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Race at the Roy Hesketh circuit, South Africa, 1970


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#1 nudgernog

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Posted 08 November 2013 - 07:46

hello

 

can anyone help with any info on whether a race at the roy hesketh circuit  south africa in 1970 was run as a fia international event or under local club rules.

 

 

the race was The Natal Mercury international 3 hr endurance race on 27th dec 1970.

 

 

it was won by brian redmond in a chevron b16.

 

 

some details are listed on racingsportscars.com and there is a pic of the programme cover and entry list.

 

your help is most welcome as where to go next.

 

jonathan



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#2 Vitesse2

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Posted 08 November 2013 - 10:21

This event appears on the FIA Calendar (published in the 1970 'Yellow Book') as the Pietermaritzburg 3 Hours. Status is International, with classes for Sports Prototypes (Group 6), Sports (Group 5), Grand Touring (Groups 3/4) and Touring (Groups 1/2). Organising club: Maritzburg Motor Cycle and Car Club.

 

However, as it was part of the Springbok Series, it appears to have been subject to at least one local rule, which limited sports cars to 2 litres in 1970. The classes on Racing Sports Cars appear to be wrong, since Group 3, which they lump in with 1 and 2, was for standard GTs and Group 4 (there with Group 5) was for modified GTs, which are unlikely to have been matched against pure racers. Here's how Martin Krejci describes the series:

 

 

Until 1963 the Springbok series was destined for F1 cars before it switched to mixed sports car and touring car field. The main race of the series was well known Kyalami 9 Hours, which enjoyed good international competition. Also many of the other races were well supported. Sports cars were limited to two litres in 1970 but three litre cars were still allowed in the main 9 hour event, so even factory Ferrari took the challenge and won in Kyalami three consecutive times during 1970-72 period facing opposition of Porsche 917 and other great machinery of the time.

http://wsrp.ic.cz/spring.html

 

I believe the classes should read as follows:

 

A: G1/2 up to 1600cc

B: G1/2 up to 2000cc

C: G1/2 over 2000cc

D: G3/4 up to 1600cc

E: G3/4 up to 2000cc

F: G3/4 over 2000cc

G: G5/6 up to 1600cc

H: G5/6 up to 2000cc

 

In practice, I doubt any of the saloons or GTs were unmodified Group 1 or Group 3 cars and as far as I can tell all the entries were homologated to run in Group 2 and Group 4 - including those rotary Mazdas! I'm not familiar with the Bramhill (presumably a local special) - that might be the reason Group 7 is mentioned: although why would anyone build a small one-off single-seater sports car?



#3 bradbury west

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Posted 08 November 2013 - 18:12

It might be worth while checking it out with TNFer hieronymous who is very well connected with ZA Motorsport, or RY6 , ditto
Roger Lund

#4 nudgernog

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Posted 09 November 2013 - 10:43

for some reason its known as the pietermaritzburg 3hr in the chevron book too    even though the programmes were  printed as the natal mercury int.

 

many thanks for all the info chaps.



#5 Vitesse2

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Posted 09 November 2013 - 13:12

for some reason its known as the pietermaritzburg 3hr in the chevron book too    even though the programmes were  printed as the natal mercury int.

 

many thanks for all the info chaps.

The Yellow Books never mention sponsor names in the calendar section. Sponsors change, events don't. :) The way I'd describe it would be as the Pietermaritzburg 3 Hours (sponsored by the Natal Mercury)



#6 sramoa

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Posted 18 March 2014 - 14:51

Try this site:

 

http://www.royhesket...mularacing.html



#7 Killarney

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Posted 05 June 2014 - 19:58

Although the race was near Pietermaritzburg, it was always referred to as The Mercury 3 Hour, never as the Pietermaritzburg 3 Hour.

 

The Bramhill was actually a Lotus 23 with some modifications and ran out of Bramhill garage, a local set up..