The 2006 season closed with another "double header" at the most favoured driver's circuit in France,  the prestigious Trophées Historiques de Bourgogne on the full Dijon-Prenois GP circuit. Malcolm Johnson created a lot of attention in the paddock with his brand new and freshly restored TVR Grantura, but it was Brian Lambert who headed the field after the wet qualifying session and took pole position from Tom Smith. However, it was Tom who led from start to finish to win race one.

Race two saw James Cottingham's MGB win by less than 2 seconds from Tom Smith, but the writing may be on the wall for the dominance of MGBs in future "Equipe"GTS  races with Malcolm Johnson's TVR setting fastest lap and taking the lap record.

Pictures courtesy of Pat Arculus

Other class winners included Iain Rowley - Lotus Elite, Nick Smith - Alfa Romeo GTA, John Andon - Triumph TR4 and Nick Wilkins - Jaguar XK120.

'Equipe' GTS at Oulton Park . .

A baked Cheshire countryside provided the perfect backdrop to another 30 + grid for the Virgin Radio Classic Rock series, and for a WSM season ender, they don't come much better than this, although on track not all went according to WSM plan.

PRACTICE - Tom Smith pulled out a stunning 2.05.87 lap for pole, an impressive mark when set against perennial rival James Cottingham who was quick with 2.07.09 around the full International circuit. Brian Lambert impressed with third spot, pushing TR's and TVR's down the pack, and it was good to see the Elva Courier on track with Chris Dady and Spadge Hopkins. A bunch of familiar foes gathered at the 2.15 mark, with George Edney, Marc Yates, James Willis and David Beresford all pipping the WSM MGB at 2.16, and the overweight MGB of Tim Patchett (his words, in that order) and Bob Allen in his unfamiliar lidded surroundings, continue to improve. Click on here for practice times.

RACE - A 45 minute duel with compulsory pit-stop was to be hot work, and Tom Smith and James Cottingham certainly warmed to their task. The MGB's of Lambert Snr (son Mark won't appreciate a near 3 second lap deficit) and Jeremy Cottingham stayed within range, as Neil Howe and John Andon were never far apart in their TR4's. The top two were not to be challenged unless mechanical woe or driver error reared their heads, which prompted Smith to spin down the field after three laps and surge back into contention, while James Cottingham plunged into the gravel at Druids with ten minutes left on the clock. A safety car period to recover not just the Cottingham MGB brought the field back together with pit-stops having been completed, with most of the field in the allotted period. A WSM in particular failed to note the passing of time and came in one minute late after gauging incorrectly that his hot, unaccompanied laps were up to scratch. This was rewarded with a stop-go penalty, ably signalled as 'IN' but interpreted by the driver as '11'. Blithely pressing on and hoping to catch 10th place man, but which was in fact Graham Bates who was having his best result to date in 14th, subsequent black flags went unseen until the chequered version came out. The headmistress was not amused and a 3 point spanking was administered.

When the safety car peeled off, Tom Smith took the sprint to the flag and deservedly earnt the winners plaudits, with Brian Lambert excelling in second and Jeremy Cottingham reaping third spot after clipping two full seconds from his best practice lap time. Click on here for results , which are pre-30 second WSM time penalty.

Goodwood Revival - 'Sensational' Fordwater Trophy . .

Sell Out Week-End Audience of 110,000

click here for John Sprinzel interview by Neville Haye

click here for a two-page Rev Counter 'Spritely Revival' report from Mike Wylie

For those petrol heads whose passion is lured by slippery bodied coupes from the 1960's, there was only one place to be on Friday 1st September, and that was trackside as practice got underway at 10.15am for the third grid on the card of the fabulous West Sussex event. John Sprinzel and wife Caryl made the trip from Hawaii, and were thrilled to watch a grid full of Sebrings, SLR's (Sprinzel-Lawrence Racing), Ashley, Lenham and WSM cars, and with former racing buddies Jack Wheeler, Peter Jackson, Cyril Simpson and Douglas Wilson-Spratt present. Most memorably, Stirling Moss was driving PMO 200 again, a car that both Sprinzel and Moss had raced in period and which had been restored from basket case condition by Paul Woolmer.

