1980 Willhire 24 hours - Snetterton

[Groupc]

Hi everyone, I have unearthed 4 sets of negatives from the 1st Willhire 24 hour race in June 1980. I am now scanning them and want to put names to cars. The internet has drawn a complete blank in terms of any results and infuriatingly the corresponding issue of Autosport is not in my collection.

I wonder if a kind soul would please send me the results or perhaps even scan the pages from Autosport June 26th 1980.

From memory, I think Martin Brundle, Jonathon Palmer and Stirling Moss all drove.

Thanks in advance.

Julian

[josvandeperre]

Funnily enough as a prelude to all the programmes I'm about to sell the results are in my hand even as we speak - but no names....

Oh just found Autosport too.....

Just opened Autosport and found a load of other sheets

PM address and I'll mail copies

[Tim 27]

I was lucky enough to marshal at all of the Snett 24hr races, and although only 13 at the time in 1980 I was still allowed to sign on and act as 'Race Runner' as well as updating the old scoreboard on the inside of Russell every hour.
It was a gloriously hot weekend. I remember Stirling driving a VW Scirocco,shared with Tony Lanfranchi and Desire Wilson with sponsorship by Mayfair magazine.
Martin Brundle shared a Toyota Celica with his father John and brother Robin.
I'm sure John Cleland shared a Mitsubishi Colt with a certain E.Jordan, and I will never forget the little Alfasud (can't remember who drove it) under the 'Silly Suds' banner!
I stand to be corrected but I dont remember JP racing in the 24hr, although it is possible as this was the year he would have been doing FF1600 in that yucky brown RF80!

[Groupc]

I'm glad you mentioned Eddie Jordan, I was sure he was there too. Also I recognise Desire Wilson in one of the pit photos, she was teamed with Sir Stirling and Tony Lanfranchi and some others. In the 1st year it was a relay race with teams of 3 or 4 cars (I think), a sash had to be carried and handed over in car changeovers which (again all from memory so apologies for inaccuracies) took place behind the pits as the pit line was too narrow for teams of that many cars.

A very fond memory was being in the throng listening to Gerry Marshall and Tony Lanfranchi holding court in the bar around midnight - during the race - Tony had a pint of bitter in a jug and Gerry had 2 drinks on the go (Pils I think), when quizzed he said "it's a balanced diet, a drink in each hand" !

The next afternoon, having run out of film I was spectating on the outside of the 1st corner (I can never remember Snetterton corners). Suddenly the heavens opened and Tony Lanfranchi in the Mayfair Scirocco lost all control and understeered into the bank VERY hard right in front of me - the car was wrecked.

The next year was for single car teams. I was pit signaller/gopher for a Ford Capri team. During the night I was sent to scrounge some brake fluid, the only team I knew was Gerry Marshall's. He had a sumptuous marquee (!) with lights and power. As my appalling luck had it I arrived just in time for his car (it was his personal Capri he was driving in the Prod Saloon Championship) to be wheeled in having been rolled by a team mate - don't recall his name. Gerry was going absolutely berserk at the man.

Fortunately, a kind mechanic saw me approaching the incandescent Mr Marshall and pushed some brake fluid into my hands and ushered me to safety.

[VIVA GT]

[QUOTE=Tim 27]...
Martin Brundle shared a Toyota Celica with his father John and brother Robin.
...QUOTE]

As I remember (this being the first Willhire I spectated at), Martin Brundle actually won the Prodsaloons race which was held before the Willhire started in that Toyota too!

I also remember a three car Morgan team, Team British Bulldog (or something) who's reace support vehicles seemed to consist of ex-army vehicles, they were set up in the grassy part of the paddock, inside Russel.

They don't make nostalgia like they used to do they?

[DaveW]

I was lucky enough to marshal at all 15 Willhire races that took place between 1980 and 1994 and have some great memories. Whilst not one for keeping programs and results (not enough room) I am still regularly at the circuit and know a number of others who were involved with the event, so it's possible I might be able to come up with a full entry list and set of results - no promises though!

[DaveW]

Apparently it might be worth trying

Martin Hadwen
Motor Racing Archive
Mobile: 07885 792343
Email: racingarchive@btinternet.com
Website: www.motorracing-archive.com

[RTH]

I drove in the '84, '85, and '86 races and managed our team '87, '88, '89

The most fun racing we ever did , sadly missed when the competitor were priced out when the circuit owner trebled the weekend rent for the venue.

[Groupc]

Just a quick word of thanks to Jos van der Perre who has not only sent me a copy of the Autosport report, but even the BRSCC results sheet and some information sheets.

Truly very grateful for you kind help and the rest of the ten-tenthers who took the time to reply.

Now to 'tart them up' in photoshop and name them.

Cheers

Julian

[croydebay]

Hi, new to this forum. I have a TR7 raced in 4 of the Willhire 24hr races during the 80's by Dick Adams. Does anybody have results, info or photo's etc they could share with me?

