Bentley Drivers Club, Silverstone, 12th August, 2023

[John Turner]

BDC have their great annual bash at Silverstone this coming Saturday. FISCAR have a grid there and at 24 cars our best entry, going solo, this year. This has been a year of firsts for us - after 4 Astons at Thruxton, 2 Alfas at Donington, this time we have 4 Elvas entered - 3 Couriers and a Mk V (FWA). They have always been rare on our grid and never more than 2 before! Thames Ditton has returned in force as we are back to a full team of AC Aces, and there are also 3 car teams from Lotus Elite and Morgan.

It is also very pleasing to see the return of the St John Horsfall race. A 17 car prewar Aston race is impressive and must have taken some effort to put together.

This is always a lovely laid back meeting and worth a visit if you can. Plenty of Bentleys, of course!!

[GCCheddaris]

That's a lovely twenty four car FISCAR grid that has been assembled today, fingers crossed for a similar turnout for Castle Combe in just over a months time. I am curious about the driver of the Elva Mk5 in twenty third. Is it the same Valerie Leone who raced in the International Sports Racing Series in the late nineties and has raced a March in Classic Formula Three in more recent times ?

[rbs]

A good days racing with some interesting cars and drivers, good to see the Sunbeam Tiger racing again after 20+ years.
Also spent time with Bauble who was busy photographing Morgans, he is as well as can be expected for an 86 year old, bit dodgy on his feet but otherwise OK.

[GCCheddaris]

Originally Posted by rbs

A good days racing with some interesting cars and drivers, good to see the Sunbeam Tiger racing again after 20+ years.
Also spent time with Bauble who was busy photographing Morgans, he is as well as can be expected for an 86 year old, bit dodgy on his feet but otherwise OK.

Two legends in one afternoon !

[John Turner]

Yes, it was a great meeting. I was pretty pleased with our turnout and our race was a wet one and produced some excellent and surprising drives.

No GCC, not the same Valerio (he told me!). I think he has done a little racing before but this was his first time out in the Elva which was prepared by Paul Woolmer.

Met up with a lot of people but failed to bump into Bob unfortunately, but good to know he was there.

I got a few shots of our race but not a lot else, unfortunately, but will put a few up later.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by rbs

A good days racing with some interesting cars and drivers, good to see the Sunbeam Tiger racing again after 20+ years.
Also spent time with Bauble who was busy photographing Morgans, he is as well as can be expected for an 86 year old, bit dodgy on his feet but otherwise OK.

Seems like good time had by all, and the turnout was pleasing.
Glad Baub got there ok... got a mail from him during the week to say that was his plan, with all going well. He has been getting to a couple of meetings this year.
Sounds like the threat of rain I saw forecast earlier in the week stayed away.

Originally Posted by GCCheddaris

Two legends in one afternoon !

[rbs]

Originally Posted by E.B

Sounds like the threat of rain I saw forecast earlier in the week stayed away.

OH no, the heavens opened, and Morgans were spinning everywhere, the circuit was flooded and the race was stopped about 5 mins.early.

[John Turner]

A few from the FISCAR race:-

[John Turner]

Second batch:-

[John Turner]

Final Batch. Also full race report here:-

http://fiscar.org/bdc-silverstone-2023

[gary396]

Thanks John. Some great shots and race report.

Looked to be a tad damp!

[E.B]

Thanks John lovely set of 'snaps'. Thanks for sharing.


Edit: Just read the report as well.... a very comprehensive and interesting read so thanks for that and the link

[Alfaholic]

Thanks for the pics John - at least the rain had stopped by the start of the race. I was one of those sheltering under the grandstand with you in the run up to the start.

I can't offer anything from the races, but how about this oddity from the paddock -

[John Turner]

Yes, there were quite a few of us in the tunnel. Although it had eased up, I'm sure I was being drizzled upon in the early part of the race, or did I imagine that?

I guess that you would have appreciated Chris Mann's 1900CSS Zagato. It's an ex Jo Bonnier car in which JoBo won the 2 litre class of the 1954 Swedish GP. Chris had brought it out at our race at Donington finishing last but here in the wet, he drove from the penultimate row through to 12th by the end - a really good drive and not bad from someone in his 80s.

[Alfaholic]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Yes, there were quite a few of us in the tunnel. Although it had eased up, I'm sure I was being drizzled upon in the early part of the race, or did I imagine that?

I guess that you would have appreciated Chris Mann's 1900CSS Zagato. It's an ex Jo Bonnier car in which JoBo won the 2 litre class of the 1954 Swedish GP. Chris had brought it out at our race at Donington finishing last but here in the wet, he drove from the penultimate row through to 12th by the end - a really good drive and not bad from someone in his 80s.

I may have had a little drool over the Zagato in the paddock

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Alfaholic

I may have had a little drool over the Zagato in the paddock
Attachment 77854

Its a thing of beauty. Absolutely stunning.

[rbs]

The same car at Silverstone in 1955 when owned by JoBo,

[John Turner]

Brilliant stuff, both! Quite a few photos of it in both the Donington & BDC race reports on FISCAR site

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by E.B

Its a thing of beauty. Absolutely stunning.

+ 1