RACE NEWS

2016

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Date

6th August

27th/28th August

Bentley Drivers Club - Silverstone National 6th August

A sunblessed HQ last Saturday for the 67th Bentley meeting put the gloss on an already shiny presentation of motors through the ages. WSM featured in the Bic Healey Trophy courtesy of the Sebring BXN, and a guest invitation for the WSM MGB of which FISCAR chairman and organiser John Turner is a fan.

Practice - Richard Woolmer won this event last year in BXN, but there was scratching of heads when both Richard and the WSM MGB were slower in 5th and 7th than last years times in similar conditions. Jonathan Abecassis was closest to the hot Speedwell of Drew Cameron on pole, and appropriately six Healey's led the way.

Race 25 minutes - Cameron's Speedwell led Gordon Elwell's Sprite and the Healey 100/4 of Abecassis initially, but Elwell succumbed to the 100/4 power and left Abecassis to tie the umbilical chord to Cameron. For ten laps Cameron defended manfully, while Abecassis was measuring up where and when. Robin Pearce in the AC Ace Bristol was harrowing the WSM for 7th, side by side under braking and through Brooklands and Luffield for several laps - WSM retirement with a blown head gasket ended their fun. Woolmer was pulling away from Jim Mackie's Sprite for a lonely 5th, and Abecassis jumped the Cameron defence to lead. Still the chord was'nt even stretched, but Abecassis plotted cleverly to keep Cameron at bay with less than a second at the flag. Healey's were first to sixth, with Elwell third and Pearce heading up the AC brigade in 7th.

Pit & Paddock

The WSM MGB was proud to receive the Allan Cameron award for most interesting car on the Bic Healey grid, bestowed in memory of Drew and Neil's late father. .

Good to meet Peter Healey, son of Bic, and Healey raconteur and amigo Joe Cox. Aviators Chris and Mavis Parker made the short trip from Brafield and brought a sizeable contribution to the book manifest - grateful thanks.

27th/29th August HSCC Gold Cup . .

Oulton Park hosted the HSCC spectacular and amongst Formula 5000, 1990's Super Tourers, Formula Junior and Jaguar Classics, the humble Historic Road Sports grid boasted some lovely machinery - amongst a plethora of Lotus Elan's were Chevrolet Camaro, De Tomaso Mangusta, Turner, Triumph, Sunbeam Alpine and Harrington and Morgan Plus 8's. The HSCC are celebrating their 50th year, and the event was as mouth-watering as ever.

Q - The S3 Elan of John Davison held sway by 2s for pole from pirennial front-runner Kevin Kivlochan's Morgan, and pick of the heavy metal was the Mike Eagles Mangusta in 5th, Nick Savage's Camaro 7th and the XK120 of Chris Scholey in 13th. The WSM MGB took a preservative approach and survived an engine malady to line up 19th.

R - Kivlochan edged the start from Davison and Peter Shaw's Elan for four laps, but Davison's overcook at Cascades let Shaw through. Kivlochan was imperious, and although Davison overhauled Shaw and sat on Kivlochan's bootlid for three laps, the flag validated a consumate Morgan triumph. Eagles held off Ian Burford's Ginetta G4 for 6th, while Dick Coffey's Turner enjoyed a race-long scrap with Scholey's Jaguar for 12th. The WSM stayed healthy, but once past the Triumph TR6 of Alan Greenhalgh and Sunbeam Alpine of Bryn Griffiths, was too far adrift to make further inroads within the 20 minute thrash.

Pit & Paddock

Thanks to Ian Hulett for trailering the WSM up to Cheshire and back, and hosting for the week-end. Also thanks to Kevin Kivlochan who served up a bbq on Saturday night for all the Historic Roadsport grid.

WSM3000 owner Robert Waterhouse and father Michael nipped over from the family seat and enjoyed a day in the sun. The nimble 84 year- old Bentley and Healey enthusiast keeps the boy on his toes, and as I left for the IoM an anxious offspring was beginning the search and rescue process . .

Race of the (Sun) day was the 70's Roadsports where James Dean (Lotus Europa), Russell Paterson (Morgan Plus8) and Charles Barter (Datson 240Z) duked it out. Spectating at Cascades saw Barter only lose out to Dean on the last lap after breathtaking scrapping.