RACE - A wet and greasy track failed to dull an exciting race as the SLR's struggled to keep the Rae Davis prepared Ashley Sprite of Tommasi at bay. Autosport magazine described the race as 'sensational', with drama soon unfolding as the gearbox seized in Woolmers Sebring and pitched him into a roll at Woodcote on lap 2, and Jim Lowry suffered brake problems and spun dramatically at the chicane before retiring. Having set fastest lap to lead, Tommasi spun, recovered and still gave the Ahlers SLR a real run for his money until the Italian plunged into the gravel at Woodcote on lap 11, much to the crowds disappointment. Ahlers said later that if the Sprite driver had stayed cool, the race was his to win. Ivor Miller's white WSM 207 broke a half shaft after 6 laps, and Barry Sidery-Smith in the MGA twin-cam was having a scrap with Moss, likewise Chris Clegg, Martin Davidson and James Willis were within a second of each others times. Hulett disputed 3rd place through the opening corner, and kept WSM 301 in 5th before a spin at Madgewick, but then recovered four of the lost five places. David Wylie came through from 10th on the grid to a courageous 5th and best placed Sprite.

The WSM MGB had been running with Mark Hales for 10th in the Sunbeam Harrington's Alpine for the latter half of the race by virtue of greater straight line speed.from the aerodynamic MGB based car - until the WSM driver ran out of talent at the last corner of the last lap - but the journalist was masterful in his handling of the Alpine. Moss put a smile back on Woolmer's face with a calm drive to 11th, while Davidson's drive to 8th from grid 17th was just reward for the Jack Wheeler car. Dave Stubbings steered the Lenham GT to 15th and 'big boy' Clive Cocks brought home WSM 210 to a solid 16th place. Ahlers and Van Der Kroft confirmed their top dog status, while Trevor Groom picked up the final podium spot after starting 6th. Click here for race results.

Left to right - Alex Wilson-Spratt, Natalie Wilson-Spratt, Nicola Hulett and Christopher Hulett

photographs courtesy of Phil (Scoop) Broster

ASIDES - Thanks to Double Decker Living for supplying the accomodation. Although nearly lynched by the surrounding tented campers for a generator starting up at 2.45am on Friday morning, the vehicles were first class.

Sprinzel At Goodwood Revival . .

The icing on the Sebring cake is news that John Sprinzel will be making the trip from Hawaii. It had seemed highly unlikely the creator of Sebring Sprite PMO 200 would join Stirling Moss who is driving the car, but now a remarkable grid featuring a true 60's Sebring versus WSM v Speedwell battle really has an audience to perform to with Douglas Wilson-Spratt, Peter Jackson and Jim McManus also attending. The form guide would suggest the two Plus 4 SLR Morgan's of Adrian Van Der Kroft and Keith Ahlers could dominate the Fordwater race, much as Willie Green did in 2003 in the glorious Alpha TZ2. Moss knows Goodwood like the back of his hand, but less predictable are the remainder, with WSM drivers Ivor Miller and Jim Lowry in the mix with Paul Woolmer's Sebring and James Willis in the Jacobs Coupe who will be punting for top ten places, while Ian Hulett in WSM 301 has the ability to emulate David Gathercole's scintillating drive in the same car in 2003. Barry Sidery-Smith in the MGA twin-cam will be in the hunt, but unknown quantities such as the XK140 lightweight, two Porsche-Abarth Carrera's and two Abarth Simca 2000GT's will be gunning for glory. Click on here for a full grid listing.

From our Belgian correspondant 5th/6th August - 'Equipe' GTS at Spa . .

