Silverstone Historic Festival June 4th.-6th.

[neil_davidson2]

I completely agree with Suzy's comments. I was marshalling at Copse Exit and I have to say that the combination of different types of cars and eras was spot on.

The excellent racing and great attitude of the drivers that had the misfortune to join us on the bank made up for the early start on both days. Very well done to all involved in putting this meeting together.

Finally congrats to jminsh - that battle with Neil Fowler in the first race on Sunday got you our nomination for driver of the day!

[jminsh]

Originally posted by neil_davidson2

Finally congrats to jminsh - that battle with Neil Fowler in the first race on Sunday got you our nomination for driver of the day!

Thanx, you guys had busy race at copse i hope i slowed enough for you at the biggy on the first lap.

I take it you enjoyed the drag race from behind the Back Marker with 2ish laps to go once we got past the green flag !!

J.

[simon drabble]

Alan I put my thumb up to you! Admittedly it was after a couple of seconds!! You mean at the start of the pitlane afer qualifying on Sunday in the Eleven dont you? You see I did see!

[Alan Crook]

Originally posted by simon drabble
Alan I put my thumb up to you! Admittedly it was after a couple of seconds!! You mean at the start of the pitlane afer qualifying on Sunday in the Eleven dont you? You see I did see!

Must have missed this just thought I would make myself known, had a very busy day, will come and talk at a less hectic meeting.

Glad you had a good day all reports I have heard from both marshals and drivers have been good, however many marshals had a problem with the security people on Saturday but this was sorted for Sunday.

[Bishop Ranter]

Originally posted by Suzy
Speaking as an ordinary motor racing spectator, can I extend my thanks to the HSCC and the VSCC for getting together and providing 2 days of superb racing and a very enjoyable event.

I'm not interested in the politics behind the running of this meeting; all I know is that I got to see a hell of a lot of different cars from different eras. I was able to admire them close-up and the drivers were always friendly and willing to talk about their pride and joy!

Whilst some of you appear to be rather negative about having the HSCC and VSCC working together, this enthusiast does not share those concerns. I know that some people may accuse me of being naive, but I saw the weekend as proof-positive that two "rival" organisations can get together and provide a highly-enjoyable time for a lot of people. I haven't seen Silverstone so busy for a long time; and I bet you all have earned a whole lot of new historic racing fans and what's wrong with that?

WELL SAID SUZY! VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE AND I ENJOYED IT AS A RACER AND ALSO WATCHING CARS SUCH AS THOSE IN THE GP MASTERS AND GP4

[simon drabble]

the spread of racing was superb as everyone agrees - pity that the displays were a little thin off the ground, nice to see the muscle cars and the AC's but felt the kit cars were a little out of place, the last Historic I seem to recall there were lots of club stands and an excellant competitors lunch marquee by Bridge so next year both would be very welcome! The security was a little "officious" but that is a pretty small grips sadly I cant make Brands Super Prix or Oulton Park so apart from the BGP that is it for me until Spa

[jminsh]

The Scarf & Goggles was the Biz at the coys festival food hall and alcohol establishment all rolled into one ,oh & don't forget the Jazz band.

[ianselva]

I hate to say this but I went on the Sunday as a spectator instead of competitor and found that although the variety of cars in the paddock was great,the racing was uninspiring. Most races had either Simon Hadfield or Frank Sytner running and hiding from the rest of the field. Simon was 10 seconds from lapping the entire field in the Derek Bell Race. I was also disappointed in the number of spectators. I can't understand why Goodwood gets so many you can hardly move and yet Silverstone Historic meetings seem to struggle to attract more than a standard clubbie crowd. I wish they could get a good crowd as it's my local circuit.

[BugEyed]

The Goodwood Revival meeting is the one meeting a year that I go to other than the VSCC meetings. Whilst it includes some cars that are more modern than my personal taste what I really enjoy is the atmosphere. IMHO Silverstone is a sterile place designed around the current requirements of the F1 circus. As I didn't attend this years Festival I can't comment on it specificly, but even in the Coy's days it was a less friendly place than the Goodwood Revival. I'm not so much blaming the organisers as the venue, although to overcome this handicap means that the organisers are going to have to work even harder and for longer than Lord March's team do on creating a spectacle.

Duncan

PS Hopefully next year we can have two VSCC Club meetings AND a successful Historic meeting at Silverstone.

[zefarelly]

Goodwood is doable anywhere, it just needs the imagination, and a huge time resource to organise logistically . . .not something that I can see Silverstone with all its other commitments are that keen to do, plus, would it water down the feel good factor ?

It dissapoints me that historic race meets dont have more besides . . . .even if its just static classic car shows from local clubs etc . . . .let them in free and it would help bring in more spectatrs, support and sponsorship even ?

