News
Bearded Fatty In Red Costume.
Hope he remembers ‘Touch Wood’, the autobiography of 1953 Le Mans winner and celebrated bon viveur Duncan Hamilton. This new edition follows on from the 1960 publication and has been edited and extended by Doug Nye.
WSM 401 S2.
Sprite compadres Ian Hulett and Murray Henderson continue with chassis work for the first S2 WSM – the floor pan takes shape and the H frame is welded. Multi-tasking is the name of the game, as Murray is a gifted colour applicator also.
Stocking Fillers For WSM 202.
A straight cut low ratio gearbox rebuild and fresh engine block with new pistons and camshaft etc. The Brian Arculus Christmas stocking is going to buckle the end of the bed, but it will include a gearbox rebuild manual from wife Pat in case things go pear shaped as the last such rebuild was circa 1983 on a Jaguar XK120.
40 + 20.
Luton-based Sprite racer Ian Hulett celebrates today (October 31st) and can officially become the ‘grumpy old man’ while travelling for zilch on public transport. Pictured with the WSM S2 body which Ian will race in 2010, unofficial sources confirmed filming for the next series in his role as the ‘Stig’ in Top Gear is completed. Lovely wife Maggie sets up the entertainment tonight just prior to warming the slippers.
Morgan Maverick.
Published by Douglas Loveridge Publications, the autobiography of Chris Lawrence is an enjoyable book. From Royal Engineer to Le Mans class winner and Grand Prix driver, car designer and leader of the historic movement in the USA, Lawrence certainly never had grass grow under his feet.
Six Hour Sprite’s.
The Birkett event at Silverstone presented the usual challenges, with rain, accident and mechanical hardships all taking their toll. Regular Birkett entries Charles Marriott, Simon Page and John Hopwood in Frogeye’s, Ian Hulett in his Lenham Sprite and Mark Lister in his Mk 3 Sprite comprised Team SuperSprite for whom Marriott took the start in showery conditions. The 40 team race was slowed by a number of incidents early on requiring the intervention of the course car, but as the rain got heavier Hopwood took full benefit of a new set of soft compound tyres and was quickest by several seconds amongst the Sprite team. Lister spun
at Copse in his first stint and badly damaged his venerable race car, fortunately without personal injury, but he was unable to take any further part in the race. Page’s Frogeye was attacked by a Toyota which realigned the rear bodywork of his car and forced him to pit to assess the damage, after which Hulett made some adjustments to his throttle linkage and as a consequence did a lap stuck on half throttle before collecting a pit lane speeding penalty which was
successfully appealed by team manager Richard Angood. In the final hour the rain stopped, and as the sun dried the drenched track Hulett was able to put in some quicker times, although fortune shone when the chequered flag came out just as he reached 41 of the 42 lap maximum allocated by the handicapper. Final results showed the SuperSprite team 10th overall on handicap and first in class C, the best result to date for the Sprite team which has been competing in this event for more than 10 years.
Pictures courtesy of Paul Webb
80/80.
This all new book has been published to mark the 80th birthday of Sir Stirling Moss on September 17th 2009. Earlier this year, Goodwood set out to display 80 cars at the 2009 Revival that Sir Stirling had driven and raced over the years. This is a record of those cars, never before seen together, and giving the reader both new and historic photographs together with short descriptions of each car and the part they played in his career.
It is a book you can pick up when you have a few minutes and read short passages about cars most of us only dream about. The cars range from real exotics including Maserati 250F, Aston Martin DBR 1 and 2, Jaguar D Type and Ferrari 250 SWB and GTO, through to every day cars like Morris Minor, Berkley and even a go-kart. Austin Healeys are well represented, with a 100S and two Sebring Sprites included.
Stirling Moss 80/80 comes with an ingenious gate-fold soft cover both at the front and back with autographs and personal messages from many of Sir Stirling’s friends and colleagues. It has 174 full colour pages and at £11.99, or £19.99 signed by the man himself, represents very good value.
Authors -words by Peter Russell and new photographs by Jonathan Green
Preview by Paul Woolmer
WSM 402 S2.
Fresh from tlc, Paul Hull’s chassis arrives at Colmworth for the next stage of preparation. The ‘GT’ specification road car retains more weight than the ‘Sprint’ model intended for competition, but will still be lighter than a standard Sprite.
Thurleigh Track Day.
In operation for some time, the Bedford Autodrome facilty has ‘Jonathon Palmer’ stamped all over the manicured fields and pristine surroundings – those who have eyeballed Snetterton and Brands Hatch recently will recognise the Doctor’s imprint – and the 70 cars presented for trackday fun included Mazda MX5, Caterham 7, Ferrari, Mercedes, Maserati and Porsche. Fish out a crumpled £10 note and you had unlimited passenger track time, and there are’nt many better ways (with your clothes on) to spend an afternoon than hooning around a fast and curvacious venue. My thanks to Sarah and Mike Harris, and the unfortunate Paul Beadman whose Caterham 7 engine expired, possibly due to lugging this passenger around for so many laps.
FISC EuroTour.
Organiser Pieter Bakker is a Sprite man through and through – he has a long term commitment to the Spridget-based race series administered from his Dutch base, and over the years has moved regulations towards the historic scene and away from ‘modsport’s. Pictured in conversation at Zandvoort with Christophe Wilmart of ‘Equipe’ GTS, both men are keen to develop the burgeoning reputations that their respective series have earned.
WSM 401 S2 and WSM 402 S2.
The first lightweight ‘Sprint’, destined for Ian Hulett, has certainly been on a diet. As pictured, the entire shell, bonnet, doors and bootlid came in at under 40kg, and the overgrown schoolboy in the page heading picture had to try it out for size. Meanwhile, the base for Paul Hull’s ‘GT’ is off to the sand blasters for TLC – Paul did much of the chassis preparation himself prior to collection by Colmworth Classic Cars – and work is underway to produce the body.
Jack Wheeler.
