AMOC - Snetterton - 3 June 2006 (with photos)

[John Turner]

At last, a meeting with Summer weather. On a cloudless day, with intensely bright sunshine, the AMOC enjoyed a well supported day for their meeting at Snetterton. A few paddock scenes first, and I have to apologise to James W, for once again finding his car but not him, so my first pic is of his Alfa Guilietta SZ flanked by the similar yellow car of Nick Savage and the Richard Frankel's Sprint (which sadly went home without racing):-


The Christopher Scragg/Roger Bennington Aston V8 about to leave for parc ferme prior to qualifying:-


And I thought this was an Aston meeting! Healeys as far as the eye can see!:-


John Goldsmith has owned and competed in this lightweight DB6(DB6/3421R)for many years. Yesterday, however, it was not in the best of health and running very roughly. Here it does it's best not only to deafen the sound scrutineer, but also gas him. Although the car appeared in qualifying, I did not see it come out to race later in the day:-

[John Turner]

The Invisible Man grabs some shut-eye in the cockpit of Peter Dubsky's Aston Martin MkII:-


This is what I call coming prepared. Not sure of the driver of the AC Ace, since No. 82 does not appear in the programme, and I failed to collect the qualifying results from the media centre. However the only Ace shown in the programme that does not also give the registration no. is that of No. 10, in dark blue, entered by Andy Shepherd, and I'm wondering whether it has simply been renumbered:-


Some of the Intermarque cars in parc ferme ready for qualifying:-


Tom McWhirter's DB4, awaiting qualifying:-

[John Turner]

Qualifying sees Bill Rawles Austin Healey 3000, followed by another Healey (driver unidentified as not in the programme - anyone know?), the Porsche 928GTS of Tim Bryant and Brian Robinson's 993RS coming through Russell Bend:-


Same place Conor O'Brien's DB4:-


A closer view of Tim Bryan and his 928GTS:-


Paul Edwards Porsche 911:-

[John Turner]

In the Pre 1960 Aston Race, Andrew Sharp had an unchallenged run to the chequered flag with his DB2:-


Further down the field, an unlikely battle raged between Simon Baldwin's 1933Le Mans (F3/279 - originally a long chassis saloon!) and David Brock-Jest's 1959 DB2/4 MkIII (AM300/3/1668):-


The post 1960 Aston race saw probably the most extensively campaigned DB4 of all time; I've been watching this car for the best part of 30 years. Pete Foster's series 1 DB4 (DB4/130R):-


Peter Wheeler, ex boss of TVR, in the ex Andy Jenkinson AMOC championshop winning car of 2003 (painted orange at that time, but now white, not silver, as the programme stated). Another fairly extensively raced car, but this is a series 2 (DB4/362R). There is no truth in the rumour that Wheeler sold the TVR company in order that he could afford to race Aston Martins:-


I'll post a few more tomorrow. Did any other 10-Tenther attend this meeting, or were you all at Brands?

[John Turner]

There was a fine 3-way dice for the lead, between Ian Cox and William Darling in Healey 3000s and the Healey Sprite of Andrew Storer, in the Rawles Motorsport Austin Healey Championship Race (try saying that quickly!). Here they are heading toward the start/finish line. At one point Storer snatched
2nd from Darling but shortly after missed a gear and had to settle for 3rd. A lurid moment by Cox on the exit of Russell bend on the penultimate lap allowed poleman Darling through for the win!:-


Having had to work very hard to get passed a fast starting Michael Mallock in the Marshplant DB4, in the Intermarque race at Brands a little while back, Brian Robinson was forced to do the same here, only this time it was the DB4 of young Charlie Kemp (my 'Driver of the Day') who did his best to frustrate him. The 993RS driver finally made it though by attacking in the Bomb Hole and completing the overtake in Coram by forcing the DB4 wide, just a few laps from the end:-


During the Pre war race Richard Lake tackles the Esses in his 1937 2-litre Aston:-


Tim Metcalf demonstrates the tricky nature of getting through the second part of The Esses, in his Lagonda Rapier Special:-

[John Turner]

James, I know you were looking in earlier. I'm afraid this is the only shot I got of you:-

[SZRacer]

Thanks for the photos you posted, John. I think this forum topic is a great idea! Shame I'm normally too preoccupied at race meetings to remember to take photos!

And thanks again for another photos of my car. Vanity is a terrible thing...

This was the first round of AMOC's new '50s Sportscar Team Challenge. We could only muster one Alfa team (well, there are only 5 Giuliettas currently raced in the UK)!

It was nice to be reminded of what a smaller, more informal meeting is like, with shorter races - especially after the full-on, pantechnicons, catering facilities and all extravaganzas of Pau, Donington et al.