[jminsh]

Originally posted by ianselva
I hate to say this but I went on the Sunday as a spectator instead of competitor and found that although the variety of cars in the paddock was great,the racing was uninspiring. Most races had either Simon Hadfield or Frank Sytner running and hiding from the rest of the field. Simon was 10 seconds from lapping the entire field in the Derek Bell Race. I was also disappointed in the number of spectators. I can't understand why Goodwood gets so many you can hardly move and yet Silverstone Historic meetings seem to struggle to attract more than a standard clubbie crowd. I wish they could get a good crowd as it's my local circuit.

You must have arrived late and missed the 1st race then.

[simon drabble]

Jason won the FF race by under 1 second - the drum brake race had a similar gap, are they not close enough for you?!!! In fact the general consensus seems to be it was a great success and the crowds were more than you would normally expect - this was the first year. I think you will find in years to come this will be a great and very successful meeting, as both spectator and competitor I thoroughly enjoyed it

[Bishop Ranter]

Originally posted by simon drabble
I think you will find in years to come this will be a great and very successful meeting, as both spectator and competitor I thoroughly enjoyed it

Me too. I enjoyed competing as well as watching other cars being raced. The variety was good to see, although it would have been even better if a Group C race was part of the bill and some more vintage/pre-war racing...Edwardians would be good (although the track might compromise the spectacle).

Silverstone did approach a number of car clubs but the response was poor...more static displays of road as well as cars would have added to the event. This leads onto my only real criticism and that is presentation of our cars in the paddock. I'm not a lover of transporters and motorhomes cluttering up main poaddocks at historic meetings. I like to see competition cars presented to the spectators. More thought mneeds to go into this.

[simon drabble]

I know what you mean but the advantage of haing the transporter next to the car means you can work on it whereas if you have the kit away from the car it becomes a nightmare if there is a problem. I dont think it was too bad.
Maybe next year more car clubs will turn up (including maybe some of the VSCC!)but I definately agree the static side was dissapointing but that cannot be blamed on Silverstone or HSCC! I think this like spectators will grow organically

[eclectic]

I drove my T44 (1929) last year in the final race of the joint meeting, rain was sluicing across the road, oil was visibly glinting at several points. Contrary to popular rumour, much of it had been laid down by post war cars.

I had huge fun and I came fourth by about 100th of a second!

Why do people complain about a little rain and oil when it makes for much more interesting driving?

I'm glad it went well, but the HSCC needs to be a bit less dismissive of the VSCC volunteers.

I offered to marshall on the Saturday last year, I sent my name in good time in advance gave them my name and didn't enter my car so that I could marshal that day.

They had no record of my name and turned me away. I have heard a similar tale from last weekend, an experienced flag marshal was told tha they didn't have his name, so would he be a startline marshal! He came early from East Kent, and wasn't needed until racing began. Hummmph!

Co-operation must be seen to work or offence wil be caused. As it was I had a good day chatting and watching the fun, but............

I take your point Simon, but a paddock full of transportes is dull to an extreme, either you could leave your tools in one of the pits, or if problems arose, take the car to the transporter if they reserved a pitch for them just behind the petrol pumps.

There was precious little spectacle for the paying spectator in the paddock last year.

[Peter Mallett]

Interesting point about the transporters. I always thought it was for space reasons that we have to remove trailers from the paddock at Spa. Now you lot have prompted me to consider that it may be just a good reason to provide a bit more of a focussed spectacle for any wandering punters.

I agree you need somewhere to keep your tools and stuff but a small awning in which you can hide the car overnight would suffice.

Obviously my thoughts apply to weekend meetings and not the one day clubby we usually attend.

[jwd]

Always a tricky affair, to raise a small flag of discontent, but I witnessed a very poor response from a competitor wearing a red set of race overalls. When asked to leave the pitwall by a woman, a marshal from the HSCC, I believe: the gentleman belittled the polite and reasonable request. He claimed his position of 'authority' gave him rights to ignore safety issues accepted by everyone else.
RED overalls, leaning out through the wire fencing, and having no real need to be on the pit wall after his sidelining because of mechanical problems.
It soured what was a difficult job to manage. What pleased the marshal and the observers of the 'gent' was the battery of low opinion accounts of him, anyway. That would put me off marshalling if he represents my club! He doesn't.

Oil: lots of it along the forecourts of the pitlane and picked up by all cars leaving for the track or turning out to the paddocks. None of the oil was vintage in origin. To be fair, most cars were good, but the five I noted, two F1's and three FF's were hot and difficult. Four were catch-tank sourced and the other was a leaking hose. One catch-tank on a rear engine was plastic and 'soggy' with heat and sheer volume of hot oil.
Oil was also afloat and spread on radiator water overflows. Two of the above splashes were cleaned up promptly.

