[Mike Bell]

First, before anyone gets bored, big thanks as ever to CCRC, Masters, HSCC and all willing marshals / volunteers who made for a very enjoyable weekend! Good to say Hi to Peter, have a chance to chat with Simon at last and John Gee about stuff other than yellow flags! Oh, and Cliff Ryan lurking on the pitwall later in the day. Now my memories of 3 races-

3rd year running to Combe for the Historic w/end. Touch wood not had any dramas before but arriving friday was reminded what an unforgiving circuit it can be if things go wrong! The familiar 'big hammer on sheet steel' sound took me to the Patrick Watts / Jim McDougall Mustang, the front wing of which was being reshaped off the car after a test session. Many trackday cars also 'enjoying' the circuit included a Clio 172 which at the end of the day sported a completely flat rear end and worrying creases in both rear wings. Hope it got home OK!

Entered in Cloth Cap and Guards, I travelled the 200+ miles accross in convoy with James Paterson, who was entered in the sunday HRS race with +8 and sharing my Gilbern for the other two. We decided that as the C/Cap practice was 25mins I would just do 3 laps and let him do the rest. As he had never sat in the Gilbern before, and last raced at Combe 10 years ago seemed like a good idea! Of course, the best laid plans never work and as I came in after 3 laps the session was red flagged, I think after Michael Pearsons nasty accident in the TR4. Seeing the car later, I am guessing the lhr hub or shaft broke? Despite an officials protest we swapped drivers while waiting and eventually the session restarted with 10 minutes remaining, so needless to say our best time was lap 3!

Race- (28 starters, 24 finishers) Starting near the back as usual, hemmed in by XKs with the Boyes snr & jnr MGB and Mark Hoble's +4 in front, the chance of making up any places from the start was very remote, and so it proved! At least the field made it round Quarry intact, but one of the TR4s (the Ross-Jones car I think) went onto the grass at Old Paddock and finished up behind 'our' group. We then had a good scrap with an XK, the +4, TR4 and me together for several laps. The Jag, as usual faster on straights but braking sooner and a bit slower through corners, kept us all behind but eventually we all got past just before the SC came out! As only 15 minutes had elapsed I decided it was too early to pit for driver change so cruised round with XK looming in mirrors. Fortunately he was not as ready when the restart happened and I pulled out a decent gap before coming in to hand over to James. After a few minutes the SC was out again for a lengthy session after what appeared (from the pit wall) to be confusion over who was actually leading- the whole field having to be released at one point. After SC came in James was behind the +4 and closed to 3 seconds- setting our fastest lap on the final tour. At the front, Jamie Boot was behind Chris Scragg's E after the safety car session but closed quickly, taking the lead as they came though Camp on the final lap to win by less than 3 tenths. Ian Cox bought his Marcos home in 3rd a further second behind!

Sunday- Fortunately having signed on and scrutineered on saturday for today's races, we had a little more sleep than some and only had to push the +8 to the collecting area ready for 0830 'engine start' and 0840 practice. Immediately after firing up the Rover lump the noise tester arrived, to be politely refused until some heat was showing on the gauge! This led to James being last out instead of first, but he found enough space to set pole just ahead of Dave Randall (G4) and the 2 Elans of Paul Tooms & Andrew Marler. The +8 looked quite a handful over the bumps, and James admitted that Combe was not a good Morgan circuit!

Race- (18 starters, 12 finishers.) Although the +8 powered away from the line, the G4 had the lead at lap end, but James got into his stride and the two cars circulated nose to tail for the next few laps with +8 just ahead. Sadly Andrew Marler retired with a misfire on lap 4, and then it all went wrong when Simon King's +4, Andrew Jackson's Alfa and James Owen's TR5 all suffered accident damage at some point, plus the Simon Bee P1800 took out the Bobbies chicane cones, requiring the safety car to be deployed. The race then finished behind SC in order Paterson, Randall & Tooms.

Guards- (29 starters, 24 finishers.) Practice for the Guards trophy was without incident or red flag and James posted our best time on lap 3 again before handing over. A big gap between the leading B8 on 1.15 and last 2 cars around 1.40 promised an 'interesting' race! Our grid position in the Gilbern was just behind Mark Hoble's +4 and Martin Richardson's MGB, with Paul Castaldini's 'low drag' E, 2 TR4s and the Gaston's Grantura ahead of them. I was determined we should beat at least the Morgan and MGB this time! The Merlyn of Roger Seymour alongside me was expected to disappear quickly but- For once, I had a good position on the outside of the grid, and the Gilbern gets off the line very well! As everyone got in each others way I was able to drive straight past several cars and by Quarry had made up about 10 places and was right behind the William's Stingray! Luckily the corner was without incident and by the time the quicker cars had got past me again I was well ahead of the +4 and MGB, and that is the way it stayed until our driver change at 20 mins. In my determination to 'gap' the other 2 cars I took another half second of James's Cloth Cap best, the time of 1.28-8 being six seconds quicker than last year! As I came in to pit the SC went out again, the Castaldini E parked after Quarry with what looked like broken rear right suspension and the Corvette at Bobbies after (from the smoke!) engine problems. Despite being held at pit exit James was still ahead of the MGB and the +4 was a way behind, but of course the gaps closed up and for the last few laps after the SC went in the Gilbern and B were in close proximity- James eventually deciding not to risk bending the car blocking Martin's out-braking attempt into Tower on the last lap. As said afterwards, a good result a Combe is taking both cars home without a scratch on them! Race winner was the Dodd's G16 followed by Steve Hodges B8 2.4 secs later and the Thompson / McClurg B6 a further 35 secs behind.

As mentioned in previous post, Castle Combe was a popular venue for Gilberns in period club racing and sprints, so it was nice for my car to get a mention in the programme. Thanks for that, whoever was responsible! Among the spectators who new what the car was, an elderly gent with Welsh accent asked me what year the car was. When told He responded that he quite likely made the chassis for the car, as he had been a welder there at that time!

Quick clean up and we are off to Shuttleworth Collection next sunday for Gilbern 50th anniversary celebration. Should be a good day out!

Mike