Tour Britannia Monday 7/09/09

[redman]

A few late images from me & a cracking event as always.













Thanks
James

[redman]

A few More.











Thanks
James

[John Turner]

A few of the regularity cars on Day 2.

[John Turner]

The race was around the infield course and didn't touch any part of the speedway course at all. It was run clockwise. It was a fine grid of classic and interesting cars and on pole was the Robert Hartley De Thomaso Pantera (46), with Nick Whales Porsche 911 Carrerra RS (50) alongside - see pic 1. Visible behind the Porsche door, 3rd on the grid, is John Sheldon's Lotus Elan 26R (53) and out of sight to his left is the similar car owned by Michael Schryver but driven in the race by Simon Hadfield. The orange Porsche 911 (47) is the John Clark/Emma-Jane Gilbert-Smith car which I think was a subsitute for their original entry, an E-type. The second pic shows the front rows getting away and the order of the first 4 is as per grid. However, Pic 3 shows that somewhere on the infield on lap 1, Hadfield has passed two cars to take 2nd and is looking very racy here. Pic 4, taken just after the start of lap 3 shows that Sheldon has also overtaken the Whale Porsche and is setting out after Hadfield. The two of them then briefly had a great dice allowing the Pantera to get away a little. Pic 5 is of the fabulous Jonathan Turner/William Medcalf (Turner driving?) Bentley 8 litre (21) which is supercharged, and which, I was told gives 520bhp on a good day! I wonder what the finger gesture was about? Final pic is of the leaders again; Hadfield having finally shaken off Sheldon and now trying to get to grips with the Pantera. In fact quicker in the twisty bits, the 26R lost too much ground down the straights to have any real chance at a pass and they finished 1 second apart. More to follow.

[John Turner]

Barrie Williams driving the Charles Reynolds Alpine Renault A110 (23) finished 10th in this race. Whizzo appeared to be none the worse for getting run over by a D type Jaguar at Donington a few days beforehand and was really enjoying himself but he had to give best to Roy Stephenson in the Aston DB5 who finished 8th, and sharing with Charlotte Stephenson went on to have an absolutely wonderful TB. Pic 2 is of the taped up (see JR's comments)Porsche 911RSR of Jeremy Cooke (32) which finished 4th here, and seen leading the previously mentioned 47 car which finished 6th. Pic 3 is the Shelby Cobra 289 (61) of Mark Freeman & Bobby Bell followed by the Ferrari Dino 308GT4 (43) of Andrew McAlpine and David Holmes. They finished the race in 16th & 17th but the gap seen here had opened up to 7 seconds by the flag. The Hillman Rallye Imp (22), a brave entry, of Brian Brophy and Mick O'Shea stayed well out of the way of the quicker cars and is seen here with the Robi Bernberg/Steve Winter Porsche 911 (37) which finished 21st. Next pic is of the Ford Falcon Sprint (38) of Ben Shuckborough and Nick Ashley which finished 13th but was passed by the Richard Plant/Leigh Sebba Morgan Plus 8 which finished one place ahead. last pic is of Nick Whale who finished 3rd in the Porsche, lapping the 24th placed Aston DB6 of John Goodwin & Marting Hine. Sheldon had dropped back (spin?) to finish 5th in the 26R.

[John Turner]

A few more of the regularity cars in the light and shade of Hallbends/Hairpin.

[Tim the Grey]

I'm sad to miss that lightweight... I just love each variation on that theme. Who was driving with Yvonne Mehta this year?

[John Turner]

The E type Low Drag Coupe you mean, Tim? A number of copies have emerged in recent years. Many more and it'll lose some of its charisma, I feel.

I can't find Yvonne Mehta on the list at all.

[simon drabble]

totally agree with you John.

[Tim the Grey]

Yvonne was navigating Tony Fall in the Datsun 240 last year...
I'm not at home, so don't have access to source images, but a simply stunning low drag lightweight was on the Norwich Union Classic 2 years back. One seems to have been at Spa, presumably for the 6 hours(?).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16857342@N04/3974070150/
All slight variations on the base theme.
How many real ones were there, I wonder? It seems more survive than were ever built...

