NEWS
Welsh Speed Weekend at Pembrey Circuit (17-18 August) Sprint and Hawthorn Memorial Trophies Race Meeting Report.
Tuesday 20 August 2013
The VSCC’s Welsh Speed Weekend saw 150 members bring their Pre-war and Historic vehicles from all over the British Isles to support the event which is growing in stature year by year. The warm welcome that is afforded to the Club from the circuit staff and the locals and the challenge of the technical Pembrey track is what draws in the competitors. Three drivers and the meeting Steward had traveled from Scotland, as well as many from North Yorkshire, Kent, Sussex and Essex.
The presence of many top flight competitors with exquisite racing cars also bolstered the event. Spectators were rewarded with being able to enjoy millions of pounds worth of significant historic vehicles in action including three Pre-war ERA Voiturettes, Philip Walker’s Lotus 16, fresh from a double header of victories at the prestigious ‘Old Timer Grand Prix’ at the Nurburgring, and Chris Mann’s Alfa Romeo P3 and 1950s Disco Volante.
The rain that was forecast all day held off until lunch time on Saturday but the 89 Sprint competitors were not disheartened as they experienced mixed conditions and most found the slippery wet conditions on the ¾ lap distance alot of fun! Dr David Pryke was the top Riley two-seater out of amazing twenty that were entered to take ‘Fastest Sports-Car’ and Justin Maeers was the ‘Fastest Vintage Car’ with a time of 65.16 seconds in his 1926 GN ‘Parker’ Special. Eddie Gibbs took the top honours in his Frazer Nash SS Racer piping Pete Candy in his Riley ‘Super Rat’ by 45 hundredths of a second with a time of 64.37 seconds for ‘Fastest Time of the Day’.
Following on, mid afternoon, was the Team Race for Pre-war Sports-Cars which had attracted 13 teams, most flying the flag for a particular marque with Frazer Nash, Riley, Austin, MG and Lagonda amongst others represented. Driving rain was persistent throughout the 90 minute event, resulting in all having to run with their rain lights ‘on’, but spirits were not dampened. Following practice convoy runs behind a safety car, each team nominated their starter and took to the grid. The anticipated battle for the Scratch victory between Team 1, (The Good, The Bad and The Riley, with Richard Iliffe, Tim Kneller and Dr David Pryke all in Riley 12/4 Specials), and Team 5, Team Longstone, (the ‘Chain-Gang’ trio of Dougal Cawley (GN Ford ‘Piglet’), Justin Maeers (GN ‘Parker’) and Charles Gillett (Frazer Nash Super Sports), was evident from the off with Riley man, Kneller and ‘Nash man, Gillett drag-racing off the line from the front row.
An early retirement for Jo Blakeney-Edwards in her Frazer Nash Shelsley put pressure on ‘Dudley and the Racy Women’ and saw the safety car deployed for four laps whilst that and other stricken cars were removed to safety, but despite a 3-lap penalty for Jo’s early departure, strong and consistent lapping by Dudley Sterry (HRS Sports) & Sue Darbyshire (Morgan Super Aero) led them to 3rd Place finish overall on Scratch. Not even a compulsory pit stop penalty for Cawley, (for a broken rain light), could deter ‘Team Longstone’ as they stormed to victory, completing 60 laps between them in total. Justin Maeers put in the fastest lap of race – 1:22.35 in torrential rain. Taking second place on Scratch 2 laps behind and coming out on-top on Handicap were the ever-consistent ‘The Good, The Bad and The Riley’ team who enjoyed a faultless race. The MG team of ‘Wilson, Keppel and Betty’ were a commendable 2nd on Handicap thanks to the efforts of David Downes, Fred Boothby and Anne Boursot in MG PAs and J2s. Drive of the race must go to Tony Lees who gallantly battled on his 1913, 12-litre, Vauxhall Viper with no weather protection and only two wheeled brakes in the ‘Rileys 4 Ever’ Team’, standing in at the last minute for Michael New.
The ‘Owner, Driver and Mechanic’ award hospitality tent hosted a post-Team Race drinks party where there was much merriment as racers swapped tales of their exploits in difficult conditions on-track. The circuit also hosted a great social evening in the Formula One Clubhouse, which was well attended.
