27 replies to this topic

[Morris S]

Alongside a pretty good race card Castle Combe are gathering together a nice collection of cars to drool over on October 3rd, anyone going?

I'm taking my ex Geoff Mabbs Unipower GT back to it's old stomping ground for the first time in 48 years and a pal his Mk1 Mini Marcos racer to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Combe regular Mabbs' outright win for the Janspeed prototype on it's first outing way back in 1965. (If anyone has any connections with Mabbs' family please get in touch as I'd like to contact them).

 

 

 

Latest news from the event :

 

Castle Combe announce the 'Star Cars' and the 'DANCO Dream Garage' at the Autumn Classic
Castle Combe Circuit are proud to announce that the 'star cars' of the Autumn Classic Historic Racing Festival on Saturday 3rd October will be housed in a Marquee provided by Danco PLC.
The 30m structure has been coined the 'Danco Dream Garage' providing a home for the day for some of the rarest and most exotic cars from the 'Golden Era' of Motorsport.

Adrian Dann, MD of Danco PLC commented: "As a family run company, Danco are always keen to support events and businesses in our local area. With this in mind I am very pleased to confirm that we will be supporting this year's Autumn Classic Historic Race Meeting at Castle Combe Circuit, an event marking the 60th anniversary of the last F1 race and a special one to be a part of. An event not to be missed!"


Visitors to the event can expect to see the following cars lined up in the Danco Dream Garage;

BRM Type 15 V16 from Beaulieu National Motor Museum, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the legendary V16's last ever race, at Castle Combe in 1955
Lotus 49 Cosworth DFV from Beaulieu National Motor Museum, sole surviving original 1967 car (chassis R3) raced by Graham Hill who competed at Castle Combe in one of his earliest ever races in 1955
Connaught B-type 'Syracuse', named after victory in the Syracuse GP in 1955 driven by Tony Brooks. Brooks' previous race to his famous Syracuse victory was at Castle Combe in the Avon Trophy F1 race in 1955 in a Connaught A-Type.
The actual Cooper-Bristol driven by Bob Gerard to third place in the 1955 Avon Trophy F1 race. The 3rd October also marks the 62nd anniversary (to the day!) of Gerard's victory in the Castle Combe Fry Trophy Race 1953.
The unique Formula 1 Kieft with Coventry-Climax 'Godiva' V8 engine, constructed by Swansea born industrialist Cyril Kieft in 1954 to challenge for Grand Prix honours, but unraced in period.
Cooper T51 raced by Ivor Bueb for Stirling Moss' British Racing Partnership team in Formula 2 in 1959, and the following year by future world champions Phil Hill and Denny Hulme in Formula 1.
1955 Cooper T39 'Bobtail' sports-racing car, similar to that used by Ivor Bueb to win the two sports car races at the 1955 Castle Combe International meeting.
1960 Formula One Scarab, ultra rare car built by Lance Reventlow in California and one of the last of the front-engined Grand Prix cars. The car is owned and very regularly and successfully raced by event sponsor Julian Bronson of Bristol Forklifts.
Rob Walker Racing Team Formula 1 Cooper-Climax raced in 1959 by Stirling Moss to win the Goodwood Glover Trophy and by Maurice Trintignant to podiums in the Monaco and United States Grands Prix.

Other 'Star Cars' featuring at the Autumn Classic:


Steam-powered 1905 White Flyer "Whistling Billy" replica
Formula 1 BRM P160 raced by Niki Lauda during 1973
1920 Sunbeam 350HP "Bluebird" that took Malcolm Campbell to the first of his nine land speed records
1960 BRM P48 raced by Graham Hill & Dan Gurney
Maserati 250F and Ferrari 250MM belonging to Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason
1934 Riley Ulster Imp - ex Mike Hawthorn
BRM P167 'CanAm'



http://www.castlecom...sic.co.uk/races
 

Edited by Morris S, 22 September 2015 - 19:00.

[ron54]

Look forward to seeing you,..and thank you for posting

[Morris S]

Ditto Ron, looks like you have attracted a great collection of cars!

 

Pete

Edited by Morris S, 23 September 2015 - 11:32.

[ron54]

Hi Pete, Not RF I'm afraid, we lost him in 1987 but known since '62.

 

I found the plate and kept it until eventually, with the help of David Franklin who at the time was

piloting the car for its then owner its was re-united.

 

I thought the car looked a treat at the Revival and a credit to her new owner......

 

Sorry to go off topic....but hence the username.

[Morris S]

Incidentally Ron Fry's old 'RGF 9' number plate that adorned his Downton Mini and ex Broadspeed Anglia is now screwed to a VW Golf , probably about to get a recall!

