165 replies to this topic

[simonlewisbooks]

Back in the early 80s, before it went upmarket and hosted British F3, BRDC GTs and so forth, the top billing at Castle Combe circuit was usually the local Formula Libre series.

Prompted by recent Combe regular, roversfan090, on another thread, here's a few photos from the days when an unslienced F1 McLaren could be found at a British club meeting on the same grid as a SuperVee or indeed a Can Am Lola T530...

Regularly 'the man to beat' Tony Trimmer with his John Jordan-entered Lola T332




John Narsissi (sorry if I spelt that wrong) Trojan F5000


Roger Orgee (future boss of the Omegaland F3000 team) in hi March 85B (edit. Jeff Farmer, not Roger Orgee)


Rob Cox, Ralt F3000 with howling Cosworth GAA V6 F5000 engine


Alan Fowler's ex Foulston Lola T530 (HU1)


I'll dig a few more out as I think all the above have been posted here before in various threads.

Anyone got any they would like to share?

I'd love to see a decent shot of Alo Lawler at Combe in the musical McLaren M30. I only had a small 110 camera back then and no money for film....I think my only photo was taken in the paddock.

Edited by simonlewisbooks, 30 November 2010 - 14:23.

[simonlewisbooks]

Mike Wilds in Roger Orgee's March 85B F3000 which he found a total handful over the Combe bumps with it's rock-hard suspension...


And leading lap 1 over Avon Rise, in the mist. Trimmer following then what looks like a Swift FF2000 and Jim Blockley's Mono Ralt RT3


John Reekes Surtees TS5 F5000 - never particularly fast but always a nice car to see. I think John is no longer with us?


An unidentified Harrier C2/Thundersport. The Libre series was open to sportscars at this point as the Special GTs was still restricted to Special Saloons and Modsports. The invasion of Mallocks, S2000s and GpC cars came a little later (see separate thread).


Willie Pascoe, Crossle F2 with ex Mansell Triumph F3 engine. He interviewed me for my first job at Thompson & Thompson in Lydney, a Renault dealer. Not much discussion about the job itself once he found out I was into motor sport...

[La Sarthe]

Simon,

This takes me back. I had a season ticket from 85-90 and took a fair few photos in those days.

I might be a couple of days because:

a) I've got to find them
b) I'll have to scan them

but I'll see what I can come up with. Certainly Tony Trimmer seemed to be an ever-present. I also remember Alo Lawler's McLaren circulating very quickly.

Peter

[ghinzani]

Simon was it not just the National Championship visiting once a year rather than a local championship in the same vein as Lyddens Libre series? Great to see of course, especially Orgees Lyncar and ex-Danner March.

Great pics btw, memories flood back!

[simonlewisbooks]

Simon was it not just the National Championship visiting once a year rather than a local championship in the same vein as Lyddens Libre series? Great to see of course, especially Orgees Lyncar and ex-Danner March.

Great pics btw, memories flood back!

No Ghinzani, it was the regular circuit-based series. The McLaean-Hunter national series did appear once or twice a season and the entry was perhaps a car-or-two more interesting, but generally every event at Combe seemed to feature Trimmer,Lawler, Orgee and Travis for a number of years.

Was Orgee's March the F3000 title winning chassis? I didn't realize.

[simonlewisbooks]

Simon,

This takes me back. I had a season ticket from 85-90 and took a fair few photos in those days.

I might be a couple of days because:

a) I've got to find them
b) I'll have to scan them

but I'll see what I can come up with. Certainly Tony Trimmer seemed to be an ever-present. I also remember Alo Lawler's McLaren circulating very quickly.

Peter

I'd love to see them Peter.

[tyrrellp346wheels]

Great thread Simon, love the photos

[ghinzani]

No Ghinzani, it was the regular circuit-based series. The McLaean-Hunter national series did appear once or twice a season and the entry was perhaps a car-or-two more interesting, but generally every event at Combe seemed to feature Trimmer,Lawler, Orgee and Travis for a number of years.

