360 MRC 6hrs of Snetterton and HRDC races

[zefarelly]

I've got my eyes on a 4L one now, as soon as I've recovered from the £400 seat hit!

I think its fair to say I took a few 'interesting' lines in getting and staying past the MK2, and avoiding his rear bumper on a few occaisions. THe Jags a gnats quicker in a straight line but clearly the Cortina, and the Alfas are a nimbler car through the twiddly bits, which is what's making it so much fun. Petes Jag started to suffer from fuel starvation, I think it took a lap or two for Pete to work it out and try and drive round the situation, so he did well to maintain 3rd as Ben wasn't looking charitable!

Mickys Studebacker is a beast, that aside there's not a car in the field thats not homologated, (GP1 or2) or, more to the point, wouldn't have been seen in period John.

[John Turner]

Don't think the Warwick would have been, Joe. Only a handful built, and a GT car surely? I'm a tad confused by the reference 63 - is that pre or post, or both sides of that date. It's not a cut off date then? Anyway, as I said it seems to work well whatever.

Richard, thanks for kind remarks, particularly coming from a pro! It's a matter of timing - you have to push the button 2/3 seconds in front of the anticipated shot time/position. Also not too clever with side on shots as the shutter speed 'freezes' the wheels and you lose the sense of movement. Anyway, hoping for my other camera back soon, if it hasn't been sold on! You should put the link in to your pics; everyone else does!

[zefarelly]

John

The Warwick, I agree is a grand tourer/drifter, however, it did compete in some saloon races, and notably at Snetterton, of all places in period, Ian and Celia brought the copy of Autopsport last October and showed it to us.

TC-63 is aimed at pre'64 its relatively relaxed but pre '64 was a far tamer period, and I think its fair to say that whilst hot cars where being built/tested/developed as early as '63 the big guns didn't really come to the fore until '64 and they're very well catered for elsewhere.

Obviosuly the idea behind it ( and the Jags are proof ) is to bring out the earlier period and less competitive 'pre-66'cars in that 60-63 window.

It'll never be perfect, as we also have a lot of 50's saloons which where still current into the early 60's. . .Rapiers, Amazons, A40's etc . . . hopefully a few little mini's and Anglias will start to appear soon enough as the stage is set, the atmosphere, cameraderie and racing has thus far been very good I think.

[Celia Stevens]

Hallo John, regarding the Warwick GT 350. It was manufactured as a 'Sports Saloon' with 4 seats and ran in period ('61, '62 ) against touring cars. Indeed as you probably know last October (the first running of the TC63) was the 50th anniversary of it's win at Snetterton in the Bardhal Trophy for Saloon cars where a Jaguar Mk 2 that it was racing with retired with mechanical failure. Unfortunately in 2011 Ian was unable to emulate the result, coming second. It is of course an appendix K car as is the Peerless which also was not an homologated car although that of course ran in the same company in period. The TC 63 is a fantastic race series which enables cars that would be otherwise relegated to the back of the field, or worse still in wraps in some garage to race! The camaderie is really good and as you say it seems to work!! Well done Joe and don't you think you ought to have a 40 litre extinguisher to be on the safe side?!!

[zefarelly]

the weight! I'm nearly 50kg over as it is!

picked up Motorsport news this morning, discracefully there's not a single word about the whole meeting. they did manage to waste 4 pages regurgitating Villeneuve's F1 career. Autosprout hadn't even made the shelves at 8am!

[Peter Mallett]

Hmm,

Surprising really since they interviewed Claire recently. Seems the msm is less interested in relatively available motorport for the clubman. If so how do they expect to get people interested?

[John Turner]

Great to persuade Celia out of hiding here, (even though we did have a good chat at Snet) and I note what both you and Joe say. It was an observation, not a criticism and I think it is a great series. I would merely say, in my own defence, that you would not normally associate a Warwick 350GT, a Studebaker Lark or indeed a Jaguar S Type with Group 2 Touring cars whether of 1963 or any other period, but, I repeat what I said right at the beginning it's great to see them out. And Celia, you know well enough what a fan I am of the Warwick - seem to recall being involved in publicising it's return to the track!

[johngee]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Surprising really since they interviewed Claire recently. Seems the msm is less interested in relatively available motorport for the clubman. If so how do they expect to get people interested?

Very strange and disappointing. Both Claire and I did interviews with them - it makes you wonder why we bothered?

[John Turner]

Well, I'm sure Autosport will have a report although probably not of adequate coverage to satisfy my friends and colleagues on here!

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by johngee

Very strange and disappointing. Both Claire and I did interviews with them - it makes you wonder why we bothered?

Did they have a reporter at the track? Didn't see the local guy who often covers Snett for them. Sadly if no-one sends them some words nothing is going to get printed!

Fingers crossed Autosport does better, at least they had a reporter there. But with Marcus at Donington guess that will get several pages.

[John Turner]

Starters - 17
Classified - 14

A 45 minute race which unsurprisingly was a Crossle 9S benefit, with a 1-2-3 finish although there was some good early dices and skirmishes in which the D type replicas of Ken Paton (55) and John Wilkes got stuck in. Very pleased that Gordon Streeter supported this race with his Purple People Eater Anglia (9); hadn't seen him out for some years, and of course Peter was there with the Capri (36) as well and Graham with the 917K replica (25) which looks absolutely spot on and I defy anyone to tell the difference from the real thing from the outside. A real 10-Tenthers race this, so I must also include Eamonn Ledwidge in his Crossle 9S (6). Sorry if I have missed anyone. Anyway, Gwynn Pollard (4) won from, John Taylor (42) and Andy Todd (71), and the first non Crossle home was John Wilkes, with the Mamba C23R (11) of Ken Culverwell, 5th and Spicer/Sumerville Crossle (38), 6th. Two sets of pics:-

[zefarelly]

I don't know how the rags work, buy my guess is like the local newspapers, they'll publish what you write for them and send in.