 

I've invited some old Combe regulars to the event, will confirm which famous faces shortly.

[Morris S]

Things have changed a little since this was filmed...

 

http://www.britishpa...ry/castle combe

[Morris S]

Entry list for the Terry Sanger memorial race...


14 K4 Jon Milicevic Morris Mini Cooper 1963 1293 Blue 1
15 K1 Mark Watts Ford Mustang 1965 4700 White 1
19 A Colin McKay Jaguar S Type 1964 3781 Blue 1
22 K1 Michael Squire Ford Mustang 1964 4727 Blue 1
23 D Mark Burnett Austin Mini Cooper 1964 1293 Blue 1
28 K1 Alex Thistlethwayte Ford Mustang 1965 4800 Yellow 1
31 B Les Ely BMW 1965 2000 Red 1
34 B David Morrow Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1964 2000 Red 1
40 K3 Neil Merry Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1962 1570 Red 1
51 C James Claridge Ford Anglia 1963 1500 Maroon / Silver 1
57 B Joe Gomm Ford Lotus Cortina 1964 1920 Yellow / Black 1
65 K1 Nicholas Ruddell Ford Mustang 1965 4700 blue 1
69 C Bob Bullen Ford Anglia 1964 1500 Yellow 1
71 D Tim Harber Austin Mini 1965 1293 Blue / White 1
73 K1 Chris Clarkson Ford Falcon Sprint 1964 4700 Blue 1
77 C Chris Sanders Ford Lotus Cortina 1965 1596 White 1
85 D Roger Godfrey Austin Cooper S 1966 1293 Green / White 1
87 E Simon Benoy Hillman Imp 1967 998 Blue / White 1
89 E Adrian Oliver Hillman Imp 1966 998 Red / White 1
168 D John Marsden Austin Cooper S 1963 1293 Red / Black 1
176 A Andrew Davenall Austin A105/6 1958 2992 Cream / Blue

 

[Morris S]

  Races

 

 

Provisional Timetable  (September 2015)

0830 - 1200 Qualifying

1200 - 1255 Track parades and public gridwalk

1255 - 1430 Races

• VSCC Race for Pre-War Sports-Cars, supported by The Vintage Sports-Car Club (20 minutes)

• The Norman Dewis Trophy race for pre '66 Jaguars supported by Hartwell Jaguar Bristol (30 minutes)

• The Healey Driver International 25th Anniversary Invitation Challenge, supported by AH Performance Parts and Construction & Real Estate - Part 1 (20 minutes)

1430 - 1455 'Classic Racers' Demonstrations

1455 - 1800 Races

• The FiSCaR “50s Inter-marque” race, supported by Spencer Lane-Jones Ltd. (2 driver pitstop - 30 minutes)

• FJHRA/HSCC 'Silverline' Historic Formula Junior UK Championship race (20 minutes)

• HSCC/HRSR Historic Touring Car Terry Sanger Memorial Trophy race, supported by Screaming Eagle Productions (20 minutes)

• The Bristol Aeroplane Company Motor Sports Club Challenge Trophy race, run by the 500 Owners Association (15 minutes)

• The Jon Gross Memorial Trophy race for Historic Aston Martins, supported by Ecurie Bertelli Ltd. (20 minutes)

• The Healey Driver International 25th Anniversary Invitation Challenge, supported by AH Performance Parts and Construction & Real Estate - Part 2 (20 minutes)

 

[arttidesco]

Looking forward to what promises to be a memorable day ;-)

[Tim Murray]

Arttidesco and I popped along to the pre-event testing yesterday:

Andy Wallace returns to the paddock having done his best to scare the s**t out of his passenger.


This Cooper, and the other 500s, will be racing for the Bristol Trophy, originally donated by the directors of the Bristol Aeroplane Company for FTD at the 1945 Filton Sprint, the first all-tarmac event held in this country after World War 2.


If you're coming along tomorrow please call at the Bristol Pegasus MC stand and say hello - I should be there for most of the day. You'll find us a little way along the road that leads from the paddock towards Quarry corner.

[dolomite]

Hopefully I shall be attending tomorrow and giving my small son his first experience of racing cars in the flesh :-)

[Morris S]

I really enjoyed the event, and it was nice to meet Marcus , 'Ron' and some of the other guys familiar with this forum. Castle Combe still has a great club feel to it and I enjoyed my trip around the circuit for the first time in many years. Don't know the chap that sped past me on the way there (and on the way back!) towing with a beautiful Aston (and I wasn't hanging about!) but that's the way tow in style.