The engineer, racer and yachtsman who travels extensively in his search of sport and competition, has stealthily approached octogenarian status. He
purchased a supercharged Sebring Sprite in 1960 from the Donald Healey works and entered some club events, but he established a yearning for ‘proper’ races and events where distance and conditions were a true test of man and machine. In the 1960’s he competed at the Circuit of Mugello, a 40 mile lap through mountains in Italy, and both 500k and 1000k at Nurburgring. He contested the famous Targa Florio on eight occasions from 1966, with a hard earned 18th place finish in 1967 (right) with his familiar Sebring, and an equally impressive 29th in 1973 with a Daren Mk 3 alongside Martin Davidson – the list of luminaries scattered in their wake included F1 and sports car legends.
Pictured right, Jack and Mark Parrott at the WSM re-union pit lane garage at Rockingham in 2001 wrestling with the aluminium ducting for Paul Woolmer’s WSM 202 – Jack had helped get the restored car prepared late into the previous night, and was on hand in the morning to complete the task. More recently Jack has seen entries for his Sebring at the Goodwood Revival, and headline several gatherings of historic cars, including the Sprite 50th in 2008. He continues to sail, and includes ex-rally star and friend Rauno Aaltonen as a regular shipmate.
A surprise party awaits at the house of colleague John Phillips in Surrey on Sunday 30th August –
Happy birthday Jack.
Bentley Drivers Club 60th Anniversary.
Re-uniting DW-S with his lightweight Bentley 4 ½ litre at Silverstone rolled back the years – Richard Holland brought the car from Suffolk on Sunday – as this was the car Douglas assembled in 1949 and set the template for weight reduction and aerodynamics that would later become the trademark of WSM design.
Buckler’s Bits.
Buckler Mistral registered PMO 528 pictured arriving on a cargo of stone at Castletown, Isle of Man in the 1970’s. It remained stashed away without engine, firstly with Malcolm Buckler in the Isle of Man, and then Bristol with Malcolm’s brother-in-law Keith Ambrose. Malcolm’s nephew Simon took up the cudgels and the car has a fresh MOT and awaits paint and final detailing after 35 year’s R & R.
When Douglas Wilson-Spratt needed the chassis shortening on his 4 1/2 litre Bentley in 1949, George Burton of Bucklers Motor Engineers in Reading did the job. George is pictured here leaning over a Sunbeam racing car next to Fred Hoffman (white coat) outside Hoffman and Burton Ltd in Henley-on-Thames in 1950.
And lastly, a still taken from a 9.5mm home movie with ERD 96 being driven out of the Buckler works in 1950, and the car as it appeared at the 2008 Goodwood Revival last September. This was the first Mk 5 Buckler ever sold in 1949 (to M. Parrott) and entirely works built – Johan le Toquin is the current custodian.
Bentley Drivers Club – August 8th/9th.
Click on for event details where three WSM’s will have two races with the ‘Equipe’ GTS grid on Saturday and Sunday.
‘Equipe’ GTZzzzzzz.
Following a re-shuffle of the ‘Equipe’ GTS race series organising responsibilities, Jim Lowry assured all competitors at Le Mans that they would continue to benefit from the tireless enthusiasm of compadre Christophe Wilmart.
Mystery Car.
Malcolm Buckler, of the eponymous car brand, is curious as to the pictured car’s identification – maybe MG based, can anyone help?
Warwick Healey.
Pictured during the 50th celebrations of the iconic 3000 on June 21st, Healey exponents Robbie Gordon and Peter Jackson at JME’s Cape premises in front of the ex-Pat Moss rally car.
Le Mans Story – July 4th/5th.
Held on alternate years to Classic Le Mans, this event is hosted on the shorter but equally nostalgic ‘Bugatti’ circuit. The demanding 4.2km loop starts on the 24 hour grid surrounded by the pits complex and grandstands leading up to the Dunlop bridge. Sweeping down to the Esses, the Bugatti circuit turns right before Tetre Rouge, making a series of curves and fast straights before rejoining the 24 hour track at the Ford chicanes. The first race on Saturday kicks off circa 8.30pm under floodlights, and WSM’s
208 and 210 will be contesting Class 2 of the ‘Equipe’ GTS double-header, as WSM’s 202 and 301 did in 2007.
WSM Sprite S2.
Limited production of the Sanction 2 WSM Sprite is set to begin in August 2009, and customers can bring their own prepared-for-build chassis, or the entire production can be specified. Our first order stemmed from WSM’s being seen in action at UK circuits in the 1960’s, and since then Berkhamsted boy Paul Hull has owned a Lotus Elan, Lotus Elite and Lotus Seven amongst others. A visit to the Colmworth Classic Car stand at the Stoneleigh ‘Race Retro’ show in March 2009 triggered happy memories, and work is now underway to provide some more.
Birthday Boy.
It might sound impressive on an England cricket scoreboard (if only our batsmen were as stubborn), but 88 not out is the mark achieved by the WSM designer and creator Douglas Wilson-Spratt on June 16th. A comparison with two fat ladies failed to amuse, but over dinner in the new Courthouse restaurant and bar in the Isle of Man, conversation turned to the WSM Sanction 2 plans. It transpires that Sanction 3 models are already in the pipeline after he’s got the Jodel Mascaret airworthy.
Karts At Kimbolton.
An invite to the Hunts Kart Racing Club revealed a truly vibrant scene as literally hundreds of budding Buttons took to the track. A week-end of qualifying, heats and finals certainly sorted the boys from the boys, and it was educational to see just how much tinkering with set-up was available with what I assumed were fairly simple pieces of kit. The facilities were impressive, as was the organisation, given that the mainstay of grass roots motorsport remains family and friends.
Tete a Tete a Tete.
Three WSM’s (202, 210 and 208) do battle for Class 2 honours in the MGCC Brands Hatch double-header with ‘Equipe’ GTS on 30th/31st May. Not since the Goodwood Revival in 2006 have more than two WSM cars been racing together, and it is only the fourth such occasion since the conception of the cars in 1962.
WSM 208.