I guess the meeting would have been seen in some eyes as lower brow as the Donnongton meeting attraced the shiny stuff and a few paid ex pro's, but I always thought M news targeted the more accessible sides

[midgetman]

MoNews did indeed have a hack there, a young chap called Ollie. He came and chatted during one of our (many) early pit stops and went away knowing the full SP of "Project 160".

Likewise, I was disappointed to read it yesterday. Villeneuve has been covered to death in ALL the magazines, strangely I was never a fan back in the day (nor of his son), even less so if he's kept us off the front page LOL.

[John Turner]

More:-

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by midgetman

MoNews did indeed have a hack there, a young chap called Ollie. He came and chatted during one of our (many) early pit stops and went away knowing the full SP of "Project 160".

MSN and Autosport are both Haymarket publications; although there is an overlap they tend to focus on different things; the newspaper tends to include more rallying whereas, despite a tight budget, the mag is trying to maintain a strong element of club reporting. Ollie reports for both, and has done for years, so I expect to see his report in the mag. Both titles have incredible constraints regarding page allocation and therefore what they are able to put on them.

Autosport did a piece last week on GV, but it was from a completely new perspective, by Mark Hughes, and was therefore fresh; had some unsolicited positive responses to it.

[zefarelly]

Blame Heseltine!

[John Turner]

I was unable to stay for Race 4 which was the HRDC MGB50 race so if anyone has any pics of it, now is the time to put them up. Disappointing for me as my favourite B of all time was in this race, the one off WSM, which I saw raced in period and again on the road in Croydon a good 10 years later. I was able to chat at some length with the current owner, Tony Wilson-Spratt, son of the car's builder.

[Andrew Kitson]

Oli Timson covers all of the Snett clubbies for Autosport. He lives nearby in Attleborough..good bloke. Normally Lewis Beales does MN and the local EDP, but when he is not available, Oli does both. But I understand MN are cutting back with just a couple of photos and the results for some clubbies this year?

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by midgetman

MoNews did indeed have a hack there, a young chap called Ollie. He came and chatted during one of our (many) early pit stops and went away knowing the full SP of "Project 160".

Likewise, I was disappointed to read it yesterday. Villeneuve has been covered to death in ALL the magazines, strangely I was never a fan back in the day (nor of his son), even less so if he's kept us off the front page LOL.

It is a shame when a car such as yours was entered and had its own story to tell and one which you would assume is exactly where the paper is aimed at.

Off topic comment alert I have to type this or my brain will explode! I concur re Gilles V and all the fuss (although perhaps your turn of phrase could have been better ) but I differ in terms of his capabilities and indeed he was streets ahead of his son who was as much of a waster as that other supposed superstar Montoya. Thanks for reading, you've been a wonderful audience. Don't forget to try the veal and tip your waitress. We now return you to the topic

Originally Posted by John Turner

More:-

Yes it was good to talk with Gordon, whom I haven't seen for a year. It was a lonely race for both of us really and I apologise for not keeping up. In my defense I was at least consistently going 4secs per lap faster than I'd been before!

[MartinSmith]

Originally Posted by johngee

Very strange and disappointing. Both Claire and I did interviews with them - it makes you wonder why we bothered?

Just to confirm the interview we did with them was a preview of the meeting and also of our plans for 2012 and beyond and was actually out last week (its where the rumour came from that we were moving it to Donny) It was quite a big article.

[Celia Stevens]

John likewise it was great to catch up with you and also meet Peter who was hovering near the Warwick as we were about to leave!
I am sorry I have been quiet for such a long time but life, work and helping Ian juggling looking after a wayward Warwick makes for a tight schedule!
I know you are a great fan of it and it is rather an oddbod car as in the sixties it raced as a saloon car, a GT and a GTP! However it is in saloon spec now and thoroughly enjoying it. Just got to replace that pulley!

[johngee]

Originally Posted by ClaireSmith

Just to confirm the interview we did with them was a preview of the meeting and also of our plans for 2012 and beyond and was actually out last week (its where the rumour came from that we were moving it to Donny) It was quite a big article.

Claire is quite right and perhaps I should have engaged my brain before I made my rather 'waspish' comment. I still think it strange however, that they gave such a good preview of the meeting and then haven't followed that up with a report,
Perhaps their reporter didn't bug our phones?

[EvilPumpkin]

We never get interviewed by anyone The closest we got was the roving pitlane reporter announcing to the paddock and everyone on Radio Le Man that we're a crap forum which is overmoderated and banned him

[johngee]

Originally Posted by EvilPumpkin

We never get interviewed by anyone The closest we got was the roving pitlane reporter announcing to the paddock and everyone on Radio Le Man that we're a crap forum which is overmoderated and banned him

Then Nick Damon must have said something to deserve it! .
I look at (and make the odd contribution to) the Radio Le Mans Collective Forum but it's nowhere near as well moderated as 10/10ths - in fact, it's quite a different culture.
Perhaps there wasn't a bi-lingual english/irish interviewer available?

[garcon]

You should have seen Terri stalking him down the pitlane after that. If it appeared that the 'roving reporter' was confined to somewhere near garage 26 for the next several minutes, it's cos he was trying to avoid her...!