HSCC International Trophy

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by 356sc

Mike...sorry to hear and see the outcome.....the SLR looked stunning, and every time I looked up (we were in the 356 sharing your pit garage) you were either tinkering or polishing! Fingers crossed that all will be well for Monza!

Thanks Will, and glad your race kit was handed in. Not cheap to replace!

Please come and introduce yourself next time- I'm old and not good at remembering names and faces!

[delta]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Thanks Will, and glad your race kit was handed in. Not cheap to replace!

Please come and introduce yourself next time- I'm old and not good at remembering names and faces!

Ah!!! so it was your race kit. I handed it it in.You owe me a beer.

[Jan Biekens]

Originally Posted by compte deGraves

Alan Morgan and the Delta Team working hard on the car. First in Class and fastest lap. Brilliant preparation from Iain and the whole of the Delta Team.

Well done Michael, very good race, congratulations !!!

[356sc]

Originally Posted by delta

Ah!!! so it was your race kit. I handed it it in.You owe me a beer.

Iain you are an absolute legend...thanks mate, and you are quite right I do owe you!!!

[Teddington Ted]

Thank you to Chairman Sharples for making me laugh in the assembly area prior to the race. He asked whether the GT grid was big enough for me !

Thanks to the club for a great meeting and a very well organised dinner.

Mark

[brands]

A few shots from Sunday:

[brands]

and another set. Saturdays will take me a while.

[DaveGT6]

Originally Posted by Gary Critcher

you ask for a TVR? You got it..............

And what a splendidly turned out example it is too - even if I do say so myself!

[Colin McKay]

A good weekend all round for the Delta camp, well done for out-potting us Compte! We had no issues at all with the car, or at least none that they told me about, and it's all coming together very nicely. Only problem we did have was with the new Deltacam in qually. " only 2 buttons, I can handle that". You can guess the rest

Just as well we had the younger generation on hand to sort it out.

[terence]

Originally Posted by DaveGT6

And what a splendidly turned out example it is too - even if I do say so myself!

Those wheel arches correct Sir? They look different to all the others.

[simonb87]

I also had a great race, in the saloons, I expect that most had gone home by the time we got to race, certainly the paddock was thinning out considerably. Managed to qualify my Imp 5th and finish 4th after the retirement of the Mustang. Had a splendid race throughout with Neil Brown's Cortina - he was able to pull away on the straights and then I could close on the brakes and through the twisty bits, but I never quite managed a pass. Really enjoy the GP circuit - something there for all cars to have a go at...

[Colin McKay]

Where were all the other Imps Simon? They don't seem so keen as you are on the GP circuit, but now you've shown them how to do it maybe they'll come out next year.

[Chigley]

Forgot too say waved at Chiggley on my way out after taking over from Colin total ignor!!!! WTF

Same here Iain! Bloody Porsche drivers........ BTW Ian (chigley) told me why the Porker Safety Car didn't have roof lights. Hope he will tell the story on here.

OK, OK I put my hands up, guilty as charged. But can you put a bullhorn, with different 10/10ths tunes, on the front of your car so I can tell who is coming out of the pits at a great rate of knots....by the time I can see the (usually) white helmet you've disappeared in a cloud of noise.

Oh what a weekend!!!
Saturday discovered that the trusty, but usually threadless tyred GT3 had been replaced with a brand new 911 Carrera S... ooow doesn't it look pretty . JP (snr) had taken it for a couple of laps and discovered (as usual) the tyre pressures were hopelessly low. Quick trip to the Dunlop guys for some air. What pressures? the handbook gave 6 variations each of which contradicted the door plate, oh well blow therm up hard and see how it feels.
Next problem, where's Julian? we use his roof lights... he's at Donny... has he left them with anyone? nope no offers. Thankfully one of the MGCC guys has a small set of LED's so they'll do. I put the magnetic bases on the car and they slid straight off. The bloomin porkers roof is composite/plastic. OK my trusty Halfords luggage strap will hold them in place.???? ratcheting the strap tight the roof bows in several cms and the lights are still not really tight. They're not safe for some of the abuse we are going to give them so can we run on Hazards lights. Thankfully the Stewards agree so off we go ... its only 3/4 through the 2nd qually session. That's the Saturday tale of running with hazard lights.
Sunday, can we just forget it!
Julians back from Donny so we have the lights but they can't go on the roof (plastic) so we'll put them in the back on the rear parcel shelf (great idea). Wrong, they disappear out of sight the shelf is too low! ****, ****, ****!!!!
A search starts to find something sturdy enough and high enough for the lights to be visible in the rear window. Race admin and the HSCC diner is scoured and eventually I find a blue washing up bowl that will do. Who it belonged to I've no idea but it was requisitioned (nicked). The bowl and lights fit, just! but will not stay put! The luggage strap comes into play again and multiple bondage sessions later they are well and truly secure.
Doing some of the quicker rolling starts (DBT, Martini...) they didn't move an inch.
I won't go into the drama of trying to refuel the thing on Sunday .

