64 replies to this topic

[lympog]

Hi everyone,
I vaguely remember reading a piece a number of years ago about a non-Championship F1 race in the UK where it snowed during the race. I think the year might have been 1973, but it's so long since I saw the piece, I might be imagining it or just have it very wrong.

Have I made this up or did it actually happen.

Thanks in advance
L

[Bloggsworth]

It rings a bell - When we lived in Sevenoaks, a mere hop and two spits from Brands Hatch, I remember it snowing on Easter Monday, so it's possible.

[Barry Boor]

It happened during the Silverstone International Trophy race in, I think 1975. Strange really because it was mid-April.

[Rob Ryder]

1973 International Trophy..




Apologies if these are copyright images. Let me know if you want them removing...

Rob

[lympog]

It rings a bell - When we lived in Sevenoaks, a mere hop and two spits from Brands Hatch, I remember it snowing on Easter Monday, so it's possible.

Interesting - that sounds about right.

[lympog]

Thanks to everyone for that

[PMac]

Hi everyone,
I vaguely remember reading a piece a number of years ago about a non-Championship F1 race in the UK where it snowed during the race. I think the year might have been 1973, but it's so long since I saw the piece, I might be imagining it or just have it very wrong.

Have I made this up or did it actually happen.

Thanks in advance
L

There was a British F3 race at Silverstone live on BBC in the mid-80s, with thick-ish snow making it highly entertaining. I remember Johnny Dumfries (aka John Crichton-Stuart, 7th Marquess of Bute) was a contender, which would have made it 1984. Most memorably, Murray Walker remarked that the spinning pink car at the rear of the field was "Roxie Lott, and American GIRL racer" (with emphasis on the word 'girl'). I have it somewhere on VHS, but wonder whether the thick snow was actually just a bad recording...

[Stephen W]

It snowed one Easter Saturday during practice for the Thruxton Euro F2 race and of course on more than one occasion we had snow during the Easter F5000 race at Oulton Park. However neither of these were none championship F1 races - if only!

[Tim Murray]

It snowed several times during the 1975 Race of Champions meeting, but not, I think, during the race itself. T'were bloody cold camping!

[arttidesco]

There were also light snow flurries during the Race of Champions on March 16th 1975, won by Tom Price at Brands Hatch. Unfortunately I did not have a camera with me, all the cars remained on slicks.

Edited by arttidesco, 02 December 2010 - 12:08.

[arttidesco]

Tim I am certain there were snow flurries visible during the race from Clearways I was only there on race day.

Edited by arttidesco, 02 December 2010 - 12:13.

[Tim Murray]

Ralph, I'm sure you're right. I was so cold by the time the main event came along that my brain must have frozen. I have very few memories of the race, apart from Scheckter's engine expiring in a cloud of steam, and being highly elated when Tom won.

[Lee Nicolle]

There was very light snow at Bathurst one year. Is often very cold early on.

[retriever]

I remember an International Trophy event at Silverstone in the 1970s which I attended when we seemed to have everything including snow, I thought it was 1974 but I may be wrong. It was bitterly cold. We viewed the race from the end of the pit straight just before Copse.

[john winfield]

Yes, it definitely snowed at the 1973 International Trophy at Silverstone, as mentioned above. Ronnie Peterson was battling for the lead with Jackie Stewart and, as shown in the photos posted by Rob, he lost it in a snow flurry at Becketts. The first photo shows him getting going again but, by that time, the Tyrrell had long gone.
A few months later, in slightly warmer weather, the same two battled in both 'parts' of the Grand Prix. JYS seemed to have the measure of Ronnie through Maggots, Becketts and on to Hangar Straight but, in the restarted race, Ronnie shut the door at Stowe, helping the Tyrrell into its own spectacular spin.
The April weather at the International Trophy was really cold - we were down at Club. It snowed in the Touring Car race and later, I think, a real blizzard delayed and shortened two more of the support races.

[elansprint72]

As referred to by Steve above; this was Easter 1975 at Oulton!

