8 replies to this topic

[arttidesco]

A few snaps taken during the lunch break and suspension of the competition from the Wessex Sprint at Castle Combe, where I spent an enjoyable day making my debut as a marshal on the start line yesterday.



Jeremy Hawk told me this J2 has been in his family since the late 50's when it was acquired for the princely sum of £85



The #73 309 was shared by Tom Siebert and Henry Siebert Saunders.



Car of the day IMHO, if only because of the sound of it's 5 cylinder turbocharged motor was the #75 Audi Quattro shared by Tim Clark and Andy Tanner, wondering if anyone knows if this a genuine works car ? It certainly looked and sounded the part.



Rover powered MGB Kayne Special shared by John and Jonathan Biggs.



Tim Moreton and Dean Robertson shared the 'Dick' Terrapin.



I do not remember the last time I saw a Royal RP 30 in action, but the first time was around 31 short years ago ! This example was driven by Bob and Anne Adams powered by a Vauxhall 16v motor.



Similarly Vauxhall powered but methanol fuelled was the last Pilbeam MP62 built of Kevin Lealan.

Nice to see fellow TNFer Tim Murray was up in the timing tower

[Tim Murray]

Nice to see fellow TNFer Tim Murray was up in the timing tower

Good to see and talk to you yesterday, Ralph, if only briefly and at a distance. Thank you for turning out to marshal, and I do hope you enjoyed it. In some respects marshalling at a sprint or hill climb is more demanding than at a race meeting, where the breaks between races let you relax for a bit. At a sprint or hill climb, if all goes to plan, the action is continuous from beginning to end, and you cannot relax your concentration for an instant.

In these straitened financial times this event was under threat for some time due to lack of entries, but we eventually managed to scrape together enough to make the event viable. The future for these 'grass roots' events does look rather uncertain, one reason being that many people are no longer willing or able to keep shelling out for the ever-changing standards for helmets and racing overalls, etc etc, so are giving up competing altogether.

[arttidesco]

At a sprint or hill climb, if all goes to plan, the action is continuous from beginning to end, and you cannot relax your concentration for an instant.

In these straitened financial times this event was under threat for some time due to lack of entries, but we eventually managed to scrape together enough to make the event viable. The future for these 'grass roots' events does look rather uncertain, one reason being that many people are no longer willing or able to keep shelling out for the ever-changing standards for helmets and racing overalls, etc etc, so are giving up competing altogether.

I had a great time on the start line thanks Tim, as you say the action is non stop a couple of problems with the timing beam, too much sunlight in one instance and one of the sensors getting disturbed by side exhaust in another, plus a couple of breaks to let the farmer across the track to get his hay bales provided a couple of moments relaxation for some of us ;)

Thanks to all those competitors and organisers who made it a great day out. Look forward to the next one.

[BRG]

Car of the day IMHO, if only because of the sound of it's 5 cylinder turbocharged motor was the #75 Audi Quattro shared by Tim Clark and Andy Tanner, wondering if anyone knows if this a genuine works car ? It certainly looked and sounded the part.

Don't know, but it has an Ingolstadt registration, which is a start.

Well done for getting involved in sprinting. I did a lot some years back, both as competitor and as a marshal and sometimes Clerk of the Course, back at pre-Revival Goodwood.

[JMH]

[quote name='arttidesco' date='Aug 7 2011, 03:08' post='5220672']
A few snaps taken during the lunch break and suspension of the competition from the Wessex Sprint at Castle Combe, where I spent an enjoyable day making my debut as a marshal on the start line yesterday.



Jeremy Hawk told me this J2 has been in his family since the late 50's when it was acquired for the princely sum of £85

That'll be me then. October 53 to be precise. A year or so later it made STD at a sprint at Castle Combe - just like I did yesterday!

JH

[Allan Lupton]

That'll be me then. October 53 to be precise. A year or so later it made STD at a sprint at Castle Combe - just like I did yesterday!

JH

I seem to remember a J2 driven by Mike Hawke at MGCC Silverstone when we were still doing the handicapping (1991ish) - is that relevant?

[JMH]

Yes,
It's the same J2.
JH

[arttidesco]

Thanks for bringing the J2 along Jeremy and congrats on repeating STD !

[Lee Nicolle]

Good to see and talk to you yesterday, Ralph, if only briefly and at a distance. Thank you for turning out to marshal, and I do hope you enjoyed it. In some respects marshalling at a sprint or hill climb is more demanding than at a race meeting, where the breaks between races let you relax for a bit. At a sprint or hill climb, if all goes to plan, the action is continuous from beginning to end, and you cannot relax your concentration for an instant.

In these straitened financial times this event was under threat for some time due to lack of entries, but we eventually managed to scrape together enough to make the event viable. The future for these 'grass roots' events does look rather uncertain, one reason being that many people are no longer willing or able to keep shelling out for the ever-changing standards for helmets and racing overalls, etc etc, so are giving up competing altogether.

That sounds familiar world wide at most lower levels of motorsport. Increased entries, ever increasing apparel requirements plus ofcourse o be remotely competitive the ever increasing tyre costs, And better tyres means better shocks, better sumps and engines.
Unfortunatly the sport is becoming a thing for the wealthy, and a lot of them have not got the time to do it as they are working harder to stay wealthy!! But soon it will not happen it seems and the sport will[and has been] die from the bottom up.