Brands Hatch Iota Trophy 30th June 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the first post war motor race in Britain, at Gransden Lodge, Richard Utley very kindly sponsored the Iota Trophy at Brands Hatch. The event was the HSCC Superprix and gave us a chance to use the full Grand Prix circuit. As Ken Gregory said “Brands Hatch certainly became the hub of the (500) movement, greatly assisting its expansion…” So it was entirely appropriate that we should return to our spiritual home to celebrate such an important anniversary. As well as the series regulars, we enjoyed the good company of our friends from Sweden, some new boys and some rare cars, including two Cooper Mk IIs, two Effyhs, the Comet, an Alfa Dana and the Monaco, one of the few remaining cars from the very early period. The hardy arrived on Friday, to enjoy the friendly paddock atmosphere and a barbeque, which by a small miracle remained dry. Saturday was an early start for the 9 O'clock qualifying and, while there was rain in the air, the circuit remained dry for the whole of the session. Nigel Ashman (back in a Cooper), Rodney Delves (Kieft), Roy Hunt (Martin) and Dave Lecoq (Petty) were well to the fore. Tony Steele (Kieft) shared the second row with Tim Llewellyn (Cooper Mk IV). Neil Hodges was on the front row, in the Swedish Cooper Mk VIII, but it was Mike Fowler, this time in a Mk XI, firmly on pole with an impressive 2:06. Most enjoyed good reliability but Simon Frost was struggling with his Norton, John Chisholm's magneto disintegrated and Richard Bishop- Miller had a fuel leak. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Graham Murdoch's FMS had stranded him at Surtees when the clutch expired and Patrick Morin suffered a misfire but all bar Simon and John would make the start resulting in a very full grid for the race. One of the highlights of the entry was the re-appearance of the Monaco, a quite astonishing machine of a mere five foot wheelbase. Its solid Fiat wheels looked as if they should have graced a large lawnmower, and it only needed a big key in the tail to complete the look of an over-grown toy. But it was clearly giving the Baldock-Potts Equipe a great deal of satisfaction. | That first race at RAF Gransden Lodge was organised by the Vintage Sports Car Club, a tremendous achievement so soon after the end of the war. It was won by Eric Brandon in his Prototype Cooper (T3), followed by Frank Aikens and Frank Bacon. 500s were the only "modern" cars to be invited. The race proved to be a catalyst for motor racing in general and, particularly for 500s. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Inevitably the weather broke by mid morning and the rain continued for the entire day. In very dismal conditions thirty-seven hopefuls faced the starter. There were two green flag laps during which the field became somewhat strung out, so that, while the properly gridded front few rows were released together, some of the back markers were still coming to the end of their rolling laps. As if the weather wasn't giving the spectators enough entertainment, someone kindly laid a significant trail of oil around much of the circuit. Graham Hill bend saw many run wide but Paddock turned into a new adventure on each lap. Drivers were forced to try a range of lines in a vain attempt to find one with a little more grip. The leading trio held station, if at varying gaps as Mike made a number of excursions onto the grass. He later admitted that the first few were down to exuberance but then he found himself with no brakes as a pipe had broken at the master cylinder. Twice, Tim managed to get his Mk IV alongside Neil's Cooper on the run up to Druids but each time had to give best as they turned into the hairpin. Next time round, Neil was in the lead from Tim, with Mike third, but this was not to last, and Mike pulled off - first his exhaust pipe had come adrift. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Classified Finishers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Per Hageman looking very damp in the dreadful conditions at the end.
After the race, we retired from the rain to enjoy the hospitality which Richard had laid on, followed by the prize giving. Trophies were presented by our guest of Honour, Roy Golding, Chief Mechanic of Cooper Cars. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||