Thruxton Historics, 17/18 June, 2023

[John Turner]

Well, FISCAR have managed to get 20 entries (but one withdrawal) despite MG Live last weekend but it's a slightly unusual grid for us. Two of our stalwarts will be missing; Chris Mann will be at VSCC Cadwell and Alex Quattlebaum suffered fairly extensive injuries (several broken bones) in his accident at Silverstone last weekend, was airlifted to hospital, but has since flown back to the States where I understand he had one of his shoulders pinned yesterday. We wish Alex a speedy recovery. He has already expressed his intention to get the LECo repaired and back to racing asap! I have to say that both Alex and Chris are pretty amazing since they are both in their 80s and still incredibly active.

Our benchmark driver these days is Jonathan Abecassis in the Austin Healey 100/4 and he has entered (one of two A-H's entered) despite being at Silverstone last week. We have, for the first time in many years, no less than 4 Astons entered, plus Peter Blanchett's RGS Atalanta and Andrew Cox's unique Falcon bodied TR3 as well as a brace of Lotus Elites (Brian Arculus in one of them) and 4 Morgans, also a Sunbeam Alpine Harrington and an Elva Courier. Further interest is created by a trio of invitation cars - the Kellison, a Ginetta G4 (997cc so not one of the hot ones!) and whilst we don't normally 'do' saloons, Andrew Davenall's Austin A105 which he claims accurately will be the 'tallest car on the grid'. We've handicapped the V8 Kellison by imposing an extra 30 seconds on the pitstop, since it is, as might be imagined, a bit of a rocketship down the straights.

I don't normally go into pre race blurb but since this is our first race at Thruxton (we've somehow survived 13 seasons!) I just hope that FISCAR members are able to give a good account of themselves and provide a decent spectacle.

[brands]

Latest entry list: https://www.barc.net/wp-content/uplo...ry-List-v3.pdf
Timetable: https://www.barc.net/wp-content/uplo...-Published.pdf

[Brian A]

Originally Posted by John Turner

I don't normally go into pre race blurb but since this is our first race at Thruxton (we've somehow survived 13 seasons!) I just hope that FISCAR members are able to give a good account of themselves and provide a decent spectacle.

Sorry to disagree John, but my last visit to Thruxton was in September 2012 and it was in a FISCAR race......

Andy Shepherd was on pole in his Bristol engined AC Ace followed by a couple of Healeys and me. I'd managed to break the gear lever mounting on the way to the assembly area and couldn't change gear. Jammed into 4th gear, I did the requisite 3 laps to qualify for the race. I can't recall any of the race details but the podium was covered by only 1:15 seconds after 20 minutes with yours truly triumphing over the AC at the chequered flag.

There were 3 XKs in the race plus a brace of Lancia Aurelia B20s. Where have they gone?

I remember upsetting the commentator of the day as I drove straight past him at the end of the race heading back to the assembly area to jump into my WSM Midget for a Ecurie GTS race.

The only other observation I'd make is that you clearly haven't seen how quick a 997cc Ginetta G4 can be in the right hands. Its 451kgs homologated weight is the key, together with effectively a Formula Junior engine. This should be near the front.

[John Turner]

Brian, I bow to your better memory. I've found it, MGCC meeting, 8th September, 2012 - our first full season.

I know about G4s and you are absolutely right; apart from being too late to comply, G4 would not figure on our grid, and this will be the only one, as an invitation car. If you look at my race report for Spring Start you will see that this is a midfield car. Plus in my preamble I said,

'A G4 would normally have me running for the hills but this is a nice original 997 cc car and Mark, by his own admission, won’t set the world alight with it!'

This one is a known quantity and I've told Mark that if it gets too quick, it will not be invited again!

I'll see you tomorrow where you can berate me some more!

[Mike Crow]

This whole event is looking a little threadbare again this year which is a real pity after last years dismal offering. I love Thruxton but it does seem that it can’t really sustain a festival event like this. Though I hope to be proved wrong tomorrow.

[Mike Crow]

The weather was fine and Thruxton looked smart but, except for the JR Trophy which was excellent, the entertainment was spread miserably thin today. Congratulations to Ian on a great drive in the March

[justracing]

I was tempted to go on Sunday if only to see some of the beautiful machinery racing at such a great circuit but once again the thin grids put me off, it will be first historic meeting I've missed. In deference I'll have to use my MSV pass at Brands to see some more modern racing action.

[brands]

The racing, what little there was, was better than I had feared, especially the JRT.
The two hour lunch break was a joke.

