Donington Masters festival

[gary396]

Few more from Race 6:

[gary396]

Even more from Race 6:

[gary396]

And yet more from Race 6 - I did say it was a big field!

[gary396]

Final batch from Race 6, I promise:

[gary396]

With the track still drying another decent size grid took the start although there was a fair rate of attrition during the race. Again some good battles throughout with a good spread of vehicles including a number of Lolas and Chevrons.

[gary396]

More from Race 7. The third picture shows car 3, the Chevron B8 of Smithies & Clarkson suffering mechanical failure on the run down to Starkeys Bridge but the driver did well to get off the circuit very soon after the photo was taken.

[gary396]

A few more from Race 7:

[gary396]

Last batch from Race 7:

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by ClaireSmith

Vince came up to RC on the Sunday, he had a problem and was very apologetic to us (Rachel etc) that he would not be able to run bless him. Was indeed a shame

When we spoken briefly in the Paddock in the morning, Vince was really hoping it would be dry by end of the day, it was, but the car's right hand side was jacked up for quite a while in the afternoon so presumably that was something to do with the issue?

[gary396]

This race saw a disappointingly small grid of just six cars with only four being classified - but sounded good!

[gary396]

Another batch from Race 8:

[gary396]

A decent grid of 15 cars in, by then, dry conditions and with only three non-classifieds. Nice mix of cars including an Amon driven by Ron Maydon.

[gary396]

Some more from Race 9:

[gary396]

Last batch from Race 9:

[gary396]

Sadly nothing for Race 10 (Formula Ford 1600s) - took plenty of photos but not really good enough to show!

So Race 11, in dry and mainly sunny conditions saw a small grid of just eight cars but still very entertaining with some close battles all through the race. Good finish to a good day.

[MartinSmith]

Originally Posted by chunterer

When we spoken briefly in the Paddock in the morning, Vince was really hoping it would be dry by end of the day, it was, but the car's right hand side was jacked up for quite a while in the afternoon so presumably that was something to do with the issue?

Yep fraid so

[percy]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Looks like Alan Tice's CSL that he was sharing with Chris Conoley. See it didn't race on Sunday, and neither did Vince W or Chris Scragg is his XJ12C. What XJS was Richard Masters driving- can't picture the car in my head?

Yes, I believe it is that CSL.
Is this one of the XJ12's in question? If so, I believe he had a 'coming-together' with an Elan that was being lapped for the umpteenth time. He managed another lap or so but then had to pull off at Starkeys just before the end of the race.
A pity as he and the Capri had been having a great battle all through the race.

[Peter Mallett]

That is Chris Scragg in the Group 2 XJ12 Coupe. The Capri is Tom Pochciol in the ex Holman Blackburn Group 2 Capri.

[Giraffe138]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

the ex Holman Blackburn Group 2 Capri.

By sheer coincidence on a non-related issue, I spoke with Holman who lives in Ferring on the south coast last Friday!

[SAMD]

Originally Posted by Giraffe138

By sheer coincidence on a non-related issue, I spoke with Holman who lives in Ferring on the south coast last Friday!

He seems a nice chap.
He was helpful to me a year or so ago out of the goodness of his heart.

[Alfaholic]

I would like to agree with Grant about Saturday's Gentlemen Drivers race - Hall & Hadfield indulging in a good clean fight while further down the field the Stretton v Monteverde/Pearson contest also caught the eye.

Sunday's miserable morning weather made the Pre 66 Touring Cars race interesting as the track dried out, while both GP Masters events had quite a few position changes throughout the field. Who cares what the result was in the WSM race with that line up...

As for the others - yes there were some low turn outs, but the sight & sound seemed to make up for it.

[terence]

Absolutely! Grant's comments would seem to indicate that Rolling Starts DO work,mind you,the greater part of the Masters Drivers are used to them but there were some 'newbies' who did exactly as they should.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by terence bower

Absolutely! Grant's comments would seem to indicate that Rolling Starts DO work,mind you,the greater part of the Masters Drivers are used to them but there were some 'newbies' who did exactly as they should.

Just thinking some more about that ....

I can't claim to have made a detailed study and for those times I was paying full attention with a good view of what was going on I was some distance away (at Coppice) but with a full view other the snake from the back.

It seemed to me that the front rows dropped well back from the pace car before the esses in order to bunch the field. They maintained good position up to the lights and the tail enders had a chance to get around the esses and and into reasonable shape before the start even with the largest fields.

Perhaps more notable in terms of success measurement was the observation elsewhere that there was only one one visitor to the Redgate gravel trap on Sunday and I don't think that was anything to do with a start.

[John Turner]

Great pics from Gary.

If memory serves, Chris Scragg's XJ12C is the genuine article, chassis 1 in fact, which actually saw little racing action in period as it was the development car, but absolutely the bees knees. I'm sure I read somewhere that he was going to sell it but hope not if he is prepared to continue bringing it out.

[John Turner]

Ah, I see that this has already been discussed on the Spa 6 hour thread, so apologies for any repetition.