Circuit des Remparts; FJ Front Engined Race
Only in France!! Surely the last place in the World where the ancient City, liberated by the Allies in August 1944, becomes a Mecca for French and British classic car enthusiasts, many of the Brits it would seem still with their houses in France, and for a feast of French degustation (with quite a few pizzas as well) all around the City centre.
Main exhibits included Jaguar, TVR, of course Citroen and Renault: and Panhard oddities, including a fine road sports DB that I don’t recall ever seeing before; and around the main Town Hall/ Senate of Justice was a truly French exhibition of Motobloc cars, made near Bordeaux, both in restored and ‘as found’ condition. Fortunately this year the sun gods smiled and after some Thursday night rain it was a truly dry weekend.
The racing started here in 1939, and the circuit is unchanged!! Just some crash barriers erected in the obvious places, but for the rest, especially down the Remparts, you just have to avoid the pavement!!!
Of the other grids, enormous Edwardians, including Tony Lees in a monster Vauxhall 39/98 with an Isotta Fraschini engine, lots of Austin 7s, a field of vintage machines, almost won by 500 racer Chas Reynolds in his three wheeler Morgan -JAP; and a race for T51 Bugatti’s, which the commentator had us believe was more than had ever been gathered together in one race, Period or Historic, including two ladies (only one, after a practice incident, but from which she was fortunately only shaken but not stirred), although that session was somewhat curtailed; despite the logistics of clearing broken cars after each session, the organisers did a remarkable job in maintaining the timetable.
It was a baker’s dozen of beautiful front engined FJs that graced the paddock: Iain Rowley brought down Ian Robinson’s Lola Mk2 and the Alexis and Mogens Christensen was the courier of Rich Spritz’ ex-Ian Phillips European based BMC Mk1 (Rich now has a second one that made its debut at the recent Lime Rock FJ race). Ian Phillips himself was also a visitor to the event, now living as a French resident not far south, he and Bev joined by Mark and Rose Woodhouse as guests for the weekend.
John Arnold, with Kate, brought the Neil McFadden Elva 100, having a weekend off as preparer, as were Nigel and Robin Lackford in their own similar but red, Elva, while all the remaining FJs were also being towed by their owners, Graham Barron of course the subject of envy and amazement with his DB5 and tow bar. Whilst the rest of the ’Northern’ contingent comprised Richard and Karen Bishop-Miller with the pristine Autosport Mk2 (awaiting the debut of their new ex Jim Blockley Caravelle II for Spa and Dijon), Bernard and Ros Brock with the Charlie Graham built CG Elva 100, and Tony and Elaine Pearson with the Bandini. Nick Taylor had his familiar Green Elva 100 and last but most certainly not least amongst the UK cars were Alex and Louise Morton with their Condor SII, while from France, local driver Jean-Luc Renard was intent on out foxing his opponents with the front wheel drive Monopole Renault, with engine ahead of the front axle and its original saviour, Gilbert Lenoir in attendance; finally, making a welcome debut in Formula Junior, from Cannes, was Eric Comba in his red Stanguellini 00186 which he had bought in road going condition with front and rear mudguards, and reputedly the previous owner had run it on the road between Milan and Monaco!! Eric has a large collection of cars, many being French ‘oddities’, but including the Bandini 750 Monoposto that was sold at auction in Monaco a couple of years ago; [the Warwick Monoposto racer with F1 Cooper streamlined ‘Reims ‘ body, ex Belly Bellinger] and a Tipo 500 F2 Ferrari of the Ascari era, but currently fitted with an Alfa Romeo engine!!
