Front Engined Race

This race had the makings of a real epic – all the really fast and committed combinations of cars and drivers – Longdon,  Roach, Walker, Woodhouse – we were in for a stormer were we not? Sadly – not really – read on.
Practice
The grid order contained the usual suspects but what was perhaps surprising was the margin Robin Longdon had over the rest -  1.7 secs -  an excellent driver and car – but even Robin modestly claimed to be astonished – Jack Woodhouse continued to impress with 2nd position with Stuart Roach 3rd and Derek Walker suffering engine maladies for 4th.
Race
Sadly, Jack Woodhouse had a hub shaft break in practice – 1 front runner gone.
John Fyda’s U2 broke a half shaft leaving the line.
Never mind, Stuart Roach was on a distinct mission and he and Robin set off as if they both meant business (which I imagine was indeed the case) – to everyone’s great disappointment (including I suspect Stuart) Robin didn’t come round on lap 3 – I’m told that he went building sandcastles – I think at that aberration – the chicane at Knickerbrook.
Derek Walker who kind of knows his way round Oulton continued with an off song engine and finished a distant 2nd. In 3rd place after a splendid drive came Andrew Tart in the marvellous Bond with Stephen Barlow 4th in his BMC Huffaker.
The Elva 100 pair of Geoffrey O’nion and Peter St Barbe both retired at half distance while Bill Grimshaw’s unique Moorland had a coming together which neatly removed his nose (the Moorland’s that is) – I hope he finds it!

So, in summary -  a race which looked full of promise but in which the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune conspired against us.
Millers Oils had very kindly provided their hospitality suite for unemployed FJHRA members to watch the racing – it was therefore particularly appropriate that Robin and Sue presented the prizes.
A wonderful touch at prizegiving was masterminded by Derek Walkers two delightful daughters who had conspired in secret to present him with a Trophy to mark 50 years of his participation at Oulton Park – they had also laid on cakes and champagne – no better way for FJHRA to celebrate and no better reason could we have to celebrate our mutual comradeship.

Lt Col Bob Birrell

Rear Engined Race

Distinctly Autumnal weather conditions prevailed, with frequent very heavy rain squalls and fierce winds taking charge of several paddock tents. However the track was dry, in the most part, for the Saturday practice session for the rear engines FJ cars of classes C,D&E and Michael Hibberd uncompromisingly put his marker down with a pole position time of 1:54.553 in his Lotus 27.

Unfortunately John Fyda’s Lotus 22 engine blew spectacularly after just 2 laps and Edwin Jowsey having a rare, but welcome FJ race lasted but one lap longer before he spun heavily into the tyres at Knickerbrook, which destroyed his Lotus 22 front suspension. Linden Brand’s Lotus 22 was also retired after 3 laps whilst Richard Utley’s Caravelle Mk1 completed 7 laps but was also a non starter in the race.
Jon Milicevic made an exceptionally rare excursion off track on lap 7 so he immediately pulled into the paddock to check for underside damage and thankfully all was OK.
Meanwhile Callum Mcleod made hay while the sun shone (briefly) and put Richard Utley’s class D Caravelle Mk2 onto 2nd grid spot with a time of 1:54.794.
Benn Simms in Stuart Rolt’s Elva 200 annexed class C leading position with 1:56.591 and good enough for 5th place, which became effectively 4th due to Jowsey’s DNS.
Mark Woodhouse led the family bid for glory, his Lotus 20/22 ahead of Chris Chilcott’s Lotus 20 and they completed the first 3 grid rows for Sunday’s race.

Sunday morning’s weather was, if anything, worse than the previous day ~ but, much as forecast, at 11am the last rain squall hurtled through leaving blue sky although still strong SW wind.  Apparently this year the race entries were the largest ever for the prestigious Gold Cup meeting and this was evidenced by competitors spread about in the general car park, the two camping fields and even in the trailer park behind the café.
Your scribe watched proceedings from the inside bank overlooking Cascades where this fine location also gives sight of the exit from the first corner Old Hall and the entry to Lakeside, plus views of the cars climbing to Hilltop having rounded the Shell curve.
During the previous race a large quantity of oil went down on the exit of Old Hall and although this was well dressed it had a significant effect on the FJ race.

The start was dramatic to say the least - the quick start grid got out of order  , probably due to the "gap" that was left by Edwin Jowsey's non start and it seems that some marshals were still on the grid trying to sort it out when the lights started the race - it wasnt helped by a large quantity of cement dust which obscured vision as the grid set off. - thankfully no one was hurt but the situation and sequence of events will be investigated in detail.

Milicevic made a lightning start from the 2nd row to get past Mcleod and with M.Woodhouse and Simms in tow they caught Hibberd on the rush into Old Hall, where Hibberd found himself on an outside line which took him straight through the oil dressing and he was enveloped in a huge cloud of blinding & choking dust which filled his helmet, causing him to back right off and lose fourteen places as a result. In the first two laps after a tardy start John Sykes, out at last in the Merlyn Mk5/7 recently bought from Denis Welch, passed Robert Barrie’s Lotus 18 and Peter Strauss in Col Bob Birrell’s Brabham BT6 but dropped back later and was passed by the Lotus 22 of Peter Anstiss. John Delane was also on the move getting his Lotus 18 ahead of Kevin Musson’s similar machine. Andrew Roberson made up an astonishing 9 places during the opening lap in his Crossle 4F but faded thereafter as did George Cooper’s Cooper T59 which gained a few places only to gradually loose some of them as the race progressed. Meanwhile Strauss was in trouble with an engine malaise and he pulled off at Old Hall after 5 laps. Hibberd had by now scythed back up the order to lie 5th and Stuart Roach in your scribe’s Cooper T56 moved up as did Peter Mullen’s Kieft. Yazaburo Baba’s Foglietti got between Roach and Mullen on lap 6 but he was not able to make an impression on Roach who was closing on Chilcott.
David Woodhouse was giving his lovely Dolphin International an airing and the Spence family & friends were urging Sue’s efforts in the Elva 200. It was good to see that Stephen Futter’s Lotus 20 Renault gearbox lasted the race but sadly Malcolm Wishart’s Cooper T65 dropped onto 3 cylinders although he did finish the race.
First to see the chequered flag after 8 laps was Milicevic untroubled by Macleod who was10 secs behind, with Simms a good way back in 3rd place.

Robin Longdon and Col Bob Birrell conducted prize giving as follows.
1st Overall and 1st Class E,     Jon Milicevic, Cooper T59, 1:54.440
2nd                    1st Class D,    Callum Mcleod, Caravelle, 1:55.717
3rd                     1st Class C,    Benn Simms, Elva 200, 1.56.904  

2nd Class E,                             Mark Woodhouse, Lotus 20/22
3rd                                           Michael Hibberd, Lotus 27 

2nd Class D,                             Chris Chilcott, Lotus 22
3rd                                            Stuart Roach, Cooper T56

2nd Class C,                             Peter Mullen, Kieft
3rd                                            Robert Barrie, Lotus 18

1st Class H,                              George Cooper, Cooper T59, 2:08.998
2nd                                            Malcolm Wishart, Cooper T65

After which the cars were packed up quickly because by then many F3-500s were swarming around waiting to take our paddock places for their own race on Monday. 

The Cooper Cockpit Commentator,                                                      31.08.10