Was Orgee's March the F3000 title winning chassis? I didn't realize.

I didn't realise, just assumed it was the national series. So no engine limits like at Lydden. Actually the Lydden 2litre limit came in later. Any ideas of the champions and what years?
Yep Orgee bought it for the 86 libre series, I think he later replaced that with an 87 Lola and later an 88 Reynard.

[tyrrellp346wheels]

Mike Wilds in Roger Orgee's March 85B F3000 which he found a total handful over the Combe bumps with it's rock-hard suspension...


An unidentified Harrier C2/Thundersport. The Libre series was open to sportscars at this point as the Special GTs was still restricted to Special Saloons and Modsports. The invasion of Mallocks, S2000s and GpC cars came a little later (see separate thread).

Great non champ F3000 shot.

May I ask which thread is about the GpC S2000s

[Alan Cox]

John Narsissi (sorry if I spelt that wrong) Trojan F5000

Very interesting photos, Simon, as usual. I look forward to other contributions. Narcisi is the spelling, by the way.

[roversfan090]

wow great shots of wilds in his march and trimmer with the lola can't believe that wilds used to race a formula 3000 car at the combe . i mean it isn't like were likely to see a gp2 car in the special gt 's today i mean it must of been so good watching current group c sportscars and formula 3000 around the undulations of the combe please post more of this gold.

[Thundersports]

Orgee did indeed have a Reynard 88D which he used in British F3000.

[simonlewisbooks]

I didn't realise, just assumed it was the national series. So no engine limits like at Lydden. Actually the Lydden 2litre limit came in later. Any ideas of the champions and what years?
Yep Orgee bought it for the 86 libre series, I think he later replaced that with an 87 Lola and later an 88 Reynard.

Yep, no engine size limits.
Pete Stowe should have a list of who won the series each year - are you with us on this thread Pete?

[simonlewisbooks]

Great non champ F3000 shot.

May I ask which thread is about the GpC S2000s

It's
XJR10/XJR11 in club racing?
Photos from post 14 onwards.

[Pete Stowe]

Yep, no engine size limits.
Pete Stowe should have a list of who won the series each year - are you with us on this thread Pete?

I am now Simon .
There wasn’t a Castle Combe championship though, but through the 1980s Libre races were included at two or three meetings a year, the most being at 4 of the 7 meetings in 1982.
While in 78 & 79 the Libre races were rounds of the BRSCC National championship, from 1980 to 83 they weren’t part of any championship, although in some years the races were titled “Castle Combe Formule Libre”. From 1984 on they were rounds of the national Maclean Hunter (& subsequent titles) championships.

1980s Libre race winners were:
7-Apr-80 Phil Dowsett March 79B
25-Aug-80 Roger Orgee March 79B Richardson
31-Aug-81 Dave Orbell Mallock U2 Mk.16
3-Oct-81 Tony Broster Lyncar FA001
12-Apr-82 Bob Birrell March 793V
10-Jul-82 John Travis March 792 Hart
30-Aug-82 John Travis March 792 Hart 420R
9-Oct-82 Ted Williams March 707 Chevrolet
30-May-83 Dave Williams Lola T330/332 Chevrolet
29-Aug-83 Stuart McPherson Chevron B42 Hart
8-Oct-83 Stuart McPherson Chevron B42 Hart
7-Jul-84 Alo Lawler Ralt RT4 BMW
27-Aug-84 Alo Lawler McLaren M30 Cosworth DFV
13-Oct-84 Alo Lawler McLaren M30 Cosworth DFV
6-Jul-85 Tony Trimmer Lola T330 Chevrolet
12-Oct-85 James Stevenson McLaren M29C Cosworth DFV
26-May-86 Tony Trimmer Lola T330 Chevrolet
11-Oct-86 Roger Orgee Lyncar 79B BDX
31-Aug-87 Roger Orgee March 85/86B Cosworth DFV
17-Oct-87 Tony Trimmer Lola T332 Chevrolet
29-Aug-88 Tony Trimmer Lola T330 Chevrolet
15-Oct-88 Tony Trimmer Lola T330 Chevrolet
29-May-89 Eddie McLurg March 822 BMW
16-Sep-89 Rob Cox Lola LC88

