NEWS
Winter Driving Tests Provisional Results and Gallery Now Live
Monday 08 December 2014
Members can now download Provisional Results from the final VSCC event of the year, the Winter Driving Tests, which took place this past weekend on Saturday 6 December at Bicester Heritage.
Almost 80 Pre-war cars – the biggest entry in a number of years – made their way to burgeoning Bicester Heritage on Saturday, where the early arrivals were greeted by a virtual ‘Winter Wonderland’ as the first proper frost of the season blanketed the former RAF airbase.
As Signing-On got underway, Scrutineers ‘skated’ around the machinery, carrying out the mandatory safety checks, whilst the plucky army of Marshal Volunteers mustered for briefing and allocation by Clerk of the Course, Mark Elder. Competitors, meanwhile, grabbed the opportunity for a warming beverage before setting off to tackle the 12 Driving Test challenges located around the 348 acre site.
Despite the freezing temperatures, the sun soon arrived and set in for the duration, providing a perfect winter setting for the day’s competition against the atmospheric backdrop of the historic military buildings and airfield, the latter active all day through the resident gliding club. The conditions certainly provided an added challenge, with several drivers gleefully throwing their machines sideways, whilst others took a more measured approach on the icy surfaces.
A Bicester Heritage ‘resident’ with his vehicle upholstery business, Harry Fraser, put his local knowledge to good use as he manoeuvred the sturdy 1910 Overland 38 Speedster to victory in the Edwardian Class, ahead of a game Tony Lees in the Vauxhall Viper, perhaps the day’s most impractical entry. Clive Hamilton-Gould headed an experienced top three in the Touring Cars Class in his Morris Minor, ahead of the Austin 7 of Matthew Bell and Neil Thorp’s Singer 9 Sports Coupe.
Unsurprisingly, the top performers came from amongst the Sports-Car ranks. The talents of some of the Club’s younger Competitors were on display with the top four of the Modified Sports-Cars Class all falling in the 30 and under age group, led by 21-year old George Diffey in his gold Austin 7, followed by Luke Roberts, who wowed the crowds with some exuberant use of the handbrake in his Frazer Nash, and the Austin 7s of George Bradshaw and Robert Moore.
But it was two of our perennial VSCC Driving Test table-toppers that took the overall spoils with the Frazer Nash Falcon TT Rep of VSCC Handicapper, Mark Ballard getting the better of adversary Edmund Burgess’s Bugatti T13 Brescia in a close battle in the Standard Sports-Cars Class, from another of the Club’s young hot-shots in Charlie Martin, works driver in David Leigh’s Frazer Nash Interceptor for the day. In the same class, David Rushton claimed the title of top MG in his 1932 M Type ahead of Top Lady Driver, Rachel Bolton-King in her similar model; for his efforts, he receives a bottle of Champagne from event sponsors and local MG franchise, County Bicester.
Alongside a terrific day of motorsport, Willie Sellers and his team of VSCC Doctors marked a milestone 25th year of Club Medicals, seeing more than 70 individuals on the day. As always, Club Members showed their generosity, with many donating more than the suggested £75, raising £6,315 for the three nominated charities, Practical Action, Women For Women and Mission Motorsport. Later in the afternoon, there was a strong turnout for the Club’s annual Race & Speed Forum, where details of next year’s calendar were revealed.
We would like to thank Mark Elder for providing a wonderful event, the day’s ‘record’ entry testament to months of organising efforts. We also thank all Officials, Marshals and the day’s other volunteers for giving their time and braving the cold to ensure the event ran seamlessly. We also thank our hosts, Bicester Heritage for allowing us to use their fascinating venue, Robert Glover Ltd and County Bicester for their support and The Motor Shed Ltd and Historit for sponsoring the well-received provisions of Hook Norton Ale at the end of the day.
To download Provisional Results, please visit the Winter Driving Tests Event Page (CLICK HERE). A selection of photos from the event is also now available to view in the gallery.
As Signing-On got underway, Scrutineers ‘skated’ around the machinery, carrying out the mandatory safety checks, whilst the plucky army of Marshal Volunteers mustered for briefing and allocation by Clerk of the Course, Mark Elder. Competitors, meanwhile, grabbed the opportunity for a warming beverage before setting off to tackle the 12 Driving Test challenges located around the 348 acre site.
Despite the freezing temperatures, the sun soon arrived and set in for the duration, providing a perfect winter setting for the day’s competition against the atmospheric backdrop of the historic military buildings and airfield, the latter active all day through the resident gliding club. The conditions certainly provided an added challenge, with several drivers gleefully throwing their machines sideways, whilst others took a more measured approach on the icy surfaces.
A Bicester Heritage ‘resident’ with his vehicle upholstery business, Harry Fraser, put his local knowledge to good use as he manoeuvred the sturdy 1910 Overland 38 Speedster to victory in the Edwardian Class, ahead of a game Tony Lees in the Vauxhall Viper, perhaps the day’s most impractical entry. Clive Hamilton-Gould headed an experienced top three in the Touring Cars Class in his Morris Minor, ahead of the Austin 7 of Matthew Bell and Neil Thorp’s Singer 9 Sports Coupe.
Unsurprisingly, the top performers came from amongst the Sports-Car ranks. The talents of some of the Club’s younger Competitors were on display with the top four of the Modified Sports-Cars Class all falling in the 30 and under age group, led by 21-year old George Diffey in his gold Austin 7, followed by Luke Roberts, who wowed the crowds with some exuberant use of the handbrake in his Frazer Nash, and the Austin 7s of George Bradshaw and Robert Moore.
But it was two of our perennial VSCC Driving Test table-toppers that took the overall spoils with the Frazer Nash Falcon TT Rep of VSCC Handicapper, Mark Ballard getting the better of adversary Edmund Burgess’s Bugatti T13 Brescia in a close battle in the Standard Sports-Cars Class, from another of the Club’s young hot-shots in Charlie Martin, works driver in David Leigh’s Frazer Nash Interceptor for the day. In the same class, David Rushton claimed the title of top MG in his 1932 M Type ahead of Top Lady Driver, Rachel Bolton-King in her similar model; for his efforts, he receives a bottle of Champagne from event sponsors and local MG franchise, County Bicester.
Alongside a terrific day of motorsport, Willie Sellers and his team of VSCC Doctors marked a milestone 25th year of Club Medicals, seeing more than 70 individuals on the day. As always, Club Members showed their generosity, with many donating more than the suggested £75, raising £6,315 for the three nominated charities, Practical Action, Women For Women and Mission Motorsport. Later in the afternoon, there was a strong turnout for the Club’s annual Race & Speed Forum, where details of next year’s calendar were revealed.
We would like to thank Mark Elder for providing a wonderful event, the day’s ‘record’ entry testament to months of organising efforts. We also thank all Officials, Marshals and the day’s other volunteers for giving their time and braving the cold to ensure the event ran seamlessly. We also thank our hosts, Bicester Heritage for allowing us to use their fascinating venue, Robert Glover Ltd and County Bicester for their support and The Motor Shed Ltd and Historit for sponsoring the well-received provisions of Hook Norton Ale at the end of the day.
To download Provisional Results, please visit the Winter Driving Tests Event Page (CLICK HERE). A selection of photos from the event is also now available to view in the gallery.