Thank-fully, Sunday morning dawned bright and the paddock started to fill with the sixteen cars that were competing in the Welsh Sports Saloon Championship alongside the Club’s Hawthorn Memorial Trophies Race Meeting. They had two 15 minute races in which Michael Cond scored Double Victory in the rapid and brightly-coloured Sylva Riot whilst Keith White scored two 2nd Places in the BMW Z4. Their first race saw a great performance by Car 44 Jason Davies in Sierra Cosworth keeping more nimble machines behind him for a number of laps before eventually being overhauled for podium places (finished 4th) but he rewarded with 3rd in Race 2. Young Melissa Luffarelli was top Lady performer in the Mini Saloon (6th & 5th place finishes).
Tim Hopkinson was pole man for the opening Scratch Race of the day, asserting his dominance in his Riley Special with a 7.59 second advantage to Durward Lawson in a similar racer. Jo Blakeney-Edwards, one of nine female competitors at the event, had cured the gremlins that had put paid to her chances in the Team Race by securing a plucky third place in her Frazer Nash Shelsley ahead of Bo Williams in his Bugatti T35B.
Charles Gillett (Frazer Nash Super Sports) and Andrew Mitchell (HRG) were split by only 1.58 seconds in pole and second place respectively at the head of the Bill Phillips Trophy Race for the Standard and Modified Pre-war Sports-Cars (Set 3) so it was always going to be a close run thing. Mitchell passed Gillett at the first corner ‘Hatchets Hairpin’ but Gillett passed again on lap 2, a lead he maintained going onto lap 6 when Mitchell passed again at the same corner. He had the chequered flag in his grasp then and nipped ahead by 16 hundreths of a second to take the win. On the podium, third placed Morgan racer Sue Darbyshire said she’d ‘tried her hardest to keep up with them but they charged off!’.
The Handicappers had made a brilliant effort with the time penalties in Race 5 (in a Handicap, all competitors should theoretically cross the line at the same time!) Barry Foster headed the field by 2.36 seconds ahead of Greg Thruston’s Austin 7 Special in his MG Montlhery that he has owned for thirty five years.
With the two GNs of Maeers and Carr at the front of the grid in the Vintage Racing Cars Race, tensions were high as another re-match of their thrilling Mallory Park dice was on the cards, but sadly it was not to be as one of the gearing chain’s failed on Carr’s GN/AC during the first lap, allowing Maeers to power the 6 litre ‘Parker’ into a formidable lead. Gillett had an excellent start and was challenging Duncan Wood’s Morgan Super Aero to pass on lap 4. Behind, a family rivalry kept the crowd entertained with Bugatti T35 racer Chris Hudson dicing with his nephew, Dougal Cawley (GN Ford ‘Piglet’). Dougal passed his Uncle at the ‘Senna Esses’, and Chris launched a challenge on the following lap only to get out of shape at ‘Dibeni’ and kiss the grass. At the front, Maeers took the flag 12.86 seconds ahead of Gillett with Duncan Wood third and Dougal Cawley fourth. Chris Hudson finished fifth heading a Bugatti T35B trio as Tim Dutton gallantly clawed his way to 6th after having to start from the back of the grid when his Bugatti T35B failed to start in the assembly area, Bo Williams was 7th.
If the bookmakers had been at Pembrey, Philip Walker would have attracted even odds to take the Hawthorn International Trophy for 1950s Sports Racing Cars in his Lotus 15, his nimble machine had the legs on his nearest challenger, Bruce Riches in his 1959 Elva Mk 5 Sports, he finished a lap ahead of the Norfolk based racer with an average lap speed of 75.54 seconds. Chris Mann completed the podium in third with his stunning 1953 Alfa Romeo Disco Volante that had a gaggle of spectators cooing over it all day in the paddock.
The Hawthorn Brighton Trophy Race for Special Pre-war Sports-Cars was a barn-storming head-to-head between Dougal Cawley & David Pryke for the entire race. Although starting from second, Dougal led from the off thanks to the extra power of his GN/Ford ‘Piglet’; Pryke passed several times on the long left and ‘Senna Esses’ before Dougal regained the lead on the fast Speedway Straight/Woodlands/Honda sections. On the penultimate lap Pryke, made an earlier attempt stick, pulling out a few car lengths lead. After the race Cawley was penalised with a 10 second for Jump Start and was relegated to 3rd with Riley racer, Tim Hopkinson promoted to 2nd after his quiet and consistent, if not lonely performance.