[simon drabble]

there were 15 (16 if you include the Cunnigham Briggs 62 Le Mans car) chassis 8 was written off in period and never rebuilt by the factory and of course the Lindner/Nocker car was rebuilt by Lynx on a new monocoque in 1980 - oops sorry that is TNF level of detail ;o)

[John Turner]

Simon, let's not confuse the issue too much! You are talking about all the lightweights not the low drag coupes. As far as the 'ordinary' lightweights are concerned the horse bolted aeons ago; many of the racing E types now have lightweight style bodies. My comment was with respect to the Sayer designed low drag car of which, I think, only one was built. A number of copies are now appearing regularly in competition. There was also one variation on the low drag theme, the Lindner/Nocker car, as you've mentioned, which rather dramatically led the 1963 1000kms for quite a long time, and I have noted that this too has also been copied.

[John Turner]

A few pics from the practice period.

[John Turner]

Some more!

[John Turner]

The initial leader was Nick Whale in the Porsche Carrera RS seen here heading the Pantera of Robert Hartley and the scrapping Lotus 26Rs of Simon Hadfield and John Sheldon over the Mountain. Next pic is of the Pantera heading toward Hall Bends, on the same lap. Hartley was later to pass the Porsche to take the win. 23 is the the Alpine Renault A110 with 'Whizzo' Williams aboard and he went on to finish 9th in this race. The McAlpine/Holmes Ferrari Dino 308GT4 (43) was one of those who I don't think finished the race so was given a 15 minute penalty. 50 is Nick Whale and 34 is the Philip Smith Porsche 911 which finished 22nd.

[John Turner]

The Tim Bryan/Jim Bryan MGB GTV8 (44) leads the Manuel Joaquim Bessa Porsche 911ST (33). They finished the race in 11th and 15th respectively. The Shelby Cobra 289 (51) of Mark Freeman and Bobby Bell was 18th. 35 is the Michael and Mark Birch Carrera RS which finished 20th and 37 is the Robbie Bernberg/Steve Winter 911 which finished 19th. Simon Hadfiled got the 26R up to 2nd where he finished and is seen here lapping the Jon Goodwin/Martin Hine Aston Martin DB6 Vantage (30) which finished 24th. 31 is Roy Stephenson on the DB5 which finished 8th here and which he shared with Charlotte Stephenson to win the event overall; a great result. Final pic shows Richard Plant going through the Hairpin on his way to 7th in the Morgan Plus 8 (45).

I think that about wraps up my input. Any other contribs?

[john ruston]

If people are thinking of doing one of the major European Tours,Auto or Espania the Tour Britannia is definately the one to cut your teeth on .The regularity is a weakness as its much slower speeds than the others due to UK regs and uses some open road stages which is a major dislike of mine.Also use of Brantz type machines and special watchs is not outlawed.
Notwithstanding that ,its a very,very good event from a sporting point of view and deserves its sucess and I hope it continues with more entries.About 80/90 would be perfect.Where are all you cloth cap,U2LTC,pre 63 people?Its the ideal thing to have a go at.Six months worth of competition in three days.

[simon drabble]

so one for the Turner? looking at the photo's it all looks a bit modern with the Pantera's etc

[terence]

Originally Posted by john ruston

If people are thinking of doing one of the major European Tours,Auto or Espania the Tour Britannia is definately the one to cut your teeth on .The regularity is a weakness as its much slower speeds than the others due to UK regs and uses some open road stages which is a major dislike of mine.Also use of Brantz type machines and special watchs is not outlawed.

So any car without a Glovebox in the dash is ideal then John?
Mobile phone with navigation is handy for the service crews though.

[john ruston]

As many B's as you want!

[terence]

Originally Posted by john ruston

As many B's as you want!

Nah,going off of them!

[john ruston]

So whats next in the TB story?

[terence]

Havn't a clue,will keep the B though but cant think of what to have next.Might get re-aquainted with a single seater yet,possibly Hist F3,dont know yet.