A weekend in 1973

[Andrew Kitson]

Adding to Peter's post about the Brands meeting in 1980, I couldn't resist digging this old race programme out to show the level of entries and diversity at this particular meeting.

It was the Daily Express International Trophy meeting on the Silverstone GP circuit - the headline event being for the F1 stars/cars of the day with the grid also including F5000 cars. It was April 7th/8th 1973.

Saturday:

Event 1 - Heat 1 of the Formula Fords - Derek Lawrence the winner, also in the 25 car field Tiff Needell, Dick Parsons, Tony Rouff, John Crowe, Geoff Lees, Don MacLeod, Stephen South and Roy Klomfass ( spannered by Rory Byrne when he first came to Europe).

Event 2 - heat 2 of the FF. Won by Mike Young. Also featured Patrick Neve, John Murphy, Roy Baker, Richard Hawkins, John Nicholls, John Parsons.

Event 3 - The GKN Vanwall F5000 race over 25 laps. Won at a blistering pace by David Hobbs with team mate Brett Lunger right behind him in their Hogan Racing Lola T330s. An 18 car field and a new outright lap record to Hobbs at 135.09mph

Event 4 - Formula 3 - Heat 1
Won by Larry Perkins. Also in the 30 car field ( yes, for a heat!) Ian Taylor, Alan Jones, Brian Henton, Harald Ertl, Mike Wilds, Danny Sullivan, Jacques Lafitte, Conny Andersson.

Event 5 - Formula 3 - Heat 2
Won by Russell Wood. 29 cars in this one. Also included Andy Sutcliffe, Val Musetti, Richard Robarts, Tony Rouff, Tony Brise, Jeremy Gambs, Mo Harness, Damien Magee, Barrie Maskell, Bernard Vermilio.

After a great days racing and F1 / BTCC practice, on to Sunday:

Event 6 - The F3 final over 20 laps. Won by Russell Wood from Ian Taylor.

Event 7 - The RAC British Touring Car Championship over 20 laps.
Won by Brian Muir's BMW 3.0CSL from Andy Rouse's RS1600. Frank Gardner's Camaro 3rd.
Among the other entries, Martin Thomas, Dave Matthews, Terry Sanger, David Howes, David Brodie, Tony Dickinson, Vince Woodman, Bill McGovern, Jim Burrows, Chris Montague, Jon Mowatt.

Event 8 - The Daily Express International Trophy Race over 40 laps.
Won by Jackie Stewart's Tyrrell with Ronnie Peterson 2nd in the JPS Lotus 72. Third was Clay Regazzoni's BRM with Peter Revson's McLaren 4th. Other F1 entries were Fittipaldi / Lotus, Hailwood & Pace / Surtees, Oliver & Follmer / Shadow, Hulme / McLaren, Schuppan & Lauda / BRM, Ganley / Iso Marlboro. Non starters were Graham Hill / Shadow, Jacky Ickx / Ferrari and Rikki Von Opel / Ensign.
The 28 car grid was filled with the cars from the previous day's F5000 race. Winner of the 'class' was Gijs Van Lennep from Tom Belso.
Peterson took half a second from the new outright lap record to leave it at 1:17:5. (135.96mph)

Event 9 - The FF final over 15 laps. No results as must have gone home early! Parents!!

Event 10 - The JCB Historic car race.
Among the 45 entries - 6 Lister Jags, HWM Jaguar, Lister Chev, 2 D-types, Maserati 450S, Aston DBR4, 7(!) 250Fs, Lotus 16, Aston DBR1, Multi Union, Testa Rossa, 2x Birdcage, 3x Cooper Bristol, Connaught, 2x Lola Mk1, 3x Lotus XI, 2x Lotus Bristol, Porsche RSK & 356A.

Quite a meeting!

[JohnMiller]

Reading through my old programs from when I was younger is always good fun.
It's just a shame my Dad wasn't rich enough to allow me to partake!

[PaulSands]

it's wierd seeing mention of historics in a program from 73 some cars were obviously born historic

[TimD]

If you're not careful I'll type up one of my 1930s Brooklands programmes...

