Top Hat Castle Combe - Easter Monday

SZRacer · 9 Apr 2006, 13:17 (Ref:1574562)

So....my first race of this season.

I'll be there in the ObG, in my Alfa.

Who else is going to be there?

And how many of you are doing Donington as well?

James W

daj · 9 Apr 2006, 13:46 (Ref:1574570)

I will be there , First race ever !! Groovy baby race with the 2002tii . Very excited getting a little nervious now the countdown has begun. I havent gone for Donnington as its been changed from the 1 hour race to 30mins. Shame as I was there the other week for the first time and really enjoyed the circuit.

gixxer · 9 Apr 2006, 17:48 (Ref:1574691)

Hope the weather is better than the last meeting as it chucked it down just in time for the start of racing,hope you both have a good race

simon drabble · 9 Apr 2006, 20:15 (Ref:1574832)

I am there with my Lotus Cortina with my co driver, was hoping to get the Merlyn out for the cloth Cap but it wont be ready in time, testing the Lotus Cortina tomorrow for the first time so hopefully no nasty surpises!! Pity Top hat race is the last on the card

r.arthur · 10 Apr 2006, 00:04 (Ref:1575095)

the guys in orange will be there to pick up the pieces!

hope you all have a groovy time and keep on the black stuff

simon drabble · 10 Apr 2006, 19:16 (Ref:1577915)

does anyone know if Castle Combe rent transponders?

zefarelly · 11 Apr 2006, 10:00 (Ref:1578387)

we'll be there, with a gearbox for Simon as well after yesterdays events, hopefully there'll be a balanced sticjk to connect it to the diff as well !

SZRacer · 11 Apr 2006, 11:43 (Ref:1578467)

Simon, I believe there is a very small stock of transponders to borrow. If I were oyu, I'd ring Julius, or the circuit, and collar one now!

Regards,

James

Quote:

Originally Posted by simon drabble

does anyone know if Castle Combe rent transponders?

Moosehead · 11 Apr 2006, 20:28 (Ref:1578832)

Hoping to be there as a speccie, will be taking notes in the paddock ready for my track debut later on in the year.

Daj, hope all goes well mate, might come over and have a word if I see you.

daj · 12 Apr 2006, 19:41 (Ref:1579707)

Be a pleasure ..Come and find us ...

Everything seems to be going wrong at the moment ... Bits with the car , Experenced 2nd driver dropped out ... Welder has packed up leaving the fuel tank half finished !!! ha.ha .

We will be there though!!

Dex · 12 Apr 2006, 20:27 (Ref:1579732)

can't find any pricing on the website - anyone got any ideas?

SZRacer · 18 Apr 2006, 07:36 (Ref:1587375)

Well, how did everyone get on?

Really enjoyed the ObG race, even though I was feeling decidedly dodgy after getting a stomach bug the previous day (thought I was going to have to make some unscheduled pit-stops - thanks go to Julius for some of his magic 'stomach pills'!).

With a full grid of 40-something cars, all fairly evenly matched, it was some of the closest racing I've ever done. Packs of 4 or five cars nose to tail for lap after lap. The chicanes were interesting! Still, fairly pleased with my time. 5 seconds a lap faster than last year, so something must be working.

How was everone else's races?

James

simon drabble · 18 Apr 2006, 08:14 (Ref:1587406)

well done James - teh Cloth Cap race was a great race to watch (as was the 50's but that was for side ways action!!!)
on the subject of the 50's race - I was surprised that the marshalls left the Jaguar on the exit of Quarry..
my race was like the curates egg - my co driver Roger Wills drove very well and I drove like a pratt! never mind Donington in 2 weeks will see a different mentality! Well done Zef punching above his weight once again

zefarelly · 18 Apr 2006, 08:57 (Ref:1587431)

I had an indifferent qualifying with over heating, but Q 18th, 1st in class.
After 6 laps or so I saw steam from my bonnet, backed off slightly then the problem went away thankfully. I was seriously pressured ( and was briefly overtaked after a dodgy passing move IMO that put me on the grass) for the class lead until a lightning pit stop gave me a little breathing space and I pulled away. couldn't stay with the LC in front, but beat a few bigger faster cars to finish 13th and my first ever class win.

It was my late fathers birthday yesterday so an emotional day for me, we went to the post race tin pot awards, chin up, and I didn't even get a mention, so I went home seriously f***ed off to be honest. still . . .thats Top Hat, up and down like a tarts knickers

**Peter Mallett** · 18 Apr 2006, 09:05 (Ref:1587434)

Glad you had a great time. I was hoping to get out at Donington but I'm just about to write to Julius and cancel Seems my plans for this year are awry to say the least.

Might even consider selling the car.

**John Turner** · 18 Apr 2006, 09:05 (Ref:1587435)

Sounds like you did a great job, Zef; well done! I can well understand how emotional that class win would have been on your late Dad's birthday!

LAK · 18 Apr 2006, 09:30 (Ref:1587457)

Hi - if I can add my two pennies worth and Jason and I raced in Top Hat.

It was yet again another fun packed Top Hat event with some wonderful racing and it great to see our friends. Julius and his team work very hard to make every event a success and overall they did so yet again. However there were some negatives.

