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Old 16 Oct 2003, 06:58 (Ref:752924)   #76
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Before making the old track for GPL, I walked the track on a very chilly january day with a video camera. As far as I could tell, it wouldn't be much of a problem to rebuild it - but as andrew mentions, it's all sunday market now. I couldn't believe how close to the A11 the track was! Also, judging from findings and old pictures, the run-off was rather frightening too. Concrete marshalls posts on apexes among other things! In GPL, it makes for fantastic racing. So many overtaking spots, especially the hairpin. A true shame that all this has been lost - with some proper funding this track would be an excellent venue for sportscars and major league formulas in my opinion.
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Old 16 Oct 2003, 07:00 (Ref:752926)   #77
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A belated welcome to the forum Matt.
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Old 16 Oct 2003, 09:25 (Ref:753028)   #78
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I did the Willhire 24 hrs (one was a 25 hrs ! ) as a driver 4 times and as team manager another 4 times from '84 to '93 and it was without doubt the best fun we ever had in motor racing . In '85 76 teams sent in their entries for one of the 38 places - then the circuit owners (She knows who she is ) raised the circuit rental by a additional £15000 for the weekend and the entry fees simply priced the great race out of existance a disaster - I would love to be still doing it ! It needs a new loop - perhaps parallel route down to a new hairpin in the area of the old circuit , and then back to the revitt straight to extent the track length out to over 3 miles an produce 3 long straights and two more very tight corners at each end - at the end of the day all this entails is laying tarmac - not too expensive in the scale of things - surely - and we could have a UK' Le Mans ' . Its a great venue and now has motorway to the door ! - And its still for sale - anyone ?
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Old 16 Oct 2003, 21:43 (Ref:753734)   #79
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Does anyone remember the F1 race that was held at Snetterton? If so please put me out of my misery and tell me which year it was. It was the first motor race I went to. There had been widespread criticism that Snetterton was unsuitable as it was so bumpy, like many others we drove around the track after the race and it was certainly bumpy in a road car!! I stood past the hairpin on home straight for the race, did Hill drive a BRM with near vertical exhausts? Innis Ireland, Clark Salvadori -who else?? As I have no reference books to look up, I can only guess this was early to mid '60's. I also remember that one of the roads to Snetterton was closed and the traffic redirected. The driver of our car deceided to tell the police on duty that it was illegal to close a public road and we were going to use that road. For a time it looked like the only thing we were going to see that day was the local police station!! HELP WHICH YEAR WAS THIS!!
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Old 17 Oct 2003, 00:44 (Ref:753894)   #80
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Andrew, welcome to Ten-Tenths.

The race you describe was probably the International Lombank Formula One Trophy race on Easter Saturday, 14th April 1962. Jimmy Clark won the 50 lap race in his Lotus at 101.09 mph from Graham Hill's BRM ( with the vertical exhausts).

Jo Bonnier finished third in his Republica Venetzia Porsche but the early laps were led by Stirling Moss in his pale green UDT Laystall Lotus 24 in which he set a new Snetterton lap record of 1.33.6. Stirling eventually finished 7th. Two days later, his professional driving career was at an end following his crash at Goodwood (in the same car) at the Easter Monday meeting.

The race had 20 entries from the cream of the F1 world championship. The only team not present was Ferrari.
When the old circuit closed in 1973, the outright lap record had dropped to 1.18.4 by Brett Lunger in his F5000 Trojan T101. Formula One returned to Snetterton in the late 1970's with the Aurora British F1 Championship, using the new shorter circuit.

It seems incredible now to think that the stars of the day would be racing at Snetterton in their usual Grand Prix cars and again at Goodwood two days later, both circuits not used for Grand Prix World Championship races.
Can you imagine the modern day F1 teams turning up now with their 'star' drivers to do two non -championship races in the UK (on the same weekend !) at circuits not on the usual F1 calendar?
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Old 17 Oct 2003, 02:57 (Ref:753962)   #81
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No, its amazing how many non-chapionship races were done in F1 & F2.! -and they often drove in other events at the same meeting. Wow, 40 years ago, I remember being told to watch out for a scottish farmer called Cark, now I recall being so pleased he won, thank you so much. There was just a light chain link fence to divide spectators from cars but there were some raised earth embankments nearer the hairpin and the view wasn't too bad as the lines of people were only 2 or at most 3 deep. I hadn't realised Moss' accident was so soon after! -Thank you again p.s. (I was 12 years old the month before!)
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Old 17 Oct 2003, 08:46 (Ref:754135)   #82
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Andrew, if you can get hold of it, there is a great recent book on the market entitled ' Motor Racing Circuits in England - Then and Now', by Peter Swinger.
Published by Dial House, order number ISBN 0 7110 2796 X. Over 50 current or once used circuits are covered including 13 pages on Snetterton alone, with a colour shot of Stirling on the Home straight in that race.
It is about £20 GBP in the UK.
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Old 6 Nov 2003, 16:39 (Ref:774988)   #83
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Some possibly interesting photographs at http://www.hylabreese.plus.com/sparkydesign/snett/
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Old 15 Jan 2004, 23:05 (Ref:839752)   #84
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Mr Kitson, sir! please can we have some more old snet pics, been sometime since a posting, no excuses like doing a painting or anything!!
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Old 16 Jan 2004, 00:29 (Ref:839831)   #85
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Has somebody the programm of the Snetterton Spring Meeting, dated ?March? 1963. I would like to identify a picture of the lotus 23, race number 139 and 119. Also 28. 09. 1963 Snetterton 3 hour race. Lotus 23 starting No. 38 F. Who was the driver?
Thank you very much for your help.
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Old 16 Jan 2004, 12:29 (Ref:840268)   #86
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Yeah this is an ace thread! I'd like to see Snett extended a little too, even if i wasn't even on the planet when the original long track was being used!

