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

[John Turner]

Matthew Watts started fromthe back of the grid (I know not why!) and still won. Here he has just taken the lead from Michael Scott (Brabham BT30). Scott otherwise had a lonely race, since he was the only driver to finish on the same lap as Watts, and Ian Gray, who would have been in contention retired after just 6 laps:-


John Tand finished 6th with his Palliser WDB2:-


Anthony Goddard, Merlyn Mk9 (9 - 8th), Paul McMorran, Crossle 17F (23 - 12th) and Gregory Thornton, Titan Mk4 (66 - DNF):-


Julian Judd (32) took his Jovis to 18th, but Peter Williams (27) finished ahead, in 16th in his BT15:-

[Marcus Mussa]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Haven't seen you on here for awhile, Marcus:-

Busy, busy!

I went to Mosport two weeks after Snetterton to celebrate MY 40th anniversary (only of racing, unfortunately). Great fun on one of the world's best circuits. 96 mph average with a Sports2000!!

Then Brands last week-end.

At Snetterton I was first grand-father - at Brands only the 3rd!! Just shows that in the tricky conditions age comes before beauty.

I am now trying to work ...

All the best
Marcus

[Alfaholic]

John - I think you'll find that Matthew Watts didn't do qualifying for the Classic Racing Cars due to his commitments in the DBT races, hence starting at the rear of the grid.

p.s. It looks like you were stood just up from me for the Sunday morning - I was closer to the Bombhole.

[John Turner]

Marcus, you're an absolute gadabout; I have no sympathy. Seriously, though, pleased that you are still keeping an eye on us!

Originally Posted by Alfaholic

John - I think you'll find that Matthew Watts didn't do qualifying for the Classic Racing Cars due to his commitments in the DBT races, hence starting at the rear of the grid.

p.s. It looks like you were stood just up from me for the Sunday morning - I was closer to the Bombhole.

Yes you're absolutely right about Watts; I'd forgotten that. Mind you, you can't help feeling that he probably relished the challenge of starting from the back so that he could actually do some overtaking.

Yes, I tend to move around at Snetterton; it's actually better than many circuits for taking amateur and unimpeded shots! After the above race, I went back to the inside of Russell chicane, so the rest of the pics I put up for this event were taken from there. Coming up, shortly!

[John Turner]

And here are 4 I prepared earlier!!!

12 starters and 9 finishers. Rob Newall was determined to take this one, and although first race winner, Trevor Groom failed to finish (but only 1 lap short of the tital), Newall did not haveit easy, winning by just 0.674 seconds from the Grahame Bull's XK150S. Since I've picture all 3 in the previous encounter, I'll show some if the others this time round:-

Dick Skipworth took his XK120 to 6th:-


Showing impact damage, the XK120 of Colin Youle enters the first part of Russell chicane on his way to 7th:-


3rd place was annexed by David Hall in his XK120:-


Chris Keith-Lucas took 5th, with his XK150:-

[Alfaholic]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Yes, I tend to move around at Snetterton; it's actually better than many circuits for taking amateur and unimpeded shots!

I agree with this - well done to Mr. Palmer and all at MSV for not putting high fencing up all over the place.

I don't know if this was planned, or if they were on their way to or from an air display, but not all the historics were on the track - a couple were overhead. Given their age would they be more appropriate at a VSCC meeting?





This was the 3rd HSCC meeting I attended this year (and sadly the last) and I would like to pass on my thanks to all competitors & officials for putting on some great racing.

I'm already looking forward to see what new machines are brought out next year and also hoping that the 3hr race is a regular event.

[John Turner]

I think the BBMF was a lucky bonus!

Although Rowe and Fowler shared the front row, Westie Mitchell briefly got ahead of Fowler, and it was enough for Rowe to make good his escape and break any potential tow that Fowler could gain. Rowe won by nearly 6 seconds from Fowler, with Mitchell a further 26 seconds back, chased home by David Wild.