(I wouldn’t guarantee the car type numbers though; they’re taken from the race programmes so not necessarily accurate )

[Allen Brown]

I am now Simon .
There wasn’t a Castle Combe championship though, but through the 1980s Libre races were included at two or three meetings a year, the most being at 4 of the 7 meetings in 1982.
While in 78 & 79 the Libre races were rounds of the BRSCC National championship, from 1980 to 83 they weren’t part of any championship, although in some years the races were titled “Castle Combe Formule Libre”. From 1984 on they were rounds of the national Maclean Hunter (& subsequent titles) championships.

1980s Libre race winners were:
7-Apr-80 Phil Dowsett March 79B
25-Aug-80 Roger Orgee March 79B Richardson
31-Aug-81 Dave Orbell Mallock U2 Mk.16
3-Oct-81 Tony Broster Lyncar FA001
12-Apr-82 Bob Birrell March 793V
10-Jul-82 John Travis March 792 Hart
30-Aug-82 John Travis March 792 Hart 420R
9-Oct-82 Ted Williams March 707 Chevrolet
30-May-83 Dave Williams Lola T330/332 Chevrolet
29-Aug-83 Stuart McPherson Chevron B42 Hart
8-Oct-83 Stuart McPherson Chevron B42 Hart
7-Jul-84 Alo Lawler Ralt RT4 BMW
27-Aug-84 Alo Lawler McLaren M30 Cosworth DFV
13-Oct-84 Alo Lawler McLaren M30 Cosworth DFV
6-Jul-85 Tony Trimmer Lola T330 Chevrolet
12-Oct-85 James Stevenson McLaren M29C Cosworth DFV
26-May-86 Tony Trimmer Lola T330 Chevrolet
11-Oct-86 Roger Orgee Lyncar 79B BDX
31-Aug-87 Roger Orgee March 85/86B Cosworth DFV
17-Oct-87 Tony Trimmer Lola T332 Chevrolet
29-Aug-88 Tony Trimmer Lola T330 Chevrolet
15-Oct-88 Tony Trimmer Lola T330 Chevrolet
29-May-89 Eddie McLurg March 822 BMW
16-Sep-89 Rob Cox Lola LC88

(I wouldn’t guarantee the car type numbers though; they’re taken from the race programmes so not necessarily accurate )

I have almost exactly the same list but I have 12 Oct 1984 instead of 13 Oct and I have an extra win by Orgee on 12 Oct 1987 but those were a Friday and a Monday respectively so I may have screwed up.

I don't see anything wrong with the type numbers - nearly all of those cars can be positively identified.

[simonlewisbooks]

I am now Simon .
There wasn’t a Castle Combe championship though, but through the 1980s Libre races were included at two or three meetings a year, the most being at 4 of the 7 meetings in 1982.

Hi Pete

Now that shows how working from memory is a dangerous thing.

I don't recall going to a single meeting in the mid 80s where there wasn't a libre race so we must have missed more than I imagined !

Eddie McLurgs car was the one he also ran in Interserie I think.

Ted Williams in the March 707 must have been quite a sight (and sound...) anyone got photos???

[Gatmo]

Is the orange and black car F3000 Geoff Farmer's and not Roger Orgee's? I remember Orgee absolutely burying his 88D Reynard at Gerards Exit at Mallory in an enormous shunt

Also, did Rob Cox run an ex Larrousse Lola LC88 F1 car at some point? His Black Brick and Slippery Brick Caterham silhouette's were mega!

[tyrrellp346wheels]

Thanks for the link simon.

A Lola LC88 in formula libre anyone got any images.

