Formula Juniors at Prescott Hill Climb 23rd July 2006

The Bugatti Owners Club and the Cooper Car Club extravaganza to mark the 60th anniversary of the Cooper marque.

The first appearance of a Cooper was at Prescott on July 28th 1946 and eventually led to World Championships in 1959 & 1960 and 60 years later over 60 various models, including 8 Formula Juniors, gathered to celebrate everything past & present Cooper.
The competing Juniors were well represented by:-
T56s from Don Thallon, Barry Hargreaves in Peter Denrty’s car and your scribe’s car also being shared by Richard “Woody” Neale President of the Cooper Car Club.
T59s were those of Steve Smith, Martin Sheppard finally getting out at last with his car and Alan Biggar.
Additionally, on display, Antony Binnington’s T67 and Neil Perkins T56.

On the previous evening most of us walked the course, all the while discussing the finer points of aiming for this or that marker or exactly where to clip an apex and came to the conclusion that the track was so narrow that a middle course was most sensible in view of the fact that most of us had never done a hill climb before.

First practice was marred by rain and we were all cautiously slow but began to get the feel of it in second practice, which was by now dry in most places. Steve Smith was fastest man so far with Don Thallon not far off. There was a very high tech system of four computer terminals in a small hut, which by simply entering your number gave you the time immediately after your run. Even your scribe who is a fully signed up technophobe was able to use it !

Because of the huge entry swelled by all the Coopers the activity continued without pause for lunch. However there was a demonstration session for non competing  Coopers so Anthony Binnington took his car up and Alan Biggar’s car had Anthony Hood aboard who is the grandson of Kurt Lincoln the car’s first owner. Your scribe was very honoured to have his car driven by John Rhodes who raced T56s in period for the MRP team and this was the first time since 1961 that he had driven one.

The T56 of Neil Perkins remained static under the guardianship of Jonathon Hall who restored it but is too long in limb to fit the cockpit. However this was the first time that this car and your scribe’s sister Tyrrell team car had been together since 1961.

Timed sessions followed and Steve showed us the way, recording 51.66 seconds on his first run. This proved to be the class winning time because most of us were slower on the second run due to some oil in places.
Unfortunately on the last session Alan Biggar whacked a barrier to the detriment of his car but he came away with only hurt pride.

The finishing order was thus:-
Steve Smith          51.66
Don Thallon         53.30
Alan Biggar          54.75
Barry Hargreaves  56.01
Richard Neale       56.76
Peter Jackson        59.73
Martin Sheppard   60.31

                                                         Peter Jackson, the Cooper Cockpit Correspondent