Massed ranks at Russell Chicane. 14 - Roy Macgregor (Hawke DL2B - 24th), 49 - Clive Fidgeon (Lola T200 - DNF), 31 - Roy Siergiejew (Merlyn Mk17 -17th), 97 - Greg Gilbert (Alexis Mk15 - 23rd), 59 - Terence Tumber (Lola T200 - 20th):-


Mike Condliffe finished 12th in his Alexis Mk18:-


Crispin Schlaefli took his Macon MR8 to 15th:-


Carol Quiniou finished 27th in Lotus 59. Behind is Roy Siergiejew, again:-

[John Turner]

We started the day with 25 cars, but by the time race 2 had started, we were down to 19, and lost a further 7 during its course! Still some good racing though, and this was the decisive moment, when Bob Bullen dived up the inside of Les Ely, into the Russell chicane to take the lead and went on to win by just under 3.5 seconds:-


OK, Roger, I'm guessing that you are defending (rather than overtaking) here, from an ambitious move by Kerkhoven who has his wheels locked up? Roger Wills (48 -7th) and Robert Kerkhoven (47 -6th):-


Tony Maschio finished 8th in the Guilia Sprint GT. Behind is the Imp of Adrian Oliver who took 9th:-



I think that probably the drive of the race for me was Harry Wyndham with the Falcon who really had the bit between his teeth, and closed right down on Nigel Vaulkhard's Mustang at the end only failing to pip him for 3rd place by 0.057! Here they are both about to lap Roger Philips Mini Cooper.

[johnh875]

Great action shots at the chicane John

[simon drabble]

good to see Tony Maschio's car in action - its an old car of mine!

[John Turner]

A very close race at the front between James Claridge (Lola Mk5A) and Andrew Hibberd (Lotus 22), finishing in that order as they had done in the first, the difference here being that only 0.134 separated them at the end. In fact, Hibberd posted fastest lap and it was virtually 4 seconds quicker than his best in the first race. Overall the race pace for this was 3 mph faster than the earlier one, everyone being faster. Marcus Mussa took 3rd this time.

David Stevenson took his Mallock U2 to 16th overall, but Peter Strauss (70 - Brabham BT6) moved forward to finish 10th. Anthony Martindale was 18th in the Essenkay (37):-


Brian Arculus, (Emeryson) was 24th. The Emeryson is very distinctive, and is dimensionally larger than the other FJ cars, the reason being, so Marcus Pye tells me, is that it was originally designed as an F1 car:-


Paul Smeeth was 4th in his Lotus 22:-


John Chisholm won the C1 class and was 6th overall in his Gemini Mk3a:-


Mark Woodhouse was Class B winner and came 15th overall in his Dolphin:-

[John Turner]

Matthew Watts disappeared to win by 37 seconds over 12 laps. No more that I can say about that really!

A great dice which sadly ended after only 5 laps when Alasdair Pike had to retire his Brabham BT21 (62). Anthony Goddard (9 - Merlyn Mk9) was not left alone for long however!:-


Paul Morgan hurries his Crossle 17F through the chicane. In the background Michael Scott (68 - Brabham BT30) had a very lonely race, except when he was lapping, since he was 2nd, 25 seconds ahead of 3rd place man Anthony Ross in his Lotus 59:-


Here we have Anthony Goddard again, being shortly about to be challenged by Roger Newman's BT14 (8) for class C honours. They duly swapped places and finished ....... 8th and 9th ..... yes, really!:-


John Rand finished 7th in his Palliser WDB2:-


I'm sorry that it has taken so long but we finally get to the end of this truly excellent meeting; well done to competitors, marshals, officials and organisers. Here's to next year!

[petestenning]

Thanks for those shots John, summed up an excellent meeting, and i for one will be back next year.

Shame i was born too late for the originals.

Pete

[johngee]

Great photos and report John. I hope we'll have an equally good meeting next year

[John Turner]

Roger, as you are on here and you may have missed it; any comment on my post 158 above?

[rogerwills]

John,

Thanks a lot - yes a very good pic. I remember it well - he was trying a move down the outside coming into the chicane and I feel I blocked him well. The photo seems to support this.

Appreciate you posting this!

Regards,

Roger