[La Sarthe]

I can confirm that in my time there (84-90) they were all part of the national Libre championship. Meetings were either on Saturdays or Bank Holiday Mondays in those days so I think Pete's list of dates is correct.

Peter

[Thundersports]

Yes a LC88 and Mclurg's March was the same one he used in Interserie.

[Pete Stowe]

I have almost exactly the same list but I have 12 Oct 1984 instead of 13 Oct and I have an extra win by Orgee on 12 Oct 1987 but those were a Friday and a Monday respectively so I may have screwed up.

Allen, definitely 13 Oct 1984, and definitely nothing on 12 Oct 1987.

I don't see anything wrong with the type numbers - nearly all of those cars can be positively identified.

Good. I've not cross-checked with anything else, and generally don't 100% trust programmes, results sheets, race reports, memory, etc., etc.......

Is the orange and black car F3000 Geoff Farmer's and not Roger Orgee's?

That would fit, Geoff Farmer, Lola T87/50 DFV, number 27 on 29 August 1988.

[ghinzani]

No Ghinzani, it was the regular circuit-based series. The McLaean-Hunter national series did appear once or twice a season and the entry was perhaps a car-or-two more interesting, but generally every event at Combe seemed to feature Trimmer,Lawler, Orgee and Travis for a number of years.

Was Orgee's March the F3000 title winning chassis? I didn't realize.

I guess it ran in Libre on Avons which is ironic as it was only when Danner switched to Bridgstones from Avon in 85 that he found his championship winning speed as I recall.

[Simon Arron]

It was only when Danner switched to Bridgstones from Avon in 85 that he found his championship-winning speed, as I recall.

I don't remember that - and I was there! You might be right about the tyre switch, though. From memory, the key BS Automotive tweak was to invert the rear anti-roll bar, which gave the March 85B a bit of added purchase. I have looked on-line at some late-season images of Danner's car, but there are no visible tyre decals and I can't find any angles that show clear sidewall markings. Pity I didn't take any snaps, really...

[simonlewisbooks]

Is the orange and black car F3000 Geoff Farmer's and not Roger Orgee's? I remember Orgee absolutely burying his 88D Reynard at Gerards Exit at Mallory in an enormous shunt

Also, did Rob Cox run an ex Larrousse Lola LC88 F1 car at some point? His Black Brick and Slippery Brick Caterham silhouette's were mega!

Gatmo, I'm sure you are right about the Farmer car. No programme or notes stored with that sheet of negs I'm afraid.

I have just unearthed a shot of Orgee's 88D and, I think, several of the LC88 and McLurg's March, which I'll scan tomorrow. Also found some earlier ones of photos of the Lawler M30, Travis BRD(March 792 lookalike) again Ill scan those tomorrow if I have time.

[ghinzani]

I don't remember that - and I was there! You might be right about the tyre switch, though. From memory, the key BS Automotive tweak was to invert the rear anti-roll bar, which gave the March 85B a bit of added purchase. I have looked on-line at some late-season images of Danner's car, but there are no visible tyre decals and I can't find any angles that show clear sidewall markings. Pity I didn't take any snaps, really...

Actually his breakthrough came around Pau didnt it? Will have to dig out the old mags - there was a short lived mag at the time whose name I forget that really did F3000 in depth. As well as the highly nutritous and delicious coverage in MN of course... Off topic but could we get a list of your top ten retirement reasons collated? Worth the price of the magazine alone they were!

[Mallory Dan]

I think the Rob C-A Ralt was based on an '84 F2 car, rather than an F3000 chassis. Hence it would be a re-engined RH6.

[simonlewisbooks]

I think the Rob C-A Ralt was based on an '84 F2 car, rather than an F3000 chassis. Hence it would be a re-engined RH6.

Sound probable as I seem to recall it being talked of as Ex Moreno, which would fit.

Meantime here's his LC88 at Combe in May 1989 when the car was but a year old!