The ‘Chiron’ blue Sprite hit the road on Saturday 16th May at the Croft circuit. With the engine installed on Friday evening and some minor fettling prior to scrutineering, the week-end evolved into a protracted test session – see ‘Race News’ for details. Douglas Wilson-Spratt was present to sign off the last assembled of his designs, and looks forward to the first of the Sanction 2 WSM Sprite’s which are planned for 2010 – the first (WSM 401 S) is scheduled for racer Ian Hulett as a ‘Sprint’, with 402 S a ‘GT’ for Paul Hull.
Race Retro & WSM.
The Stoneleigh show was an unqualified success for Colmworth Classic Cars, and they received much interest in the forthcomimg WSM Sprite S2 (Sanction 2) production. Just as the original WSM Sprite created such interest at a Silverstone track day in October 1962 (pictured), so the Race Retro stand prompted serious enquiries concerning availability of the fibreglass cars.
A limited run of six is planned, with clients having the option of a road going ‘GT’ or race spec ‘Sprint’, and WSM designer Douglas Wilson-Spratt signing off completed cars with original WSM chassis plates to denote the S2 origins.
The first car (WSM 401 S2) will be a ‘Sprint’, while the second (WSM 402 S2) and third (WSM 403 S2) will be road going ‘GT’ spec. For further details call 01624 690023 or 07780 954290.
Easter Action.
Trouble at Donington last Saturday for WSM 202 centred on a blown head gasket. Progress with handling issues is encouraging though, as Brian is aiming to beat his Lotus Elite times and managed a fastest race lap 2/10ths better. Another upside for the WSM is that Brian’s Marcos broke a camshaft on Sunday, so WSM 202 will be in action on Easter Monday at the GRRC Sprint at Goodwood. Success is unlikely however as the class encompasses pre-1980 up to 2 litres.
Ex-Pat.
Lloyds Bank suit Francis Lobb, who took a posting to South Africa last year from the Isle of Man, resumed his affair with Alfa Romeo. Pictured at the Zwartkops double-header in March, a successful debut in the handicap-based events has fuelled impatience for the next races at Midvaal.
Mike Hawthorn Remembered.
Marking 50 years since the sad demise of Britain’s first motor racing World Champion, a 70-strong cavalcade of cars representing the Farnham Flyer’s career was driven through the Surrey town. Pictured is a suitably attired Guy Loveridge driving the Ferrari Dino 246 replica, and thousands turned out to watch an estimated £40 million worth of machinery steered by Sir Stirling Moss, Tony Brooks and Damon Hill amongst others.
Generation Game.
During a whistlestop tour of Europe in January, great-grandson to DW-S Mike Lewis and girlfriend Tegan Podmore spent a week in the Isle of Man after a couple of days in Paris. Pictured beside the WSM MGB which his great-grandfather designed and built, and which his grandfather Michael raced successfully in 1967, Mike intends to start four – wheeled motorsport sooner rather than later. A move to Perth, Australia in March 2009 may facilitate that wish and see him follow in his father Simon’s competition footsteps.
‘Equipe’ GTS celebrated another successful season at the annual
‘Equipe’ GTS celebrated another successful season at the annual dinner – pix courtesy of Paul Woolmer
Deep Sanderson.
The attractive alloy-bodied DS 301 that raced at Le Mans in 1963/64. Owned by Guy Loveridge, click on the thumbnail for more details of the Mini-powered special at the Williams & Pritchard website.
1965 SODC Awards.
Email received from Pat Walton (Bland) after viewing a picture on wsmcars.com –
‘Now that I’m in my seventies, I sometimes become nostalgic and go over things I did when young and carefree! Yesterday I was looking up some rallying information on the internet, and was flabbergasted to see myself on your website. I am the girl in the picture showing SODC (Sporting Owners Drivers Club) award winners, with close friend
Barry Pinkerton also pictured. In the sixties I ate, drank and slept rallying, and dedicated 3 years to a one hundred per cent effort to become professional. At that time I was the only female member of the SODC in my own right – not a member by way of being a girlfriend or wife or anything other than my obsession for the sport. The lads always used to say I was “just one of the boys” and treated me accordingly – no special concessions, which was exactly as I needed it to be. ‘Doc’ Pinkerton, Barry’s father, was instrumental in getting me involved in rallying and with the SODC, and as a total rookie I won my first event, the September rally, in my driving school car complete with dual controls! It was to be the only outright win of my ‘career’. I competed in the 1965 Tulip Rally, my first international, and was given some indication that matters might go further professionally, depending on the outcome. However, the event was a great shock to me – not on the driving front but on account of some of the ‘politics and manipulations’ that I observed and that I’d never experienced at Club or National level. I decided that I did’nt want to compete in such a scenario and such was the disappointment after such intense involvement, and for the sake of my own peace of mind, I severed connections with the world of rallying. I often regretted not sticking it out but its difficult to go back after such disillusionment, and there are even greater difficulties for the amateur and privately funded individuals nowadays. Looking back, I loved every minute of the time with the SODC and with motorsport generally, and I’m still an avid F1 fan.
As to the picture, I’d never seen it before and was’nt aware of its existence. It was a lovely surprise that brought back some fabulous memories of cars, rallies and parties etc, and love to any of my former rallying ‘mates’ who might read this.’
Race news
Credit Or Crunch In 2009.
Many race promoters and organisers will be crossing fingers ahead of their first meetings of the season as the economic downturn has really bitten. While some embrace the opportunity to double up at week-ends and make the entry fee and journey worthwhile, others hope the proven recipe’s still cut the mustard –
‘Equipe’ GTS continue to provide the most appealing series of races on the calendar. Catering for an eclectic mix of superbly presented and historically interesting cars, the 2 x 30 minute race format is hugely attractive. WSM’s 202, 208 and 210 are likely to be busy cars this season, while favourites for the Isle of Man based WSM are Croft 16th/17th May, Brands 30th/31st May, Le Mans 4th/5th July, Silverstone 8th/9th August and Zandvoort 12th/13th September. If you like your MGA’s and B’s mixing it with Triumph TR’s, Elva Courier, Lotus Elite, TVR, WSM, Morgan, Healey 100, Gilbern and Sunbeam Alpine amongst others, then you’ll be well entertained. Click on the chequered flag in the ‘Equipe’ picture above to see the full fixture list.
