At the British GP meeting in 1963, Formula Junior were the support race, with Peter Arundell (Lotus 27) winning from Richard Attwood (Lola Mk 5A) – and to celebrate, Michael and Andrew Hibberd had worked all hours to have the race winning 27 completed, after a monocoque rebuild by Peter Denty, and Andrew Turvey brought along the ex-MRP Lola Mk5A.  These two cars, were joined for a nostalgic photo presentation on Saturday , by the late Peter Arundell’s son, Neil, who brought the Trophy that his father had won that day, while Richard Attwood spent a long time talking to our drivers; Kincraft F5000 and Trials car constructor Jack Pearce was with the Alexis Mk4, that Stuart Roach brought, albeit still hors de combat after drive shaft breakage at Brands Hatch; Len Selby over from France was reunited with his 1963 Lola Mk5A, owned for many years by M.Ian Robinson; Bryan Berrow Johnson, who attended with his son Martin, recounted tales of 500cc racing mechanicing for Stirling Moss, and then as owner of the first Roy Martin Special 500, before an FJ career with Lotus 18 and 20, and lastly the Mk5A Lola, now owned by Australian but NZ resident Peter Boel whose car was present, having travelled to Europe for the season; Peter Procter, with wife Shirley, Chairman of the Dog House Owners Club, alongside Anthony Binnington’s Cooper T67 ex-Peter Revson, which was the sister car to that which he drove in the ’63 race; and Alan Baillie’s 27, another, very original ex Ron Harris Team Lotus car, and ’63 Team driver John Fenning made his appearance on Friday; lastly, the North Star, raced in ’63 by the late Bill Belcher, now owned by Jeremy Bouckley.
So, with the presentation cars, 68 Formula Juniors assembled in garages 11 and 12 in the Old Paddock with a welcome overflow marquee opposite.  60 were to take part in qualifying practice, for what was believed to be 54 starting places – so the first drama came with the phone call at the close of qualifying informing us that the MSA steward of the meeting had decided that only 52 cars could compete on the GP circuit with Historic Abbey, notwithstanding that 54 cars had raced a year ago, and at the International Trophy in May – Duncan moved to the back of the reserves, but it still wasn’t very fair on the other unintended reserve: fortunately MSA’s John Symes intervened later in the day and our 54 car grid was restored.
Traditionally, the Juniors are out first on Friday for qualifying, and this year was no different.  A few had joined the testing on Thursday, although as usual the sessions featured a number of red flags as a reduced number of marshals are in attendance on testing day.  Fortunately the only drama being Pat Barford’s newly restored De Sanctis 010, ex Marco Antonucci’s, with a tightening camshaft bearing, but the EFAC-Stanguellini was substituted.
So the full 60 cars took to the track, and the scene for the weekend was firmly set by the top seven! – all within 0.5seconds of the fastest man Jon Milicevic in the familiar blue and white Cooper T59, with the two Hibberd’s, almost inseparable, followed by Methley (Brabham BT6), Peter Morton (Lightning Envoyette), Sam Wilson, second time out in the ex Dave Charlton Lotus 20 and James Murray in the ’63 race Roy Winklemann Lola 5A (when it had been driven by Alan Rees) – If one says that Denis Welch was in twelfth position, then this indicates the quality of the field! Simon Diffey’s Lotus 20 had a wheel stud problem, Andrew Thorpe pitted with mechanical problems, while Mark Pangborn’s troubled weekend started with a broken distributor.  Some impressive performances were seen in the Classes too, with Andrew Wilkinson’s very smart Lynx Mk3 just pipping John Chisholm’s Gemini Mk3A while Goodwood’s Jarrah Venables in the other Australian chassis, the NOTA, split several Class E cars.  Class C was going to be a close battle, with the newly restored Cooper T56 of Andrew Taylor just ahead of Crispian Besley’s similar car, while the U2 battle of the front engined cars saw Will Mitcham and Ray Mallock being split by Stuart Roach’s Alexis Mk2.  Julia de Baldanza propped up the rear with her beautiful OSCA, just landed in England, from Italy, with Italian mechanic Mario Villa.
And amongst all this, Autosport Club editor, Ben Anderson, was having a guest race in Vern Williamson’s Ausper T3, generously lent by Vern, with weekend support, equally generously provided by Dan Setford.  Ben is writing a two page article for Autosport, and was seen deeply engrossed with Duncan, Ray Mallock, Richard Attwood and others, while Ian Titchmarsh will provide an historic viewpoint.  Ben spent the whole weekend in the FJ pits and professed to be thoroughly enjoying the experience, albeit wishing that he had a Lotus 22 or similar to be mixing it with the front boys.