Snetterton’s facilities have been drastically improved since I was last there, with new access road, new scrutineering bays, new restaurant (complete with good catering and plasma screen TVs!) and much more professional set-up. Seems MSV must be getting something right.

It was also probably our last chance to drive the track before next year, when it will be drastically altered with completely new layout. Even the weather was completely un-Snetterton-like, with glorious blue skies.

Whikle all the teams were slightly insular at first (as might be expected), everyone soon relaxed, and it was generally a friendly meeting, with much interest show in each other's cars.

The race was dominated by Zephyr-engined AC Aces, but....suffice to say that, whilst Nick and myself exactly win the race, we didn’t disgrace ourselves either, and certainly (IMHO, at least) showed that our little Alfas, with only 1290cc, can (sometimes, anyway) punch above their weight against much larger-engined opposition.

Indeed, thanks to the AMOC’s arcane formula of calculations, taking into account handicaps (of which we have many!), engine size/power output, plus relative finishing positions, the remainder of Team Alfa (i.e. Nick & myself) won the Team prize for Alfa at this, the first round of three!! So, honour upheld, and if it was intended as a bribe to keep us racing in the other two meetings, it may have worked...

Cheers,

James W

P.S. Snetterton on Saturday was followed by a trip to Brands on Sunday (trying to fit in as many races before our baby's due in August!), for the Gentleman Drivers race. Alas, I had some engine problems necessitating an early retirement in the race, but hopefully just a head gasket job to sort out.

P.P.S. Don't know whether this would work in this forum or not, but I have some in-car footage of this year's Pau Historique, which I can post to the web. Does that count as 'bringing meeting alive'?

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by SZRacer

Thanks for the photos you posted, John. I think this forum topic is a great idea! Shame I'm normally too preoccupied at race meetings to remember to take photos!

I think that we can excuse racers!

Originally Posted by SZRacer

This was the first round of AMOC's new '50s Sportscar Team Challenge. We could only muster one Alfa team (well, there are only 5 Giuliettas currently raced in the UK)!

The race was dominated by Zephyr-engined AC Aces, but....suffice to say that, whilst Nick and myself didn't exactly win the race, we didn’t disgrace ourselves either, and certainly (IMHO, at least) showed that our little Alfas, with only 1290cc, can (sometimes, anyway) punch above their weight against much larger-engined opposition.

Indeed, thanks to the AMOC’s arcane formula of calculations, taking into account handicaps (of which we have many!), engine size/power output, plus relative finishing positions, the remainder of Team Alfa (i.e. Nick & myself) won the Team prize for Alfa at this, the first round of three!! So, honour upheld, and if it was intended as a bribe to keep us racing in the other two meetings, it may have worked...

I think that this AMOC idea is a good one and could grow. Best 2 in each team, count, I guess, since I noticed that a couple of other teams only had 2 cars entered to start with.

Originally Posted by SZRacer

P.S. Snetterton on Saturday was followed by a trip to Brands on Sunday (trying to fit in as many races before our baby's due in August!), for the Gentleman Drivers race. Alas, I had some engine problems necessitating an early retirement in the race, but hopefully just a head gasket job to sort out.

Truly sorry to hear this. Hope it is only the gasket. I'm hoping someone might start a thread like this for Brands.

Originally Posted by SZRacer

P.P.S. Don't know whether this would work in this forum or not, but I have some in-car footage of this year's Pau Historique, which I can post to the web. Does that count as 'bringing meeting alive'?

Can't get much closer to 'live' than in-car film, apart from actually being there. I am completely ignorant about the technicalities of doing this but if you post a link on the existing Pau thread, that would be great.

I'll probably put a few more pics up here later, but it would be great to hear from anyone else who attended (with or without pics!) and tell us of their thoughts/experience of the meeting!

[SZRacer]

Hi John,

Yes, the 50s series is a nice idea. The two person team rule is not a normal one, but since this was the first race of the series, and several teams could only muster two people, they made an exception. Of course we did START with three people.... :wink:

I have posted a link to the first chunk of in-car Pau footage under the Pau topic heading. Note you will need a broadband connection and ideally, quicktime, to view.

Regards,

James W

Originally Posted by John Turner

I think that this AMOC idea is a good one and could grow. Best 2 in each team, count, I guess, since I noticed that a couple of other teams only had 2 cars entered to start with.

Can't get much closer to 'live' than in-car film, apart from actually being there. I am completely ignorant about the technicalities of doing this but if you post a link on the existing Pau thread, that would be great.