The ‘Signtec’ Trophy for MGB’s is confirmed with the MGCC meeting at
The ‘Signtec’ Trophy for MGB’s is confirmed with the MGCC meeting at Silverstone on July 11th/12th.
Angouleme hosts the ‘Circuits Des Ramparts’ and celebrates the 70th
Angouleme hosts the ‘Circuits Des Ramparts’ and celebrates the 70th edition of its street based event on 18th/19th/20th September.
Guy Loveridge’s gorgeous Deep Sanderson 301 may be out in 2009. His
Guy Loveridge‘s gorgeous Deep Sanderson 301 may be out in 2009. His recently purchased ‘A’ series powered Chris Lawrence inspired prototype was displayed at the Olympia ‘Racing Car Show’ in 1962 and raced at Le Mans in 1963/64. With rear wheel drive and similar dimensions to a WSM Sprite, it will be interesting to see how they compare. See WSM ‘News’ for more information.
The Goodwood Revival Fordwater Trophy is unlikely to feature
The Goodwood Revival Fordwater Trophy is unlikely to feature ‘slippery coupes’ as in 2003 and 2006, but 2010 may see the return of WSM to the Sussex extravaganza.
Much testing has been carried out in WSM 202 by Brian Arculus leading
Much testing has been carried out in WSM 202 by Brian Arculus leading up to the first events on the ‘Equipe’ GTS calendar. Getting to grips with 202’s handling will be a priority for Brian, but he’ll not be daunted.
Event report: Anglesey
Ashworth Double Top.
Event hosts at the 1.55 mile Anglesey venue were the Classic & Sports Car Club and the circuit prompted a unanimous ‘thumbs up’ from the drivers for whom this was the first visit to North Wales with the ‘Equipe GTS’ series. Morning qualifying for rounds 2 and 3 of the series saw the top ten within 4 seconds of poleman Stephen Radcliffe. After some difficult times it was good to see the popular Rob Cull back on song with his TVR Grantura in 6th, and a clump of MGB’s duking out 1.26s laps from 8th to10th promised close-quarter racing in the afternoon. Race 1 – the front row TVR Grantura of Mark Ashworth turned the tables on the Radcliffe MGB and dominated with a 9 second margin at the flag, while Jerry Stock turned up the wick to press Radcliffe to the death for fastest MGB. David Beresford continued last seasons form with a fine 4th, and as predicted an entertaining squabble developed between Cull, Simon Ashworth and Mike Harris, and less than half a second separated the trio at the line for 5th. Class 2 went to the WSM of Clive Cocks and Class 3 to Trevor Kemp‘s well travelled Elva Courier. Race 2 – Mark Ashworth took another second off his previous days best lap to take a deserved and relatively untroubled double. Stock took advantage of a rare Radcliffe error in the battle of the B’s, while another mid-table scrap kicked off with the TVR Grantura of Colin Elstrop hounded by the Graham Shrigley-Jones, Graham Bates and Tim Patchett MGB’s. John Yea and Jerry Knight repeated the previous days antics and after two half hour races, 1.45s separated the sparring MGB’s. Driver of the Week-End and newcomer Chris Gordon impressed by taking Class 2 away from the Cocks WSM in another frantic finish at the wheel of his Triumph Spitfire.
Click on for full results courtesy of Timing Solutions Ltd
‘Equipe’ GTS rounds 4 and 5 at Croft May 16th/17th – WSM’s 202, 208 and 210 scheduled to race
Event report: Brands
MGCC Brands Hatch May 30th / 31st.
A colourful 27 car grid flew the ‘Equipe’ GTS flag in entertaining fashion during the course of a hot and sunny week-end,
although the first flag was red as an unfortunate MGB visited the gravel trap on the opening lap of practice. This failed to put Tom Smith off his stroke and the MG Motorsport MGB took another pole at the cost of Malcolm Johnson‘s TVR by half a second. Sussex-based hot shoe Jerry Stock was the only other qualifier to dip under the minute for 3rd, but just two seconds covered 4th to 17th and highlights just why this series is such a popular spectacle. A newcomer to ‘Equipe’ GTS was the hugely experienced Pete Foster, usually associated with Aston Martin’s but pedalling his recently acquired ex-Cambridge Motorsport TR4 up to 10th.
Saturday Race 1 – It is unfortunate when a safety car has to participate, and more so when the racing is so compromised. With Johnson chalking up fastest lap in his harrassment of Smith (see left) in the early stages, a battle royal was on the cards, but after the safety car headed off Smith had been handed a one lap lead. Lady Luck is the curse or the saviour as cars which pitted prior to the safety car lost time to those able to make their stop with the safety car
still in action. However, this was not what did for Johnson, and the air must have been as blue as his TVR as he contemplated a 45s margin at the chequered. Rob Cull was elated with a podium spot as he
continues to master the TVR Grantura (left), and Ron Cody found more horses than ever under the bonnet of his MGA for 4th (pictured right nearly sliding out of shot). Foster proved a worthy addition as he chased the Class 5 winner and popular ex-
publican John Andon for 6th in the TR4 battle, while Trevor Kemp cleaned up in Class 3 and WSM 208 headed Class 2 where the Jim Lowry Lenham Spitfire and Dave Wood Lancia Fulvia were proof of the pudding that there’s always somone to scrap with in an ‘Equipe’ GTS race.
As two of her sister cars (202 and 210) were out to play next day, a gearbox seizure in the paddock after race one necessitated a trip to Bedford on Saturday evening and an engine out for the blue WSM. It was only the fourth occasion in
46 years that more than twoWSM’s were on the same grid, but the anticipated tete a tete did not materialise via mechanical woes in the race for all three cars on Sunday.