It was early starters again on Saturday for Race 1, with all 60 competing cars ready to roll, so the 6 reserves lined up, only to park up after the statutory first two laps. The race was 9 laps of pure thrill with Andrew Hibberd and Jon Milicevic driving as one, joined by a charging Sam Wilson, after catching up from the third row, while David Methley was a close 4th place, but not quite with the three leaders.  After early promise, Michael Hibberd fell back to 5th in the 27.  Sam was really motoring and the lead changed several times until Jon made a small error, but Andrew kept his cool and triumphantly led Sam across the line to much acclaim from commentators and crowd alike.  Pete Morton and James Murray also had a splendid race, clear of Jonathon Hughes, while Manfredo Rossi was the first of the continentals in a lonely 9th spot, with Caroline ending off piste.  John Chisholm was an excellent D2 winner ahead of Class E1 drives by Smeeton, Walford and Anstiss, but a hugely impressive Jarrah Venables was right behind Anstiss, clear of Wilkinson, who had spun.  Will Mitcham’s U2 misfiring returned, while Class B2 leader Ray Mallock just ground to a halt on the last lap, giving Stuart Roach victory from Justin Fleming’s Lola Mk2.  Class C2 was won this time by Besley from Taylor.  Ben Anderson had a bit of a lonely time in the Ausper, but held off Andrew Hayden’s Lotus 22.  Mark Pangborn was a spinner, while both Greg Audi (Lotus 22), and Mike Gregory (De Tomaso ISIS) over revved their engines and brought their weekends to a close, and George Cooper’s perennial engine problems continued with no oil pressure.
Thence followed the 50th Anniversary celebration and Race 1 prizegiving delivered by Duncan with special thanks to Sarah for her idea and effort in putting it all together.  The cars were all displayed in front of the garages and a large crowd gathered in the sunshine: however by early evening the outlook had worsened, and during the HGPCA pre 66 race a huge thunderstorm struck, covering the paddock with over 2” of water in less than half an hour – needless to say, racing was seriously disrupted thereafter.
Sunday morning, and it was the HFF’s who were the first out for a change, with a tremendous battle for 2nd, 3rd and 4th places behind a flying Callum Macleod in a Merlyn in the lead, Benn Simms was the unlucky one of the trio, finishing in 4th place in his veteran Alexis Mk 14. 
It was a mixed blessing for the Juniors at 11am as several drivers were held up in traffic extending back to ‘The Green Man’, but all made it, and sans Audi, Gregory and Cooper, this let in John Arnold’s Elva 100, Mauro Poponcini’s Cooper T76 F3 and Kevin Musson having his second ever race appearance in the front engined Dolphin GBR  ex David Latchford, with 1.0 Ford motor, for another full 54 car field – no GP drivers in the offing, although one of the interested spectators was Jo Ricciardo, father of Australian Torro Rosso F1 GP driver Daniel Ricciardo: Jo used to own and race the Cooper BMC T59 currently for sale by Glen Stewart-Richardson and was full of praise for this car.
On the screen, it looked like time stood still as the lights went out, but once the grid tail end was finally in place, it was Michael Hibberd into the first corner first but not long before son Andrew and Jon Milicevic had resumed positions at the front, and a charging Sam Wilson was also up with them.  Andrew held on well, but Sam was not giving place this time, and, taking advantage of backmarkers was ahead at the flag with Jon close on Andrew’s tail, and Dave Methley’s BT6 making up the quartet.  Denis Welch had spun off on the first lap, but rejoined dead last and drove an incredible race to come through to 13th at the flag, just ahead of Christian Traber (Lotus 22). Sadly a second lap melee saw Mark Pangborn (Lotus 20) a spinner again, leaving nowhere for poor Pete Morton (Lightning), while Andrew Wilkinson had Dowson BT2 tyre marks over his Lynx on his final lap, eliminating the latter (and like Pangborn, from the Nurburgring too). Andrew however continued to a D2 victory, just 2 seconds ahead of the flying NOTA of Jarrah Venables.  We look forward to seeing Silverstone Classic organiser, Nick Wigley, in this car at Goodwood later this year!  While the 3rd placed D2 James Hicks (Caravelle) kept just in front of the splendid Cooper T56 of Andrew Taylor – Crispian fought hard but the two Coopers were split by the Walford (22), Thallon (MRC) battle after Crispian developed gearbox grumbles, Crispian just holiding off Chisholm’s D2 Gemini 3A.
Will Mitcham’s U2 trundled into the pits after only one lap, still misfiring despite hours of work in the pits during the previous 24 hours by John Styles and other willing helpers including Sam Wilson, while the venerable Roger Dexter had over tightened one of the engine studs of the DKW, and the poor Elva lasted by 2 laps with overheating.  This all left a great battle between Ray Mallock and Stuart Roach, less than 0.2s apart at the flag, leaving Stuart to wish there was one more lap left to run.  Ben Anderson had another lonely race in Class but at least Arlette Muller ( 22 ) to chase. Kevin Musson again brought the Dolphin GBR home to the flag, ahead of David Bishop (Elva 100).
Race 2 prizes followed, and the cars were displayed again, sunshine having returned.  Sarah (with toddler Elena) kept everyone in order, Penny Wilson organised excellent FJ tea/coffee and homemade cakes and pies throughout the weekend, and an orderly departure as many cars headed off to Copenhagen, Croft or the Nurburgring.

DCPR