I enjoyed much of the racing. Charlie Dean was awesome going into Copse. The Walkers and Scaldwell looked exciting. I wonder how other drivers 'manage' the tail happy styles. Jason looked good as ever in the 'Redcage' and the Toothpaste Tube had a lucky last couple of laps. Michael looked hot after it was over! John Harper looked solid throughout his race. The best bits for me were the ERA's and the vintage stuff.
How many marshals got a cold drink? They all deserved a few in that heat.

[Fay]

Originally posted by eclectic
I'm glad it went well, but the HSCC needs to be a bit less dismissive of the VSCC volunteers.

I offered to marshall on the Saturday last year, I sent my name in good time in advance gave them my name and didn't enter my car so that I could marshal that day.

They had no record of my name and turned me away. I have heard a similar tale from last weekend, an experienced flag marshal was told tha they didn't have his name, so would he be a startline marshal! He came early from East Kent, and wasn't needed until racing began. Hummmph!

Co-operation must be seen to work or offence wil be caused. As it was I had a good day chatting and watching the fun, but............

I apologise that I did not put your friend out flagging. I had 3 lists to work from (BRDC/VSCC/HSCC) and put people out according to these lists. Anyone not on these lists I did ask what they wanted to do. If they said they did not mind I put them either in the pits or on startline as I needed more people in these areas. If he volunteers for any of our meetings again, please ask him to let me know that he would like to flag.

I did not turn anyone away either this year or last year. I do know that a few people turned up last year (of which I guess you were one) and when I said they were not on the list they went away although I did say there was no problem with them marshalling and would willingly have put them out. Unfortunately because people volunteer through so many clubs I guess some names do not get through, however I have no problem with people turning up on the day and will put them out.

I actually marshal for most clubs in the UK, including VSCC, and have no problems at all with using marshals from any club.

Once again I apologise if I upset anyone unintentially.

Fay Crook
Chief Marshal Co-ordinator
HSCC

[Yimkin]

Originally posted by Peter Mallett
Interesting point about the transporters. I always thought it was for space reasons that we have to remove trailers from the paddock at Spa. Now you lot have prompted me to consider that it may be just a good reason to provide a bit more of a focussed spectacle for any wandering punters.

I agree you need somewhere to keep your tools and stuff but a small awning in which you can hide the car overnight would suffice.

Obviously my thoughts apply to weekend meetings and not the one day clubby we usually attend.

Silverstone Historic festival 2001 had all transporters concealed behind big banners advertising the event. I thought that worked - spectators didn't have to look at the 'orrible transporters (including our very rusty talbot) - however this only works at places like Silverstone where there is a big acreage in the paddock. Personally, I want my car within touching distance - witness the various parts/tools/things going 'missing' at Donington last year.

I really enjoyed the meeting, but did miss the stands etc (a large proportion were completely non car related)- it felt a bit like a normal clubbie than a 'festival'. The 2001 job was a much better attempt at regaining the glory days of Coys, when campsites were full etc. Still they are making an effort, but the absolute cockup of still advertising it as a 3 day event days (I realise this isn't related to the HSCC/VSCC BTW) before the meeting meant we had loads of people coming up to us on Friday saying 'why aren't you racing today?' Then again, they had the accidental benefit of testing on Friday with free admission, and Tommy Erdos in the 2004 MG Le Mans car (out on track with Simon in his Alfa ) and me nearly getting minced by several Chevrons in my 100E!

My highlight - the guy in the V-twin vintage during the Boulougne trophy - what a hero, and at what sounded like about 4rpm! I saw him warming up in the paddock and boy did it rock from side to side!

BTW to any marshals reading - thanks for helping at the post immediately before the hairpin and guiding my Dad back on after fuel pressure problems - if you hadn't I wouldn't have beaten my best ever lap time following our change over (car is daft little grey 100E with yellow wheels).

[eclectic]

Fay, thank you for your helpful response, I hope it was obvious that I was not trying to be offensive, but was pointing out a point of unnecessary friction. Perhaps when a call for marshals is put out in the VSCC newsletter they should be directly referred to you to avoid "chinese whispers"?

Anyway what a great forum this is for bringing people together!

[simon drabble]

daft is your words not mine! its a surprisingly quick car! Yes testing the Alfa at the same time as the le Mans car was an educatoion in always checking your rear view!! It wasnt quite so bad when I went out in the Lotus as we were more or less the same height. I know what Yimkin means - it wasnt as slick as 2001 but this could come with time and a sponsor... It will be interesting to see how the July 500 meeting will compare, Gp C cars on the National circuit could get busy!