750MC 'Holly' Birkett 6 Hour Handicap Relay - Silverstone - 28 October, 2006 (photos)

[John Turner]

Another 'spur of the moment' decision to go and have a look at this event for the first time in about 30 years! A great range of cars, many of which would be deemed historic. Such variety and disparity in performance made an interesting blend! The rain held off, too, rather surprisingly. We did lose nearly one hour's racing from safety car periods, but the scratch winners still managed just over 300 laps. All good fun!

I managed to meet up with a few Ten Tenthers and will post a few pics later (but only after I've finished the HSCC meeting thread from the previous weekend)! In the meantime, it would be good to hear from anyone else who attended or competed!

[johngee]

Was it a total of nearly an hour under the Safety Car John? That's a genuine question as, funnily enough, we don't keep a running total of that (perhaps we should?). I didn't clerk it last year but most people thought we had fewer interventions this year. I could always ask the timekeepers but they have quite a lot to do in that race as you can imagine. From my point of view it ran very smoothly as, potentially, it's the most dangerous race of the year with the differences of speeds and experience. We had very few incidents, contacts or flag infringements and I think all the competitors enjoyed themselves - which is what the Birkett is all about.

[dtype38]

Just for the record, it was 46 minutes of safety car time - it says so at the bottom of my final timing sheet. I'm told that's the lowest for a number of years.

Nice to see you there JohnT. Believe me, I don't car what the disparity in performance looked like from trackside, it definitely looked even bigger from behind the wheel! Great fun though, and the driving standards were extremely high and incredibly gentlemanly... a credit to all involved.

Oh and Johngee, if you were the CoC thanks for my personalised "new driver" talk. Much appreciated.

[johngee]

Quote/ dtype38 Just for the record, it was 46 minutes of safety car time - it says so at the bottom of my final timing sheet. I'm told that's the lowest for a number of years. /Quote

Thanks for that - it might help if I read everything I signed!!!!

A big thank you to all the competitors for driving so well, observing the flag signals (99% of the time ) and just entering into the spirit of what is one of the best events of the year.

[dtype38]

Here was an interesting flag combination....

I came round Luffield to see waved yellows and a car off onto the grass at the pit entrance with some oil and bits of car on the track. I was just about to overtake a slower car so I immediately backed off not to pass him. We drove quite slowly past the stricken car and got a green flag at the exit of Woodcoat. I got back on the gas and resumed my overtaking move, but then just as I passed the slower car the yellow flag and safety car board came out just past the start line. It was obvious that it was for the incident we'd just passed so I backed right off to take position behind the other car. As we drew side by side though, he just waved me on ahead, acknowledging both that I'd actually passed him in the little bit of green flag track we'd had, and that there was no point in holding me up anyway. I thought that probably said everything about the spirit of the whole race.

[John Turner]

My comment of 'nearly an hour' for safety car periods was a 'guesstimate' and I claim that 46 minutes isn't that far from nearly an hour! Oh, and it wasn't a criticism, just a comment. I certainly appreciate the particular dangers associated with such performamce variations and the need to occasionally clear up the inevitable 'offs' that such a big field and long race will produce!

Sorry I didn't say 'hello', John. I didn't realise that you were there; I should have read the programme. That'll be 3 weeks on the trot then, if you are going to the Walter Hayes Trophy, then!

[johngee]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Sorry I didn't say 'hello', John. I didn't realise that you were there; I should have read the programme. That'll be 3 weeks on the trot then, if you are going to the Walter Hayes Trophy, then!

That's OK John. I'm spending more nights in the Silverstone Travel Inn than at home at the moment. The receptionist & I are on first name terms - how sad is that?

[Robin_D]

A bit Alan Partridgesq isn't it?

[johngee]

Originally Posted by Robin_D

A bit Alan Partridgesq isn't it?

I'm glad somebody else is on the same wavelength!

[John Turner]

OK, finally a few pics. Although the rain held off, it was a pretty gloomy day.

I paid several visits to the 'Cutting Edge' team of Reliant Sabre Sixes because I have a soft spot for these, a couple of which I have owned in the past:-


John Roberts Jaguar, listed in the programmw as an XK120, but unless I have completely lost the plot, it is, in fact, an XK150:-


Everyone (obviously!) had to practice and time was pressing!:-


Adam Cunningham of the Supersprites team has a silent ride to the queue. This car was listed as a Frog Eye Sprite, but clearly it isn't! Incidentally, main commentary of the day was undertaken by Marcos Pye from outside the circuit above the startline in the end box seen to the right of the aerial mast!
He was ably assisted by Ian Sowman at Becketts and Louis Beales roving the pitlane:-


More pics next week as I'm at Silverstone again this weekend for the WHT!

[John Turner]

Abnormal service is resumed. I hope you folk don't mind but I'm going to put a few more pics up from the pit area; there be more to this 'ere motor racing lark than just ... erm... motor racing! Here is a further indication of the variety of cars entered for this event.