Thirty six cars ( twenty two MGBs, two MGAs, three T Types, two TVR's, two TR4's, one each Elva Courier, Sunbeam Alpine Le Mans car, MG Midget Coupe, Alfa Romeo GTA, and Austin Healey 100M took to the Ardennes rollercoaster for two twenty minute qualifying sessions on Friday. The first practice was definitely wet, while the second was between showers with a damp track. The three MGB musketeers topped the times, with Tom Smith reversing recent fortunes with a storming pole lap some three seconds clear of James Cottingham on 3.30 and Malcolm Johnson on 3.31.

MGB mounted Brian Lambert posted a fine third, but a minute back from the scrap that raged up front, with Jeremy Cottingham fourth and Simon Watson hoisting the TR flag with a class win amongst the swarming B's, while James Willis in the Midget Coupe and John Bussey in the MGTC also claimed class honours.  Rod Longton declared ( for the 8th time as we can recall ) that this race was to be his last. He has raced since the early 1950s, but at the prizegiving, series organiser and Murray Walker wanabee Christophe Wilmart asked Rod if he would be racing at Dijon ? Rod replied; "Oh, I think I might" .

Jeremy Cottingham and Tom Smith's engines were measured after the race and both were found to be 100% legal. As with each Equipe GTS race this season, engine capacity checks have been made randomly and without penalty.

Next race - Oulton Park Saturday September 9th

WSM's At Goodwood Revival Test Day

The WSM MGB, WSM 202 of Jim Lowry and WSM 210 with Clive Cocks tested at the Sussex circuit, alongside the Sebring Sprite PMO 200 of Paul Woolmer and other Revival entries. All four cars ran well through the afternoon sessions, which was particularly good news considering the recently completed restoration of PMO 200. Stirling Moss is now confirmed to drive the Sebring in the Fordwater race.

left to right WSM 202, WSM 210, en masse x 2, PMO 200, 210 with Jack Wheeler, Clive Cocks, Paul Woolmer,

Jara Venables, Lizzie and Sharon Woolmer. Pictures courtesy of Paul Webb

WSM visitors are welcome to the Revival on September 1st/ 3rd. The cars feature in the Fordwater Trophy race on Saturday at 11am, and designer Douglas Wilson-Spratt will be there to supervise. Please call in and see the WSM's in the paddock, and join us in the WSM HQ, a converted Olympian double decker bus provided for the duration of the event in competitors car park E by Double Decker Living Ltd of London.

 

Next race - Spa Francorchamps August 4th-6th

Battle Of The Brits In Thrilling Eurotour Opener - click on logo for latest race news from the top European Sprite series . .

'Equipe' GTS & Extra Curricula at Zandvoort . .

It is the time of year for Englishmen to be dancing around the Maypole waving hankerchiefs in the air, but a few of the GTS grid demonstrated their flag waving prowess instead to their Dutch hosts - Tom Smith took pole position for the two races, and went on to win both despite James Cottingham in the ex-works car taking fastest laps and runner up. These were Tom's first GTS wins this season. Malcolm Johnson, following a great run of form, had a wiring problem in race one and retired from third spot, with Brian Lambert picking up the pieces from the TVR of Rod Begbie in fourth. Marc Yates was penalised by the Clerk of the Course for overtaking under yellow flags, and the imaginative penalty was a one hour stint of flag marshalling later in the day. Tom Smith and Jeremy Cottingham thought that was a hoot come Saturday night and a couple of beers. In race two, the top three drivers, Smith, Cottingham and Johnson were all cautioned for yellow flag infringements. Cue Marc Yates and his supervision of flag marshalling later on Sunday. Johnson drew some consolation with a podium spot from Begbie in fourth, while ex-F1 driver Jan Lammers finished 21st overall in the Le Mans Spitfire just behind the Norrie Nicholls TVR in race two. The Lammers drive was organised through owner Mark Field as a present for the Dutchman's 50th birthday in his godfathers Le Mans car, and he took an impressive 3 seconds out of Colin Elstrop's first race lap times - Colin is no dud behind the wheel either. Lammers spoke to the crowd at the prizegiving and explained how much fun it was to drive his godfathers car, and the class winning 'Equipe' GTS trophy will take a place of honour in his collection of trophies.

pictures courtesy of Pat Arculus

'Equipe' GTS organisers Jim Lowry and Christophe Willmart again supplied the largest grid of the week-end with 37 cars, and drivers enjoyed two hours, ten minutes track time and a brilliant Saturday evening dinner with free wine and beer. Next round at Brands Hatch July 15th - need we say more ?