I'll probably put a few more pics up here later, but it would be great to hear from anyone else who attended (with or without pics!) and tell us of their thoughts/experience of the meeting!

[John Turner]

Back to Russell Bend for the final race of the day, the 45 minute enduro with driver changes! the Anthony Scragg/Ciaran Butler MGB V8 presses on:-


The Nicholas King/Chris Woodgate DB4 has just lapped the Mike Thorne/John Todd Austin Healey 100M:-


The Mustang of Robin and Zoe North, followed by a modern interloper, the Ferrari 355 Challenge of Tim Mogridge and Peter Foster:-


Better finish with Astons! The hard charging Les Goble, in the V8 he shared with George Miller has just displaced the Christopher Scragg/Roger Bennington car, on the last lap:-

[zefarelly]

Nic Pics John, How Did Les do in the Aston? I used to spanner for him with the LC which seems to be virtually retired these days.

[John Turner]

Zef, thanks! Not sure where Les actually finished but was certainly charging and moving up the field and I'm fairly certain he was pretty well placed at the end. I'll try to find out!

[zefarelly]

Thanks John, I thought he was supposed to be driving the DB4 this season, not the V8, but I know its had problems. I haven't spoken to him for a while, I think Cortinas are a bit ordinary for him now !

[johnh875]

Great photos John, we rarely see Astons racing out here, and normally "only" DB4/5s - I don't think I've ever seen a prewar Aston in the flesh

[zefarelly]

I spoke to mutual freind of both Les and I, apparently from 3rd on the grid Les took the car over in 14th . . . finished 2nd and set fastest lap . . .some drive !

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by johnh875

Great photos John, we rarely see Astons racing out here, and normally "only" DB4/5s - I don't think I've ever seen a prewar Aston in the flesh

Thanks, John; I'll see if I can find one or two more; AMOC are very active over here, as you can imagine, and there are several stalwarts driving pre-war
Astons!

Originally Posted by zefarelly

I spoke to a mutual friend of both Les and I, apparently from 3rd on the grid Les took the car over in 14th ... finished second and set fastest lap ... some drive!

Yes, Zef, and confirmed by Autosport, and the fastest lap was a 1m18.023s -90.06mph. I was aware of his drive because although I was both filming on my camcorder, interspersed with taking still shots, I could hear the commentator getting quite excited. Didn't realise he had come from so far back, though. As you say, some drive!

[John Turner]

For John875, 3 more non DB4/5 pictures from Snet. First, Jane Varley's 15/98(B7/733/LS), originally a 4 door saloon but fitted in 2000 with this fine looking 2 seater sports body:-


Keith Piper's 1932 International 2/4 seater (C2/201) going through Russell Bend:-


And one here that I am slightly confused by. Listed in the programme as a 1970 DBS V8, it carries the chasss no. DBS/5537/R which is an original DBS 6-cylinder number, so has it been uprated to V8 spec? Mark Wright in The Esses:-

[johnh875]

Thanks very much John, I feel very spoilt

The AMOC over there seems to be like the MG or Healeys out here - but of course you have those over there as well!

[FastDB2s]

The race was dominated by Zephyr-engined AC Aces, but....suffice to say that, whilst Nick and myself exactly win the race, we didn’t disgrace ourselves either, and certainly (IMHO, at least) showed that our little Alfas, with only 1290cc, can (sometimes, anyway) punch above their weight against much larger-engined opposition.

The race wasnt entirely dominated by the AC's, i thought i gave them a run for their money in the Sharp DB2 that we / i rebuilt, finishing third overall & my team second (to your Alfas) on handicap. considering i have not had much time in the car and was my first race at Snetterton i thought it was OK, may do better at AMOC Silverstone on 1st July

[John Turner]

Warm welcome FastDB2s. I hope you stick around, as, whilst I have anything to do with it, Astons will continue to get well featured here! I'll be clicking away at the St. John Horsfall next week, barring mishap, and will be posting a thread on it!

You did indeed give them a run for their money, but numerically the Aces were well placed which I guess is what James was referring to. Of course, we could tease him a bit by saying say that (understandably!) he was too far back to really know what was going on at the front, but that would be unfair of me, as a mere spectator!

[SZRacer]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Of course, we could tease him a bit by saying say that (understandably!) he was too far back to really know what was going on at the front, but that would be unfair of me, as a mere spectator!

Cheeky bugger!

Looking forward to the race at Silverstone on Saturday. And, yes, with 1300cc and 120bhp, in a car weighing 800kg, I'm never going to exactly, er, see many checkered flags. I do however, see a lot of blue flags...!

Not that I'm a huge football nut, but trying to owrk out how i can rig up a portable TV in the race car...

James W