An impressive array Vintage and Historic machinery made its way out for the Hawthorn Memorial and Spanish Trophies Race for Pre-1961 Racing Cars. Philip Walker was on pole in his Lotus 16 by a short margin to ERA R2A racer, Mark Gillies by 0. 36 hundredths of a second. As the flag dropped, Walker sprinted off into the distance and Gillies had the legs on fellow ERA pilot, Mac Hulbert with Nicolas Rossi in his Lotus 12 going well behind him. Wild card from the Vintage Race, Justin Maeers, was enjoying a tussle with Robert Cobden’s Riley Falcon and then Eddie Gibbs started to get in the mix in the Frazer Nash SS Racer whilst Tim Greenhill (Wolseley Hornet) and Julian Wilton (Cooper Bristol MkII) enjoyed a great scrap reeling in the ERA R12C of Terry Crabb. On the penultimate lap there was a serious incident which saw the race halted with a red flag as the Lotus 12 F1 of Nicolas Rossi and Mac Hulbert’s ERA R4D made contact whilst contesting third. The circuit Medical Team were immediately on the scene and Nicolas Rossi was taken by Ambulance to the local hospital where he is currently receiving treatment for several broken bones. The race was declared at this point, and thus Philip Walker won the Hawthorn Memorial Trophy for the first time since 1996 whilst Mark Gillies reclaimed the Hawthorn Spanish Trophy, his sixth win of this prestigious Club trophy.
Torcuato Iriarte made the long trip from Argentina a worthy one by winning the final Handicap Race of the day in his Delage DI 50 Special only 35 hundredths of a second ahead of Andrew Mitchell’s HRG, getting a taste of his own medicine from Race 3! Steve Smith was jubilant to take third in Charles Gillett’s Frazer Nash Super Sports.
Robert Cobden (Riley Falcon Special) and Justin Maeers (GN ‘Parker’) renewed their rivalries in the final Scratch Race of the meeting, running closely together for the duration, Cobden having the legs on Maeers crossing the line 1.33 seconds ahead. This was the fourth race of the day that saw the top two cross the line less than 2.5 seconds apart.
The final race meeting of the VSCC Racing Season is the Seaman Memorial Trophies Race Meeting at Snetterton in Norfolk on Sunday 29 September. For further details see here.
Results from the Sprint and Hawthorn Memorial Trophies Race Meeting are now live to download and Sprint photos are live in the gallery. Photographs from the race meeting will be uploaded throughout the week.
The rain that was forecast all day held off until lunch time on Saturday but the 89 Sprint competitors were not disheartened as they experienced mixed conditions and most found the slippery wet conditions on the ¾ lap distance alot of fun! Dr David Pryke was the top Riley two-seater out of amazing twenty that were entered to take ‘Fastest Sports-Car’ and Justin Maeers was the ‘Fastest Vintage Car’ with a time of 65.16 seconds in his 1926 GN ‘Parker’ Special. Eddie Gibbs took the top honours in his Frazer Nash SS Racer piping Pete Candy in his Riley ‘Super Rat’ by 45 hundredths of a second with a time of 64.37 seconds for ‘Fastest Time of the Day’.
Following on, mid afternoon, was the Team Race for Pre-war Sports-Cars which had attracted 13 teams, most flying the flag for a particular marque with Frazer Nash, Riley, Austin, MG and Lagonda amongst others represented. Driving rain was persistent throughout the 90 minute event, resulting in all having to run with their rain lights ‘on’, but spirits were not dampened. Following practice convoy runs behind a safety car, each team nominated their starter and took to the grid. The anticipated battle for the Scratch victory between Team 1, (The Good, The Bad and The Riley, with Richard Iliffe, Tim Kneller and Dr David Pryke all in Riley 12/4 Specials), and Team 5, Team Longstone, (the ‘Chain-Gang’ trio of Dougal Cawley (GN Ford ‘Piglet’), Justin Maeers (GN ‘Parker’) and Charles Gillett (Frazer Nash Super Sports), was evident from the off with Riley man, Kneller and ‘Nash man, Gillett drag-racing off the line from the front row.