Sunday Race 2 – The top five panned out as in race one, but Smith’s margin was more representitive of the competition from Johnson, with the Jerry Stock / Pete Barnard
MGB again breaking the one minute barrier in
5th. Although Johnson put up fastest lap, he gracefully acknowledged there’s few better MGB drivers than Tom Smith, and as ‘Motorsport’ contributor Christophe Wilmart remarked, the ‘GTS’ in the series title reverts once more to ‘Get Tom Smith’. Foster turned the tables on Andon for TR4 bragging rights, and 8th place Mark Way lead the ‘B’s of David Gardner and John Pearson, and Neil Hardy‘s Healey 100M in an exciting
midfield barny. MGA Sebring-mounted Simon Gurney reversed Class 3 fortunes over Kemp, and Wood deserved the Class 2 plaudits. Clive Cocks, relieving some of the gloom around the WSM camp, was awarded Driver of the Day on Saturday for overtaking eight cars in the scrutineering queue.
Pictures courtesy of Paul Webb & Mark Way Click on for TSL Timing results
‘Equipe’ GTS – rounds 8 and 9 Le Mans July 5th / 6th
Event report: Croft
‘Equipe’ GTS at Croft – May 16th/17th.
Variable weather failed to hinder Darlington & District Motor Club’s enthusiastic operation, and the welcome was typically
warm for many first-timers to the North Yorkshire circuit.
Practice – Stephen Radcliffe’s MGB set the pace (1.44.5) with an unusually large 1.8s margin for the head of the ‘Equipe’ GTS grid, although Graham Shrigley-Jones
produced a corking lap for second spot. The TVR scrap for top dog continued with Simon Ashworth (3rd) and Malcolm Johnson (6th) to the fore, while in-form David Beresford and Jerry Stock were locked in MGB battle at 4th and
5th. Brian Arculus cajoled the Lotus Elite into 8th, and newcomer Paul Garside impressed with his similar car. After a huge accident at Spa at the end of last season, and subsequently enlisting MGA pilot Ron Cody’s ministrations, it was good to see Paul Freeman out again in the rejuvinated MGB – likewise ‘Equipe’ GTS co-organiser Jim Lowry and the Lenham Spitfire
Race 1 – Poleman Radcliffe’s MGB gear lever came off in his hand in the assembly area, so at the start Shrigley-Jones was soon swamped by the
unwelcome attentions of Ashworth and Beresford. Johnson hauled in Stock and Shrigley-Jones, chalking up fastest lap in the process, until the passenger door flew open and necessitated a pitstop to close, while 13th qualifier Mike Harris harried his way up to 7th. Colin Elstrop had mirrors full of the Graham Bates MGB in his quest for 10th, and “I’m not competitive.” Clive Cocks in
the WSM Sprite fended off the Garside Lotus by one second for 19th after availing himself of the gravel trap contents. Ashworth pulled away up front (1.43.4) for a comfortable win from the fast moustache in the Beresford ‘B’ and an ominous Johnson TVR in 3rd.
Race 2 – Tim Patchett’s recalcitrant MGB gave a real workout for the paddock spectators and did eventually deign to start, and after fixing
the errant gear lever, the Radcliffe MGB started at the back in 29th. Johnson from 3rd on the grid duly took the bull by the horns and swept into the lead, and although Ashworth lopped a second off his best lap from
race one, he had no answer to a dominant Johnson who racked up a blistering 1.42.0 on his 13th lap and an impressive win. Drive of the Day arguably came from Radcliffe however, who stormed up the grid to 4th place and ran out of laps with the third placed Beresford moustache just 9 seconds up the road. The Elstrop & Bates show continued unabated until Elstrop pulled a
comparatively massive 3 second margin through traffic to ease the grief for 10th. Mark Panhorn’s elegant Healey 100 looked quite at home with the entertaining sideways antics employed to garner 14th, while John Hatton and Peter Bolderson might be at different ends of the hairstyle spectrum, but little separated their MGB’s after 30 minutes close racing for 20th place.
WSM 208 had the engine back in on Friday evening, and with a few ‘out of the box’ issues to resolve, was resigned to running at the back of the grid. Wheel bearing failure in race one signalled an early finish, and minor gearbox gremlins curtailed race two.
“. Something I saw Mark?”
. ” Mon dieu, best keep an eye out Colin?”
What else could the birthday boy want?
/A winning team
A thankyou to Colin after getting such an earful when he volunteered the catering duties to Helen.
‘Equipe’ GTS – rounds 6 and 7 Brands Hatch May 30th/31st
Photographic contributions courtesy of Paul Webb
Event report: Don
Round One – ‘Equipe’ GTS at MGCC Donington April 4th.
With Donington aiming to host the British Grand Prix once again, another full grid, plus reserves, of cars from the popular series arrived to take their final opportunity to race on the circuit in its current format before the bulldozers arrive. Hosts on a sunny spring morning were the MGCC who provided their usual hospitality and a warm welcome.
Rod Begbie set the pace in qualifying with his TVR Grantura heading the grid from three MGBs of Brian Lambert, James Cottingham and Tom Smith, with two more Grantura’s of Mark Ashworth and Malcolm Johnson taking row three. However,
as the race started it was Cottingham who led the pack into the first corner and pulled out a fair lead by lap three as the trio of TVR’s squabbled for second.
Some onlookers described the thirty minute race as the best ever, as all through the busy field cars diced for position. There were some excellent drives – in particular Rob Cull’s TVR and Mark Hoble’s freshly restored Morgan Plus 4 were highly entertaining. Brian Arculus for this year has swapped his trusty Triumph TR3 for one of the well known (to ‘Equipe’ GTS) WSM special-bodied
cars, and despite an engine oil leak creating smoke from the hot exhaust, he got to grips with the MG Midget version to lead class 2. It was good to see debutants Michael Ashley-Brown and Nick Atkins in Lotus Elite’s going well, but the unfortunate Clive Cocks dropped out with one lap to go in his WSM Sprite with half shaft failure
. By half distance Malcolm Johnson had secured second position and set about catching the leader which he managed only a
few laps before the finish. He made fastest lap of the race and took the lead on occasion but was unable to hold off Cottingham at the chequered flag by less than one second. Tom Smith made his own late challenge to take third from the Mark Ashworth and Rob Begbie TVR’s.Mark Ellis was desperately unlucky when his MGA twin cam was reluctant to start in the assembly area, the 1600cc class 3 win going to Simon Gurney’s MGA Sebring from Keith Hampson’s ex-two times Le Mans 24 hour Sunbeam Alpine. Brian Arculus, and John Andon in his Triumph TR4 were winners of class 2 and 4.
