HSCC Snetterton Autosport Guards Trophy 3hr race meeting (9 & 10 June, 2007)

[simon drabble]

Originally Posted by Marcus Mussa

Hear hear! The present effort is a contender for the world's worst corner. The rest of the track is fabulous.

it is a great track and as I drove back south on Sunday I wondered why I dont race there more often. It takes the same time to get there form Hampshire/Wilsthire borders as Donington.

[James Murray]

It takes me the same time as it does to get to Brands Hatch - 6 hours. With this event and the Superprix in a couple of weeks Brands Hatch prevailed!

Not to take anything away from Snetterton though and it sounds like it was a good event, the 3hrs seems to have gone down a storm.

In the mid to late 90's HSCC used to run a 3hrs event at the brands superprix. Does anyone remember? I think it was for FIA pre 65 Gt's and Saloons.

[simon drabble]

and after that Carol of course ran her 2 1/2 hour Gentleman Drivers race at teh Super Prix. We couold have the Guards Trophy at Snett and then the Tourist Trophy at Brands - oh happy days.......!

[Andrew Kitson]

No, the 'Guards Trophy' should be at Brands. I was there in the mid '60s as a young lad to see John Surtees win it in the T70 spyder. I remember Jimmy Clark crashing the Lotus 30 at Clearways. The Snetterton version as on Saturday should be the 'Autosport 3 hours', which I also witnessed in the 60s.
The TT (car version), to me means Dundrod, Goodwood, Oulton & Silverstone, although I only saw the saloon versions at Silverstone - the Cologne Capri vs works BMW battles in the early 70s were tremendous!

[simon drabble]

so if the HSCC committee are watching - we have a 3 Hour race at Brands called Guards Trophy and the 3 hour at Snetterton called Autosport 3 Hours and then the 6 Hour at the Silverstone Classic can be called the Graham White Trophy ;-)

[Andrew Kitson]

Excellent!

[John Turner]

Agreed, excellent proposal, Simon!

I had hoped to get some pics on here from Race 1 but now rather busy preparing for my first trip to that British race in France, so I'm afraid that I'll not get any more of my pictorial review up until next tuesday at the earliest.

[simon drabble]

I have a mate who is racing in the support race and when he told me yesterday that he was leaving this morning I felt v jealous - have a great one and give a cheer to historic racer Gregor Fisken who is in one of your beloved Aston's in the main race

[one-two]

Simon, have just seen your very funny post about 911 cornering styles. The damage, such as it is, is right at the back of my car and right at the front of yours - draw your own conclusions. How many times was it that you and/or your co-driver span at the chicane?

[simon drabble]

me none and Terry once. To be honest I didnt see the accident and put it down to "racing". It certainly didnt detract from what was an excellant weekend and as you got a class win yours must have been even better!
Come over and say hello at Brands..

[john ruston]

You were slower than Simon?
It happens.

[simon drabble]

Originally Posted by john ruston

You were slower than Simon?
It happens.

not often ;-)

[mark garritt]

Jo, crickey, and after you confessed to the fuel pump incident earlier in the day!

Pleasure to watch, almost made up for me having to park up after only a few laps!

[gojo]

Mark, sorry that you had a DNF,both you and James seem to have more than your fair share of Alfa gremilins, try beating it with a big stick, might not cure the problems but will make you feel a hell of a lot better.
Apart from that I hope you enjoyed the meeting as much as I did.

See you at Silverstone,can't make Brands.

Joe

[John Turner]

Although, it seems like ages ago now, I'm assuming that there is still some interest in this event. I'll start to put a few pics up here later today, now that I am recovering from the (overrated) Le Mans experience - very much of the curate's egg variety. I'll also put a few pics up on the Le Mans Legends race eventually.

[simon drabble]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Although, it seems like ages ago now, I'm assuming that there is still some interest in this event. I'll start to put a few pics up here later today, now that I am recovering from the (overrated) Le Mans experience - very much of the curate's egg variety. I'll also put a few pics up on the Le Mans Legends race eventually.

the support race was eventful - or so it seemed from the telly. In the main race the focused so much on the lead cars that it was hard to see what was happening down the field. On the basis that he is a historic racer how did Gregor Fisken and co get on? they were Aston 006? I saw it was still on the scoreboard the telly ran but only saw it spin and go into the pits!

[johngee]

Agree that Le Mans was overrated this year John. I'm sure the weather played a part and I think things like the rebuilding of the 'Villiage' have started to make it feel all very 'corporate'. Give it another chance, perhaps next year - when the weather and the company's right, there's nowhere like it.

[johngee]

Originally Posted by simon drabble

On the basis that he is a historic racer how did Gregor Fisken and co get on? they were Aston 006? I saw it was still on the scoreboard the telly ran but only saw it spin and go into the pits!

Simon. 006 was classified 29th and the last finisher - and was still running, which makes them heroes in my book....and gave Aston 100% finishing record.

[simon drabble]

good - poor Gregor - his first trip to Le Mans he got a class win and each subsequent time its been less good! However to finish is pretty damn good in my books as well.

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by simon drabble

the support race was eventful - or so it seemed from the telly. In the main race the focused so much on the lead cars that it was hard to see what was happening down the field. On the basis that he is a historic racer how did Gregor Fisken and co get on? they were Aston 006? I saw it was still on the scoreboard the telly ran but only saw it spin and go into the pits!

