NEWS

Provisional Results and Photo Gallery from the Autumn Sprint are now Live

Tuesday 28 October 2014

Provisional Results from the Autumn Sprint, which took place this past weekend on Saturday 25 October at Goodwood, are now available to download.
Following consecutive years of torrential rain and bitter winds for our annual Autumn Sprint event, Saturday’s fine and dry conditions were a most welcome, albeit forecast, revelation for this year’s VSCC Speed Season finalé at the famous Goodwood Motor Circuit, encouraging what must surely be a record attendance of spectators for the event in recent years. Whilst the day’s sporting competition was the undoubted main spectacle, the paddock and car parks were an attraction themselves, filled to the brim as they were with a wonderful array of Vintage, Pre-war and Classic machinery, let alone the free 'air display' from the venue's residential flight school throughout the day, which included a pair of Spitfires. With so much to see, you could be forgiven for not staying abreast of the track action.

Those that did were treated to another exciting contest. An unfortunate technical glitch meant there were no times recorded during morning Practice, merely adding to the intrigue of the afternoon competition to come. Furthermore, failed runs for some of the main challengers, including Robert Cobden in the Riley Falcon and the ERA R4A of James Baxter, posed further questions of the day’s results. They were not the only ones who suffered a fraught lunch break of fettling, with the Blakeney-Edwards’s Frazer Nash Super Sports also requiring close attention, the husband and wife’s stellar season and all-important trophy standings hanging in the balance. Panic was unwarranted, however, as the pair dominated Class 3, with Jo coming out on top, setting new Class and Vintage Records in the process.

Unsurprisingly, given the fair conditions, hers were a number of new records set on the day; not for the first time this season, Mark Groves set the tone in Class 1 in his rapid Austin 7 Ulster, with Barry Foster’s MG Montlhery the standout in Class 2. Neil Twyman’s indomitable Alfa Romeo 8C was one of a number of record-breakers in the combined Classes 4/5/6 whilst perennial table-toppers David Pryke and Ewen Getley were again the toast of the Special Sports-Car Classes in the Riley and Bentley respectively, the latter rewarded with Fastest Vintage of the Day.

Although not setting any new records, 18 year old Angus Frost was an outstanding winner of the small capacity Racing Car Class 13 in his Austin 7 Special, ahead of fellow youngsters and Handicap award winners Tom Waterfield and Stephanie Wilton in their Austin examples. Banishing the mechanical gremlins of the morning, Rob Cobden stormed to Class 14 victory and new record ahead 2013 ‘FTD’ recipient, Sue Darbyshire in the Morgan Super Aero, but could not best a determined Julian Grimwade, who took the Fastest Pre-war accolade and Class 16 in the Frazer Nash Norris Special, ahead of a meritorious performance by Tony Lees in the mighty Vauxhall Viper Special. The quartet of Post-war machines was led by veteran Duncan Ricketts in the Cooper T41 just ahead of son Matt.

Nor was there cause for concern following the morning’s failings for James Baxter in ERA R4A either – a simple case of not swapping from warm-up to racing spark plugs the culprit – as the maestro guided the ex-Bob Gerard voiturette to the day’s only sub-100 seconds runs, new Class and Event Records and predictably the Fastest Time of Day crown, cementing not only another dominant Speed season for himself, but ensuring a winning end to a triumphant campaign for the car, shared with owner Nick Topliss. We already cannot wait to see it back out and competing in 2015!

Our thanks go to all Officials, Volunteer Marshals and Competitors for their part in a most successful day of motorsport and a wonderful end to the Club’s 2014 Race & Speed Season.

To download Provisional Results, please visit the Autumn Sprint Event Page (CLICK HERE). A selection of photos from the event is also now available to view in the gallery on the Event Page as they are received.
 
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