[Stephen W]

Yes, it definitely snowed at the 1973 International Trophy at Silverstone, as mentioned above. Ronnie Peterson was battling for the lead with Jackie Stewart and, as shown in the photos posted by Rob, he lost it in a snow flurry at Becketts. The first photo shows him getting going again but, by that time, the Tyrrell had long gone.
A few months later, in slightly warmer weather, the same two battled in both 'parts' of the Grand Prix. JYS seemed to have the measure of Ronnie through Maggots, Becketts and on to Hangar Straight but, in the restarted race, Ronnie shut the door at Stowe, helping the Tyrrell into its own spectacular spin.
The April weather at the International Trophy was really cold - we were down at Club. It snowed in the Touring Car race and later, I think, a real blizzard delayed and shortened two more of the support races.

I was at Stowe for both meetings. At the International we all huddled at the back of the stand to keep out of the snow but still had to resort to some plastic sheeting to keep dry. I remember the JYS/Peterson incident like it was yesterday. The sight of the huge airbox on the Tyrrell driving round in the crops is as vivid now as it was on the day - I still chuckle at Jackie's misfortune!

[Barry Boor]

The memory of the Tyrrell airbox in the crops is very clear to me too but that was from the Grand Prix.

[alansart]

I was marshalling between Copse and Maggotts for the 73 Int Trophy. It was difficult to look at the track as the snow was blowing into my face. God, was it cold

[mgtd]

I was marshalling between Copse and Maggotts for the 73 Int Trophy. It was difficult to look at the track as the snow was blowing into my face. God, was it cold

In the back of the old startline grandstand.
Extremely character forming!!

[d j fox]

Not quite mid race, but I went to one of the last CART races at Nazareth Speedway in April of 2000 for qualifying on the Saturday, and saw Juan Pablo Montoya destroy the opposition with one flying lap in blazing sunshine.
Getting up early to go to the race on the Sunday and looking out of the window I could not believe the 3 inches of snow in our part of Pennsylvania!
I even asked my wife to tell me if she could see the same thing!
Race was subsequently rescheduled in May.

[D-Type]

Dit it ever snow at a Boxing Day Brands Hatch meeting? I remember a Motor Sport cover that looked like snow, but it turned out to be salt!

[Macca]

The 1979 Race of Champions at Brands was scheduled for March but had to be postponed due to snow and ice - I'd pre-ordered my ticket but couldn't go to the re-scheduled date at Easter so had to get a refund.

Paul M

[Sisyphus]

As referred to by Steve above; this was Easter 1975 at Oulton!

I severely sunburned myself many days at Riverside (CA) but also got sleeted on one January at a NASCAR race which I thought was rather amusing. It wasn't as deep as the snow at Oulton but was definitely white and cold!

I believe it was 1980 when Dan Gurney came out of retirement to run one last race but I may be a year off (I'm always a little off...)

Edited by Sisyphus, 02 December 2010 - 20:28.

[rdmotorsport]

There was a British F3 race at Silverstone live on BBC in the mid-80s, with thick-ish snow making it highly entertaining. I remember Johnny Dumfries (aka John Crichton-Stuart, 7th Marquess of Bute) was a contender, which would have made it 1984. Most memorably, Murray Walker remarked that the spinning pink car at the rear of the field was "Roxie Lott, and American GIRL racer" (with emphasis on the word 'girl'). I have it somewhere on VHS, but wonder whether the thick snow was actually just a bad recording...

Actually it was the previous F3 at Silverstone it snowed a joint F2 International and then Marlboro F3, Roxie appeared in the following race some 4 weeks later and it was my car she spun ,although why we will never know,claimed the car was to blame however we tested at the same circuit the following week with Val Mussetti and he found little problem in getting around.

I think the occasion got to Roxie who went on to become a commercial pilot in the States but sadly died of cancer some 10 years past.

I would love to have a copy of that VHS tape,

Murray Walker went on to say "Roxie as really had her Lott now"!

Rodney Dodson

[PMac]

Actually it was the previous F3 at Silverstone it snowed a joint F2 International and then Marlboro F3, Roxie appeared in the following race some 4 weeks later and it was my car she spun ,although why we will never know,claimed the car was to blame however we tested at the same circuit the following week with Val Mussetti and he found little problem in getting around.

