Arundell Cup, featuring Taylor Trophy

The European Formula Junior season kicked-off at the 82nd Goodwood Members Meeting where the combined Arundell Cup for disc-braked cars and Taylor Trophy for rear-engined drums was the only single-seater race on a card that seemed heavily slanted towards touring cars and recent GT3s.

            Numerically Lotus dominated the Arundell Cup with the 27 of Danny Baker and 22 and 20/22s of reigning Lurani champion Clive Richards, Chris Goodwin, Lukas Halusa in the ex-Martin Walford ex-Peter Arundell Lotus 22-J-02, Katsu Kobota and Lee Mowle. The main challenge would most likely come from the Brabham BT6s of Alex Ames and Richard Wilson but the Cooper T59 of Sam Wilson was sure to be a front runner. He was joined by Lawrence de Bruyne’s T59 whilst the other discs were Emanuele Guglielminetti’s Wainer, Callum Grant in John Sykes’ Merlyn Mk5/7, Richard Ferris (Donford) and the Lola 5A of Tony Lees.

            The Taylor class was very diverse, including as it did both FJHRA class C and D cars. Multiple Goodwood winner Andrew Hibberd was favourite with his white Lotus 20 with Stuart Roach’s Alexis Mk3 and Peter de la Roche’s BMC Mk2 the most likely threats. Cooper T56s were to be peddled by Crispian Besley, Tim Metcalfe and Tim Gray with Jeremy Deeley in his very neat T52. Robin Longdon had his Lola Mk3 and the class was completed by Christian Lange (Envoy), Nic Carlton-Smith (Kieft), Gary Thomas (Mark Haynes’ Elva 200), Richard Bishop-Miller (Caravelle Mk2), John Chisholm’s Gemini 3A, totally rebuilt onto its original chassis frame by Nick Finburgh, after it’s Copenhagen 2023 accident, Pierre Guichard (Lynx), Keith Pickering (Britannia) and Stuart Monument (Lotus 18) – variety indeed!

            Saturday qualifying was held in the warm and dry spring weather that England had been enjoying for several weeks. Many of the quicker cars were first out of the assembly area and a high-speed bunch was soon taking advantage of the empty track ahead to post fast times. Alex Ames did 1’26.215” on lap 2, improving it to 1’25.473” on lap 3, with Sam Wilson immediately clipping this to 1’24.888”. Surprisingly, no-one improved upon this time during the rest of the session so when the grid was published Sam was on pole with Alex (1’24.957” on lap 4) and Clive Richards (1’25.059” on lap 5) making up the front row. Row 2 was Chris Goodwin (1’25.481”) and Lukas Halusa (1’25.892”). Richard Wilson had been bottled-up amongst the drums but broke clear to whittle away his time to sixth (1’26.057”) on his last lap. Fastest drum-braked was Stuart Roach with 1’27.210”, 0’357” faster than Andrew Hibberd.

            The session was relatively trouble free, but we lost the BMC Mk2 with an oil leak; the crank case oil seal had moved out, and although, with Mike Fowler’s help, they made brackets to hold it in, this proved insufficient to stop the flow, and Christian Lange was also to non-start with head-gasket trouble. Tim Metcalfe’s Cooper T56, using a spare engine borrowed last minute from Crispian Besley was overheating and the Elva 200 driven by Gary Thomas had a raft of issues, including a misfire, loose bodywork and poor brake balance. Both were able to race, however, the Elva had required much overnight work that saw Gary’s race times nearly four seconds better than qualifying. Crispian Besley’s red T56 was hampered by new brake shoes which weren’t adjusted correctly which meant that “they were binding on and the car felt like it was towing a caravan all the way around during qualifying which compromised me and led to a lowly qualifying position”. This was partly, but not completely, remedied for the race.

            The 20 minute race was at 10 a.m. on Sunday (why does Goodwood always schedule what is invariably one of the best races of the day before many of the spectators have arrived?). The weather was still dry but a very chilly wind from the west and some cloud meant that it was much colder than Saturday, especially if you were watching from the Woodcote grandstand with the full “benefit” of the wind in your face!

