77 replies to this topic

[alansart]

A useful website for info for those who may not be aware of it.
http://theracingline...gdom/index.html
The old circuit shows the l o n g back straight with higher speed potential.
Roger Lund

Thanks for the link Roger. That site's been on then off then back on again several times. I had it bookmarked on my last computer which decided to commit suicide, so it's great to have access again

Edited by alansart, 07 January 2010 - 15:23.

[alansart]

In my defence, I quote the fact that I was totally fooled by that long stretch of missing runway. It never occurred to me that there would ever have been anything there.

Cheers, Alan, another mystery solved.

Now, about Marc-en-Baroeul......

Do you mean Pont-a-Marcq?

Just down the road from Marcq-en-Barœul.

[Barry Boor]

Slight mis-spelling on my part. It should be Marcq-en-Baroeul. Jean-Maurice and I have been investigating that one. He has discovered that, apparently, it ran up and down three converging dual-carraigeways centred on a junction known as le Croisé-Laroche.

No problem finding that but that's as far as we have managed up to now.

There MUST be a record of this circuit somewhere, surely Shirley.

[JtP1]

In my defence, I quote the fact that I was totally fooled by that long stretch of missing runway. It never occurred to me that there would ever have been anything there.

You must have felt quite lonely and the main straight quite bumpy in your races there then?

[john aston]

Have to say, it had me confused too!

The little piece of tarmac remaining to the left beyond the furthermost right-hander leading onto the back straight was, I'm fairly certain, the Paddock.

Do you know, I'd go back tomorrow - I liked the place. Absolutely no pretension whatsoever.

And me too- I can remember the sheer excitement as we walked out to the circuit from York station- if the F3 cars were out you would hear them in Acomb and your pace would get quicker and quicker the closer you got. Very happy days indeed.Bloody hell I can see why this is the nostalgia forum- getting all misty eyed over a little piece of tarmac...

[alansart]

And me too- I can remember the sheer excitement as we walked out to the circuit from York station- if the F3 cars were out you would hear them in Acomb and your pace would get quicker and quicker the closer you got. Very happy days indeed.Bloody hell I can see why this is the nostalgia forum- getting all misty eyed over a little piece of tarmac...

Further south and 1969. I can still remember walking out of Crystal Palace Railway Station, straight into the spectator area and seeing racing for the first time. The noise, the smell, the excitement - heaven

[HarryStiller]

Some wonderful memories for me too; Rufforth was the scene of my first ever race in an MGA Coupe, NCX 950, I'm pretty sure that it was late in 1958. I went with my pals Chris Meek and Malcolm Wayne who were
the Elva twins then, both driving Couriers. Got my 1st of the necessary 6 signatures towards my full licence. I was smitten from that day on and it led to a great career for the next 10 years.

[bradbury west]

And me too- I can remember the sheer excitement ... Very happy days indeed.Bloody hell I can see why this is the nostalgia forum- getting all misty eyed over a little piece of tarmac...

You will be telling us next that you went to Castle Howard, which is where it all started for me in 1959
Roger Lund

[Cirrus]

Some wonderful memories for me too; Rufforth was the scene of my first ever race in an MGA Coupe, NCX 950, I'm pretty sure that it was late in 1958. I went with my pals Chris Meek and Malcolm Wayne who were
the Elva twins then, both driving Couriers. Got my 1st of the necessary 6 signatures towards my full licence. I was smitten from that day on and it led to a great career for the next 10 years.

There are a great many people here on TNF who loved 1 Litre F3, Harry. I'm sure you've got loads of anecdotes - we'd love to hear them...

[alansart]

There are a great many people here on TNF who loved 1 Litre F3, Harry. I'm sure you've got loads of anecdotes - we'd love to hear them...

Yes please, and what about that Aussie Jones chap that you took to F1

Edited by alansart, 08 January 2010 - 07:20.

[john aston]

You will be telling us next that you went to Castle Howard, which is where it all started for me in 1959
Roger Lund

Well yes - but 10 years after you did. Marshalled hillclimb there - only memory is Martin Brain's fearsome Cooper Chrysler which was pulling some crazy speed on top staright- 160 was it ? Much better as a rally venue- sideways Mk 2 Escorts on seafretted winter afternoons swim into my memory....

[CoulthardD]

Some wonderful memories for me too; Rufforth was the scene of my first ever race in an MGA Coupe, NCX 950, I'm pretty sure that it was late in 1958. I went with my pals Chris Meek and Malcolm Wayne who were the Elva twins then, both driving Couriers. Got my 1st of the necessary 6 signatures towards my full licence. I was smitten from that day on and it led to a great career for the next 10 years.

You and Chris get mentions here, but in your Elite and a Lola.

DC

[Angus Lamont]

Went to lots of meetings at Rufforth and still have most of the programmes if any historian would like to borrow them.You could hear the F3 cars in Acomb- we used to walk from York railway station to the circuit- and back!

According to Bill Jones advert (Autosport 10 January 1969) for the sale of the ex-Cosworth Brabham this car did a 1m 14s lap at this venue. All that I know is that it must have been in 1967 / 8. The car was probably driven by Chris Meek but is is an outside chance that Mike Costin was the driver.
Any information about the results etc would be highly appreciated. As Chris Meek spent a lot of time from the middle of April onwards racing this car on the continent, it is possible that they used a Rufforth meeting in early 1968 as a shake down event.
I am trying to put together the history of the ex-Cosworth Brabham BT10.
I would apprediate any assistance.

[john aston]

Sorry but no 68 programmes found.You are welcome to borrow any others- or Croft from same era.

Edited by john aston, 28 June 2011 - 18:30.

[Angus Lamont]

Sorry but no 68 programmes found.You are welcome to borrow any others- or Croft from same era.