[russell1]

Hello,

Can anyone help me with copies of the results [or second best the entry lists] for the Willhire 24 hours in 1981, 1982 and 1983. Great event. I competed in a Sunbeam 1600 ti and an Astra Gti twice. As a rally driver they always gave me the miserable midnight to 3.00am stint. Still the car went quicker in the cool night air!

Help would be appreciated.

Russell Brookes

[gfm]

The rally driver Rutherford in our team stuffed our little RX7 into the Russell bank, whatever year it was. It hadn't done any harm to anyone.
All that effort, main way through the night and ... bang! Go home, fun over. Mind you, that car was bog slow.
My only DNF in 4 24hr Snett races.

[terence]

It could'nt have been slower than the Skoda that did the whole race on a pad change! It went on to win it's class if memory serves well.What a shame we can't have the old circuit back!

[simon drabble]

I never went to watch it but a close family friend, Magaret Powney Jones and her husband Peter were quite involved in the running of it, in fact I think I am right in saying she was involved with Snetterton from its beginning. She has kept me amused on many occassions telling me about this race, a great shame its still not running.

[GBRM]

Agree with Simon, it was a great event and still have some videos and plenty of pictures of the early ones, was one of the best weekends of the year when I was a kid.

My late Dad finished 2nd in the first three events (twice in a Capri and once in a BM) and did a few more after that but never won it but still fantastic and a shame there's nothing similar (not sure about the Britcar).

[simon drabble]

Originally Posted by GBRM

My late Dad finished 2nd in the first three events (twice in a Capri and once in a BM) and did a few more after that but never won it but still fantastic and a shame there's nothing similar (not sure about the Britcar).

I would be fascinated to hear from anyone who has done both Britcar 24 hour and Willhire to see how they compare. I would like to think that Britcar has captured the spirit of it.

[GBRM]

Off the top of my head someone who certainly did the early Willhire was John Llewelyn and he also did the Britcar 24 hour 2/3 years ago (with Richard Cabburn and Guy Povey who both did late '80s/early '90s Willhires).

Has Mike Jordan done both?

I don't think any of them post on 10/10ths but I still keep in contact with John and Richard so I could ask them and then post their responses?

[terence]

One story springs to mind[I also happen to know that it is completely true!]
There was one team who hired a Sierra Cosworth for the weekend,got it back to the worshop,fitted a cage and used it for this event.Upon its return,the receptionist did remark on the state of the tyres.

[Andrew Kitson]

Originally Posted by simon drabble

I would be fascinated to hear from anyone who has done both Britcar 24 hour and Willhire to see how they compare. I would like to think that Britcar has captured the spirit of it.

Yes but it needs to be at Snetterton not Silverstone. Snett is the home of night time saloon car racing in the UK.

[Andrew Kitson]

Originally Posted by GBRM

Off the top of my head someone who certainly did the early Willhire was John Llewelyn and he also did the Britcar 24 hour 2/3 years ago
Has Mike Jordan done both?

Yes, didn't Mike win the Willhire in a BMW ( '91 ish?)

[snett fan55]

ALL the willhire 24 hr events were fantastic,I clearly remember trying to sleep from 9pm with the intention of wandering around the circuit at about 2 a.m.
However , on this occasionthe whole family were woken by an almighty crash at about midnight.Seems that the fog had descended (after a really warm day)and Gerry Marshall had gone off big time at Coram.This necessitated yellow flags all round the circuit,and I remember my boys blaming me for having missed the fun!

[rallycrosscraig]

"they dont compare"

I was at Britcar last year and asked a friend, who was one of the team managers, how the 2 compareD (it was worth asking As he won the very first and very last Willhire events).

People were racing in similar classes in Willhire, so you had the chance of winning, but Britcar is a mixture of hugely varying levels of performance.

[GBRM]

Originally Posted by snett fan55

However , on this occasionthe whole family were woken by an almighty crash at about midnight.Seems that the fog had descended (after a really warm day)and Gerry Marshall had gone off big time at Coram.This necessitated yellow flags all round the circuit,and I remember my boys blaming me for having missed the fun!

Can you remember what year this was as I don't remember Dad ever having an off at the 24 hours. Twice his car did, one of the Sears (David IIRC) and David Da Costa and I'm fairly sure Dad did 7 Willhires and I thought I had them all recorded but maybe I missed one so would be helpful.

[Andrew Kitson]

Fairly certain that was the '84 race when DS lost it at Coram in the middle of the night in the fog. The year Gerry shared with DS, Roger Clark and Sean Walker.

[snett fan55]

Gregor,had a feeling you were going to ask me that!I believe it was '84, but my sons have "borrowed"my programmes,will check with them.Attended nearly all of the willhire 24hrs ,mental times for lots of reasons,much missed by us all,we even arranged holidays around the race!Most of the family attended and we needed a week off afterwards to recover.!!!!