Born historic indeed!

[KA]

Originally posted by PaulSands
it's wierd seeing mention of historics in a program from 73 some cars were obviously born historic

There's a weird moment that I guess happens to all of us who've followed the sport for a long time- it's when you're watching a historic race and suddenly realise you're old enough that you remember watching some of those cars when they were new.....

[Andrew Fellowes]

Originally posted by TimD
Born historic indeed!

Feels a bit like that sometimes. I was there too that day.

The Touring Cars were always fun to watch, didn't the commentator rather foolhardly put a microphone in front of both Yogi Muir & Frank Gardner? one could be lethal on his own but together they could be supremely entertaining.

I have a feeling that might have been one of the days that we drove the 450S to Silverstone through the back roads of Bedfordshire, but whatever its still a good story so forgive me if it was another occasion. There was no alternative but to go through Northampton, trying to be as inconspicuous and quiet as possible.
There were two young nurses walking down the road near the hospital, “Watch this” my brother said as we crept up behind them, With about 6 feet to go, both nurses blissfully unaware of what was about to happen, he gave that throttle everything, it had the desired result, both leapt away from the road.

“YES! two pairs of wet nickers”.

Looking back, both were clutching the fence railings but we got a happy wave from them!

[TimD]

Bad man, Andrew, very bad man! But I'll tell you what - I have some very happy memories of seeing you conducting the 450S round the circuits of Britain.

[Andrew Fellowes]

Tim, it was a wonderful car wasn’t it? It belonged to my brother John so you saw him more than me! Charlie Lucas also drove it on occasion, now that was something quite special to see!

[Peter Mallett]

But the sheer quality of the event is astounding when viewed in today's "short concentration span" terms.

Perhaps that's why "Historic" events attract such a good crowd. The variety is there even if the speed isn't.

[Andrew Kitson]

That is a good point Peter - regarding the speed.
Take the old Thruxton easter monday F2 meetings.
These F2 cars would rocket around driven by the hot shots or graded F1 drivers of the day, taking the church bump flat ( much eased now), their BDA's, Hart's, BMW motors screaming up the hill to the chicane, then full opposite lock on the way out. They appeared so fast, yet today's Formula Renaults, droning around, all looking the same as 'one makes' do ( no variety), are doing the same times around 1min 10. I guess aerodynamics have come on so much.
I know what I would rather watch. But at the time the F2 cars were not historic, it was cutting edge but full of variety in chassis and engines.

[PaulSands]

back in the day when a hot shot f2 could beat a mediocre f1

[Dan Rear]

Andrew/anyone, whatever happened to Russell Wood ? Was it money as ever ?

That year was the one that really got me into racing, esp British National. I was surprised Russell W never went onto anything else, when most of his competitors did, eg Brise/Jones/Taylor/Robarts/Laffite/Henton/Wilds/perkins etc. Btw was van Lennep in the Lola or the Surtees in the Int Trophy ?

[Andrew Kitson]

Dan, no idea where Russell went.
I have been fortunate to have contact again with Stan Matthews - remember him? He lives near Cape Town now. His Atlantic / F3 cars around 72-75, were always Lotus colours - ie Green with yellow stripe and I first met him as a kid in '68 when my Dad was his mechanic in special saloons. Perhaps Stan knows of Russell's whereabouts. I'll e-mail him.
Van Lennep was in the Shellsport Luxembourg Lola T330 Smith Chevy.

[Dan Rear]

Andrew, thanks. Stan Matthews I have heard of, don't think I ever saw him or his cars. I only got to Mallory in this period, afraid if he was there he didn't make much impression on me, sorry !!!

Re Van Lennep, think he was one of 3 ShellSPORT/Epsteain Lolas that year, Belso and Clive Santo (another whatever happened to him...) in the others.

[Andrew Kitson]

Also Italian lady Lella Lombardi drove a Shellsport / Luxembourg 208 Lola T330.

