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WSM - RACE NEWS 04 |
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10-10-04 Memorable You never
forget your first - Clive Cocks made his
racing debut at the Jaguar Car Club organised
Top Hat event in WSM 210 - and with Cobra, E-Type, Mustang and GT40
for company, it was literally a baptism of fire. Practice for the 45
minute enduro was
Thanks to all the marshalls, and to Julias Thurgood and the Top Hat team who produced a fitting tribute to Mallory's 'First Lady' of motorsport, the late Edwina Overend, and to Miles Townsend, a regular Top Hat competitor who drove his last race in 2003. Not a bad end to a season that kicked off on March 21st at Donington with the MGTeam - 2005 should see WSM's 202, 207, 210, MGB and Sebring BXN out racing together. Great prospect. Mallory In Focus . . courtesy of photographer Paul Webb. Left to right - Bob Pepper's GT350 Coupe sending messages Apache style to the pits . . WSM 301 & Lotus 23 kissed and made up at Shaws . . " . . Thought Mallory was clockwise . . ? " Clive Cocks in 210 - "Must hang in there . ." WSM pedal and metal meet on start/finish straight . . Eeeeee
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Under duress, Clive Cocks was kind enough to share his innermost thoughts of a first race : ' 10th October 2004, a date that will stay with me forever. Not only is it the day before my 29th wedding anniversary, but it also created the same kind of feelings as 29 years ago . .."WHY AM I DOING THIS ?". But just as 29 years ago, I am glad I did. 7.30am at Mallory Park,
Leicestershire, cold but dry, at a Top Hat racing event with me and
WSM 210 entered in race number 2. The first outing for WSM 210 in many
With signing on done,
licence handed in and tyres, oil and water checked it was time for practice.
The plan was to do a few steady laps and purposely keep close to the
rear of the grid for the race (120% race time rules did not apply to
this race) The plan worked too brilliantly as I was slowest and last
on the grid ! Tony went into quiet
mode as the race approached, as I went into pale faced frustration mode.
Wife Sue (bless her forever for putting up with this) wanted to be left
alone. The final call for cars in race number 2 was blaring over the
loudspeaker as the last nuts and bolts were tightened Pic courtesy of journalist Claire Furnell Sitting in the assembly
area facing the grid leaders was Engines revving, red
lights went out, clutch released and we were off. Remarkably well even
if I do say so myself, and with more experience (and nerve) I think
I should have taken the Lenham. So this was it. Forty five minutes of
concentration. The raceleaders quickly caught and lapped me (far too
many times), consistency was my byword and after the compulsory pitstop
where I was cruelly manhandled by Paul and Graham out of the car and
back in again, we were off on the second stint. Time to push on but
trying to stay with an experienced driver in a car slower than Will I do it again ? Yes, (wife permitting)
and WSM 210 |
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Oulton Park - 6th September 2004 . . A Friday afternoon thrash from Liverpool to Bedfordshire to collect the WSM MGB and back to Cheshire to drop the trailer with Geoff Hill in Longdendale was rewarded on arrival in the paddock with the intoxicating smell of bbq and wine. New to the MGTeam with his recently completed roadster, Rob Cull catered for an appreciative MGTeam gathering and cooked his way into pole position. The MGTeam's grid at the 750 Motor Club meeting may have been down on numbers from the MGCC July Silverstone count of twenty-nine but the 2.7 mile International circuit at Oulton Park ranks amongst the best in the country for non-stop involvement and entertainment value. Forty five minutes racing and pit-stop at the uprated Oulton facilities beckoned. Two very different generations
of sportscar car Oliver Bryant topped the 11.10am practice on Saturday with a 2m 08s, followed by Tom Smith 2m 09s and James Cottingham 2m 10s. Of the MT1 class, Andrew Actman lead at 9th in 2m 17s, Bob Allen a worthy 11th with 2m 21s in his underpowered MGTC after a recent engine change and James Willis, his event again blighted by mechanical woes, did not practice. An unimpressive 2m 25s for 15th from the WSM MGB was the result of a new rattle, subsequently found to be a disconnected speedo cable rotating beneath the car, and MGTeam organiser Jim Lowry rounded up drivers without transponders. The MGTeam were carded
as race number seven which gave time to wander the trackside interior
and enjoy sunshine and racing. The plunge down Cascades and subsequent
appearance over Hilltop and through Knickerbrook is entertaining, and
seeing who was flat or not through Island Bend was educational. A leisurely
stroll was interrupted by a message that the race Click on picture, Ron Watt and DW-S talk MGB turkey in the paddock. At least we had an
excuse for a lousy start, but every cloud has a silver lining and we
finished the second lap behind Terry Bryant
in his white MGA. For seven laps we fought nose to tail, while Rob Cull
got away and Bob Allen closed up behind. Huge fun factor but a solution
needed. The answer came with the pits opening for compulsory
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A competitive and enjoyable race to sign off the WSM MGB's season for 2004, and the WSM still had enough puff to beat DW-S in the Audi back to Liverpool to catch the 7pm ferry, while the MGTeam look ahead to dune dodging at Zandvoort in a few weeks. |
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At home with Octagons Big Week-End . . Silverstone July 24th & 25th 2004 Whats Bernies beef ?