Click here for pictures of 'Equipe' GTS at Zandvoort on May 28th 2006

08/05/06 Goodwood Revival Request . .

Welcome Back - The Manx Classic April 20th/22nd

Like the curate's egg - good in parts. Weather great / organisation creaky / entry numbers good / Bray Hill runs reduced / fabulous machinery / limited driver info.Bray Hill Sprint 20/04 - a great opportunity to establish a new venue in front of hundreds of fans was almost passed by. In superb weather, a TT grandstand full of spectators and a start section teeming with onlookers were kept waiting for action way past the allotted hour. The expected two practice runs and two comp runs were then trimmed to one practice and two comp. To overrun strict road closure/opening times is to incurr resident's wrath, and while local drivers know the score, guests may not realise the long term consequences of a minute early or a minute late in these situations. Many spectators lost patience and some drivers were similarly unamused. Nadine Geary had more reason than most to rue unforgiving surroundings as her Dodge Viper collected some garden wall, but the American muscle shrugged off the inconvenience and completed the week-end.

Jurby Sprint 21/04 - The MSA altered the proposed 10 lap format to practice laps and three lots of 3 competition laps. The powers that be rightly concluded that the event would be closer to race conditions than sprint and there were many drivers with no race licences. The MST timing difficulties, and lack of info regarding lap scoring and finishing line placement then caused consternation. Despite the 3 lap sessions, there was confusion as cars inevitably overlapped. However, once the line through the cones was mastered and everyone twigged the lap scoring and timing beam placement, some seriously quick times were set. Anthony Martindale zapped the Formula Junior Sauter to within a couple of seconds of FTD man Chris Boyd in the Westfield Megabusa

Llerghy Frissell Hillclimb 22/04 - for some the raison d'etre of the week-end now the Willaston circuit is off the menu, and this was the better organised of the days. The daunting ( in stone wall as opposed to gradient ) climb really sought commitment over two thirds of the course, and also highlighted various methods of hairpin negotiation. Paul Dangerfield's Caterham R500 proved the ultimate weapon in recording FTD at 73.39s, other highlights including Alec Hammond's Camaro at 74.53s, and newcomer Andy Hardy's Caterham on 73.81s.

l to r WSM 301, O'Donahue Caterham, Musgrove Mini, WSM 301, Hickling TR3, WSM 301

l to r Loveridge Rapier, WSM 210, Cocks class award, Duncan's Stratos, Cocks & WSM 210, Waters Sprite

pictures courtesy of Paul Webb - these and further pix available on request if copies required

click on for Rev Counter report

Many small issues combined to hamper a successful return of the Classic to the competition calendar, but lessons have been learnt and improvements already implimented for 2007. Drivers briefings, double drives and modern metal were some topics of concern voiced by drivers, but top marks to the organizers and marshalls for their efforts and time, in particular their appreciation of and welcome given to all the visitors. Motorsport Island retains its timeless appeal as much by the nature of the welcoming and patient people as by the value of the public road closures.

Manx Classic . .

Manx Classic . .

The Singer & Friedlander Manx Classic kicks off on Thursday 20th April 2006 with a new hill climb course in Douglas. Friday 21st sees the christening of the new track layout at Jurby, and Saturday 22nd the Lhergy Frissell hillclimb out of Ramsey. With classes open to Vintage, PVT and pre 71 classics, to road saloon, sports cars, rally cars and kit cars of the modern era, the Manx Classic caters for a broad range of interest.