MALLORY PARK, 11th MARCH 2007

The opening round of the Millers Oils Historic Formula Junior Championship got off to a fine start with half-way decent weather. Most welcome, especially compared to this meeting last year when icicles were hanging and sleet was howling past us.

The 750 Club had organized a busy day and the favourable weather assisted the timetable with only a few disruptions in some of the preceding races. This meant that both FJ Qualifying and Race were thankfully only a little later than published.

Twenty four entered and all but David Hall in the ex Phil Weng BMC Mk2
(the engine of which was still with Peter Lander down at Sigma Engineering in Gillingham, Dorset ~~~ too many Jaguar engines, Peter) turned up, including some new cars and some new members. Unfortunately some regulars were not present due to the fact that cars were in transit back from South Africa or awaiting licences etc.
The faster class, C2, was hardest hit by absentees, which contrasted with the quantity and quality of class C1.

New cars were the Jolus, an Australian built car, clearly Lotus inspired, recently brought from USA by John Tweedale and the, also Australian, Essankay with it’s Skoda engine from that doyen of non mainstream cars Tim Bishop and debuted here by family member Tony Martindale. Tim tells me that it barely makes the weight limit and the mostly aluminium engine is presumably key to this.

New members were John Dowson racing his ex Ken Aylett Elva 200, David Grunberg trying out his Lotus 20 also just in from the USA, Brian Arculus with the ex Linstone Emeryson now in period colours and Bill Colaric (“BJ” to friends & family on account of there being some half dozen of his siblings & relations also named Bill) who has acquired the ex Graham Little Elva 100. Last and least, but only in terms of cylinder capacity, was an interesting French F3 500 machine called the Cousy, which originally had a flat twin two-stroke shaft drive Violet engine with crankcase supercharging. This engine is sadly long gone so “JB” Jones has fitted a BSA engine,
but maybe Tim Bishop might recreate a Violet engine, he needs a new challenge !

Qualifying at the civilized hour of 12.30pm saw James Claridge claim pole with a 54.43secs driving Geoff Richardson’s Lola Mk5 on this cool day. This being the first outing for the car after the unfortunate prang at Cadwell, whilst on a magazine photo shoot, kept it off the tracks for all of last season and he put in 15 laps to settle both himself and the car. James was followed by last years Champion, John Truslove in his superfast Lola Mk2 only 0.31secs adrift. Steve Smith, Cooper T59, claimed 3rd place but only managed 3 laps because of a throttle cable malfunction. It was no surprise to find Derek Walker’s Terrier in 4th place, and sharing 3rd row with Sir John Chisholm in his lovely Gemini Mk3A was Crispian Besley’s rapid Elva 100 in 6th place.
The Crossle piloted as usual by Andrew Robertson nabbed a good 7th with a time of 56.95secs secured on the last of his 14 laps just ahead of Paul Davis in his Lotus 20. Kevin Musson’s 1 litre Lotus 18 was next and then came the first of the new cars, the Jolus with a very good 57.23 secs. Considering this car is freshly imported John Tweedale did well indeed and he will no doubt attend to the car’s minimal ground clearance, in due course.
Tim Bishop has evidently used the winter lay-off to good effect because the 2 stroke “Deek” Sauter was on song and he qualified midfield. Prof John Monson mentioned to me that he intends to concentrate his FJ races around his BMC this season and he captured 12th grid place just ahead of Paul Smeeth’s Elva 100 whose Lotus 22 original entry was one of those cars still on return from South Africa.
Rudolph Ernst was the last to break the 1minute mark in his Lotus 22, now clearly enjoying FJ racing along with his many other racing commitments.
Michael and Andrew Hibberd were on hand to mind Rudi’s car, now that their business premises move is completed and both of them were quite relaxed about not competing on this occasion. Our noble leader Duncan Rabagliati was next up with just over 1min in his much loved Alexis.
Tony Martindale qualified the Essenkay 16th and just I sec behind was Brian Arculus in the now smart looking Emeryson. Vern Williamson brought his very pretty Ausper all the way down from Scotland and qualified 18th. Steve Russell was the only class A1 entry with his beautiful Stanguellini but unfortunately the FIAT engine broke a rocker shaft after only 4 laps just as he was warming to the occasion.
Not unexpectedly, the last 4 places were taken by our newcomers. BJ’s Elva 100 was the fastest of these followed by John Dowson’s previously mentioned Elva 200 and
David Grunberg put 12 laps in with his nice Lotus 20 to complete the grid.
These three wisely feeling their feet carefully. Unfortunately the fascinating Cousy had a major engine problem after just 3 laps and JB sadly retired with perhaps the crankshaft remaining as the only moving part in the Beezer vertical twin engine.