[Dan Rear]

Andrew, yes but not until 1974 I think, was Ashley in the other one that year ??

[litrico]

Originally Posted by Andrew Kitson

Adding to Peter's post about the Brands meeting in 1980, I couldn't resist digging this old race programme out to show the level of entries and diversity at this particular meeting.

It was the Daily Express International Trophy meeting on the Silverstone GP circuit - the headline event being for the F1 stars/cars of the day with the grid also including F5000 cars. It was April 7th/8th 1973.

Saturday:

Event 1 - Heat 1 of the Formula Fords - Derek Lawrence the winner, also in the 25 car field Tiff Needell, Dick Parsons, Tony Rouff, John Crowe, Geoff Lees, Don MacLeod, Stephen South and Roy Klomfass ( spannered by Rory Byrne when he first came to Europe).

Event 2 - heat 2 of the FF. Won by Mike Young. Also featured Patrick Neve, John Murphy, Roy Baker, Richard Hawkins, John Nicholls, John Parsons.

Event 3 - The GKN Vanwall F5000 race over 25 laps. Won at a blistering pace by David Hobbs with team mate Brett Lunger right behind him in their Hogan Racing Lola T330s. An 18 car field and a new outright lap record to Hobbs at 135.09mph

Event 4 - Formula 3 - Heat 1
Won by Larry Perkins. Also in the 30 car field ( yes, for a heat!) Ian Taylor, Alan Jones, Brian Henton, Harald Ertl, Mike Wilds, Danny Sullivan, Jacques Lafitte, Conny Andersson.

Event 5 - Formula 3 - Heat 2
Won by Russell Wood. 29 cars in this one. Also included Andy Sutcliffe, Val Musetti, Richard Robarts, Tony Rouff, Tony Brise, Jeremy Gambs, Mo Harness, Damien Magee, Barrie Maskell, Bernard Vermilio.

After a great days racing and F1 / BTCC practice, on to Sunday:

Event 6 - The F3 final over 20 laps. Won by Russell Wood from Ian Taylor.

Event 7 - The RAC British Touring Car Championship over 20 laps.
Won by Brian Muir's BMW 3.0CSL from Andy Rouse's RS1600. Frank Gardner's Camaro 3rd.
Among the other entries, Martin Thomas, Dave Matthews, Terry Sanger, David Howes, David Brodie, Tony Dickinson, Vince Woodman, Bill McGovern, Jim Burrows, Chris Montague, Jon Mowatt.

Event 8 - The Daily Express International Trophy Race over 40 laps.
Won by Jackie Stewart's Tyrrell with Ronnie Peterson 2nd in the JPS Lotus 72. Third was Clay Regazzoni's BRM with Peter Revson's McLaren 4th. Other F1 entries were Fittipaldi / Lotus, Hailwood & Pace / Surtees, Oliver & Follmer / Shadow, Hulme / McLaren, Schuppan & Lauda / BRM, Ganley / Iso Marlboro. Non starters were Graham Hill / Shadow, Jacky Ickx / Ferrari and Rikki Von Opel / Ensign.
The 28 car grid was filled with the cars from the previous day's F5000 race. Winner of the 'class' was Gijs Van Lennep from Tom Belso.
Peterson took half a second from the new outright lap record to leave it at 1:17:5. (135.96mph)

Event 9 - The FF final over 15 laps. No results as must have gone home early! Parents!!

Event 10 - The JCB Historic car race.
Among the 45 entries - 6 Lister Jags, HWM Jaguar, Lister Chev, 2 D-types, Maserati 450S, Aston DBR4, 7(!) 250Fs, Lotus 16, Aston DBR1, Multi Union, Testa Rossa, 2x Birdcage, 3x Cooper Bristol, Connaught, 2x Lola Mk1, 3x Lotus XI, 2x Lotus Bristol, Porsche RSK & 356A.

Quite a meeting!

Any immages of the John Nicholls's Lotus Bristol?

Antonio

[Gerry Taylor]

1973. Marvelous year. Thanks for the memory jog there.