F2 Trophy - 1964 Enna Circuit Sicily

spook · 21 Dec 2005, 21:44 (Ref:1488360)

This trophy was recently purchased on e-Bay from a seller in Sydney Australia.

The front inscription reads:-
"Ente Autodromo Di Pergusa
XIII Gran Premio Pergusa
Formula 2
Enna 9 Agosto 1964"

and on the reverse:-
"Lions Club Enna"

The trophy stands 35cm tall.

The first three placegetters were:-
1 - Brian Hart - Lotus 32
2 - Frank Gardner - Brabham BT10
3 - Paul Hawkins - Lola T54

The puzzle is:- Who won this trophy and how did it get to Australia?.

I can send a picture of the trophy if that helps.

Cheers & Merry Xmas to all.

Spook

Rob29 · 22 Dec 2005, 09:43 (Ref:1488562)

Guess this is either the second or third place trophy awarded to Gardner or Hawkins who were Aussies?

spook · 26 Dec 2005, 21:49 (Ref:1490288)

The search for history of this trophy continues.

A Google search has revealed that the "Lions Club Enna" was founded in 1961. One of it's founding members Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Grimaldi later became President of Lions International in 1994-95.

I have sent him an e-mail hoping that the club retains some records of who "their" trophy was awarded to, or did the Lions club provide all the trophies. Was the Lions Club the promoters of the race meeting ?.

Does anyone have a copy of the race program of this race meeting at Enna on the 9th August 1964 ?.

eldougo · 27 Dec 2005, 00:03 (Ref:1490322)

I would guess that the trophy was in the John Willment collection and has been divided up and sold .hence the Australian e-bay connection.???

spook · 27 Dec 2005, 07:55 (Ref:1490408)

OK - so who was/is John Willment and what connection does/did he have with either Paul Hawkins or Frank Gardner ?.

Rob29 · 27 Dec 2005, 08:21 (Ref:1490426)

John Willment Automobiles entered both Gardner & Hawkins.Both cars also ran in F1 Mediteranean GP at same circuit a week later.Colours were red with white stripes.

**John Turner** · 27 Dec 2005, 09:50 (Ref:1490451)

John Willment was also the the 'other' J.W in J.W.Automotive Engineering along with John Wyer and we know where that partnership led - to great things!

spook · 28 Dec 2005, 09:13 (Ref:1490872)

So was John Willment based in Sydney Australia ?.

Where can I find more information on John Willment ?

Rob29 · 28 Dec 2005, 09:38 (Ref:1490881)

AFAIK he was based in UK-I certainly saw the cars in question racing in the UK F2 races.As previously stated Hawkins & Gardner were from Sydney.

**John Turner** · 28 Dec 2005, 10:24 (Ref:1490894)

Yes, he was based in the UK, certainly in the 60's, anyway. John Willment Automobiles first made their name in motor racing preparing the Willment Cortinas for British saloon car racing. In the second half of 1963 he purchased the two AC Cobra's (with hard tops) that had competed at Le Mans that year, one of which 39PH had come 7th overall and first in class. He and Bob Olthoff developed them further for racing. In 1964, because Shelby wouldn't sell them a Daytona Cobra coupe, he and Olthoff built the one-off and successful Willment Cobra coupe. During this period Hawkins and Gardner also drove for Willment, and were his most successful drivers. In late 1966, John Wyer invited him to join him to run the Gulf Sponsored GT40's and he became a director in the newly formed J.W.Automotive Engineering. Their great success with the Fords has been well documented and included 2 wins at Le Mans in 1968 and 1969 (when the GT40 was already rather long in the tooth) and they emulated that success in 1970 and 1971 with the Gulf Porshe 917s and 908s although the one victory that eluded the team during this period was Le Mans. My info. about Willment gets a bit sketchy after that, but if I come across any furher info, I'll post it here if no-one else beats me to it!

RAP · 31 Dec 2005, 10:39 (Ref:1492388)

I assume that this is the same Willment that built the Willment Climax sports-racer c1957. I think Willments were a Ford main dealer in South London.

**John Turner** · 31 Dec 2005, 11:25 (Ref:1492412)

Yes, I believe that to be correct.

KWhittle · 6 Jan 2006, 15:59 (Ref:1496259)

SPOOK
You offer a photograph of the Trophy.
Could you possibly send me a good definition one please.
kevin@ClassicLotusRacer.com
Thanks

I have been reading the Enna race report. It was run as two heats and a final. Due to the Karlskoga F2 race on same day, the teams were split as to which race to enter. Ron Harris Team Lotus for example took one car and Borrowed R Bloors Lotus 32 fitting it with RHTL grp bodywork - a different colour to the tub!

spook · 7 Jan 2006, 04:44 (Ref:1496604)

KWhittle
I have sent you the photo as requested, thanks for your interest.

Could you send me a copy of the Enna race report or tell me where I can find it.

I have tried to find photos of the circuit on the web, without success - can anyone help out ?.

Does the circuit still exist ?

David McKinney · 7 Jan 2006, 06:49 (Ref:1496619)

Quote:

Originally Posted by spook

KWhittle
I have tried to find photos of the circuit on the web, without success - can anyone help out ?

Here are 306 to start with:
http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=...=Search+Images

spook · 7 Jan 2006, 08:54 (Ref:1496649)

Thanks David, seems I was a little off the mark in searching "Enna", which provides lots but no circuit while Pergusa - that was the key word.

Also found the circuit website by searching in Italian, but there is no English version, but lots of pictures on the virtual tour.

All this is great, but I really want to find who won that trophy back in 1964 !.

I wonder if the circuit has records that go back that far ? Does anyone speak Sicilian and English that could ask the question ?.

Rob29 · 7 Jan 2006, 09:11 (Ref:1496652)

Circuit was still in use in 2004,but seems to have been out of action in 2005.
Just a thought if the trophy does not say on it what it was for,is it possible that all the tropies that year were the same?

KWhittle · 29 Jan 2006, 14:45 (Ref:1511302)

The Enna race report is in, amongst other magazines, Autosport for August 14th 1964.
If you would like me to scan and email, let me know
Kevin

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