HSCC Croft Nostalgia W'end 8/9th Aug 2015

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Chigley

Chigley will be lurking - on the bank!

Potential miscreants beware......

[gary396]

Entry list now available:

http://www.hscc.org.uk/images/Provis...Croft_2015.pdf

[gary396]

Good day at Croft albeit one or two smallish grids. Decent crowd for the first day - apparently numbers up on last year and they had to have an extra print run of tickets when the first batch sold out. So the circuit are hopeful of a bumper crowd tomorrow.

Will try and post a few photos when my mood improves - got home with the car on the back of a recovery vehicle - oh the joys of classic car motoring!

[Heightswitch]

What happened to Julian Barter in 70's roadsports.. I noted a DNF in Live timing??
N.

[gary396]

Originally Posted by Heightswitch

What happened to Julian Barter in 70's roadsports.. I noted a DNF in Live timing??
N.

He was running well until about the 10th / 11th lap up to 2nd I think. Think I heard Marcus Pye mention something about engine trouble but can't be certain.

[Heightswitch]

Originally Posted by gary396

He was running well until about the 10th / 11th lap up to 2nd I think. Think I heard Marcus Pye mention something about engine trouble but can't be certain.

Cheers..
Was looking at the times and I am not a million miles away..A couple of seconds to find.. At least the sun shone today.. You would have been really cheesed off if it rained during your breakdown…

The joys of classic motoring

Hope you had a good day.. I was rebuilding rear brakes for most of today.

[Alan Morgan]

The crowd on Sunday looked huge to me and a good number stayed until the end. Had a very enjoyable curry on Friday evening in the company of justracing and Marcus Pye.

The organisers finally got the weather they deserve on both days. The Vulcan was stunning - if it hadn't been for the sound of 4 Olympus engines, I'm sure you could have heard a pin drop...

[gary396]

Sorry I didn't get to say hello Alan. I arrived late (for me) on Sunday morning - the queue was backed up onto the main road to Darlington. The last time I saw it like that was for a BTCC meeting (although the crowd wasn't that big). Car parks filled up, they had to use the overspill area - sheep probably not impressed.

So I spent the entire afternoon in relative peace in the infield area away from the crowds with just a few spectators there - it's such a long way round that few people bother.

Great weekend of racing and the Vulcan was a highlight.

[gary396]

Originally Posted by Heightswitch

What happened to Julian Barter in 70's roadsports.. I noted a DNF in Live timing??
N.

Correction to my previous on this - Marcus Pye mentioned yesterday that Julian Barter mistook a fuel warning light on the dashboard for an oil warning light and so retired (unfamiliar car).

[Dan Rear]

Agreed Alan, the Vulcan was superb, last time ever for me I suspect. I noticed the absolute silence too, amazing. Like Gary, I had to queue to get into the circuit by road, then again to get from carpark into the track itself. First time I've had to do that since Group C Silverstone/Brands in the 80s. Weather great, both FF races (1600&2000) good, shame there were few S2000s out. Why no Derek Bell though?

I'd definitely go again, this was my Croft debut.

[Lancsbreaker]

Called in on Saturday en route to the Imp Club National Weekend at nearby Darlington - fantastic Formula Ford race.......I was sat there muttering to myself as the first three went at it hammer and tongs through the first section of the lap, time and again - "you can't go round there side by side, it'll end in tears"......but apparently no-one had told the drivers

Enjoyed the Historic Touring Cars race too - one or two smoky Cortinas and Imps at the end, but some press-on racing

Not been to this meet before, but think I'll be back

Vulcan could just be seen on Sunday from Darlington, too

[justracing]

Originally Posted by Alan Morgan

The crowd on Sunday looked huge to me and a good number stayed until the end. Had a very enjoyable curry on Friday evening in the company of justracing and Marcus Pye.

Thanks for the company Alan and Marcus, great weekend for me with my son making the trip down from Perth to meet up on Saturday. FFord racing was great as usual and the touring cars were very entertaining, well worth the trip up from sunny Sussex.

[gary396]

As said, will post a few photos. These are from the first race for 70's Road Sports - won by car 14 the Lotus Seven (invitation class I think). The Jag and Capri were both locking their brakes coming into the complex.

[justracing]

Originally Posted by gary396

As said, will post a few photos. These are from the first race for 70's Road Sports - won by car 14 the Lotus Seven (invitation class I think). The Jag and Capri were both locking their brakes coming into the complex.

Good pics Gary, wish mine were half as good!

[gary396]

Race 2 was for the Historic F3 - won by David Methley in a Merlyn Mk 14A which I managed to miss (!) less than a second in from of Peter Thompson in a Brabham BT21. Good race (one of many).

[gary396]

Originally Posted by justracing

Good pics Gary, wish mine were half as good!

Many thanks!

Croft is my 'home' circuit but I rarely get the opportunity to take many photos there as I'm normally time-keeping but this year I was free (other than helping out the time-keepers in the qualifying sessions). So it made a nice change to get out and about.

[gary396]

Race 3 - Historic Formula Juniors - won by Jonathan Hughes in a Brabham BT6 with a decent gap of 11 seconds back to 2nd place (James Murray in a Lola). Good grid of 27 cars.

[gary396]

Race 4 was the first Historic F/Ford race which I didn't really cover other than a few quick shots of the first corner / first lap, shot through the fencing so just three of that. Just watched it for the main part, highly enjoyable race - about 32 starters I think and the first four finishers covered by less than five seconds. Won by Rob Wainwright in an Elden MK8.

Will have some photos from their second race on the Sunday.

Perhaps the chap with the 'elevated' camera may have more! Would make a hell of a selfie stick.

[gary396]

Race 5 and on to the Historic Touring Cars - won by Warren Briggs (For Mustang) who had a race long battle with Mark Davies (Lotus Cortina) separated for the most part by just a second or two. Lots of battles up and down the grid between the Cortinas, Minis and Imps. Plenty of tyre smoke throughout.

[gary396]

Race 6 - the first Formula Ford 2000 race - won by Andrew Park (Reynard SF81) who led from the first lap having a very close battle with pole man Tom Smith (Royale RP27) separated by less than a second for most of the race until he slipped back towards the end with Nelson Rowe in another Reynard (SF79) taking second. A very good race.

[gary396]

Odd - could have sworn I saved a post on Race 7 but nothing showing here, so will do so again:

Race 7 - Classic Clubmans - disappointing grid of just 12 cars. Won by John Harrison in a Mallock MK21 by a huge margin of 1min 27sec!

[gary396]

Even less for Race 8 - 500cc F3 - only nine 9 cars qualified. Won by Peter De La Roche in a Cooper Mk5 by 17 secs from John Turner's Cooper Mk9. Entertaining as always to see these cars being driven. Perhaps low numbers due to cars being 'saved' for the Goodwood Revival?

[gary396]

Onto the Sunday races so I won't show the 'second races' of those already covered on day one, other than a couple of batches from the second F/Ford race (which I didn't properly cover on Saturday).

Note, focussing and exposure problems with camera and/or lens all day on Sunday so these are less than ideal but best I can do. So the following are from Race 13 (FF race 2):

[gary396]

Some more from the F/Ford race - very good race with less than one second covering the first four. Won by James Buckton in an Elden Mk8 0.341 secs in front of Rob Wainwright also in an Elden.

The last couple of photos are the run down to the chequered flag.

[gary396]

Race 15 - Historic Sports 2000 - the podium was filled with Tiga's - the winner being Peter Needham in his SC82 who won by just over 3 secs from Michael Dodd. Small grid of 11 but quite an entertaining race.