It's going to take a lot to tempt us back to this event in the future.

[Willmaz223]

Originally Posted by justracing

I was tempted to go on Sunday if only to see some of the beautiful machinery racing at such a great circuit but once again the thin grids put me off, it will be first historic meeting I've missed. In deference I'll have to use my MSV pass at Brands to see some more modern racing action.

Also some good classic stuff with the Corvette and Camaro rqce so enjoy!

I'll be off to watch some Classic Motocross for the first time to be slightly off thread topic ?

[justracing]

Originally Posted by brands

The racing, what little there was, was better than I had feared, especially the JRT.
The two hour lunch break was a joke.

It's going to take a lot to tempt us back to this event in the future.

Sorry to hear that, it's rather like the easter F2 meetings which Thruxton tried to reintroduce, nothing but a damp squib I'm afraid. Much as I love the circuit, like yourself I've been bitten once too often to return.

[delta]

Originally Posted by Mike Crow

The weather was fine and Thruxton looked smart but, except for the JR Trophy which was excellent, the entertainment was spread miserably thin today. Congratulations to Ian on a great drive in the March

Thanks Mike . I fell asleep at the start . Great fun changed gears overnight and hope to be quicker today . Sure was pleased to see chequered flag . I was knackard

[brands]

A batch from Saturday qually:

A gallery with a few more shots is here --> https://motorsportintheuk.co.uk/p1023054048

[delta]

Gears much better and I did not fall asleep at start of second race Sunday . Good battle with my great chum Richard Trott . P5 and a very happy Team Delta

[delta]

Also wonderful to spend sone time with John Turner . Thanks for coming by John and really happy the FISC race went well

[John Turner]

I agree that the racing was a bit thin on the ground but in defence of BARC and the circuit (which did indeed look great), the content was very much pulled together at relatively short notice. I think that John Hutchison and his colleagues very much regarded this meeting as an interim/transitional phase and I suspect the content will be better next year.

I didn't, as usual, get to see much of the racing, other than the FISCAR one and yesterday's JRT, so cannot comment on the quality of the racing. However, whilst I am naturally biased, I was very pleased with the spectacle that our grid created and it provided good racing both at the front and down the field.

Great to spend some time with you Iain and I also managed to catch up with a number of other old friends like Stuart Tilley, Simon Hadfield and Benn Simms none of whom I'd seen for some years. FISCAR tends not to be at meetings where the historic single seaters appear so it was great opportunity to reconnect.

Sorry not to see you John, but thanks for the great shots above.

[ralt-racer]

Originally Posted by John Turner

I agree that the racing was a bit thin on the ground but in defence of BARC and the circuit (which did indeed look great), the content was very much pulled together at relatively short notice. I think that John Hutchison and his colleagues very much regarded this meeting as an interim/transitional phase and I suspect the content will be better next year.

I didn't, as usual, get to see much of the racing, other than the FISCAR one and yesterday's JRT, so cannot comment on the quality of the racing. However, whilst I am naturally biased, I was very pleased with the spectacle that our grid created and it provided good racing both at the front and down the field.

Great to spend some time with you Iain and I also managed to catch up with a number of other old friends like Stuart Tilley, Simon Hadfield and Benn Simms none of whom I'd seen for some years. FISCAR tends not to be at meetings where the historic single seaters appear so it was great opportunity to reconnect.

Sorry not to see you John, but thanks for the great shots above.

Was great to see you John lets hope it's not as long till the next time

Had a great weekend all in, was so much fun to drive Robs Rf82 an absolute pleasure to drive, and gave Ian something to think about in the first race he was long gone in the second one once he sorted his gears, had a nice race with a CF3 78 march, brought back a few memories from my CF3 days

Benn

[delta]

Great info on the Hoosiers as well Ben . My thoughts were the same as you . ?

[John Turner]

Good to see you posting on here Benn.

On Sunday, I parked myself high on the banking at first corner but the catch fencing still impeded, not that it made much difference as I had the wrong shutter speed .... again. Best of a very poor batch, I'm afraid, from the JRT race:-

[John Turner]

And if you are gluttons for punishment, a few more:-

[John Turner]

I'm now off to hide in the Forest of Dean for a week, but when I get back may post some marginally better pics from the FISCAR race!!

[John Turner]

A few shots from FISCAR qualifying:-

[John Turner]

And a few more:-

[John Turner]

Some shots from the race:-

[John Turner]

And a few more. Full report here:- http://fiscar.org/thruxton-historics-2023

[E.B]

Great photos John, thanks for sharing.