Brands Hatch new year meeting 1977

Hi everyone,

My name is Mark Aberkrom and I am new to this forum.

I am a Historic race enthusiast from Holland and I am particularly interested in monoposto’s from the sixties and seventies. I own a Hawke DL 15 Formula Ford (ex Jan Lammers) which I have not used for several years but which I want to use again next year.

I have the following question where I could use your help.

1. On new years day in 1977 there was to be a new year meeting at Brands Hatch. This meeting was cancelled because of the snow that fell that morning. David Purley tested the track and the event was canceled. Does anyone have anymore information on that event. For example: list with entrants, programme or pictures of Brands Hatch in the snow etc.

Love to hear from you all!    

Mark

Hello Mark, welcome to the forum.

I was in the habit of going along to the Brands Hatch Boxing Day meetings in late December (1976 included) but I was surprised to see your reference to a New Year's Day meeting; I wasn't aware of those.  You're quite right though, the Motor Sport fixture list shows a BRSCC meeting scheduled for early January 1977, although it was on the 2nd rather than New Year's Day itself.

If anybody has the first Autosport or Motoring News of 1977 there should be references there, possibly some snowy photos, usually of Alan Henry in his wellies!

I wonder what David Purley was down to drive.  F5000 Chevron in a Libre race perhaps?

Good luck with your research.

John

Edited by john winfield, 11 September 2013 - 12:44.

Hello Mark,

I was due to race at the 2nd Jan 1977 BRSCC (New Year Car Races) meeting but as you say, it was cancelled! I still have the programme if you need any more information.

David Purley was entered in a Shellsport Escort & I do remember someone trying out the track.

There were races for;

Special Saloons - Rob Mason, Nick Whiting, Jan Odor

FF1600 - Mike (Fulmar) Taylor, Stewart Veitch, Jan Lammers (Hawke DL17 Minister), Roy James (he would have stolen the show no doubt....)

Production Saloons - Gerry Marshall, Derrick Brunt, Jeff Allam, John Brindley, Pete King.

F. Libre - Val Musetti Ronnie |Grant.

Handicap Team Race - David Purley, Derek Bell, Jim Crawford, Keith Holland & Val Musetti in Shellsport Escorts.

Would have been a good meeting...

There were also meetings at Brands on 27th Dec 1977 & 27th Dec 1976 called Christmas Car Races.

Regards

DogEarred

Hi John and DogEarred,

Thanks very much for your reaction.

@DogEarred: It would really be very nice if you could make a scan of the programme for me? Is this possible? (front page and entrant list of the FF1600 would be really great).

Regards,

Mark

Certainly Mark,

Please PM me your email address & I'll try & do it this week.

Regards

DogEarred

hi guys,usually i bow to all of your collective superior knowledge(and possibly better memories)and read the forum with interest but i think that "unless im very much mistaken",the david in question was in fact david prophet in a surtees f1 he had entered for the libre race.this was one of the regular meetings my family went to even if the weather was bad.i can remember sitting in the main grandstand watching the action (or lack of!!).

Good memory Sir!

He was entered in a Surtees TS15 DFV.

David Purley was entered in one of the Shellsport escorts.

Thanks for turning up!  Must have been hard to drag oneself away from the turkey carcass.....

Good memory Sir!

 

He was entered in a Surtees TS15 DFV.

 

David Purley was entered in one of the Shellsport escorts.

 

Thanks for turning up!  Must have been hard to drag oneself away from the turkey carcass.....

im sure my mum would have made us turkey carcass sandwiches for a day out! my parents must have been pretty dedicated to the sport to travel from reading to brands in the snow for a meeting that was promptly cancelled.  

Prophet in the ex-Divi "TS16" I suspect not TS15. He raced that car very rarely that year, in G8 I saw it at Mallory. I think he may have done one or 2 other G8 races only, so I'm staggered he was planning to do a Brands Libre race in it. Maybe he was due to collect it from Brands/Whiting at that time??