Castle Combe Autumn Classic Oct 3rd.

[Pete]

My car was racing there regularly the year this was filmed...in fact I've just recognised the little 'bridge' on the film that it was photographed in front of..



http://www.britishpathe.com/video/girls ... stle+combe

Been a few changes since then!

[Pete]

Entry list for the Terry Sanger memorial race...


14 K4 Jon Milicevic Morris Mini Cooper 1963 1293 Blue 1
15 K1 Mark Watts Ford Mustang 1965 4700 White 1
19 A Colin McKay Jaguar S Type 1964 3781 Blue 1
22 K1 Michael Squire Ford Mustang 1964 4727 Blue 1
23 D Mark Burnett Austin Mini Cooper 1964 1293 Blue 1
28 K1 Alex Thistlethwayte Ford Mustang 1965 4800 Yellow 1
31 B Les Ely BMW 1965 2000 Red 1
34 B David Morrow Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1964 2000 Red 1
40 K3 Neil Merry Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1962 1570 Red 1
51 C James Claridge Ford Anglia 1963 1500 Maroon / Silver 1
57 B Joe Gomm Ford Lotus Cortina 1964 1920 Yellow / Black 1
65 K1 Nicholas Ruddell Ford Mustang 1965 4700 blue 1
69 C Bob Bullen Ford Anglia 1964 1500 Yellow 1
71 D Tim Harber Austin Mini 1965 1293 Blue / White 1
73 K1 Chris Clarkson Ford Falcon Sprint 1964 4700 Blue 1
77 C Chris Sanders Ford Lotus Cortina 1965 1596 White 1
85 D Roger Godfrey Austin Cooper S 1966 1293 Green / White 1
87 E Simon Benoy Hillman Imp 1967 998 Blue / White 1
89 E Adrian Oliver Hillman Imp 1966 998 Red / White 1
168 D John Marsden Austin Cooper S 1963 1293 Red / Black 1
176 A Andrew Davenall Austin A105/6 1958 2992 Cream / Blue

[surfblue63]

Nice varied entry.

I was at the Action Day yesterday and found a good spot for snapping.

[Tim Harber]

Paul Inch hopefully going to be there as well

Family history goes back to his dad who raced there regularly and died at the wheel having had a heart attack in practice for a 1275GT race in 1980 .

[Pete]

Family history goes back to his dad who raced there regularly

[surfblue63]

If only we could stand that close to the track these days, especially on the inside of a bend.

[YMJ]

Family history goes back to his dad who raced there regularly

Whereabouts is (was?) this corner at Castle Combe?

[Pete]

It's not Combe, just a pic of Paul Inch's late father Chris who was a Combe regular (see Tim's post). Not sure where it is but if I had to guess I'd say the chicane at Thruxton ?

Weather's looking pretty good for early October!

http://www.latestmotorsportweather.com/ ... rcuit.html

[minimalc848]

Pretty sure it is the chicane.

Pete, what year is it please ?

I used to pit crew for Chris and would have been there.

Malcolm

[Pete]

Another guess Malcolm I'm afraid (until I've checked) but I'd say 1968/69?

[Pete]

If only we could stand that close to the track these days, especially on the inside of a bend.

No none of this anymore...

[Pete]

Me and Gary will be just behind the Jaaags tomorrow on the Tavern Lawn with the Unipower GT and Marcos, come and say hello! We'll be on track about lunch time.

[surfblue63]

I'm planning to get there at about 8:30.

All media recording devices are fully charged and ready to go. I'm looking forward to seeing and hearing the BRM V16 again. The last time was at a Goodwood FoS in the 1990's. Those with sensitive hearing will need ear defenders.

[surfblue63]

Great day at Combe today. The Autumn Classic is well worth a visit.

Those Mini Marcos' are light

IMG_5284.JPG

[Pete]

Yeah the back end is! Seeing as you drew the short straw we don't have a photo of you lifting it, cos you take all the pictures!

Yes it was a really good event, The racing's always good because unlike Oulton there seem to be so many overtaking opportunities. The saloon field was pretty modest as it's end of a busy season plus some absences from the entry list (no Milicevic for example) but some good racing! A great entry list elsewhere also. Commiserations to John who got a dead battery at just the wrong time, and well done to Tim on fitting a race into an otherwise very busy day( ) and Paul Inch who fought his way through to win his class and the Mini battle. Combe's got a great atmosphere and lots of the punters really know their stuff, (on a personal level) lots of Unipower chat over the weekend and stuff about Mabbs from some really knowledgable spectators (and even race commentator Marcus Pye who came over).

Me and Gary got to go around the track on the lunchtime racing car parade in my car which was fun (would have been even more fun with new tyres on) (or if the fuel pump on Gary's Marcos hadn't packed up) and we met a few posters off here during the day. There were a few nice Minis about but for some reason the Mini club crowd just don't seem to do events like this. It was packed all round the circuit and the weather was fine, I'll post some pictures when I get time but safe to say Mr Surf Blue is the man with the snaps!

Hope you got the car off OK at the other end Gary!

[rpb203]

Would agree with Pete, was an excellent day, thanks to those who helped getting the Marcos out and back into the van.
Met some interesting people, excellent close racing in the Historic Touring car.

Bit of a pain having a fuel pump issue and would have been excellent to have a charge round 'Combe' in the 'Marcos' but will have to wait for Blyton 2016, definitely going to get it ready for that.

Big thanks for Pete to let me be passenger for the couple of laps around the track in the Janspeed Unipower, made my day first time that I've been in one that moves!, will definitely have to get mine sorted after that, would agree that a good set of rubber would have been interesting.

Once again a great day. I'll have to see if I can sort the pictures and the mobile phone video of the laps.
Cheers

[Tim Harber]

Excellent day out. Frustrating from several points of view:

Mark had the DU6 on his car up till 5 the day before but ran out of rolling road time to use it in anger

Looked briefly at my in car footage to notice that I got hauled in by the Imp on the fastest part of the track on the run up to Quarry. The car just wouldn't pull more revs in top. I stopped looking when it got to about 7750 and I think the others were pulling 8. I guess we have have to give in to a jolly revvy motor in the Imp.

No motor running in the BRM V16

No Marcos running when I had a spare fuel pump with me.

Small grid but to be expected as previous round was a week ago and last round two weeks away

Apart from that , just about everything else good, especially as I hadn't worked out which way to duck if the motor let go. Hooray for standard A+ crank and rods

[Pete]

I didn't see it because we were packing up to leave but apparently the Adrian Beecroft Aston Martin DBR1 (about 5 million quids worth) got all but destroyed in a pile up at Quarry involving several cars.




EDIT*EDIT*EDIT...

Actually it doesn't look that bad...

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=145214

[surfblue63]

I was at Quarry when the crash happened. After about 15 or 20 minutes of racing an Austin Healey approached Quarry going backwards on the grass at quite a rate of knots, fortunately the driver managed to slow the car before it hitting the tyre barrier to hard, however the car was beached in the kitty litter. A lap later an XK150 Coupe came into Quarry and lost the back end, Then the Astoncame round the bend and went into a spin, it's backend meeting with the Jag. Then another Healey and another XK150 came round and had a bit of a concertina smash as they came round the bend. The first XK limped away and shortly afterward the red flags came out. Fortunately all the drivers appeared to escape uninjured as they all stood on the infield whilst the action slowed and the rescue crews arrived.

Here's a few shots of the aftermath, as you can see the Aston got it both ends, and the Healey got the worst of it.

[mk1]

OUCH!