An early retirement for Jo Blakeney-Edwards in her Frazer Nash Shelsley put pressure on ‘Dudley and the Racy Women’ and saw the safety car deployed for four laps whilst that and other stricken cars were removed to safety, but despite a 3-lap penalty for Jo’s early departure, strong and consistent lapping by Dudley Sterry (HRS Sports) & Sue Darbyshire (Morgan Super Aero) led them to 3rd Place finish overall on Scratch. Not even a compulsory pit stop penalty for Cawley, (for a broken rain light), could deter ‘Team Longstone’ as they stormed to victory, completing 60 laps between them in total. Justin Maeers put in the fastest lap of race – 1:22.35 in torrential rain. Taking second place on Scratch 2 laps behind and coming out on-top on Handicap were the ever-consistent ‘The Good, The Bad and The Riley’ team who enjoyed a faultless race. The MG team of ‘Wilson, Keppel and Betty’ were a commendable 2nd on Handicap thanks to the efforts of David Downes, Fred Boothby and Anne Boursot in MG PAs and J2s. Drive of the race must go to Tony Lees who gallantly battled on his 1913, 12-litre, Vauxhall Viper with no weather protection and only two wheeled brakes in the ‘Rileys 4 Ever’ Team’, standing in at the last minute for Michael New.
The ‘Owner, Driver and Mechanic’ award hospitality tent hosted a post-Team Race drinks party where there was much merriment as racers swapped tales of their exploits in difficult conditions on-track. The circuit also hosted a great social evening in the Formula One Clubhouse, which was well attended.
Thank-fully, Sunday morning dawned bright and the paddock started to fill with the sixteen cars that were competing in the Welsh Sports Saloon Championship alongside the Club’s Hawthorn Memorial Trophies Race Meeting. They had two 15 minute races in which Michael Cond scored Double Victory in the rapid and brightly-coloured Sylva Riot whilst Keith White scored two 2nd Places in the BMW Z4. Their first race saw a great performance by Car 44 Jason Davies in Sierra Cosworth keeping more nimble machines behind him for a number of laps before eventually being overhauled for podium places (finished 4th) but he rewarded with 3rd in Race 2. Young Melissa Luffarelli was top Lady performer in the Mini Saloon (6th & 5th place finishes).
Tim Hopkinson was pole man for the opening Scratch Race of the day, asserting his dominance in his Riley Special with a 7.59 second advantage to Durward Lawson in a similar racer. Jo Blakeney-Edwards, one of nine female competitors at the event, had cured the gremlins that had put paid to her chances in the Team Race by securing a plucky third place in her Frazer Nash Shelsley ahead of Bo Williams in his Bugatti T35B.
Charles Gillett (Frazer Nash Super Sports) and Andrew Mitchell (HRG) were split by only 1.58 seconds in pole and second place respectively at the head of the Bill Phillips Trophy Race for the Standard and Modified Pre-war Sports-Cars (Set 3) so it was always going to be a close run thing. Mitchell passed Gillett at the first corner ‘Hatchets Hairpin’ but Gillett passed again on lap 2, a lead he maintained going onto lap 6 when Mitchell passed again at the same corner. He had the chequered flag in his grasp then and nipped ahead by 16 hundreths of a second to take the win. On the podium, third placed Morgan racer Sue Darbyshire said she’d ‘tried her hardest to keep up with them but they charged off!’.
The Handicappers had made a brilliant effort with the time penalties in Race 5 (in a Handicap, all competitors should theoretically cross the line at the same time!) Barry Foster headed the field by 2.36 seconds ahead of Greg Thruston’s Austin 7 Special in his MG Montlhery that he has owned for thirty five years.