The Crossle 9S which the programme tells me (if they got the order right!) is that of Nigel Edwards which was part of an all 9S team called the 'Belfast Flyers':-


A very mixed bag of cars made up the 'Little and Large' Team, of which one was Ralph Underwood's TR7 V8:-


The team of Frazer Nashes was aptly named 'Joe's Chain Gang' and I'm betting that Brian White's version has had TLC all its life!:-


Finally, a bit of free advertising for the 2CVs. One of the Citroen 2CVs that made up the 'Aubrey's Bottlebank' team. Unsurprisingly, Aubrey Bottlebank was one of the team members!:-

[John Turner]

The point about most of my pictures is that they are taken by an ordinary spectator with an ordinary camera, from areas any member of the paying public can go. However, the next shot was taken from the commentary box (note on the outside of the circuit, on this occasion) following a kind invitation from Marcus Pye. Thank you, Marcus!


A few taken from adjacent to the commentary box, just above the top of the spectator stands. The early laps. In the last shot is Les Ely who entered his BMW 2000 but arrived with his E-type!

[johngee]

Originally Posted by John Turner

In the last shot is Les Ely who entered his BMW 2000 but arrived with his E-type!

Which, of course, makes the handicapping so much easier! NOT

[John Turner]

Yes, I hadn't thought of that! Being the competitive sort of chap he is, perhaps it was deliberate

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by John Turner

The Crossle 9S which the programme tells me (if they got the order right!) is that of Nigel Edwards which was part of an all 9S team called the 'Belfast Flyers':-

That'll be ten tenths Kickstart if you didn't already know. He and the rest of the Belfast flyers are SRGTC series contenders.

[John Turner]

Having watched proceedings for the first hour from the lofty heights of the commentary box, I wandered back down to the pits to see the action closer at hand. The presence of the RAF MSA was well to the fore!


I'm reluctant to name drivers here because I can't trust the programme, and I can't find a definitive list, or indeed the full results either. I thought MST did the timing but I can't find it in their site or the 750MC site either. Maybe, I can't see the wood for the trees!

Change over for the 'Cutting Edge'!:-


A Chevron B8 comes in:-


The best changeover I saw was this by the 'Jaguar Ensemble'. John Roberts comes in and the E-type (of Robin Batt? - again down to drive an XK120!) slots in alongside to take over:-

[Tim Falce]

John
The results are on the 750 site. Here are the results but no individual drivers times

[Chris Roden]

Originally Posted by John Turner

The team of Frazer Nashes was aptly named 'Joe's Chain Gang' and I'm betting that Brian White's version has had TLC all its life!:-

errr...actually Brian's 'Nash is certainly well looked after but, returning from Angouleme in 2003, the car spontaneously combusted on the ferry back from France, causing great constenation to the ship's crew and passengers.

The car was totally rebuilt from scratch during 2004/5.

[johngee]

Originally Posted by falcemob

John
The results are on the 750 site. Here are the results but no individual drivers times

Sorry - without a large number of pit marshals (which we don't have) and an equally large number of timekeepers (which we can't afford!) individual times are really out of the question

[Tim Falce]

Hi John, I wasn't knocking it, just pointing JT in the right direction.

[johngee]

Originally Posted by falcemob

Hi John, I wasn't knocking it, just pointing JT in the right direction.

Don't worry - I didn't take it as such. Just an explanation for anybody else reading the thread.

[Tick Tock Man]

Originally Posted by johngee

Sorry - without a large number of pit marshals (which we don't have) and an equally large number of timekeepers (which we can't afford!) individual times are really out of the question

No way can we do it on the day, or for a few days after but something may be possible. We do log all pit visitors and all passing transponders are logged. Then it's a case of working through the 13000+ times, working out which belong to who and then sumarising. It's still not guaranteed to be a 100% correct but I may have something out in a few days.

[John Turner]

Thanks guys. Just to reassure you, I wasn't naive enough to be looking for individual times; just the individual driver of each car, as there were many changes from the programme.

[johngee]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Thanks guys. Just to reassure you, I wasn't naive enough to be looking for individual times; just the individual driver of each car, as there were many changes from the programme.

John - As you have a 'professional' interest, always ask Race Admin for a copy of the programme amendments (usually Bulletin No 1). There were quite a lot for the Birkett!

[John Turner]

Yes, John, sir. What you are really saying is 'stop complaining, and use a bit of commonsense!' Quite right; I've always lacked that, though!

Right, next port of call was Becketts! A case of Ancient and Modern as Tim Pell's Genesis dives up the inside of Nick Wilkins XK120:-


A Jaguar of a newer generation but still fairly old! The XJS of Gail Hill, a member of the 'Les Femme Fatales'. Do you think that a sense of humour led the organisers to allocate the no. 36 to the ladies?


As I was 'following' the 'Cutting Edge' team of Reliant Sabre 6GTs, I make no apology for showing another (and it probably won't be the last!). This is young Luke Wos pushing on:-


John Bendall's Shelby Cobra; a member of the 'Snake Charmers'. The Cobras still look dramatic don't they?