HSCC/FJHRA Historic Formula Junior Round 5 & 6
Schools are out, and the Class of 24 were ready to start their summer holidays in style with a brilliant weekend at what is one of the firm favourite events of the calendar.
The paddock was already filling up Thursday, ahead of testing Friday morning, and after qualifying, over 70 competitors, families and teams enjoyed a wonderful social in the sunshine, feasting on produce from the local farm shop.
So it was that after a month long break the HSCC/FJHRA Silverline Historic Formula Junior UK Championship held rounds 5 & 6 at the Oulton Park Gold Cup Meeting. The aggregate winner of the two races was to be presented the Jim Clark Cup, a trophy kindly donated and presented by the Jim Clark Trust. For this event MSUK had granted a noise waiver to the Formula Juniors which meant the cars could shed their silencers and make some real noise as they do in Europe. Among the guests within the paddock to enjoy the sound were both FJHRA Patron, Howden Ganley, and President, Tony Goodwin
As ever, Oulton attracted a full entry, and with HGPCA also at the meeting, it was a good combination, recreating the early post war years of international racing. Among the drivers entered in both grids would be Richard Wilson, Nick Fennell and Syd Fraser, together with late entry, Rudi Friedrichs in one of Philipp Buhofer’s Lola Mk5A’s.
Having his first ever race experience in Europe, was NZ FJ relative newcomer Mark Barrett, having discovered last minute that there was space in the F5000 container to tuck his little Lotus 20/22 in too, so joined Kim Shearn in his Penny Ford to double the Australasian entry. Kim was grateful for the Friday testing opportunity, as he was easily able to rectify the loose electrical connection prior to qualifying. Horatio Fitz-Simon was giving its debut to the recently restored ex Paul Hawkins Brabham BT6 from 1963, in yellow Ian Walker livery, while John Arnold was having a go in Justin Fleming’s Class D1 Lynx MK2. When asked after qualifying how he got on he commented, “apart from the engine being in the wrong place, the seat being too far forward and the brakes not working, the car felt good; I think I can make improvements to the car< not sure about the driver.”
Fresh from having already sealed victory in the 2024 Lurani Trophy, Clive Richards (Lotus 22) for much of the session appeared to be in a class of his own with a clear advantage over his pursuing rivals, although Clive did comment that various yellow flags had been advantageous to him.
Sam Wilson, out again in his trusty Lotus, ended as his closest rival although he did lose two of his quickest times due to exceeding the track limits, ultimately setting a time 7/10ths of a second behind the flying Clive. Completing a top four lockout for Lotus would be Andrew Hibberd in his class D2 Lotus 20, alongside. Richard Wilson in his Lotus 27 joining him on the second row.
Alan Schmidt who has become really comfortable in the SpeedSport Brabham BT6 would be 5th but he had some close company in the form of the very experienced Nick Fennell debuting his Lotus 22 with 6th quickest, and late entry Rudi Friedrich’s Lola Mk5A was 7th quickest and ultimately 1st Reserve. Rudi had pitted early in the session when the front body work came loose, having had to complete part of a lap holding the body in place by the mirror support.
Andrew Hibberd had class D2 under control, with Nic Carlton-Smith qualifying 8th overall but 2 seconds off the pace set by Andrew. 9th overall would be Adrian Holey in the improved Rennmax whilst 10th and 3rd in Class D2 not too far behind Nic Carlton-Smith was Martin Aubert (Lotus 20).
12th overall and easily fastest of the front engine cars was Alex Morton in his Condor. Leading Class C2 Stuart Monument Lotus 18 qualified 15th with less than a second advantage over John Hutchison Jnr in the Envoy Mk1 in 18th. Graham Barron in 20th led class B1 hoping the magnet that kept drawing his car to the grass at Cascades would be lost in time for the race. Peter Fenichel led Class A and John Arnold led class D1.
Duncan Rabagliati had set himself up for a marathon challenge at this meeting, jumping from the faithful ‘Carrot’ to his 500 F3 Comet not only in qualifying but for both races too. I wonder if it could be classified as an Olympic event? It is certainly a test of stamina for the Formula Junior figurehead.
In the paddock after qualifying Keith Pickering was left pondering why a car that had run perfectly in Zandvoort had now developed a misfire, John Sykes was trying to trace a fuel starvation issue, whilst Gary Thomas had his fuel line problem resolved by Robin Longdon.
A frustrated Horatio Fitz-Simon was at the back of the grid after being stranded off circuit with a failing fuel pressure meter. He had recorded only one lap in the Brabham. The scene was set for some exciting racing to come. Horatio would be joined at the back of the grid by Richard Bishop-Miller in the Autosport Mk2 after qualifying out of session on the Saturday morning. Rudi Friedrichs would get to compete in the race as Keith Pickering withdrew from Race 1 while he tried to resolve the problem with the Britannia.
Race 1
It was a cloudy Saturday morning that greeted the cars for the start of their first race of the weekend with spots of rain in the air.
As the cars left the assembly area, it had begun to rain, and the race start was a little confused with a delay as the rear of the grid had difficulty with their allotted slots on the steep hill and then with Richard Wilson bogging down at the start. Clive Richards however got away well with Sam Wilson close on his gearbox in second. Third place was Andrew Hibberd with Rudi Friedrichs in 4th place. Nic Carlton-Smith 5th Richard Wilson in 6th place Nick Fennell coming through in 7th.
