FJHRA / HSCC “Millers Oils” UK Championship Round 11, August 9th
Mallory Park is not for the faint hearted

After a break of some years, the HSCC returned to one of the few original 1950’s circuits that remain – with lakes, earth banks and deceptively fast corners. While those FJ drivers who have ‘graduated’ part time to the HGPCA, with Lotus 18’s and 21’s, were fog bound in the Nurburgring paddock, a strong 37 car FJ entry forgathered in the Leicestershire sun, with the entry split, front and rear, into 2 races.
Front engined practice set the scene for the day, and lasted but 10 minutes, as Chris Featherstone in the ex-Grimshaw ex-Dixon Gemini II, came to halt in the middle of the Esses with clutch failure, but not before fastest man, Jack Woodhouse (Elva 100) had the bolts of his rear wheel shear as he rounded Devil’s Elbow, fortunately the 3 wheeler ending the right way up on the infield with Jack having gasped enough breaths for the moment!!  Surprise second quickest, was Bill Grimshaw in the Moorland, heartened by his Silverstone run, and having eacked out even more power from the BMC motor.  Indeed it was a BMC 1.2.3 with Crispian Besley 3rd, ahead of the next three ‘Fords’, Robin Longdon making a welcome return to the UK scene in his Mk2 Lola, Stuart Tizzard back with new motor in his similar car, and David Stevenson in the U2, though he was docked a grid place for passing under the yellow.  Justin Fleming and Duncan were the other two to beat the ‘minute’, ahead of Roger Dexter’s gorgeously pop popping Elva DKW, and the Bond.
Next practice was for the rear engined brigade, and it did look as though Sam Wilson on 51.675s would give Jon Milicevic on 51.306s a run for his money. Simon Armer in the third of the T59’s just headed Denis Welch in the Merlyn 5/7 – It would have been Denis’ first race at Mallory Park for nearly 2 decades, but sadly a dropped valve put paid to his day.  Chris Drake headed Class D in the Elva 300, well in front of F3 Euro Series racer Callum Macleod, making his second race in the Caravelle Mk II, with John Boyes in the Lotus 20 close behind.  In Class C, John Hutchison was back in front, in the absence of Benn Simms, though Stuart Rolt was about, advising the Caravelle team, as Callum had had a lengthy pit stop with a misfire, with Mike O’Brien fiddling under the bonnet, but had got away again, all seemingly well again.
Crispian Besley had a bit of a rush to swap cars, giving the ex Art Valdez, T56 Cooper its debut, with a second spot in class, and it was good to see Tim Bishop and the “Connaught transporter” back with the Sauter, with Josie and Harry in attendance, before it heads off to a hill climb gathering in its “home” country Switzerland.  Tim was also running the DKW saloon.
Also welcome returnees were Simon Hamilton (Lotus 18) and George Cooper (Cooper T59) - the latter also practising in the CRC race,  Kevin Whittle with Renault gearbox repaired and new radius arms sans rose joints on the 18 – sadly he holed the sump on the paddock tarmac – perhaps the ride height needs raising...??  Finally, new boy Malcolm Wishart from Glasgow, who has acquired the original T65 Cooper from George Cooper, was running in Invitation class H with 1100 BMC motor, but Imp F3 gearbox.  Malcolm intends to get the car back to correct 1000cc F3 specification next year, but might revert to alternative FJ spec if the correct engine and gearbox can be procured; nonetheless he thoroughly enjoyed the chance to give the car its first run, in the friendly FJ company, albeit with some engine tuning clearly needed.