If anyone spots a red Porsche GT3 with a steel roof and Silverstone Porsche Centre markings on it can you return to the HSCC office and put a huge wheel clamp on it so we can use it for the next event.

[Lancsbreaker]

Originally Posted by simonb87

I also had a great race, in the saloons, I expect that most had gone home by the time we got to race, certainly the paddock was thinning out considerably. Managed to qualify my Imp 5th and finish 4th after the retirement of the Mustang. Had a splendid race throughout with Neil Brown's Cortina - he was able to pull away on the straights and then I could close on the brakes and through the twisty bits, but I never quite managed a pass. Really enjoy the GP circuit - something there for all cars to have a go at...

Well done Simon....

And entertaining tale, Mr Chigley, sir!

[Chigley]

It was a pleasure to meet MB, Delta and Co and also Peter Mallett. Nice to meet you Peter it was a shame I didn't have more time to chat, someone wanted to go racing. Most inconsiderate of them!

Mike, you didn't really have to go to such lengths to demonstrate your ballet skills in a car and mountain goat agility for climbing Silverstone concrete walls. As you came into Copse I thought you had merely hit the loud pedal too soon and lost the back end, but seeing the wheel make a bid for freedom changed that. You were very lucky not the dig in a roll or hook back onto the circuit. The snatch looked a bit precarious at times but went well.
I hope you can get the car repaired quickly, it really is unique and "pretty".

[pauln]

Lovely day marshalling at Becketts yesterday with some nice big grids to enjoy.

We push-started a Formula Junior driver (Andrew Hibberd, I think) when he came off in the first lap melee and stalled, then were thoroughly entertained as he worked his way from dead last up to fifth. A good save and the wave on his way round after the flag was much appreciated.

[delta]

Originally Posted by simonb87

I also had a great race, in the saloons, I expect that most had gone home by the time we got to race, certainly the paddock was thinning out considerably. Managed to qualify my Imp 5th and finish 4th after the retirement of the Mustang. Had a splendid race throughout with Neil Brown's Cortina - he was able to pull away on the straights and then I could close on the brakes and through the twisty bits, but I never quite managed a pass. Really enjoy the GP circuit - something there for all cars to have a go at...

Your Imp is awsom Simon. We look after/help Richard Owen Galaxie and I watched the race .Very impressed with the speed you carry through Copse.

[percy]

Some images from Sunday.
Starting with the Porsche without lights...






At Copse. The lap before it all went wrong... and I put the camera away!




Close battle for the lead.


Just because I like it...


And finally...
[/url]

[simonb87]

Ah, my son was one of many who joined forces to try to push start the Galaxie - not an easy task, even with many bodies...

Thanks for the positive feedback on the Imp - have to carry the speed wherever possible, being lighter than most helps.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Chigley

You were very lucky not the dig in a roll or hook back onto the circuit. The snatch looked a bit precarious at times but went well.

I hope you can get the car repaired quickly, it really is unique and "pretty".

Thanks for relating the SC lights saga, Ian! It deserved a wider audience.

Re: the above, forgot you had a grandstand seat. I would like to attribute it all down to skill and fast reactions rather than luck. I would, but I can't...... But I am looking forward to seeing the in-car video!

Car is already back at Brands Hatch Morgans and parts are on the way. 2 new half shafts and hubs, to be on the safe side. Body damage very slight considering, so all in all- it could have been a heck of a lot worse!

Thanks for the pics, Brands and Percy!

[percy]

Mike - as I took up position at Copse, one marshal advised against going up on the small raised area as 'wheels often come off around there'... 10 minutes later and you obliged in style! Bit spooky.
Glad all is well.

I have more pics of the SLRs - I'll pass them to Bauble for him to forward onto the Morgan drivers.

[Chigley]

Starting with the Porsche without lights...

Did anyone notice the strategic bit of black tape warding off any chance of bad luck..... & not guilty it wasn't me who was superstitious .

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Chigley

Did anyone notice the strategic bit of black tape warding off any chance of bad luck.....

Didn't help me much!

[youngFJracer]

Originally Posted by pauln

Lovely day marshalling at Becketts yesterday with some nice big grids to enjoy.

We push-started a Formula Junior driver (Andrew Hibberd, I think) when he came off in the first lap melee and stalled, then were thoroughly entertained as he worked his way from dead last up to fifth. A good save and the wave on his way round after the flag was much appreciated.

Thanks Pauln for the Push start from you!! I was getting worried the car wasnt going to start at all..... then the Fire tender went past followed by the Ambulance and still no joy, then the old girl coughed into life luckily, BUT as not to flood it I turned the fuel pump off so half down the hanger I nearly stopped again "muppet". I even got a wave as I passed the ambulance haha, looks interesting on my on-board camera.

Thanks to all the marshalls for their help, glad you enjoyed the race I was pleased to have finished 5th but also pretty cheesed off to have spun in the first place, always next time though!

Regards, Andrew

[delta]

You might be a young FJ racer Andrew but I love your taist of music ,and beer.