The series resumes with rounds 2 and 3 at Anglesey in two weeks time.
Report from our Essex correspondant – pictures courtesy of Paul Webb
‘Equipe’ GTS – rounds 2 and 3 at Anglesey 18th/19th April
Event report: Lemans
Le Mans with ‘Equipe’ GTS.
Un Plateau Prestigieux De Vehicules Historiques.
The fourth edition of the L’ASA ACO Paris organised LM Story on the Bugatti circuit lured 27 starters to a 9.30am practice with the
‘Equipe’ grid on Saturday, amongst them a trio of Morgan Plus 4’s contesting also the John Macdonald Morgan Centenary Trophy – this magnificent trophy will continue to be awarded for the best placed Morgan in ‘Equipe’ GTS races and marks the Centenary of production for the marque in 2009.
Race 1 – With a 10pm start scheduled, some 12 hours elapsed between practice and race. The uphill start certainly caused a problem for polesitter Pete Foster, the evergreen pilote inexplicably tumbled down the order and earned a tongue lashing from wife Susie on his return, despite having recovered to 5th – his mistake was to record fastest lap on his last tour. Rob Cull was the main beneficiary, his TVR Grantura making a flying start and holding off the Jerry Stock MGB by 2 seconds for a
deserved win after a titanic struggle, with the organisers turning a Nelsonian eye to failed headlights on the TVR, and Mark Lambert sportingly handed the third place trophy to David Beresford after cutting a chicane drastically to make the decisive pass. Andrew Lawley impressed on his debut with the ‘Equipe’ series, and his MGB kept another series debutante Richard Plant (Morgan Plus 4) and the John Andon TR4 at bay. Mark Way completed an airborne double pike and twist to get his MGB deep into the gravel and so nearly rolled before resuming for 12th. Paul Garside cleaned up Class 2 in his gorgeous Lotus Elite after the demise of the blue WSM 208 early on, and dynamo failure on the Clive Cocks WSM. The Trevor Kemp Elva Courier was untouchable in Class 3, and Foster took the Class 5 spoils as some recompense.
Race 2 – The Battle of La Sarthe continued at Sunday lunchtime with Cull and Stock inseparable up front, but a watchful ‘Fast
Moustache’ Beresford claimed 2nd when Cull went off track. Stock was imperious though, and underlined as much with fastest lap of the week-end. Brian Lambert held up family honour with a strong 5th spot, and kept the Foster entourage on the boil with his MGB nose firmly up the Foster chuff in 4th. Alex Quattlebaum found 9 seconds per lap improvement since Saturday morning for 6th, and the South Carolina resident clearly had his Elva Courier singing the right song after recent
restoration. Ron Watt made serene progress to 8th, while the recently acquired Morgan Plus 4 of Colin Pearcy made a gallant but vain effort to wrest the very large spoils away from a deserving Plant. Newcomer Stuart Downward enhanced the grid with his achingly pretty Lancia Fulvia, while Keith Hampson resisted barrelling off down the Mulsanne again in his superbly original 1962/63 works Le Mans entry Sunbeam Alpine, but could not prevent Garside, Kemp and Foster retaining Class honours.
PIT & PADDOCK –
Thanks to Graham Wharton who spent most of a potentially relaxing week-end working on WSM’s.
Thanks to Christophe for the A30 parts donated to the WSM cause, and apologies to Cecile.
Five sets of father & son in the ‘Equipe’ GTS paddock – Bolderson, Cull, Freeman, Lambert and Stock – pleased to meet them all.
Most of the pilotes in the darkening assembly area on Saturday were unaware of the cunning WSM plan – ‘a smile for the flash
photography please. ‘ (shortly before we depart into the night).
‘Farmer’ John Hatton uses natures tools to keep the bonnet up.
Click on for photographs.
Rounds 10 & 11 ‘Equipe’ GTS races August 8th / 9th Silverstone – Bentley Drivers Club
Event report: Snett
Snetterton.
Those lucky enough to have been at Zandvoort last month felt right at home with the conditions in Norfolk as the MGCC event over an unusually dry week-end hosted the final two rounds of the 2009 ‘Equipe’ GTS series –
Practice – ‘Doc’ Ashworth set the pace despite only using five laps of a possible ten in his TVR 1800S. The MGB of Jerry Stock impressed with second spot ahead of the perennially sparring John Andon and Pete Foster duo in TR4’s. Stephen Radcliffe had to cut short his time with core plug failure on the MGB, the ex-John Gott MGA twin-cam of Mark Ellis decided to break its kingpin which necessitated a trip home for repairs, and Brian Arculus vowed that the engine in WSM 202 was heading to the scrap heap as it failed to complete more than 5 laps.
Race 1 – The Ellis twin-cam just made the back of the grid, and the Radcliffe ‘B’ was up for action, but at the front ‘Doc’ Ashworth’s prognosis of the starting lights was way off and confusion reigned as flags flew. Andon from third took the lead as Ashworth retreated into the pack, but the suspicion was that Andon too had jumped the lights. While Andon was chased by Foster, Stock and a recovering Ashworth, the Radcliffe MGB threw in the towel after one lap, and Suzanne Sears (daughter of the rapid Gentleman Jack) was literally left stranded after four laps with an engine malady, as her MGB was also the ride home. The busy ‘B’s of the ‘fast moustache’ David Beresford, John Yea and Mike Harris made up the rest of the chasing pack, but Ashworth was throwing the TVR through Russell in majestic fashion and was clearly on a mission – made impossible after an off but still achieving 3rd. Ellis justified the mechanicking with a fine 9th place and Class 3 runaway, while the TR4’s of Andrew Somerville and newcomer Dominic Spicer in the ex-Neil Howe car were very entertaining in their scuffle for 14th. John Hatton went agricultural, as befits his occupation, but still harvested 16th in his MGB, and the Class 2 MG Midget of Richard McKoen kept Helen Elstrop’s improving Spitfire at arms length. Pat Arculus retired the Lotus Elite on lap 11 after a good scrap with Terry Bryant’s MGA, and Foster meantime had surged to 2nd in his usual last laps dash before reporting to wife Susie on the touchline. Andon at the flag was a happy bunny, but the post race inquest imposed 10 second penalties and relegated Andon and Ashworth to second and fourth behind Foster and Stock.