However on lap one it was being outgunned by something rather less contemporary...
Narcisi's F5000 Trojan !
We then have Blockley's F3 Ralt, I think Dudley's Anson F3, McLurg's F2 March and Orgee's F3000 Reynard.
The only major European single seater class of the time not represented in the top 6 would be Formula Atlantic.
Can't beat a bit of diversity.



Here's McLurg's March 812 in it's non-Interserie form.



And Orgee's 88D

[Mallory Dan]

Wasn't the McLurg car an 822/ And ain't the 782 nose on the Trojan lovely!

[Phil Rainford]

A front view of Rob Cox's mount........sorry it is from Oulton





PAR

[Gatmo]

Sound probable as I seem to recall it being talked of as Ex Moreno, which would fit.

Meantime here's his LC88 at Combe in May 1989 when the car was but a year old!




However on lap one it was being outgunned by something rather less contemporary...
Narcisi's F5000 Trojan !
We then have Blockley's F3 Ralt, I think Dudley's Anson F3, McLurg's F2 March and Orgee's F3000 Reynard.
The only major European single seater class of the time not represented in the top 6 would be Formula Atlantic.
Can't beat a bit of diversity.



Here's McLurg's March 812 in it's non-Interserie form.



And Orgee's 88D

That is the Reynard he stuffed at Mallory, good job the barrier was there or he would have ended up in the farm.........

[tyrrellp346wheels]

Great pics Simon.

Thanks for the Lola LC88 pics

[Thundersports]

Eddie's car is a 822. Cox's LC88; it seems like yesterday I was stood at Brands marvelling and wondering WTF a less than a year old F1 car was doing in a club Libbre race anyone know anymore on this?

[simonlewisbooks]

From a few years earlier than the previous photos....

The Rod Tolhurst equipe at Combe in July 84, with Rob Drew's Surtees TS19 (which blew up) and John Narcisi's TS20 which was 2nd to....



Alo Lawler's Ralt RT4 (which I have listed as BMW powered, but must have been an Atlantic car with a BDA surely?)



The same car in October with Duncan Bain alighting - he got to drive as Lawler was in....



...his nice new McLaren M30 which was still in its original livery (imagine the furore today!)



John Travis's March 792 lookalike, October 84.

[eldougo]

[quote name='simonlewisbooks' date='Nov 30 2010, 20:04' post='4742152']

Alo Lawler's Ralt RT4 (which I have listed as BMW powered, but must have been an Atlantic car with a BDA surely?)



The same car in October with Duncan Bain alighting - he got to drive as Lawler was in....

.. Looks like BMW power to me.

...

[ghinzani]

I think the Rob C-A Ralt was based on an '84 F2 car, rather than an F3000 chassis. Hence it would be a re-engined RH6.

I think you are correct, an ex Moreno RH6 equipped with of all things a 3.4 V6 GAA. A ground effect F5000 you could argue, a very rare bird then, maybe only the Australians had similar combinations?

[simonlewisbooks]

.. Looks like BMW power to me.

F2 spec ? No wonder it was a quick piece of kit....

[James Page]

F2 spec ? No wonder it was a quick piece of kit....

Nice thread, Simon. I have clear recollections of seeing F5000 cars at Combe when I was younger. And, come to think of it, the TVR Tuscan series, which looked like one big accident waiting to happen...

Real balls-to-the-wall circuit in the pre-chicane days.

[Mallory Dan]

F2 spec ? No wonder it was a quick piece of kit....

You're right Simon and Doug, it was a BMW M12 F2 motor. I saw that Libre series a few times at MP in that wonderful summer of '84, some really good cars out at that time. Much better than Eff Wun, F2, F3 or Group C which were all poor that year...

[simonlewisbooks]

Nice thread, Simon. I have clear recollections of seeing F5000 cars at Combe when I was younger. And, come to think of it, the TVR Tuscan series, which looked like one big accident waiting to happen...

Real balls-to-the-wall circuit in the pre-chicane days.