I think the occasion got to Roxie who went on to become a commercial pilot in the States but sadly died of cancer some 10 years past.

I would love to have a copy of that VHS tape,

Murray Walker went on to say "Roxie as really had her Lott now"!

Rodney Dodson

Hi Rodney,

Thanks for filling in those interesting details. Funny how time plays ticks with the memory (probably the most-used phrase on TNF!). Sad to hear of Ms Lott's premature demise. The next time I'm up at my mother's in Ipswich I shall sift through the boxes she has been storing for me (since 1988!) and see how that tape has survived.
Best wishes,
Peter

[Doug Nye]

I recall a VSCC April meeting at Silverstone in the 90s helping run a D-Type when it snowed for the big sports car race. Was it the 1960 Gerrman GP meeting on the south circuit at Nurburgring - for F2 cars - that included a vast variety of weather, including sleet, rain, fog and snow flurries...or was that a proper EifelRennen? I know there was something oddball about it. An early Pau GP was run in falling snow surely? And then there were the snowbound lake ice races in Sweden just post WW2. I'm sure these have been covered here before...

DCN

[Alfie]

I was marshalling between Copse and Maggotts for the 73 Int Trophy. It was difficult to look at the track as the snow was blowing into my face. God, was it cold

Ha ha, I was in the fire tender at Copse with Arthur Dickens, and we got told off for keeping the engine running so that we could use the heater!

Easter Monday 1967 WD&HO Wills F2 Trophy meeting. Cycled from Buckingham, started out in snow, turned to rain, by the time we got to Silverstone, the sun was coming out and by midday we all had our tee shirts off enjoying the warmth!

[Tony Matthews]

Dit it ever snow at a Boxing Day Brands Hatch meeting? I remember a Motor Sport cover that looked like snow, but it turned out to be salt!

Yes it did, several of us drove down there, I can't remember if we towed a racing Mini down with us, but when we arrived we were confronted by a couple of inches of snow and not much else.

[ExFlagMan]

As referred to by Steve above; this was Easter 1975 at Oulton!

I think I might well be in this photo. It's probably taken about the time that some bright spark decided that it would be a good idea to roll a giant snowball round the track to help clear the snow, I think the idea was to get it to as far as Dentons and then let gravity take over and see if it would make into the lake between Cascades and Knicker Brook under its own steam.

It all started out ok but the snow was deeper than we anticipated and by the time we got to Old Hall said snowball was at least 6ft in diameter and pretty heavy. At this point we decided to roll it off the track while we could still move it and use it as a base for a giant snowman, which was duly built. I think I may have seen a photo of the snowman but cannot remember where.

[Phil Rainford]

I should know ( because I went to the meeting )......if it snowed on the Thursday how did they decide on the grids for the Friday?

PAR

Edited by Phil Rainford, 03 December 2010 - 20:28.

[Rob G]

An early Pau GP was run in falling snow surely?

Yes, that was in 1933. That must have been quite a sight.

[ExFlagMan]

I should know ( because I went to the meeting )......if it snowed on the Thursday how did they decide on the grids for the Friday?

PAR

Cannot remember, though the Touring Cars did get one practice session in on the Thursday morning before it started snowing.
Not sure if there was time for the rest to practice on the Friday morning as I seem to remember that us marshals spent about an hour driving our cars round on the Friday morning to try and clear the remaining snow off the track.

[Coxy the Bear]

I've been through the 2 extremes on Easter Weekend, Brands, sunburn and sunstroke. Then the year they launched the Volvo 850 Estate in BTCC, we arrived at Thruxton to sunshine, followed by rain, then sleet, hail and finally snow. The wind was absolutely bitter. I also recall the British Rallycross GP at Brands being run as a time trial due to thick fog. I was standing in the middle of druids and couldn't see the entrance to the knife edge!

[Phil Rainford]

The wind was absolutely bitter. I also recall the British Rallycross GP at Brands being run as a time trial due to thick fog. I was standing in the middle of druids and couldn't see the entrance to the knife edge!