By lap 3 the rain was falling creating a sheen across the tarmac. Clive Richards admitted to being a little cautious with Sam Wilson handling the changing conditions much better, and Sam taking the lead, while Andrew Hibberd slipped back behind Nic Carlton-Smith who had really put on a spurt in the wet to take third place at Knicker Brook.
Looking down the field there were dicing groups throughout the order. Nick Fennell was in a three way fight involving Adrian Holey and Alan Schmidt; Robin Longdon in the Lola Mk3 having a tussle with the front engine leader Alex Morton in the Condor; Graham Barron in the front engine Gemini dicing with Richard Ferris in the Donford. All of these battles would eventually involve Horatio Fitz-Simon who was carving his way through the field following his back of the grid start.
On lap 4 Richard Wilson had a spin, which did not affect his position on track.
By lap 5 Horatio had dispensed with all the battles to take third place, but he had a big time deficit to make up; however the young charger was up for the challenge in the varying conditions, and the track drying as the rain eased would start to dry. Andrew Hibberd regained 4th place and the lead of class D2. Alan Schmidt dropped down to 9th place having been passed by a recovering Rudi Friedrichs who was another to struggle at the start.
At the front, the order was established with Sam Wilson having a comfortable lead over Clive Richards who afterwards looked at his times and felt he could have gone faster 3rd would be Horatio Fitz-Simon again clear of the class D2 pair; Andrew Hibberd had built an advantage over Nic Carlton-Smith.
Richard Wilson spun to a halt at the 2nd chicane on lap 8 with gearbox problems, moving Rudi Friedrichs up to 6th place. Tony Lees in the Winklemann Lola was having a terrific dice with Adrian Holey in the Rennmax and in later laps were joined by Geoff Underwood (BT2). Tony eventually taking 7th spot from Geoff and Holey. Nick Fennell completed the top 10.
Alex Morton in 12th place led the front engine runners followed by a recovering Alan Schmidt after an incident interrupted race. Class C2 Winner Stuart Monument in the Lotus 18 finished 15th with Gary Thomas (Kieft) finishing 17th and second in Class C2. John Sykes was just happy to have the Merlyn running on all 4 cylinders after his problems in qualifying.
Race 2
Oulton Park was looking at its best in the late afternoon sun on Sunday when the cars assembled for the second race of the Jim Clark Cup. The second race would be without Rudi Friedrichs, catching his plane, but it was still a full grid as Keith Pickering in the Britannia had now remedied his electrical problems, with the grid as always being set by the qualifying times of Friday, race one podium finisher Horatio Fitz-Simon would again start from the back of the grid. Would the talented driver repeat his podium position?
With a dry track Horatio launched his car from the start to pass 10 cars before reaching Old Hall on the first lap. Nick Fennell by contrast made a slow start dropping several places. At the head of the field Sam Wilson was already leading from Clive Richards, Andrew Hibberd, Richard Wilson and Alan Schmidt in his Brabham being the first non-Lotus car.
On lap 3 the Safety car was called for when Keith Pickering was bedded in the gravel at Cascades. This closed the pack up bringing the now 4th placed Horatio Fitz-Simon in with a serious opportunity to take a podium place. Keith’s car was quickly retrieved, and he drove it back to the pits. Within one racing lap Horatio was up to third place. Sam Wilson having made a great restart had already extended a lead back to Clive Richards in second place who, in turn, had his mirrors full of Horatio Fitz-Simon in the yellow Brabham BT6. On lap 5 Alan Schmidt had a spin at Cascades dropping him down the order.
Richard Wilson pulled off in his 27, heading down to Cascades, whilst Horatio Fitz-Simon had moved up to second place and was chasing after Sam Wilson. Andrew Hibberd was secure in 4th place leading his class from Nic Carlton-Smith, while Adrian Holey was having another good run in the Rennmax, from Tony Lees in the Lola, but he had Geoff Underwood and Nick Fennell closing on him.
As the battle raged for the lead it would be the slower cars that helped to decide the result. Sam Wilson as the leader came across the rear of the pack first and found himself trapped and vulnerable to an attack from Horatio which the latter successfully completed. The Rennmax of Adrian Holey faltered on the last lap handing 6th place to Geoff Underwood with Nick Fennell taking 7th, Tony Lees 8th Adrian crossing the line in 9th to pull off the circuit to be recovered at the end of the race. Martin Aubert completing the top 10 positions and the Class D2 podium.
Alex Morton again claimed front engine honours in 11th place less than 2/10ths on track behind Martin Aubert. Stuart Monument in the Lotus 18 secured the C2 Class win whilst Gary Thomas was 2nd in class with John Hutchison Jnr completing the C2 podium.
Following Alex Morton in the front engine race Justin Fleming in the Lola Mk2 would be 2nd with newcomer Mark Russell in the Elva 100 3rd. John Arnold Lynx, Graham Barron Gemini and Peter Fenichel Stanguellini were the remaining class winners.
Sam Wilson however was the worthy winner on aggregate of the Jim Clark Cup.
By Alan Jones