Race 2 – The spoke in the wheel for Andon and Ashworth’s attempts to redress the balance might not have been expected to come from the back of the grid, but in Tom Smith, absent from Saturday’s race, you have possibly the most talented driver of an MGB on track. Andon grabbed the lead on lap one in a straightforward start from Ashworth and Foster, but most eyes were on Smith as he passed 21 cars by lap four. Ellis spun away a good start, and the ex-Owen Racing TVR Grantura v TR4 battle for 7th twixt Colin Elstrop and Spicer was gripping. Paul Freeman showed he’s back to form after his huge Spa accident last year and gave the rapid Richard Skinner MGB some grief, and the Elstrop Spitfire won the dogfight with the McKoen Midget. Harris’s novel MGB ‘airbrake’ at Russell (right door open at each lap) helped him to 6th, and Nick Crewdson was smoking the tyres on his MGB in his efforts to stay with the MGB of Dave Alston. On the 5th lap Smith took away the Andon toys exiting Russell, and the TR4 then spat the dummy with broken steering on lap 14. Yea retired from another top ten spot with transmission problems, but up front Smith was serene and built a 16s margin to Ashworth and Class 5 winning Foster at the chequered. Trevor Kemp was a worthy Class 3 champ in the Elva Courier, and a deserving shy and retiring Helen Elstrop scooped Class 2.
Pit and Paddock
Trophy presentation with a Halloween theme – thanks to Ellen, Pat and Mel who made sure all the drivers went home with gifts and scary masks (left).
Driver Of The Week-end – Paul Freeman MGB 12th & 11th
Click on for results from TSL Timing
Click on for photographs courtesy of Peter French – peter@flyingtigers.co.uk
Event report: Stone
Bentley Drivers Club 60th Anniversary Silverstone August 8th / 9th.
Reflecting on a history of cars and people while surrounded by some of the same machinery that graced the airfield
circuit in period, was a wonderful way to help the BDC celebrate their 60th. You were unlikely not to be moved by Le Mans winners from the 1920’s or the 24 litre Napier-Railton built and raced at Brooklands, or the Bentley Speed 8 that won Le Mans in 2003. From treasured artefacts to everyday runabouts, the gathering underlined a significant event in a proud racing heritage.
Practice – Three WSM’s entered the ‘Equipe’ GTS half hour races on Saturday and Sunday, and joined a stellar gathering of 39 cars on the Club circuit grid, including eight entries for Class 2 up to 1400cc. Mark Ashworth’s TVR
Grantura took pole with 1.11, with four MGB’s less than two seconds off his early morning pace. Then followed a nine car blitz all clocked at 1.14
and various fractions from 6th to 14th. This pitched Triumph TR4 v TVR Grantura v MGB v Healey 100M and set the juices flowing for a 1pm race. Diane Osbourne impressed with a 1.14.61 in her MGB, and the four series newcomers Charles Clegg (Sebring Sprite), Clare Surtees and Keith Page (MGB) looked immediately at home, with Keith Ahlers bringing his famous TOK 258 Morgan Plus4 that won its class at Le Mans in 1962 in the hands of Chris Lawrence and Richard Shepherd Baron.
Race 1 – Ashworth and Tom Smith (MGB) were locked in combat for 15 minutes. Occasionally a front row dispute plays into the hands of the pursuers, but the MGB’s of David Beresford and Jerry Stock were too embroiled in their own podium dispute to take advantage. Ashworth’s fading brakes brought an end to a see-sawing battle, and
Smith strolled away to a 24 second gap. Meanwhile the ‘Fast Moustache’ justified the grandchildren’s demands that he carry number 1 and pipped Stock by a bumpers width at the flag. Pete Foster triumphed in the TR4 scrap with John Andon for 5th and class 5 trinkets, and Colin Pearcy’s Morgan Plus4 pushed Mike Thorne’s superb Healey 100M to 7th. Harvey Woods topped class 2 in his rapid Ashley MG Midget in 12th as the WSM challenge faded, with the feisty Helen Elstrop Spitfire not far adrift in 14th.
Trevor Kemp made sure the trip from France was justified with class 3 honours, and Clegg brought the immaculate class 1 Sebring home safe and sound under the watchful eye of spectating father Chris. Gasket failure on WSM 202 with Brian Arculus and fuel issues with the blue WSM 208 left Clive Cocks flying the marque flag with 4th in class in WSM 210.
Race 2 – An unusual amount of DNF’s in race one added another exciting edge as all the faster starters at the back looked for
appropriate gaps – Mike Harris (MGB) and Mark Pangborn (Healey100M) demonstrated real craft in getting up to 9th and 10th, the MGB’s of Graham Shrigley-Jones and Nick Crewdson manoeuvred up to 13th and 17th, while serial racer Ahlers crowned his ‘Equipe’ debut with an artful drive to 6th in TOK. Up front Ashworth had the brakes sorted and the
anticipated race unfolded with Smith in determined form, but Ashworth lead until a spin at the end of lap two. He got back on Smith’s case and re-took the lead at mid distance and despite the MGB driver’s best efforts, it was Ashworth’s day by.69s. Foster won the tussle with Beresford and Stock and they helped keep his class 5 rival
Andon at bay. Mind you, Foster has wife Susie to answer to on his return, explaining why his strongest laps are always at the finale of the race as time draws near to face the music from his staunchest supporter. Woods did the double in class 2, as did Kemp’s Elva Courier in class 3 and Clegg in class one. WSM interest centred on 208 getting from the back to 12th spot within a lap, but wheel bearing failure a few laps from home stymied the run. The Arculus WSM retired with a temperature gauge going off the scale, leaving Cocks to garner a few crumbs with another 4th place.
Click on for race results from HS Sports Timing
Pit and Paddock
Clive Cocks (WSM 210) tries to get inside info on the fuel strategy of WSM 208 before race one.