With the two GNs of Maeers and Carr at the front of the grid in the Vintage Racing Cars Race, tensions were high as another re-match of their thrilling Mallory Park dice was on the cards, but sadly it was not to be as one of the gearing chain’s failed on Carr’s GN/AC during the first lap, allowing Maeers to power the 6 litre ‘Parker’ into a formidable lead. Gillett had an excellent start and was challenging Duncan Wood’s Morgan Super Aero to pass on lap 4. Behind, a family rivalry kept the crowd entertained with Bugatti T35 racer Chris Hudson dicing with his nephew, Dougal Cawley (GN Ford ‘Piglet’). Dougal passed his Uncle at the ‘Senna Esses’, and Chris launched a challenge on the following lap only to get out of shape at ‘Dibeni’ and kiss the grass. At the front, Maeers took the flag 12.86 seconds ahead of Gillett with Duncan Wood third and Dougal Cawley fourth. Chris Hudson finished fifth heading a Bugatti T35B trio as Tim Dutton gallantly clawed his way to 6th after having to start from the back of the grid when his Bugatti T35B failed to start in the assembly area, Bo Williams was 7th.
If the bookmakers had been at Pembrey, Philip Walker would have attracted even odds to take the Hawthorn International Trophy for 1950s Sports Racing Cars in his Lotus 15, his nimble machine had the legs on his nearest challenger, Bruce Riches in his 1959 Elva Mk 5 Sports, he finished a lap ahead of the Norfolk based racer with an average lap speed of 75.54 seconds. Chris Mann completed the podium in third with his stunning 1953 Alfa Romeo Disco Volante that had a gaggle of spectators cooing over it all day in the paddock.
The Hawthorn Brighton Trophy Race for Special Pre-war Sports-Cars was a barn-storming head-to-head between Dougal Cawley & David Pryke for the entire race. Although starting from second, Dougal led from the off thanks to the extra power of his GN/Ford ‘Piglet’; Pryke passed several times on the long left and ‘Senna Esses’ before Dougal regained the lead on the fast Speedway Straight/Woodlands/Honda sections. On the penultimate lap Pryke, made an earlier attempt stick, pulling out a few car lengths lead. After the race Cawley was penalised with a 10 second for Jump Start and was relegated to 3rd with Riley racer, Tim Hopkinson promoted to 2nd after his quiet and consistent, if not lonely performance.
An impressive array Vintage and Historic machinery made its way out for the Hawthorn Memorial and Spanish Trophies Race for Pre-1961 Racing Cars. Philip Walker was on pole in his Lotus 16 by a short margin to ERA R2A racer, Mark Gillies by 0. 36 hundredths of a second. As the flag dropped, Walker sprinted off into the distance and Gillies had the legs on fellow ERA pilot, Mac Hulbert with Nicolas Rossi in his Lotus 12 going well behind him. Wild card from the Vintage Race, Justin Maeers, was enjoying a tussle with Robert Cobden’s Riley Falcon and then Eddie Gibbs started to get in the mix in the Frazer Nash SS Racer whilst Tim Greenhill (Wolseley Hornet) and Julian Wilton (Cooper Bristol MkII) enjoyed a great scrap reeling in the ERA R12C of Terry Crabb. On the penultimate lap there was a serious incident which saw the race halted with a red flag as the Lotus 12 F1 of Nicolas Rossi and Mac Hulbert’s ERA R4D made contact whilst contesting third. The circuit Medical Team were immediately on the scene and Nicolas Rossi was taken by Ambulance to the local hospital where he is currently receiving treatment for several broken bones. The race was declared at this point, and thus Philip Walker won the Hawthorn Memorial Trophy for the first time since 1996 whilst Mark Gillies reclaimed the Hawthorn Spanish Trophy, his sixth win of this prestigious Club trophy.
Torcuato Iriarte made the long trip from Argentina a worthy one by winning the final Handicap Race of the day in his Delage DI 50 Special only 35 hundredths of a second ahead of Andrew Mitchell’s HRG, getting a taste of his own medicine from Race 3! Steve Smith was jubilant to take third in Charles Gillett’s Frazer Nash Super Sports.
Robert Cobden (Riley Falcon Special) and Justin Maeers (GN ‘Parker’) renewed their rivalries in the final Scratch Race of the meeting, running closely together for the duration, Cobden having the legs on Maeers crossing the line 1.33 seconds ahead. This was the fourth race of the day that saw the top two cross the line less than 2.5 seconds apart.
The final race meeting of the VSCC Racing Season is the Seaman Memorial Trophies Race Meeting at Snetterton in Norfolk on Sunday 29 September. For further details see here.
Results from the Sprint and Hawthorn Memorial Trophies Race Meeting are now live to download and Sprint photos are live in the gallery. Photographs from the race meeting will be uploaded throughout the week.