 

Pete

[Morris S]

I missed this, as we were packing up to leave (and then did), but apparently there was a pile up at Quarry during the historic Aston race resulting in the near destruction of the Beecroft DBR1?

[Tim Murray]

There's a thread in 'the other place' which includes a photo of the Aston - it has front and rear damage, but appears relatively intact:

http://tentenths.com...ad.php?t=145214

I thought the whole meeting was excellent - it seems to get better every year. Congratulations to TNFer Pete Stowe and the rest of the Castle Combe team for putting together a such a good turnout, not just for the races but also for the excellent assembly of historic racing and classic cars. Apart from the obvious (lots of BRMs, Lotus 49, Scarab, Connaught B-Type etc) the highlights for me were chatting to Stephen and Ryan Hepworth who were there with one of their BRM P167s, and seeing Terry Sanger's Harrier F5000 car for the first time.



Pete, I did see you driving the Unipower through the paddock and followed on, intending to accost you when you stopped, but you vanished into the assembly area ready for your track run - sorry I missed you. It was good, though, to meet Ian Robinson (Pullman99 on TNF) for the first time.

[Morris S]

Sorry I missed you Tim, yes my little detour through the paddock, went to the assembly area a little early . I did briefly  catch Whizzo's attention as I did so but as often happens at these events I didn't see him again! Would have been fun to have pressed on a little more on track but my ancient tyres limited any ghusto on the day!

[Tim Murray]

Whizzo had his Welsh Rally-winning Mini on our club stand, and took Andy, our club chairman, as passenger in it for the track parade. Andy came back with a big broad grin on his face. Incidentally, contrary to rumour, Whizzo hasn't quite retired from racing - he told us he still has a few more sorties planned.

[Morris S]

http://www.telegraph...cing-crash.html

[Gary C]

.............I do like the way, in the above piece in the Telegragh, the Aston is labelled TWICE as a Jaguar XK120.

[hamsterace]

.............I do like the way, in the above piece in the Telegragh, the Aston is labelled TWICE as a Jaguar XK120.

 

Which is actually an XK150, and not an XK120, anyway....

[Rob Miller]

Did the Healey hit the Aston in the rear, spinning it around, and then hit it again in the front, maybe pushed by the Jag?

[Tim Murray]

There was another Jaguar involved which apparently caused the incident but ended up undamaged - see the photo and eyewitness account on this page:

http://retrorides.pr...classic-content

[Alan Cox]

What on earth does referring to the 'values' of all the cars involved add to the article? The guy who wrote the piece on the forum link which Tim posted describes DBR1/4 as a car which never raced. He is quite right about it being developed from DBR3/1, but it did finish second to Shelby and Salvadori at Le Mans 1959.

[Morris S]

I thought the saloon grid was depleted somewhat, chiefly due to a late season date and a busy calendar I suspect. However the racing amongst that grid alone was as close if not closer than I've seen in all my years visiting the Gold Cup, with overtakes galore. Another couple of laps and Sanders would have done it!  

 

I do wish I'd not parked next to the Hepworth P167 in the collection area, my ears are still ringing!!

[Morris S]

Some pictures from my pal Stuart Watson...

 

http://s710.photobuc... 2015/Off Track

 

http://s710.photobuc...mn Classic 2015

[dolomite]

What a fabulous day at Combe the other week - top marks to all involved!

 

Somewhat belatedly here are a few of my snaps from the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dolomite]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Morris S]

My first time at this event, I liked it immensely and the fact that it unashamedly sticks to the remit unlike so many other so called historic festivals. Great!

[arttidesco]

There's a thread in 'the other place' which includes a photo of the Aston - it has front and rear damage, but appears relatively intact:

http://tentenths.com...ad.php?t=145214

I thought the whole meeting was excellent - it seems to get better every year. Congratulations to TNFer Pete Stowe and the rest of the Castle Combe team for putting together a such a good turnout, not just for the races but also for the excellent assembly of historic racing and classic cars. Apart from the obvious (lots of BRMs, Lotus 49, Scarab, Connaught B-Type etc) the highlights for me were chatting to Stephen and Ryan Hepworth who were there with one of their BRM P167s, and seeing Terry Sanger's Harrier F5000 car for the first time.



Pete, I did see you driving the Unipower through the paddock and followed on, intending to accost you when you stopped, but you vanished into the assembly area ready for your track run - sorry I missed you. It was good, though, to meet Ian Robinson (Pullman99 on TNF) for the first time.

 

Does anyone recognise or know who is at the wheel of the Harrier ?