Hi John,

Thanks very much for taking the time to look. Currently I don't need to look at any others but I appreciate the offer.

Regards,

Angus

[Derwent Motorsport]

Looking in some of my programmes the outright record in 1969 was 1.13.6 by Jim Moore in the Kincraft while Brian Redman had the sports car record in a Lola Chevy at 1.16 so the 1.14 noted above may be a big optimistic. The F3 record was D. Berry (BT21B) at 1.16.8

Interestingly the July 1969 programme includes an entry for "Hano" Mikkola in a British Vita Escort TC. I never knew he raced as well, althlough he did do some rounds of the Players No 5 Autocross Championship in an Escort TC.

The Formula Ford entries included some mystery cars:
Lotus Varo
Beattie
Bee Gee RA-2
Pringlette Mistrale (2 of)

Anyone got any info on those?

The Lotus Varo is a Varo in 1977 with the same driver (David Duckitt)

Edited by Derwent Motorsport, 15 July 2011 - 11:17.

[Stephen W]

The Formula Ford entries included some mystery cars:
Lotus Varo
Beattie
Bee Gee RA-2
Pringlette Mistrale (2 of)

I think the correct name was Pringette Mistrale.

[David McKinney]

I thought it was Pringett, but it's a long time ago...

[Giraffe]

I thought it was Pringett, but it's a long time ago...

Your memory doesn't fail you David, as driven on occasion by Bev Bond.

[Derwent Motorsport]

The programme spells it Pringette Mistrale.

[Giraffe]

The programme spells it Pringette Mistrale.

In various programmes I can find entries for Pringett Mistrales for Bev, Ed. R. Willcox, Martin Blackie & Peter Wardle. (& also Dave Morgan, but to be fair the programme calls his entry a Tringett Mistrale!)

Edited by Giraffe, 16 July 2011 - 13:35.

[petestenning]

This may be of interest to someone Rufforth 2nd Sept 1973 Battle of Britain Meeting , Results i have in my one and only one from Rufforth.;-

1st heat Northern Clubs Formula Ford

8-Wigley Plant & Crane Hire/Pete Clark/Crossle 25f
21-Stein Lager/Kelvin Hesketh/Merlyn MK20
1-Archer & Sharpe Crane & Plant Hire/ Peter Harrington/Cougar 73F
10-Tim Rathmell/Titan MK6
19-Claire James Racing with Rtudio Cosmetics/Graham Elkington/Royale RP16
24-Bacal Construction Racing Team/John Simpson/Nike MK10
14-Mick Starkey/Merlyn MK20
3-Edward Johnson/Lola T200
5- Peter Dugdale/Hawke DL10
11-David Fairclo/Lotus 61m

Combined Mod Sports and GT
Overall
137- Frank Sytner/Mallock MK11
120- Richard Simms/Chevron B21
108- Jon Fletcher/Lotus Elan
134-Tim Wood/Mallock MK8/11
129- Dave Rees/Mallock
116- Johnny Blades/Clan Crusader
115- Bob Jarvis/Davrian
132-Bob Wainwright/Mallock MK11


2ND Heat Formula Ford

29-Graham Cuthbert/Van Diemen 73
32- Bill Burley/Royale RP16
33- Peter White/PalliserWDF3
30- Terry Fisher/Merlyn MK20
42- Alo Lawler/Royale RP16
26- Mike Wrigley/Merlyn MK11A
31- Chris Mudge/Merlyn MK20
46- Norman Dickson/Crossle 25F
40- Edward Cunningham/Merlyn MK24
39- Phil Barak/Peters Stores Special

Saloon cars Overall
74- Chris Meek/ Escort 1.8
72- Tony Sugden/Escort 1.9
88- Alex Clacher/Hillman Imp 1.0
97- Dennis Nott/Escort
111- G. Clark/Cooper S 1.3
98- Peter Baldwin/Cooper S 1.0
85- John Evans/Escort1.3
101- Neil Dineen/Mini 850
99- Simon Davey/ Cooper S 1.0
100- Alan King/Mini 850

More to follow

Edited by petestenning, 02 December 2012 - 18:59.

[bradbury west]

This may be of interest to someone Rufforth 2nd Sept 1973 Battle of Britain Meeting , Results i have in my one and only one from Rufforth.;-

1st heat Northern Clubs Formula Ford
10-Tim Rathmell/Titan MK6

Whose father Alan Rathmell was a well known and successful rally and hillclimb competitor in the '60s, ISTR. Ah, halcyon days....
Roger Lund

[petestenning]

Indeed the 70 ' s were halcyon days.

Chris Meeks Escort was the Princess Ita car, there is no cc listed for Dennis Notts car, when i saw it he had a variety of engines, from V8 to V12 BRM ?

[Doug Nye]

Please tell me more about Dennis Nott's car and his BRM engines?????

DCN

[Phil Rainford]

This may be of interest to someone Rufforth 2nd Sept 1973 Battle of Britain Meeting , Results i have in my one and only one from Rufforth.;-

Saloon cars Overall
98- Peter Baldwin/Cooper S 1.0

More to follow

Still racing Minis some 39 years later



PAR

[petestenning]

Doug I put V12 ? because i know he raced with BRM engine and it was listed as 3.0 i believe and i cant see how a V16 would have fitted in the front of an Escort.

It certainly was not a 2.0 like fitted to Ginetta G16's .

Someone one who knows or Knew Dennis maybe able to help with what the engine was.?

[john aston]

I saw the BRM car and obviously it wasn't a 16 - I think it was a 12 but would not attest to this under oath...But I cvan say with confidence that Peter Baldwin's Mini had an A Series... Tony Suigden was also of course racing until recently - saw him many times at Croft , then and now.