Hospitality amongst the ‘Equipe’ grid is second to none – we arrived with WSM 208 early on Friday afternoon to find Brian and Pat Arculus had
already erected a four garage awning to include the WSM’s. Then the delightful Sarah Harris, who trucked the Harris motorhome and trailer into position hours before husband Mike’s arrival, offered tea and coffee while assembling the Harris garage with the other hand.
Marc Lafon, pilote of an immaculate blue MGB, responded to Monsieur Willmart’s prompting at Le Mans in July and arrived with champagne from Reims en masse for a pre-bbq drink on Saturday evening – Marc’s wife Veronique then conducted a toast in excellent English. Returning the compliment next season with a crate of Boddington’s from Manchester won’t quite cut the mustard.
Vicky Dollimore, partner to Tim Cairns who shares the McKoen MG Midget, revealed all and it transpires we both went to the Gables Primary School in Leighton Buzzard in the 20th century – suffice to say we both remembered Sports Day.
Driver of The Day – The MGB of Nick Crewdson and WSM 208 were lashed up and hauled off circuit by the excellent marshalling team. With varying lengths of rope and the crane ‘adjusting’, the truckie threaded his way through the needle. We followed.
Great to meet future and ex-WSM owners Paul Hull (far right) and Geoff Hill, pictured here with DW-S, Paul Webb (far left) and
behatted aviator Chris Parker. Ex- Delta garages and WSM owner Robin Pinkerton was in good form, as was restoration guru John Maye, Sprite expert Ian Grainger and ex-WSM 201 owner Tim Barrett.
A ‘Wing’ of WSM’s?
Spot the difference?
Pictures courtesy of Paul Webb
Next ‘Equipe’ GTS races at Zandvoort September 12th / 13th.
Event report: Zandv
State of the Art Grand Prix Classic – September 12th /13th September.
The Historische Auto Ren Club (HARC) hosted ‘Equipe’ GTS and five other grids at the nostalgic Zandvoort circuit in its epic Grand Prix form –
Practice (click on for times) – the twisty 4.3km circuit presents a challenge even to the best, let alone the first timers cramming into eight
laps practice every rise, fall, turn and nuance amongst the sand dune dominated landscape. Mark Ashworth powered the red
TVR Grantura to second spot within.7s of Tom Smith on pole, and Brian Lambert bested the Class 5 TR4 of John Andon for third spot, with the ‘Fast Moustache’ David Beresford settling for fifth while scrubbing in new tyres (third in the battle for GoD – Grandfather of the Day). If it stayed dry as the HARC Chief Steward guaranteed, there would be a great scrap for top dog and GoD. Mechanical woes blighted the Arculus week-end with Pat’s Elite sidelined, and even Brian’s trusty TR3 misbehaving before race two.
Race One – A miniscule gap between lights on and go caught some unawares, but Ashworth and Smith got away up front, with
the TVR setting the pace and Beresford and Andon in pursuit. Brian Arculus kept the TR3 in podium contention and Tim Patchett scalped nearly two seconds off his practice lap time. Andon’s race ended in drama at the hairpin, and Lambert had a half shaft give up early on, while the Elva Courier of Alex Quattlebaum came to life and lopped six seconds off his lap time for 5th. Second placed Smith had a problem and stopped in the pits to re-attach a plug lead after three laps,
leaving a
relieved Ashworth appreciating the break and going on to a comfortable win from GoD Beresford in 2nd, Class 5 winner Arculus and a chuffed Patchett in 4th. Class 2 laurels went to what transpired to be an ailing WSM, and Richard Skinner crossed the line in 7th with a recovering Smith on his immaculate blue MGB bootlid.
Race Two – As grid places were based on race one finishing positions, a midfield start for Smith was likely to further liven things up,
and lo and behold within three laps the margin to Doctor Ashworth at the front was 1.5s. A hint of rain did nothing for Ashworth’s bedside manner as the red MGB inched closer, and on lap eight Smith braked deeper into Tarzan and exited with the lead. A scrabble through the rough by Ashworth at Tarzan next time around clinched matters, despite the TVR being the only car
to break the 2.08 barrier on the 10th lap. Beresford secured another podium and retained GoD from Lambert, and Arculus kept the MGB of Skinner at bay for 5th. John Hatton was rewarded for his differential toils on Saturday evening with 9th, and after the WSM retired in a cloud of blue smoke on the first lap, Tim Cairns cleaned up Class 2 with the MG Midget ahead of the Triumph Spitfire of James Sime.
Pit & Paddock –
A sanguine Ashworth reflected at the awards ceremony that without the slight rain he could have perhaps held off Smith in race two, but again acknowledged the MGB driver’s craft. Modest in victory and gracious in defeat, both Mark and Tom epitomise the driver characteristics of the ‘Equipe’ GTS series.
FISC EuroTour organiser Pieter Bakker runs his series with much the same attitude as the ‘Equipe’ GTS grid – close racing, superb cars, enjoyable company, value for money and great venues.
FOR SALE – Pictured with his collection, Graham Bates has low mileage, very second hand throttle cables for sale – he assures us that frayed ends and thinning body add patina and substance, and that the items in question have period history.
Paddock Bike – Twickenham’s Skinner equipe featured a monkey bike for ex-soldier Phil in matching colours.
Cruising For A Crossing – John Hatton missed the Transeuropa ferry at Ramsgate by 5 minutes, and the WSM equipe missed the ferry by 25 minutes after having forgotten to bring a passport from the Isle of Man. Both parties went to Dover and arrived at Zandvoort circa 2am.
Carry On Dining – Messrs Andon, Bates, Cull (Snr), Lowry, Wilmart and Wilson-Spratt had the look and sound of the late Sid James momentarily as Dutch hospitality stepped in.
Que Diable Fais-Tu? The blue WSM expired on lap one in the second race. What was this furtive figure up to in the paddock pre-race.?
The feathered friend left a lot of white stuff in John Andon’s hair.
Next ‘Equipe’ GTS races – rounds 13 /14 at Snetterton October 3rd / 4th
Leave a Reply