VSCC, Cadwell Park, 19 June, 2010

[John Turner]

I suppose I should have opened this thread a few days ago. Did anyone else from 10-Tenths go?

Good fun meeting, well supported by VSCC spectators as usual, although some of the grids were light. Wet, windy, cold and squally weather; felt more like October than June. Will put some pics up at some stage.

[David Owen]

Us marshals were there. Some good racing, the Fraser Nash race was interesting with battles through the field. Look forward to seeing the pics, as always, John.

[eigger]

I had a great day spectating with my dad (early fathers day). I thought the grids were thin too; not the usual turnout of Morgans and only a couple of Bugattis. The Austin 7 specials seemed thin on the ground as well but the Frazer Nashes were out in force as were the F3 500s. The racing was good - shame the ERA dropped out so early. Very good handicapping too. The weather was at least better than last year but i've rarely been colder in mid june ! However a day watching some beautiful old cars racing round the most attractive circuit in the country can't be bad.

[John Turner]

Excellent post, eigger; agree with every word.

[John Turner]

A few shots:-

[John Turner]

And a few more:-

[jamesholland]

I always look forward to racing at Cadwell but after a year off I was very disappointed by the awful weather which sadly so often is the case at Cadwell.
For the record practice was very slippery with a fair amount of oil on the track and I cooked a plug having stupidly left the soft one in. I started from the back and the field had already gone by the time I exited Barn on the warm up lap. I know 500s don't like being kept waiting but that was a touch eager!
Had a good race picking my way through the field, narrowly missing someone else's accident at The Gooseneck. It's a hard track on which to overtake though I find.
What I saw of the other races was pretty good, though the Shuttleworth could have done with a larger field I admit.

[John Turner]

James, the 500 grid was one of the best I've ever seen and a real credit to you all. We had 20 cars start even though we lost one or two in practice. It was great shame that we lost Shirley Monro's Cooper MkIV (66 - see why in one of the next posts).

I spent the qualifying sessions wandering between the top of the Mountain and the Hairpin which, of course takes in Hall Bends, so the next 3 posts show a random selection of shots taken during the morning:-

[John Turner]

More:-

[John Turner]

More:-

[jamesholland]

Your pictures must have been from another meeting John - I don't recall seeing any sunshine!

[John Turner]

The weather was certainly variable, and for most of the day decidely poor, but the sun popped through occasionally during the morning sessions.

[John Turner]

Looking at the programme, I am reminded that this first race took place in the morning and that my last pic above (see #10) is of the winner, Tim Greenhill in his Wolseley Hornet Special (47). Less than 2 seconds behind was Paul Lawrence (not motor racing journalist PL, who is actually an occasional poster here) in his Austin 7 Super Sport (57) with Geoff Toms, 3rd in his Fiat Balilla 508S (72):-

[John Turner]

A 7 lap race that was red flagged and restarted over 4 laps. It was won by William Mahany (11 - HRG Le Mans) followed home by Martin Overington in his Bugatti T35B (15) with Jeremy Brewster, 3rd in the Lea Francis Hyper (31):-

[John Turner]

Excellent handicapping meant that only 2.22 seconds covered the first four cars home. Winner was Julian Brownridge (63 - Wolseley Hornet Special) followed closely by Richard Iliffe (62 - Riley Kestrel 12/4 Special), Robin Everall (49 - Alvis 12/70 Special Sports) and Mark Elder (42 - Austin Sports Special):-

[John Turner]

A 10 lap race for front-engined Pre 61 racing cars, this was a disappointing sized field. 11 entered in the programme, 8 actually started and 6 finished. James Baxter dominated most of the race in his Frazer Nash single seater (1), but overheating caused him to back off substantially, enabling David White to take the lead and the flag in his Cooper Bristol Mk2 (99). Pete Candy was 3rd in the Riley Special 'Super Rat' (10). Terry Crabb's ERA (R12C - 4) retired on the first lap so I was lucky to get this shot:-

[John Turner]

A 7 lap race won by Jonathan Cobb (3 - Frazer Nash Ford) chased home by Dougal Cawley (19 - GN/Ford Special 'Piglet') with Luke Roberts, a distant 3rd in Frazer Nash Sports (39):-

[John Turner]

A 6 lap race for Vintage & PVT cars in which William Mahany (11 - HRG Le Mans) posted his second win of the day. He was chased very closely (as last year) by Frank Hernandez in the Austin 7 Blaue Maus Special, until the latter retired, so Tim Kneller finished 2nd albeit 76 seconds behind in his Riley 9 Brooklands (28) with Caspar Henderson, 3rd in Austin 7 Ulster (97).

[John Turner]

An 8 lap race for Vintage Racing cars, Johnathan Cobb was never led in his Frazer Nash Ford (3). Dougal Cawley, who had been 2nd in G/N Ford Special Piglet (19) must have been frustrated having to retire on the penultimate lap, handing that position to Robert Carr (6 - AC/GN) who had earlier overcome Robin Toluie in the Riley Menasco Pirate (103) which finished 3rd:-

[John Turner]

A 5 lap race in which Julian Brownridge (63 - Wolseley Hornet Special) nearly confounded the handicappers for a second time ('they'd never have allowed that at Brooklands, old boy') but was pipped literally across the line by scratch man, Richard Lake who quickly but carefully worked his Aston Martin 15/98 (127) through the field. Robin Toone was 3rd in his Alfa Romeo 1750 (65):-

[John Turner]

A 6 lap race with an excellent grid of cars, which I suggest are well suited to this track. With good racing through the field, Nigel Ashman (115 - Keift CK52) took the early lead but was taken by Mike Fowler (14 - Cooper Mk11). In his attempts to stay in touch with Fowler, Ashman had a huge moment exiting Charlies but eventually regained the track and recovered to finish 4th. Meanwhile, an excellent drive from the back brought Richard Ellingworth (118 - Keift F3) to the front passing Fowler on the run up towards the Mountain section. He was 2 seconds a lap faster than anyone else and won by 3.5 seconds. Neil Hodges (124 - Cooper Mk8 Monosposto) very nearly caught Fowler on the line but had to be content with 3rd. Our member James Holland (84) was 10th in his Cooper Mk8. Two posts for this race:-

[John Turner]

Pic 3 below shows Ellingworths move to take the lead:-

[John Turner]

A good turn out of cars for this 6 lap race. Jonathan Cobb registered his 3rd win of the day in the Frazer Nash Ford (3) but was hard pressed particularly towards the end by Robert Carr in his AC/GN Special (6). Nearly half a minute behind was Richard Scaldwell (17 - GN/JAP GP) in 3rd:-

[John Turner]

Last race of the meeting, this was won comfortably by Michael Hudson in the Bugatti T35B (126), with Peter Candy, 2nd in the Riley Special 'Super Rat' and Stephen Shoosmith, 3rd in the Bugatti T51 (9 - cockpit shot below). Car 20 is not listed either as entered or on the results sheet but I believe it to be a supercharged Frazer Nash driven by Eddie Gibbs:-

[John Turner]

Well that's the lot for this meeting from me. I realise that we have very few VSCC members but note that I have been the only poster since Race 1 on this, so hope that some viewers have enjoyed the pics!