Andrew i think the pics are excellent. Sorry to be nit picky but i think the Edmonds Commodore shot is from prod saloons, not Group One. Being a Capri fan, the two MK1's may also be Group 1's. I think it's Dave Brodie and Dave Matthews hard at work there!!?
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Old 16 Jan 2004, 12:50 (Ref:840283)   #87
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It is fantastic to see those old pics, i've been going to Snetterton my whole life (18 years) and i can just remember the old grandstand at the Esses and the old bridge.
The old strait and hairpin had stopped before i arrived so i never got to see racing there.
My dad has a picture that i'll try to find and scan, a FFord which is viasbale 'ABOVE' the old brige during some carnidge at the esses.
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Old 16 Jan 2004, 14:35 (Ref:840437)   #88
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Some memories of "old" Russell - who remembers Paul Stewart winning his first (and only?) F3 race backwards over the line having got a little excited exciting Russell. I only drove it in FFirst (it was changed before I got into anything more powerful) and just remember spend most of the lap thinking/worrying/phsyching myself up for the Russell. It was one of the best corners in the UK...
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Old 16 Jan 2004, 15:07 (Ref:840490)   #89
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...and now its one of the worst!
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Old 16 Jan 2004, 15:35 (Ref:840520)   #90
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Gong back to the original posting. I don't have any old pictures of the Circuit, but somwhere in my "files" I have a copy of the original RAF Station plan (Runways, perimeter roads buildings etc) along with one for Silverstone - both circa 1945.

Unfortunately they are both at A3 size, but I will try a scan and paste to get them something like publishable!

I also seem to remember a section about Snetterton in a book entitled "Airfields of the Eighth - Then and Now" with comparison of USAF airfields about the country during operational times and the more recent past.
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Old 16 Jan 2004, 16:58 (Ref:840629)   #91
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Originally posted by Andrew Kitson
Andrew, welcome to Ten-Tenths.

The race you describe was probably the International Lombank Formula One Trophy race on Easter Saturday, 14th April 1962. Jimmy Clark won the 50 lap race in his Lotus at 101.09 mph from Graham Hill's BRM ( with the vertical exhausts).

Jo Bonnier finished third in his Republica Venetzia Porsche but the early laps were led by Stirling Moss in his pale green UDT Laystall Lotus 24 in which he set a new Snetterton lap record of 1.33.6. Stirling eventually finished 7th. Two days later, his professional driving career was at an end following his crash at Goodwood (in the same car) at the Easter Monday meeting.

The race had 20 entries from the cream of the F1 world championship. The only team not present was Ferrari.
When the old circuit closed in 1973, the outright lap record had dropped to 1.18.4 by Brett Lunger in his F5000 Trojan T101. Formula One returned to Snetterton in the late 1970's with the Aurora British F1 Championship, using the new shorter circuit.

It seems incredible now to think that the stars of the day would be racing at Snetterton in their usual Grand Prix cars and again at Goodwood two days later, both circuits not used for Grand Prix World Championship races.
Can you imagine the modern day F1 teams turning up now with their 'star' drivers to do two non -championship races in the UK (on the same weekend !) at circuits not on the usual F1 calendar?
Andrew,for the sake of acuracy it was not on Easter saturday,but a week before.I actually went to 4 F1 races in as many weeks.
Sat 14 Apr Snetterton
Mon 23 Apr Goodwood
Sat 28 Apr Aintree
Sat 12 May Silverstone
Mon 11 Jun Crystal Palace
Sat 21 Jul Aintree (GP)