A Rallycross at Longridge was called of mid/meeting one year due to heavy snow. As I had to wait three hours for my Dad to come and pick me up I had to attempt some SAS survival techniques


PAR

[arttidesco]

Ralph, I'm sure you're right. I was so cold by the time the main event came along that my brain must have frozen. I have very few memories of the race, apart from Scheckter's engine expiring in a cloud of steam, and being highly elated when Tom won.

I remember the steam powered Tyrrell, being happy that Tom won, being amazed that John Watson's in the Matchbox Surtees came second ahead of Peterson and Ickx in the JPS '72's and stunned that Bob Evans BRM was not only running but finished 6th in the wonderfully named and even better sounding patriotically painted Stanely BRM ! It took me a week to thaw out IIRC.

[rdmotorsport]

Hi Rodney,

Thanks for filling in those interesting details. Funny how time plays ticks with the memory (probably the most-used phrase on TNF!). Sad to hear of Ms Lott's premature demise. The next time I'm up at my mother's in Ipswich I shall sift through the boxes she has been storing for me (since 1988!) and see how that tape has survived.
Best wishes,
Peter

cheers Peter

[Thundersports]

A Easter BOSS race at Brands in the late 90s had fairly hard snow mid race, I imagine the vision of winner Tony Worswicks Jordan was fairly alarming amongst the backmarkers!

[JackMcFadden]

Hi:
On October 8, 1978, the Canadian Grand Prix, Gilles Villeneuve's first F1 win, it was snowing lightly. Of course, he being a snowmobile champion, that was nothing new.

cheers,

Jack

[john medley]

It doesnt snow much in Australia, but twice I have seen snow while racing -- once at Winton in May and once at Goulburn in July. I recall studying with interest the typical snowflake splashes on my visor before returning to the pits to find a snow cover there sufficient to disguise the colour of my tow car.

Between Goulburn and Yass on the way home the fields were all white except for the colour of all the errant vehicles that had departed the road and were lodged in the scenery.

[eldougo]

It snowed one Easter Saturday during practice for the Thruxton Euro F2 race and of course on more than one occasion we had snow during the Easter F5000 race at Oulton Park. However neither of these were none championship F1 races - if only!

I think it was 1976 it was very cold and i remember asking so what tyres do we use now ???

[lympog]

Thanks again for all the replies folks.
Greatly appreciated.

[Graham Clayton]

The Motorcraft Quality Parts 500 NASCAR race scheduled for the 14th of March, 1993 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway was postponed to the 20th of March due to the Great Blizzard that hit the East Coast of the United States. The Speedway received approximately 6 inches (10 cm) of snow, as well as strong winds.

The Carolina 500 NASCAR race scheduled for the 1st of March, 1980 at the Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina was postponed to the 9th of March due to heavy snowfalls.

[smbrm]

Hi:
On October 8, 1978, the Canadian Grand Prix, Gilles Villeneuve's first F1 win, it was snowing lightly. Of course, he being a snowmobile champion, that was nothing new.

cheers,

Jack

Yes, I agree with this observation. Gille went to the front and it started to snow or was it the other way around!!!

[Graham Clayton]

Snow fell during the first race of the opening round of the 1970 Guards European F5000 championship, at Oulton Park on the 27th of March.

[eldougo]

Not a race meeting but the press day for NEW Arrows F1 team 1978 at Silverstone.
Copy right Motoring News.
Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[Barry Boor]

Are you sure that's not a Shadow, Doug.

[Giraffe]

Are you sure that's not a Shadow, Doug.

A Shadow of it's former self. I remember that pic in Autosport & Motoring News in period.

[eldougo]

YES ,Iam sure it not a Shadow Barry ;) i was in the workshop just up the road at Northampton working the real Shadow it was a week before the Trophy race it was very cold even on race day.

Edited by eldougo, 27 September 2011 - 08:23.

[stevewf1]

A CART race at Nazareth was snowed out sometime in the late 90s. I believe it was in early April and I seem to remember there being 2 inches of snow on the track on race day.

Opening day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1992 was hampered by snow showers (I've lived in Indiana all my life and the weather here in May can be all over the place).

And I remember that Blizzard that hit the Southeast in 1993. That was called the "Storm of the Century".