HSCC Mallory Park 6^th October 2002 F J Race

Report By Stan Hibberd

Historic FJ cars were first to practice on a fine Sunday morning, the circuit was damp in places on arrival but dried rapidly in time for our session.The pace was soon evident as the faster cars got down to business, laps of 51 to 52 seconds were soon being recorded by the quick cars, Edwin Jowsey Lotus 22 set the pole time of 51.229 an average speed of 94.86 mph, close second was Robin Longdon's Lola 5A with a lap in 51.389, third Mike Hibberd Lotus 22 51.587, then the Cooper T59 of Steve Smith 51.938, Neil Dawes Lotus 20/22 52.363 was in fifth, Alan Baillie in his Lotus 27 completing the top six with a 53.736, The front engined runners were headed by Derek Walker in his Terrier Mk1V who came into the pits with problems on the eleventh lap of practice, he loaded the car onto the trailer straight after the session, Bill Grimshaw was next in the class in his Gemini Mk11, then Diggory in the Lightning , followed by the Kieft F3 500 of Reg Hargraves, sixteen drivers took part in the qualifying session, Len Selby was unable to sort out his water pump problems in time to take part , but was allowed to practice for three laps in a later single seater session to qualify.First Race of the afternoon was expected to be a blistering affair, as the cars lined up in the assembly area pole man Edwin Jowsey was stopped from joining the grid, the Scrutineer judging his 22 to be excessively noisy, his pit crew had the silencer fitted in time for him to start from the rear of the grid.The start was soon dealt with no green flag lap being deemed necessary, so it was Robin Longdon Lola first into Gerards with a whole gaggle of cars on his tail, at the end of the first lap Mike Hibberd held a slender lead in his 22, only for him to lose traction and two places on oil (perhaps from the Selby Cooper) at the Hairpin, so Robin Longdon was back in front closely shadowed by the Steve Smith Cooper T59, these two not to be seriously challenged until the end, Edwin Jowsey was scything through the field after starting from the back and on the twelfth lap caught and passed Neil Dawes for fourth place and Mike Hibberd into third place, but that was it, his exhaust mistake had left him too much to do, the leaders had it well under control so Robin Longdon Lola won a well judged race some 2secs clear of Steve Smith in the T59, Edwin Jowsey another 2 secs. away in third after an impressive drive, Hibberd and Dawes fourth and fifth in their Lotus's, Mussa and Baillie also in Lotus cars next the last finishers on the same lap as the leaders, Reg Hargrave had a lonely drive to eighth spot in the Kieft, Bill Grimshaw Gemini won the front engined class, just, in front of Crispian Besley Elva 100, fastest lap was recorded by Edwin Jowsey 51.530 on lap eleven of the race, it was indeed a blistering race as expected, Duncan remarked at the prize giving that it was quite terrifying to be lapped by the four leaders in a bunch, (he had to endure it twice !! ) another close FJ race run at a very fast pace, in front of the usual Mallory decent sized crowd of spectators.

Stan Hibberd