Brilliant facility, great track layout, easy access. First time back
for WSM in seven years and the home of British motorsport is unrecogniseable.
The MGCC
Friday 5.45am off to the Liverpool
ferry. 10.00am on M62 to collect WSMs. To the newlyweds in Whittlesea
(Peterborough), collect WSM 301 and deliver with Claire to trackside
Silverstone 3pm to put tents up. Off to Woolies Wonderland in
Bedfordshire, pick up WSM MGB and convoy back to Silverstone with WSM
202 and the Mars car. Traffic jams and hot weather
Saturday Never could sleep in bloody tents. Early start anyway for signing on, scrutineering, sort transponder and spanner WSM 301. Meet David Howes, owned a red WSM in 1960s can only be XPP or VLY 540 David will search for pix. Mega interest dawn til dusk in 793 XPP / WSM 202 up for sale. Practice on the International circuit for Midget race - our WSM 1m 56s would not have troubled the fire tender. Engine and mechanics fine but something amiss loads of understeer and Copse unfathomable. Have I forgotten how to drive on Yokohamas ? Concensus is lower tyre pressures. Sponsor Andrew Actman also disappointed his times not bad but three in class bust lap record. Catch up with MGs Chris & Mavis Parker both aviators yet Mavis the most nervous race spectator and MGCC stalwart Brian Rainbow. Actman Midget Race car transformed by tyre pressures - 1m 50s laps. Four cars damaged and out in first lap fracas. Make a few places in six laps, Graham Prosser and Ian Staines in Midgets contest ownership of our patch of track vigorously but misfire kicks in and lose them before 8th lap chequered several moments squeezed onto grass and have to keep red mist at bay. Greet Alastair Naylor, a regular Manx Classic visitor in the 1990s with his gorgeous MG TCs and adversary in the Thornley Trophy tomorrow. The Woolies and the Sprouts put world to rights in chez WSM with BBQ and beer.