During the several hours before the race Iain Rowley feverishly worked on Steve Russell’s FIAT engine and thankfully found enough parts to effect a very satisfactory repair. John Chisholm’s Gemini was found to have a generous quantity of oil in the tank, sufficient to escape into the undertray so copious rolls of mopping paper were consumed here. JB and his mechaniques were looking pretty miserable as they surveyed the Cousy’s ruined engine until I mentioned that less pushing time equalled more beer drinking time and they cheered up considerably and headed off to the bar.
Derek Walker generously donated a length of new cable to Steve Smith and soon the Cooper was running again. During qualifying John Truslove’s normally very reliable Lola Mk2 had spluttered for a few laps and this was traced to a dodgy spark plug.
Given that this was the first race of the season the attrition rate was splendidly low. 

So, come 4.30pm the only non partant was the Cousy. There was a complete green lap which no doubt settled the newer drivers but then as the red lights were extinguished James Claridge stormed off the line hotly pursued by Steve Smith. The pair closed at Shaw’s Hairpin and all through the Devil’s Elbow to emerge side by side over the line for lap 2. Steve kept the very tightest of lines on the entry into Gerrards whilst James took a slightly wider line and they remained side by side for what seemed an eternity until as the bend unwound Steve eased ahead and kept his head and his place for the remaining laps until raising his hand in delight as he crossed the line to win for the first time in Formula Junior.
Regular readers will know of my predisposition for Coopers so I must apologise to others when I say that most of my attention was on the leaders.
However as is usual in Formula Junior racing there were races within the race and last place is just as hotly contested as first place.
Maybe the cool temperatures were a factor but despite the battle between the first two cars, John Truslove and Derek Walker weren’t left for dead by any means and were close until Derek got past John who had a half spin at the Hairpin, finishing in that order just 2.6secs apart at the flag.
John Chisholm drove to a good 5th place in spite of unremitting pressure from Crispian Besley in his very fast Elva. Then Kevin Musson kept his Lotus 18 ahead of
Paul Davis’ later 20 model. Paul’s demon tweak of lubricating his high friction brake linings with high slip brake fluid no doubt contributing to this success.
These two were the last finishers on the lead lap.
Paul Smeeth beat Tim Bishop to the line by the very narrowest 0.2sec margin and John Monson brought the diminutive BMC in 11th behind them. Tony Martindale was cock-a-hoop when the Essenkay ran faultlessly and he beat Rudolf Ernst by I sec.
Duncan had a good dice with Brian Arculus until, with just one lap remaining, the gear lever came away in Brian’s hand and he coasted the Emeryson to a safe halt at the Devils Elbow. How he later cursed the original Ford Consul sourced item !
Vern Williamson’s Ausper and Steve Russell’s barking Stanguellini finished next a couple of laps in arrears and the last three finish places were taken by BJ’s Elva, then David Grunberg’s Lotus 20 and finally the Elva 200 of John Dowson.
Apart from Brian Arculus, there were two other non finishers. John Tweedale retired the attractive Jolus after only 2 laps with fueling concerns, which he later described to me as “nuts in the tank”, (Walnut or ¼” BSF, I know not !) and Andrew Robertson rapidly screeched to a halt on lap 11 at the pit exit, with some evidence of fluid escape and a whisp of smoke, the Crossle quickly retrieved by the ever alert marshals.

At prize giving Duncan Rabagliati officially welcomed the new members to Formula Junior racing and they were then initiated into the ritualistic post race consumption of the excellent Cobra beer so generously provided by Crispian Besley, as usual.
Steve Smith enjoyed the warm glow of success and Geoff Richardson basked in the reflected glory as the first two cars home were running his engines.

Next event is the Stoneleigh “Race Retro” (dreadful title) Historic Racing Car Show where the Formula Junior Historic Racing Association & the Cooper Car Club welcomes all friends & enthusiasts from 23rd to 25th March, to the stand.

This is followed by the second race of the series, at Donington Park on 15th April where we may expect a maximum entry in all classes as there are reserves already.
This race is on the Sunday but immediately prior to this is the first race of the mini-series for front engine only Juniors at Silverstone on the Saturday, the grid for which will be topped up with invited modest performance rear engine Juniors should there be availability.

Peter Jackson, the Cooper Cockpit Correspondent.            15.03.07