Many arrived on Thursday ahead of the weekend activities, so a meal that evening at Latitude Pub, in fact a very nice restaurant, sitting outside [until it rained !!] was the order of the day, and then new for this year was scrutineering at the ‘Welcome Espace’ out of town, but with plenty of space compared to the Town Hall central square! If you had found it, then mountains of paperwork followed, no problems over inspection, and then to park in the main ‘paddock’ in the City centre; strictly NO support vehicles allowed (except Graham’s DB5 which attracted more attention than many of the competition cars!!!!) Grant and Penny Wilson were holidaying with our ‘Hockenheim commentator’ Michael Ashley-Brown who lives locally, and on hand to help with any hiccups.
Friday night meal was booked at the Red Lion in the Centre for six; well only 14 turned up!! But once he had recovered, the Italian proprietor was much obliging, and a fun FJ party was had.
Saturday’s primary activity is the road rally for a huge variety and number of Classic cars which ended at the Military barracks and then a ramp with commentator, as the returning cars approached the city centre Duncan was amused to find the much changed Austin Healey Sprite, once owned [or at least the Registration no 5116 HN !!] by brother Graham competing with Rod Graham, the “Headlines from Healey” editor.
After participants forgathered that evening for the compulsory briefing (fortunately partly in English), the evening activity was a huge welcome party at the aforesaid military barracks, participants ferried there in historic buses: food and drink (and live music) was a plenty, with (inter alia) literally piles of delicious rock oysters to one’s heart’s content!!!!
Racing wise, everything happened on Sunday: Formula Junior were due out at a leisurely 11am, delayed only by the warring Bugattis, but poor Richard Spritz was having trouble with the BMC battery, and ultimately with the delay failed to get out from the holding area: at least he had snuck out into the traffic on Saturday and managed a couple of laps of the circuit!!! Alex Morton was the powerhouse of the day, with Graham Barron in his wake while Nick Taylor, a former winner for FJ on the Copenhagen street circuit, held third before gearbox trouble intervened; and Iain Rowley’s hopes as another Copenhagen winner were thwarted as he pitted early with a mechanical issue. Richard Bishop-Miller was outstanding, Oulton Park having clearly been a turning point in Autosport history and Duncan thoroughly enjoyed himself in the Alexis despite the three first gear changes at the hairpins, but called practice, time, when the brakes began to seriously fade : Jean-Luc was just smiling, as was Eric Comba, even though this was his first competitive race, and was lapped several times by the leading duo; poor Tony Pearson was an early stopper as the bumpy track broke the exhaust bracket, leaving the pipe trailing; The remaining Elvas all ran well and uneventfully.
The race itself ran out at around 5.30: only Nick Taylor would not run, a fix being beyond Fiona’s powers as ‘mechanic’, as no magic solution emerged from the E-book !!, Iain Rowley having fixed both the Lola and welded up Graham Barron’s holed sump, while they thought that the BMC problems had been resolved, and Rich started from the back.
The grid was a F1 type Standing start but the ‘off’ is when the French flag is RAISED: Alex was away into the lead, but in mid field, Duncan had rather overheated in the old holding area and made a very stuttered start, to be overtaken by both Bernard Brock and Jean-Luc, so a bit of fun was had getting past them, in Bernard’s case twice, on the inside of the first hairpin; then Iain Rowley spun the Lola at the paddock corner, almost completely blocking the track, but amazingly without hitting anything, and brought all behind him to a halt, Duncan eventually creeping between the Lola tail and the barrier, and freed of Bernard and Jean-Luc. With three or so laps to go, Graham’s engine burst, leaving a trail of oil around the whole circuit, and he finally expired halfway up the hill after the first hairpin by which time the oil had made any racing academic and the red flag was shown.
All the rest finished, bar Rich whose electrics failed again, and with the countback Graham was second and a worthy John Arnold who has done so much to help Elva 100 owners, and is in the process of saving two more such cars, 3rd ahead of a disappointed Robin Lackford: the organisers were asked to check the result but it is only MSUK rules that disqualifies a car not running at the red flag and Graham’s place stood for a well-earned 2nd place Trophy.
The sun continued to shine as Angouleme Sunday evening eating drinking and music continued into the night!!
DCPR