Sunday bloody tent. Never again. Early morning rain no help. Give the WSM MGB a bleary eyed check over with Paul. Practice for the Thornley Trophy at 12.15pm so explore the extensive offerings infield. Whichever MG grabbed your spokes, from whole cars to a washer, it was there. Met Murray Henderson - racing a Midget in two-driver race with Ian Hewlitt - who exposed my mechanical limitations by fixing the WSM MGB nearside mirror in 5 minutes. The B goes like a train in practice 1m 54s reasonably happy mid grid but like school reports always said . . can do better. Diff oil all over rear offside, plug popped, temp fix we hope. Met Mike Abbott, an SODC member who hill climbed at Woburn etc with DW-S in the 1960s, now marshalling honcho. Drove WSM 202 around in case not another chance before change of ownership. German TV want interview tell them our faces suit radio better, translation failure - I collar Paul, he collars me, safety in numbers at least. We burble and gesticulate as best we can. Lizzie still loves me. Naff start for Thornley Trophy race but great scrap with Peter Edneys MG TB and Bob Allens MG TC. Got down to 1m 51s and took 16th place on last lap from Peter and Bob with 27 finishers. Tom Smith and James Cottingham top dogs in MGBs. Watched Murray and Ian get sixth place in the enduro. Chat with Tom Coulthard. Thank Andrew Roberts and all the MGCC crew, trailer up, nearly forget to return transponder (thanks to Andrew for the legwork), convoy out to chez Woolie asap. Mars car breaks down 3 miles out and Claire in the WSM MGB and Paul get stuck on M way traffic. Arrive Woolies, Bedfordshire 7.30pm, abandon cars, dash for Liverpool 10pm ferry with Paul guiding shortcut to A14. Got it, just. Not much legal though - November 5th in the rear view mirror most of the way. Back to Silverstone next Saturday for BRDC race. Not in a tent. Cannot wait. Thanks to Peter Browning, Maggie Yeadon, the organising team and all the marshals. Without you none of us get to play. |
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BRDC Summer 500 . . Whizzo in Wuzzum Some combination. Sounds
like a mythical beast saddled with a cartoon character. Barry
Williams stepped into WSM 301 for the Dinner next door to the BRDC gin palace gave us a chance to catch up with Healey driver David Smithies and commentator Neville Hay, while the unmistakeable figure of Jack Brabham also enjoyed a spectacular buffet. Carriages arrived and departed at 1.00am, leaving the Wheeler, Davidson and Wilson-Spratt party to be chucked out by the weary bar staff . Thanks to Paul Woolmer for his help with the WSM's, Barry Sidery-Smith, Jim Lowry, Christophe Willmart and the MGTeam for organising the grid, and to Guy Loveridge for his sponsorship of the Sportscar race. Fingers crossed that the resuscitated BRDC Summer 500 becomes a regular fixture once again. |
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James Willis explored many different lines during practice at the Grand Prix De L'Age D'Or in 2004, and his trackside demeanor was impeccable. On questioning, he explained the picture with the . . "I was going to scrutineering" excuse. | |||||
Donington Park 21-03-04 . . The 750 Club event at
Donington featured TheMGTeam race, entries including MGA, TA, TC, MGB
and the Reliant Sabre Six of John Leslie.
Although practice was dry, race conditions were initially atrocious.
WSM 301 qualified 2nd in class 1m 39.9, 15th overall for the ½
hour race to Tim Patchetts MG TA 1m 38.4,
but Andrew Top notch event from TheMGTeam and sponsors Ridgard Classic Seats like Arnie, WSM will be back. |
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Top Hat In Top Octane Gear. . Contrasting
fortunes for WSM at Castle Combe for the Easter Monday meeting. A cracking
twenty nine car qualifying grid for the one hour European Historic Sports
Car Challenge with Shelby Cobra, Ferrari 365 GTO and WSM fuel tank brimmed (please note) F1 style start lights set off a hectic first twenty minutes. A brief safety car period then bunched it all up again before pitlane became Piccadilly Circus. WSM 301 looked to have Class D stitched up with 1.27 laps against Miller/Jardines 1.30, and spent most of the race warding off the mighty 3.8ltr Jaguar HL special of Brown/Tart - the WSM better on brakes/bends but lacking ccs on the motorway bits - lots of cut and thrust until the WSM ran out of four star six minutes early. The six gallon capacity that fuelled an hour at Mallory with a gallon spare was not enough for an hour at Combe, so the Jardine/Miller MG Midget crew celebrated class success. The Shipman/Hales Crossle took the overall win and new series sponsors Octane magazine in the shape of David Lillywhite saw a large Bank Holiday crowd entertained in some style. Historic endurance racing was a novelty to Combe but organiser Julias Thurgood confirmed that the Top Hat events had immediately been asked back for next year. Writer of the Year 2003 Marcus Pye in Autosport (April 15th) wrote . .For once the local championship shootouts were overshadowed . . Plus Old & New Acquaintances . . Great to bump into WSM connections at Castle Combe. Joe Cox, Healey race co-ordinator was running a beady eye over the Top Hat grid which included Chris Clarkson and Julian Bronson in the famous Healey 3000 DD300. Ian Wilson of autographracing.co.uk was caught at the other end of the lens with David Lillywhite of Octane magazine. |