The 006 Aston was always going to be the slowest of the 6 DBR9s entered and it finished last of the classified finishers but to finish was an achievement in itself. In fact all 6 Astons finished, and one of the high spots of the weekend for me was that the 009 car won the GT1 class and took 5th overall. (Typed whilst John was posting which tells you how long it takes for me to compile my posts!)

Originally Posted by johngee

Agree that Le Mans was overrated this year John. I'm sure the weather played a part and I think things like the rebuilding of the 'Villiage' have started to make it feel all very 'corporate'. Give it another chance, perhaps next year - when the weather and the company's right, there's nowhere like it.

John, the weather was absolutely appalling but it was more than that. 4 hours to get into our campsite, the sheer volume of traffic and people, many of them there to get drunk, do wheelies, let off fireworks, outdo each other by how loud they could play their music all night, inadequate facilities, restricted and overcrowded viewing/photographic opportunities, and by Sunday morning, open ditches which smelt like sewers (probably because they were) have completely destroyed any romance and glamour that I have retained in my head about the event for nearly 50 years. I still appreciate the history, the great cars and drivers who have achieved great victories on track but it will never be the same for me. I'm unlikely to go again; certainly not next year, as I'd prefer to try Spa or Nurburgring. If I ever go back to Le Mans, it will be for what I hope might be the more civilised Classics meeting.

OK, back on topic!

Richard Trott (7 - Chevron B43) was pressed quite strongly by Ben Simms (26 - March 803B) until the latter spun, and Richard went onto win, although Peter Williams in his Argo JM6 was never too far away and finished under 2 seconds behind:-


Early laps saw Alan Goodman (46 - March 793 - 8th), Nick Crossley (77 - Ralt1 - 6th), Paul Smith (63 - Ralt RT1 - 5th) and Paul Campfield (4 - March 803 - 7th), sorting themselves out, as you can see by their final positions!:-


Giving away 400cc, and a minimum of 5 years to the rest of the field, it was not a surprise to see Albert Clements finish last in his Lotus 69:-


Meanwhile fighting for the position ahead of Clements was the Reynard SF78 of Alan Hicks (27 - 20th) and the Ralt RT1 of Lou Watts (71 - 19th):-

[johngee]

Originally Posted by John Turner

many of them there to get drunk, do wheelies, let off fireworks, outdo each other by how loud they could play their music all night,

Yes but that's enough about you

I have to admit that we lucky enough to be in a hotel, so were spared the worst excesses of the sub human behaviour you describe. I love many things about Le Mans but I do understand why the French must think we're a pretty awful bunch - although I've witnessed similar from other nationalities too.

Sorry - I know we're off topic

[simon drabble]

Originally Posted by johngee

Yes but that's enough about you

I have to admit that we lucky enough to be in a hotel, so were spared the worst excesses of the sub human behaviour you describe. I love many things about Le Mans but I do understand why the French must think we're a pretty awful bunch - although I've witnessed similar from other nationalities too.

Sorry - I know we're off topic

just to complete the off topic cul de sac I went last year for the first time and having looked at teh campsite (in brilliant sunshine so god alone knows what it was like in the wet!) we decided to sleep in teh carpark next to our cars. It was a great call - closer to the action and tarmac so no mud and away from teh drunks and decent loos etc nearby
If I went again "al fresco" I would do the same and not bother with the campsite. I will next go in 2012 in the Bentley Arnage I have promised myself for my 50th!

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by johngee

I do understand why the French must think we're a pretty awful bunch - although I've witnessed similar from other nationalities too.

Actually, it was all pretty amicable but they were just constantly loud and out of control, and it was not just Brits; the Danes and the Germans were very well represented! The only reasonable sleep I got was during Sunday morning when the sounds of the Corvettes and Astons etc going around subdued everything else and rocked me gently into slumber! Make of that what you will!

[John Turner]

The usual big grid for this race. 36 cars, although 10 failed to finish. The usual pair on the front row; Charles Barter (Datsun 240Z) and Paul Anderson (Porsche 928). Although I didn't see it, an over enthusiastic start by Phil McElvey from Row 3 in Morgan Plus 8 created some interesting mayhem at Riches, from which Anderson emerged in the lead with Barter 3rd behind Rory Stockbridges's Lotus Elan. However Barter soon displaced Stockbridge and Anderson suffering a misfire gradually dropped back to finish 6th. Barter therefore had an untroubled win, with Stockbridge 2nd and Chris Holland bringing his Lotus 7 S4 into 3rd.

7th was Phil Briggs in his 928, seen here with Elizabeth Head's MGB (25th) in the background:-


Chris Nunn's best lap in his Elan was 20 seconds slower than anyone else's and unsurprisingly finished last, so a problem, or much more standard than the others? Very pretty, though!:-


The MGB GTV8 of Ralph Harwood-Penn appeared to only need 3 wheels to achieve 11th. Steve Cooke failed to finish in his 7 S4, whilst Paul Stafford took his Datsun 240Z to 12th:-


Never Say Die, or so it would seem. John Thomason corners his very damaged Spitfire with enthusiasm despite what appears to be a flat tyre. He had to retire after 9 laps:-

[petestenning]

And to add Thomason drives the car on the road to the meeting with a small trailer attached, i passed it going home on the A11.

Pete