As said, the disruption to the front engined practice was a sign of things to come, as the first race for “Historic” saloons came to a halt and a long delay thereafter, with a Mini through the Armco.  Next up were the Historic Formula Fords – I always thought that this was for pre-1971 Formula Fords, but with creeping dates it now seems that 1971 Merlyn 20A’s, Lola T200’s, and this year Elden Mk 8 or even 8/10 predominate.  The latter seem to have literally expanded out of the woodwork, so no doubt Amanda Whitaker, who was involved in both major incidents in the race, will find another to replace the one that was reduced to a bare monocoque with a barrel roll down the pit lane, following a post red flag incident, the earlier accident had left BSCC man Westie Mitchell and Diogo Ferrao hard into the bank on the outside of Gerrards, Westie with two damaged vertebrae [but, a week later, out of hospital]
Mark you the front engine FJ’s didn’t actually excel themselves. After a near two hour delay, a 10 minute sprint was run, but sadly it didn’t even last that long.  Up front Robin Longdon’s Lola was the early leader, after Bill Grimshaw had taken the initial lead, as Jack Woodhouse, although now with a four wheeled Elva after much hard work that had benefitted from the delayed programme, was taking things just a little cautiously after the practice incident.  It was still, nose to tail stuff, with Longdon, Besley and Tizzard right together, while Grimshaw stood back a fraction, ahead of Jack.  However it was just behind that the incident occurred, as, coming out of Gerrards, Justin Fleming (Elva 100) followed by the singularly faster than practice, Bond, were lapping Gordon Wright (Stanguellini) and then David Stevenson (U2), who had lost a lap in a spin, when Justin found himself with a wheel in the grass, spun back in front of David, they touched, and Justin performed a double barrel roll, fortunately both proving the strength of his roll bar, and landing the right way up, with all wheels intact – luckily physically no worse than requiring a visit to the medical room, and an unexpected stay locally, before towing home the next day – But if that was not enough, the red flag was, again, slow in appearing, and as Gordon Wright stopped on the grid for a possible restart, David, heading for the pit lane, was unsighted and they came together, fortunately with only bodywork damage.
Despite the short race there had been another race long dice between Paul Dixon (Gemini II-Ford), Roger Dexter and Duncan in the Alexis, with Duncan eventually picking off  firstly Roger round Gerrards and then Paul into the hairpin.  Behind came Paul Hewes (Lola Mk2) and Vern Williamson in the Scorpion, now back with its original 1000cc Ford engine, and heading for Tuesdays test day at Goodwood.  Just as all the excitement was taking place, Jan Biekens was quietly retiring his Stanguellini on the outside of Gerrards with a rough sounding engine – [N.B The Motoring News report which has Jan doing the barrel roll is wholly in error.]
No problem for Crispian Besley changing cars this time, but the rear engine FJ’s did eventually get away for their 10 minute sprint, and it was a little processional, not that it ever looked that way, as, with a 51.194s lap, - lappery was soon under way. Sam Wilson was no match for Jon Milicevic, while Simon Armer was a similar distance adrift, as was Chris Drake, comfortably ahead of the Caravelle II, although one is sure that when the car and Martin engine are fully sorted, Callum will provide sufficient threat! Roll on Goodwood 2010!
Poor Crispian had not realised that John Hutchison was class leader, coming home only 0.006 secs adrift, after a splendid debut race, while Tim Bishop had snatched 3rd class place from Lorraine Gathercole (1000cc Lotus 18), only for the gear selector to snap, despite being a hardened steel replacement – and he trickled into the pits after 5 laps.  George Cooper took the flag, but a gear had stripped, which might even abort their planned NZ trip: that would be sad for George, and Carol, who was enjoying the day in the sun: it was nice to see her back smiling again.  Further back Simon Hamilton (Lotus 18), Richard Utley (Caravelle I) and David Grunberg (Lotus 20) were all enjoying themselves, while Sue Spence, with Andrew in support, had another good race in the Elva 200, ahead of Malcolm Wishart, pleased to have taken the flag.
Despite all the troubles it was a jolly joint prizegiving with Crispian’s ‘Freedom Beer’, and heartfelt to see Justin, escaped from the medical centre, standing at the back, supported by Wendy and Christian.
The Guards Trophy race had already been dropped from the schedule, but the remaining races did eventually run as 10 minute sprints; in the CRC race Peter St Barbe won the 4 car 1000cc F3 class in his Tecno, after Chris Holland’s BT18 broke a drive shaft in practice.

DCPR