17 replies to this topic

[john winfield]

School holidays, Easter 1969. Aged 11, I got to see the non-championship F1 International Trophy at Silverstone (30/3), F 5000 at Oulton Park (4/4), F2 Thruxton (7/4) and the BOAC 500 (13/4) - what an amazing array of top racing and talent in 15 days! (I didn't see it, but there was at least one more F5000 round as well I think).
I realise now I was lucky to be keen on motor sport (and live in England) at that time, and to have a brother old enough to drive (could have been the family MG1100, might have been his old Ford Prefect with vacuum wipers, big Roberts radio on the back seat, clip on aerial through the back window). And I bet that, over the four races listed above, I'll have seen some drivers three times, and many twice. Good days.

Happy Easter all.
(exit stage right, removing rose tinted glasses)

[Giraffe]

By giraffe138 at 2009-03-17

Yes John, the other F5000 round was on the Monday at Brands. (Gethin in the M10A won both rounds).


By giraffe138 at 2009-01-01

[Tim Murray]

Great memories. Jochen's incredible drive at Silverstone, then winning a week later at Thruxton in the beautiful green Lotus 59, its appearance only slightly marred by that red rear aerofoil (presumably borrowed from the F1 team).

[Giraffe]

& what have we got this Easter? F3 & GTs at Oulton, a handful of clubbies and a hillclimb..... :
Where's the Tardis?

[Twin Window]

I'm not sure when it started, but I think the Transatlantic Trophy motorcycle challenge was held over the Easter weekend too!

[Phil Rainford]

Originally posted by Twin Window
I'm not sure when it started, but I think the Transatlantic Trophy motorcycle challenge was held over the Easter weekend too!

If I remember correctly Oulton had the F5000 on the Friday and the bikes on the Easter Monday.

The other bike races were Brands Hatch? and Mallory Park as shown below:

http://www.youtube.c...rom=PL&index=23

[Andrew Kitson]

Easter 1969 I was Snetterton on Good Friday to see Paul Hawkins win the Guards Trophy sportscar International in his T70 Mk3B, beating Redman, Bonnier, Attwood, Craft etc, then on the Monday at Brands for the 2nd round of the F5000s after Oulton. The F5000s switched to Snetterton on Good Friday from 1971 I think.

[sterling49]

Originally posted by Andrew Kitson
Easter 1969 I was Snetterton on Good Friday to see Paul Hawkins win the Guards Trophy sportscar International in his T70 Mk3B, beating Redman, Bonnier, Attwood, Craft etc, then on the Monday at Brands for the 2nd round of the F5000s after Oulton. The F5000s switched to Snetterton on Good Friday from 1971 I think.

I was at Brands for the F5000, I did not have to get my ears syringed after that, they were CLEAR! Twinny, Good Friday was always the bikes day at Brands, you could not move for hordes of bikers swarming through the kentish lanes, in fact there is a meeting for BSBs today at Brands, I heard them this morning as I creosoted the fence

[ReWind]

Originally posted by john winfield
And I bet that, over the four races listed above, I'll have seen some drivers three times, and many twice.

A risky bet, methinks!

Silverstone Oulton Park Thruxton	Brands Hatch

					Formula 1   F5000	   Formula 2   Sportscar

Joseph Siffert	  Lotus	   -		   Lola		Porsche

Chris Amon		  Ferrari	 -		   -		   Ferrari

Derek Bell		  Ferrari	 -		   Ferrari	 -

Piers Courage	   Brabham	 -		   Brabham	 -

Vic Elford		  Cooper	  -		   -		   Porsche

Mike Hailwood	   -		   Lola		-		   Ford

Graham Hill		 Lotus	   -		   Lotus	   -

David Hobbs		 -		   Surtees	 -		   Ford

Denny Hulme		 McLaren	 -		   -		   Ford, Lola

Jacky Ickx		  Brabham	 -		   -		   Mirage

Jochen Rindt		Lotus	   -		   Lotus	   -

Pedro Rodríguez	 BRM		 -		   -		   Ferrari

Jackie Stewart	  Matra	   -		   Matra	   -

Jack Brabham		Brabham	 -		   -		   Ford

[john winfield]

Good research, ReWind!
Fair enough, I saw Jo Siffert three times, and plenty of others twice. It was still great to see so many top drivers able and willing to race in more than one category, a pleasure now broadly consigned to the past.
And talking of variety, I remember Bill Ivy's impressive performance down at Thruxton - front row of the grid and fourth in his heat on what, I think, was his four-wheel debut? The detail might be wrong but what a great talent.

Hey, I've just reread my bet.....I think I've won haven't I? I'm sure Seppi counts as 'some drivers' ! How much did we put on?

[Cirrus]

I heard them this morning as I creosoted the fence

That's money in the bank, Sterling - does that mean we'll be seeing you at Brands for the Superprix, or HSCC meeting on (Sunday) 13th September?

[sterling49]

Originally posted by Cirrus


That's money in the bank, Sterling - does that mean we'll be seeing you at Brands for the Superprix, or HSCC meeting on (Sunday) 13th September?

I guess so, such a looong way to travel though Alan, I will have to leave sooo early ;)

Bless him, my late dad used to wake me up at 6a.m for the international meetings, whereupon I would turn over and promptly go back to sleep, he'd then then come in my room again "Sterling, Ronnies racing today, don't you want to see him?".....LOL, I could not care who was racing as a youngster, especially at 6a.m, needless to say, I am glad that he cajoled and goaded me to rise and shine! I was never a morning person as a youngster, now I wake at 6a.m automatically

[Tim Murray]

Originally posted by john winfield
And talking of variety, I remember Bill Ivy's impressive performance down at Thruxton - front row of the grid and fourth in his heat on what, I think, was his four-wheel debut? The detail might be wrong but what a great talent.

It's generally accepted that Thruxton was his four-wheel debut, although one poster did raise some doubt in thiis earlier thread:

Bill Ivy (merged)

[Lola5000]

now we just get served up rubbish.

[Rob]

Originally posted by Giraffe
& what have we got this Easter? F3 & GTs at Oulton, a handful of clubbies and a hillclimb..... :
Where's the Tardis?

Don't forget British Superbikes at Brands.

[eurocardoc]

Seems I remember that I was up at sparrow's fart or earlier everyday over Easter, Oulton, Mallory, Brands and Thruxton or somewheres, when in FFord and F3. cranked up the miles on that VW truck....

[Leigh Trevail]

This Easter there is bugger all at Snetterton!

[Rob29]

Originally posted by Leigh Trevail
This Easter there is bugger all at Snetterton!

***all on anywhere Must be the worst schedule I can remember-with only the A1GP to watch on TV
Going back to the 60s.I can remember easter mondays;
1962-65 Goodwood F1
1966 Goodwood F2
1967 Snetterton F2 Good Friday
Silverstone F2
1968 Thruxton F2 first visit!
1969 Brands Hatch F5000
1970 Thruxton F2
1971 Mallory Park F3
1972 Silverstone FF
1973 Mallory Park FF
1974 Thruxton FF

1979 Brands F1 Sun
Thruxton F2 Mon