Glad you like the thread James. Agreed, it was a hairy old track back then and the barrier also looked pretty low in places.
The original surface (pre 90s) was so bumpy I remember seeing a Prodsports Caterham 7 getting it's front wheels airborne every lap on the big hump prior to Avon rise!

For TVRs see Youtube....

[ghinzani]

Sadly I think a TVR fatal crash spelled the end for the old Combe or did that accident happen after the track changes? Didnt a wheel come off one? TVRs and Special GTs like Chatfields TWR Jags were the dogs gonads round the old track.

[Geoff E]

Sadly I think a TVR fatal crash spelled the end for the old Combe or did that accident happen after the track changes? Didnt a wheel come off one? TVRs and Special GTs like Chatfields TWR Jags were the dogs gonads round the old track.

It happened in August 1997 - the new layout was first used in 1999.

[simonlewisbooks]

Sadly I think a TVR fatal crash spelled the end for the old Combe or did that accident happen after the track changes? Didnt a wheel come off one? TVRs and Special GTs like Chatfields TWR Jags were the dogs gonads round the old track.

The accident was a complete freak happening and would almost certainly have happened on either layout. A wheel came off a Tuscan on the way into Camp, I recall, which bounced impossibly high and came down almost vertically in the spectator area with tragic results.
TVR/GT driver Mike Jordan and one or two others became rather vocal about Combe at that point, hastening the arrival of chicanes. Having achieved his aim, I don't then recall Jordan racing at the track again...?

Bravest of the brave was Nigel Mustill in the RS500 powered Mk1 Escort. he was terrifying to watch, arms a blurr as he fought the car, the turbo, the bumps, the grass...

[ghinzani]

The accident was a complete freak happening and would almost certainly have happened on either layout. A wheel came off a Tuscan on the way into Camp, I recall, which bounced impossibly high and came down almost vertically in the spectator area with tragic results.
TVR/GT driver Mike Jordan and one or two others became rather vocal about Combe at that point, hastening the arrival of chicanes. Having achieved his aim, I don't then recall Jordan racing at the track again...?

Bravest of the brave was Nigel Mustill in the RS500 powered Mk1 Escort. he was terrifying to watch, arms a blurr as he fought the car, the turbo, the bumps, the grass...

Oh yes not disputing it was the circuits fault, however there had been calls to slow it down for years, for instance some became very vocal after poor Ian Mcardle (spelling?) was killed when he was about to win the FF championship. That one was more to do with driving standards as I recall though, and the circuit was only a contributor due to its speed and lack of run off.

Mustill was hairy for sure! Most people at the front of the special GT's tended to be mind you..

[Phil Rainford]

From a few years earlier than the previous photos....

...his nice new McLaren M30 which was still in its original livery (imagine the furore today!)

Here it is in the later paint scheme....once again sorry but it is from Oulton




PAR

Edited by Phil Rainford, 30 November 2010 - 21:06.

[simonlewisbooks]

Here it is the later paint scheme....once again sorry but it is from Oulton




PAR

Thanks Phil.
The M30 looks superb in that scheme, better than the original I think.

[tyrrellp346wheels]

Superb non champ F1 pics guys, keep them coming

[bsc]

TVR/GT driver Mike Jordan and one or two others became rather vocal about Combe at that point, hastening the arrival of chicanes. Having achieved his aim, I don't then recall Jordan racing at the track again...?

Mike Jordan has subsequently raced at Castle Combe in British GTs and Britcars.

[simonlewisbooks]

Mike Jordan has subsequently raced at Castle Combe in British GTs and Britcars.

Hope he found the chicanes to his taste?

[simonlewisbooks]

In September 1989 Wyn Edwards, founder and editor of the much missed PIT ROAD magazine took a trip to Combe to photograph the LC88 and a 1987 F3000 Lola that were running in the libre event....sadly the weather wasn't kind.....and I think the wet got in the camera as he was normally a much better photographer that this lot would lead you to think....












Who is at the wheel of the F3000 car? It looks like "Richard" on the cockpit side.