            Into Madgwick, Ames led Sam Wilson and Richards and at the end of the opening lap these three plus a rapid starting Callum Grant were in a bunch, around a second clear of Chris Goodwin with a further second to Lukas Halusa, followed by Richard Wilson, Stuart Roach, Lee Mowle and Andrew Hibberd, then a wonderfully varied and colourful train of cars. After several unsuccessful attacks on both sides of the track, Sam was still behind Alex on lap 3 but Callum was now third. On lap four the Merlyn executed a stunning move at Fordwater/St Marys to pass both the Cooper and Brabham to lead from Sam and Alex. Next time round Sam was in front and this remained the order of the very tight foursome until Alex took second on lap 8, only to be repassed by Callum on the next tour. However, he reclaimed the runner-up spot on lap 10 and this proved to be the last change with Sam winning by 0.6” from Alex, then 0.3” to Callum, then Clive fourth, having lost touch amongst backmarkers. However, Callum was unlucky to receive a 10” penalty post-race due to contact with the chicane so third and fourth were reversed. Chris Goodwin was a steady fifth, never in touch with the leaders but, equally, never challenged. The remaining top ten were Richard Wilson, Lukas Halusa, Danny Baker and Andrew Hibberd.

            Hibberd, Roach, Halusa, Mowle and Baker had been engaged in a good battle for 7th to 11th. Lukas twice ran onto the grass at Woodcote but still came out ahead. Hibberdwon the Taylor Trophy, some 6.5” ahead of Roach with Carlton-Smith third.

            As usual, there were scraps all down the field with Keith Pickering (Britannia) and Richard Bishop-Miller (Caravelle) being particularly entertaining, swapping places several times during the first half of the race. Perhaps due to a colder track surface than in qualifying, Woodcote caught out several people in addition to Halusa. After making a great start gaining six places, Crispian Besley found it particularly challenging, running wide at least three times as the car was jumping out of gear. Deeley locked up and cut the Chicane on one lap. Gary Thomas also had a “moment” before later spinning off at Lavant. The only other retirements were Emanuele Guglielminetti (hole in the block), Tim Metcalfe (mechanical, probably overheating) and Richard Ferris whose car sounded to have a misfire.

            It was a brilliant race and one about which the commentary team, including John Watson, was rightly very complementary.

 

Richard Page

The FIA Lurani Trophy headed to Estoril for the final round of the 2019 Championship. Only Crispian Besley (Cooper T56) could match Bruno Weibel’s points, although he himself could still be beaten by Jeremy Deeley in C2. Sadly, transport problems from Italy had seen the withdrawal of the only other Championship contender, Daniele Salodini (Taraschi).

Almost all cars took advantage of at least one of the three test sessions on Friday, shared with the HGPCA, to acquaint or reacquaint themselves with this taxing circuit.

Saturday morning qualifying set the pattern, with Richard Bradley (Brabham BT2), a man equally at home with Nissan LMP2 or a prewar Aston Martin Ulster, at the head of the times, but with Bruno (Lotus 22) and Mark Shaw (Brabham BT6) almost inseparable behind him. Newcomer Stephan Joebstl was settling in well to the Hall and Hall run ex- Greg Audi Lotus 20/22.

Race1, and Bradley led, with Bruno close behind, before Bradley drew ahead to leave a frantic battle between Bruno and Mark Shaw, with places swapping until Mark got by again and held on to the flag.

Another race long battle behind for 4th, with Richard Wilson much enjoying his ex-Jonathan Hughes Brabham BT6, working ahead of Richard Smeeton (Wainer 63), Team Lotus run Andrew Beaumont (Lotus 22) and Texan, Robert Hoemke (Lola 5A), till the latter pitted.

Close encounters all the way through the field in fact, with a much improved Martin Aubert (Lotus 20) just keeping ahead of the two Cooper T56’s of Besley and Deeley swapping places behind. Marty Bullock’s Wren blew a fuse, and Alan Baillie (Lola 2) had a mild excursion, and was unable to catch the flying Dr. Stephane Rey in the Scorpion for front engined honours.