If Top Hat is for FIA cars then cars must run to their papers. I could post various things that we noticed on cars that were not at all FIA compliant - either we are going to have a level playing field or not as at the moment those running to full FIA spec like us are at a great disadvantage and in our view (and others) this is getting worse.

Secondly both our practice and race lost 5 minutes beacuse of issues with other races/practices. I guess that's the penalty for running last but it's never nice to be penalised for other's delays.

Lastly, Zef drove brilliantly and richly deserved his class win. It was gutting for us that Zef didn't get recognised and I hope that it was an oversight which will be remedied. By the way, the same guy who put Zef on the grass did the move on me which was not appreciated - he was also running a non-FIA car...

Well done to all who raced.

zefarelly · 18 Apr 2006, 09:37 (Ref:1587460)

thanks John, and well noted LAK, of the car hasn't got papers it shouldn't be allowed, OR it has an HR class . . .hot rod !

I think JT has the balance about right 99% of the time, but there a plenty of people who blatantly cheat, and get away with it, and its not as if theres a shortage of entrants/cars out there

My opinion for what its worth is, lose 5 bent cars, then you'd gain the respect and entries of 10 pukka ones.

the other GT I raced and beat had discs all round, 4 pots, strut brace, multi linked rear end, welded cage etc. very satisfying

simon drabble · 18 Apr 2006, 09:44 (Ref:1587468)

Quote:

Originally Posted by LAK

If Top Hat is for FIA cars then cars must run to their papers. I could post various things that we noticed on cars that were not at all FIA compliant - either we are going to have a level playing field or not as at the moment those running to full FIA spec like us are at a great disadvantage and in our view (and others) this is getting worse.

By the way, the same guy who put Zef on the grass did the move on me which was not appreciated - he was also running a non-FIA car...

sorry to butcher your quote Louise
if that car was a yellow Alfa it looked pretty wild and had various drivers on the pitwall muttering about his driving standards - if its the one owned by a Marcos driver I have had issues with him before in his Marcos - I had him weaving down the straights ignoring blue flags when I tried to get passed him last year I did eventually get passed only for him to pass me under a waved yellow. Unfortunate the marshalls didnt see him, I only know that as he is the only person I have ever complained to the Clerk of the Course about!

rogerwills · 18 Apr 2006, 10:13 (Ref:1587491)

Did anyone get a brochure from one of the photographers roaming around the paddock? Would be good to see some pics if possible.

Well done Joe on your class win. Very well driven!

Roger

zefarelly · 18 Apr 2006, 10:19 (Ref:1587498)

thanks Roger, likewise yourself, you certainly got in the groove without too much fuss despite a few niggles with the car.

the Top Hat photographer is compiling a book, and there is usually a photographer or 5 around, they'll most likely catch you at Donnington with your wallet so you have no excuse not to buy !

LAK · 18 Apr 2006, 10:28 (Ref:1587506)

Hi Simon. In answer to your points (1) cars shouldn't just have FIA papers but also run to them. We hear of Mustangs etc that have FIA papers and have FIA engines/gearboxes but also have "hotter" engines for other events amongst other "rumours".

(2) No it wasn't a yellow Alfa, although he did get very close while lapping me in either practice or the race (can't remember which) and I did notice some tyre marks down his car at the end. It was actually the Cortina you mentioned with the disks and other goodies. Most unimpressive and indeed one could even call dangerous driving - after we had had such a fun few laps before then it was also uncalled for. Still I guess he was happy to beat us...

Anyway, I don't want to appear an old grouch! It was a very fun weekend and with a few tweaks could be perfect. You're right Simon in that in the whole Julius gets it right and as supporters of his cause in all of our cars, I would like this to remain.

jonners · 18 Apr 2006, 10:40 (Ref:1587516)

just a few tuppences from me...

...I watched the last race at Camp Corner and knowing Cortinas as well as I do I'm a Dutchman if one of them hasn't got a 5 speed box...

Interesting reading the comments above - difficult to know what went on elsewhere but Zef was very unlucky throughout the race being lapped over and over again at Camp which can spoil your speed up to Quarry - but (for what it's worth) I thought you drove a very controlled race and could easily have got in a tangle with some of the faster cars as they came through - a very solid class win that should have been properly recognised on the day

the 3 Minis were fantastic value for the spectators. The yellow Alfa did look incredibly quick towards the end and the Mustangs also looked fast but perhaps not quite as well driven as some of the other cars

Some of the muscle cars were a disappointment and a couple of the Cortinas were 'off song'

simon drabble · 18 Apr 2006, 10:42 (Ref:1587517)

short of getting Alan Putt or similar in scructineering this becomes almost impossible to police - I guess its a case of spirit not letter of the law.
I think its fair to say that on balance Julius gets it right and lets face it when you compare his series to the dinosaurs at HRSR who still let hot rods in its a lot more level!
It will be interesting to see how Carol's series runs when compared alongside

Ian Sowman · 18 Apr 2006, 10:49 (Ref:1587521)

Hmm, presumably Zef's class win wasn't 'recognised' because of the low number of starters in that class? I know it isn't a championship with points and so on, but in most series the regs to state that class awards/points are dependent on the number of starters.

Which raises another issue: my view, which is one shared by another journalist far more expert than I in historic matters, is that there are simply too many classes for them to be meaningful. Thoughts?

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