In those days you could still get to Snetterton by train.It stopped at Eccles Road station.Left out of the station,through a pig farm and down the middle of a runway,brought you to the main entrance.
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Old 16 Jan 2004, 20:28 (Ref:840849)   #92
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Quote:
Originally posted by JNWRF01
Some memories of "old" Russell - who remembers Paul Stewart winning his first (and only?) F3 race backwards over the line having got a little excited exciting Russell.
Do you remember why he won and why the race was red flagged though? It was 1989.
Mika Hakkinen lost it coming out of the bombhole, hit the tyres and rolled the car, uninjured. I have the aftermath on home movie VHS. At the same time, Paul Stewart lost it backwards across the line as you say. But luckily for him on countback he won the race!
Rob, I stand corrected on the date of the Snetterton F1 race. I was going by the 'Racing Circuits in England' book.
Eccles Road Station is still there but as the main entrance is now up by the A11 a long way to walk to get in! I assume you entered opposite the pits in those days?
I'll have to have a dig around to try and find some more Snett pics.
For those who do not live in the Anglia TV region, the new owner Dr.JP visited the circuit last Monday and was interviewed for the local news. He has vowed to start it's rejuvination with a new grandstand, albeit 'a small one for now' he said. I remember when the place had three covered stands and an open stand at the hairpin!
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Old 23 Jan 2004, 15:13 (Ref:848317)   #93
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Unfortunatley i am old enough to remember the Guards Trophy Race from the first set of your pictures, i was watching then from above the pits
and will never forget the way the ground shook
as all those pretty Lola T70 MK3 cars left the grid!
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Old 26 Jan 2004, 05:24 (Ref:850609)   #94
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Andrew, great thread!!, I have been going to snett for more years than i care to remember (now 47) and remember most all of the races.

On top af all the other types of racing there was also a banger track on the inside of the home straight and also did you know we even tried a truck with a view to racing them there.They would not go under the old road bridge.

I even worked there as a full time marshal during the week for 3 years and have great memories of 80+ cars/120 bikes a day for testing or F1/Gp C teams for "exclusives".

I also have 1945 plans for the airfield and would recomend the book "Snetterton Eagles" for a histoy of the 96th bomb group.

One of my best modern day memories was seeing the unofficial lap record set by a Benetton F1 car(Nanini i think) and equaled on the same day by the Silk Cut jag.

From the old days pick any one of the (13) 24hr races,8 of which i was chief pits.

Please keep the great pics coming

Chris
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Old 26 Jan 2004, 08:07 (Ref:850675)   #95
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Hi Chris. Hopefully new owner JP and his team can develop the circuit and bring more fans in to watch. I am also hoping he can remember the proper Russell bend and re-instate it! He drove it many times in his mod-sports Marcos, FF and F3 cars.

Can you remember the times that Nannini and the Jag set? The official outright lap record is 59.47 set by Luiz Garcia in the British F3000 championship 8 years ago!
Wondering what a quick Euroboss F1 car would do now - about 54 secs surely?
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Old 26 Jan 2004, 23:02 (Ref:851704)   #96
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When lotus tested there regularly, a mate was watching Zinardi and timed him at the 54 mark. In fact the debrief took far longer than the lap!! mate was listening in (trying to get some hints for his laps!!)
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Old 28 Jan 2004, 03:41 (Ref:853132)   #97
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If memory serves it was 53.96, but i don`t know who was on new tyres or how much fuel was in each car.Jan Lammers drove the Jag

I remember the old Russell very well, a story went around the FF1600 ranks that it could be taken flat and so many novice drivers tried and ended up in the armco on the outside, two who did it more often than not were the japanese Kozo Orita & Riki Kishisita ( try saying that after a few beers) and so became known as the "Kamikazi twins" (sorry for the spelling).
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Old 2 Feb 2004, 06:15 (Ref:859742)   #98
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Remember these little Fiat Abarth's with boot lid propped open for cooling? In the ETCC 1966 I think(?)
This was from an Autosport, but until now still in my childhood scrapbook which I am pleased to still have. Photographer unknown.
Out of the hairpin heading down towards the Esses. Visitors to Snetterton Market drive on this piece of tarmac now at the entrance.
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Old 2 Feb 2004, 06:20 (Ref:859745)   #99
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David Alexander leads a bunch of Minis through the Esses in '67. He is turning in to what is now the bombhole, with the left hander from the home straight 'joining' the new circuit under the old vehicle bridge. Also from an old Autosport, snapper unknown.
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Old 2 Feb 2004, 06:25 (Ref:859747)   #100
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The much missed old Russell at Snett. This Autosport photo from 1969 shows the committment required whatever the car though this 'almost flat' kink lined by earth banks. Graham Bean's blue Anglia and Roger Taylor's immaculate Dagenham Motors Escort.
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