking forward to seeing you all at speed there tomorrow.
Especially looking for the Martini class, so sad to read that it will be light.

Hoping to get in on a parade lap like last year which gives us mortal who hillclimb a taste of what the Gods do instead!

Fingers crossed for sun or at least dry all day.

[brands]

Lots of rain this morning, thankfully it was dry and sunny this afternoon.
Best DBT entry for a while.
Weather appears to be decent on Sunday, a tad moist on Monday.

[The Shrew]

I was at a loose end today so had a couple of hours at Oulton this afternoon.

What sort of lap times are the F5000's 2's getting ? First time I've seen anything like that at Oulton for years great to watch

[grantp]

Originally Posted by The Shrew

I was at a loose end today so had a couple of hours at Oulton this afternoon.

What sort of lap times are the F5000's 2's getting ? First time I've seen anything like that at Oulton for years great to watch

http://www.mstworld.com/timing/livet...tm?series=hscc

DBT qualifying list is still up there at the moment but it will revert to real time live timing tomorrow. However you can get at all the result from the same site.

Pole was 1.34 and a bit.

[The Shrew]

Originally Posted by grantp

http://www.mstworld.com/timing/livet...tm?series=hscc

DBT qualifying list is still up there at the moment but it will revert to real time live timing tomorrow. However you can get at all the result from the same site.

Pole was 1.34 and a bit.

Thanks that's great

Very interesting, how different cars look on track to how the results pan out.

I was watching at Cascades I would of put money on Evans being on pole, Flux also looked good surprised he is 6th. Lyons looked good but just slightly slower and that car is lovely, maybe its the size difference that made the speed actually look different

In all the meetings ive been to Oulton over the years I cant remember seeing cars like that (although I probably did when I was a kid ) I think the last time I can remember seeing anything that big was in probably 96 / 97 ish F2, F3000 or maybe EuroBoss

Great to have the hairs stand up on the back of my neck again

Go get me some Group C's to drool over

[Brynmor]

The 1st Bybox race was possibly the best saloon race I've seen....the weather playing it's part evened up the disparity with the Cortina's and Pete Morgan's heroic effort so nearly paid off, a very fine 2nd.

It was what Historic racing should be like ...in a similar way the Super Tourer race was full of drama. Erstwhile championship leader Dodd gets a puncture on the warm up, pits and starts from the pitlane....meanwhile his main rival Whyte ends up in the kitty litter on the 1st lap !! Immense drama...

[brands]

Home from 4 days at Oulton.
Wet camping gear still in the car as I've brought the rain home with me.
Had a good time, some good and entertaining races, shame about the weather on Monday which cut the crowds down hugely.
Full marks to the MSV staff who planned for the weather and allowed public parking on fresh ground inside the circuit.
I hope the DBT driver who had a serious off on the straight heading to Knickerbrook is OK, that looked nasty from afar.
Finally managed to introduce myself to Delta and have a chat.

Far too many photos are currently downloading to the PC, will post a few later in the week.

[Colin McKay]

Mixed fortunes and weather all weekend for me & the E. Torrential rain for testing on Saturday morning so invested in a new set of tyres for qualifying, guess what? No rain. Even had wipers that worked this time! Qualified well down the grid for no reason we could put our finger on as the car felt good but we weren't the slowest E type.

Filthy black clouds piling in warranted a last minute change to full wet settings for the race. I fluffed the start, nearly stalled but then had a great chase for 4 or 5 laps catching next 2 Jags & was lining up for the first overtake approaching the island when I heard a clonk from the front and couldn't make the move stick. Had a moment at Knickerbrook and slowly lost ground until the driver change, lap times had dropped 5 or 6 secs and Iain couldn't do much better. He persevered to the end but front anti roll bar had broken. And it still hadn't rained when I left at 7pm!!!

Still, knocked 3 secs off qualifying time and until it fell to bits it felt better than ever

[apriliadriver]

As we were Qualifying on Saturday and racing on Sunday, this enjoyable weekend started gloomy and then got better by the hour. A good race entry, though well-bolstered by non-Championship 'Invitation Class' participants.

Very wet Practise which favoured some cars that would do less well in the dry. A light throttle foot was the prescription in the Chev Camaro : I was muttering 'be smoother !' at myself at Druids and Cascades, to not much avail.

Sunday was dry and the race was full of incident and a lot of tussling. At mid-point I was chasing Peter Lanfranchi (grey E-type) - on the approach to Druids he spotted the double waved yellows for the Edridge Mustang crash before I did, slowed down - so I passed him then saw the flags myself , lost concentration and went grass-cutting for a bit before getting back on the track at the first apex.

I gave Peter the place back on the run to Old Hall and in so doing, let two others through ... aargh. Then had to go two wheels off again at Druids on the next lap to avoid Ian Burford in the Midget spinning.

Martin Edridge's accident looked pretty severe - poss. brake failure and straight ahead into the tyre wall, but I have heard from him since, a bit beaten up but otherwise uninjured : the Mustang will take more time to recover, though.

On a wider note, no-one can be feeling too happy about some of the thinner grids at such a good meeting on a great track. HTC, HFF, Guards, HF3 and HRS all mustered two-dozen finishers or more but none of us were troubling the max track limit numbers as was the case in previous years.

Super Touring, Derek Bell, FiSCAR, Martini, front-engined FJ and the rest were all in the 10 to 15 finishers bracket.

A few long-term Gold Cup spectators wandered through the Paddock and said how disappointed they were. I can't immediately put my finger on why this excellent meeting seems to be in decline ... but we need to do a bit more chivvying of race entries for next year or JP is going to do something drastic.
Nick

[zefarelly]

Well done Murph in HRS, He's had a crap season with broken gearboxes and them a dodgy Burton skew gear he fitted to his Dissy, but finally got all together for his first win this season.

[Rudernst]

torrential rain during front engined F Junior practice...

Mitter DKW seems to be very good at powerboating, came 5th in the wet practice
lost 3 and later 4th igear n the race, had to pack it in

had a great weekend

as I said before
the Zandvoort meeting takes entries away from the Gold Cup

Rudolf

[Dan Rear]

1st Derek Bell was a cracker, superb driving from Messrs Lyons Jnr and Richard Evans. I must confess I didn't watch too many races, those I did DBT excepting, seemed to have poorish fields, and quickly got strung out.

I would say this wouldn't I, but Mallory would be more suitable for the smaller gridded races? Shorter more compact track, less chance of periods with no action in front of spectators. Just a thought!

[delta]

Originally Posted by Rudernst

torrential rain during front engined F Junior practice...

Mitter DKW seems to be very good at powerboating, came 5th in the wet practice
lost 3 and later 4th igear n the race, had to pack it in

had a great weekend

as I said before
the Zandvoort meeting takes entries away from the Gold Cup

Rudolf

I wondered what was up. We thought you were stuck in a gear. Well done for the wet qualy.
Thanks for coming by to say hello Brands,and I had a very quick chat to our VW Bettle driver as well.