Although rain was threatened, it remained dry for Race 2 on Sunday and another convincing race win for Richard Bradley, although, with a comfortable cushion, he kindly slowed on the last lap to allow Duncan’s Alexis to remain unlapped!!

Behind him came another great dice between Bruno and Mark Shaw. Proceedings were interrupted on the fourth lap when David Drew in the newly rebuilt Ausper T3 missed a gear, and spun at the sharp turn 3, collecting Mark Haynes (Elva 200), and a safety car period intervened. Mark Shaw took advantage of the restart and a lap later they passed by, side by side, Mark holding on for the second podium place.

The action behind was an equally exciting repeat of R1, save that Marty Bullock in the drum braked Wren was now in the heart of the Wilson /Smeeton/ Hoemke/ Beaumont battle, Wilson heading Smeeton and Marty at the flag, while, behind, Aubert, Besley and Deeley, were split by less than a second.

Stephane Rey again took front engined honours, this time from Colin Nursey’s California built BMC Mk 1, while the unfortunate Richard Bishop-Miller had a head gasket go, after jubilation the previous day on seeing the chequered flag.

Duncan presided over a jolly end of season prizegiving, with Bruno the new Lurani Champion, his third victory, and Crispian Besley leading the three car Cooper T56 team in the closely fought C2 Class.

With bumper grids this year in Lurani and an extremely exciting calendar ahead for 2020, after a trip for some to South Africa in January, Formula Junior remains in very good spirit.

DCPR

FJHRA/HSCC “Silverline” UK Championship Rounds 8 & 9
FJHRA/HSCC “Silverline” Front Engined Championship Rounds 5 & 6

There were dominating doubles for Richard Wilson (Brabham BT6) and Chris Drake (Terrier T4 Series 1) in the racing, but it was the views and the welcome that dominated the weekend.

The circuit Manager Annette Freeman openly fell in love with our cars, and the feeling was certainly reciprocated towards her circuit.

There’s been a fair amount of talk recently about returning to the good old clubbie meetings of yesteryear, so taking a break this year from the Silverstone Classic, our traditional July jaunt, we instead returned to the Welsh isle, 11 years on from our last visit in our 2008 Golden Jubilee year.

A smile and a warm welcome at the gate were all that were needed for every arrival, be they competitor, official or friends and family, to know they were in for a good weekend : of course the scenic drive to the gate was a pretty good indication of the stunning location too!

Arrivals started already on Thursday, with many keen to learn the track during the Friday Test Day, unfortunately it was also to be the end of the track action for Robin Longdon (Lola Mk 5A) and Roger Woodbridge (Volpini) both with drive shaft failures. David Watkins also had problems, but he just keeps riding the rollercoaster of issues with his Elfin.

On Friday evening the Longdons kindly hosted a very well attended paddock social, before the Front Engined FJ’s started off the race meeting with qualifying on the chilly Saturday morning.

Front Qualifying

With Bernard Brock (Elva 100) a last-minute withdrawal, and the Volpini out the previous day, we were down to 10 FJ’s plus regular guest entrant Hans Ciers in his F3 1000cc U2 Mk 3.

Chris Drake (Terrier Mk4 Series 1) set an early lead on lap 3, but out on the same lap with more terminal problems was Richard Bishop-Miller and his Autosport when the engine tightened up.

Pete de la Roche (Lola Mk 2) was next up but 2.3s adrift, down on compression and Alex Morton (Condor S II) was in third. The beautiful pair of Bonds driven by Andrew Tart and Michael Walker were 4th and 5th, followed by Fleming (Lola Mk 2) and Ian Phillips (BMC Mk 1) all within 0.15s of each other, a sign of some great racing to come.

David Innes was the sole Class A entry, loving the more forgiving nature of a front engined car, taking “Stanley” for his first outing in his new ownership.

Rear qualifying

In the rears we also had a couple of last minute withdrawals from Pete Morton (sprained thumb, but still enjoying the holiday aspect) and Sam Wilson, which left the race prospects wide open, and as it turned out, to another Wilson, Richard (Brabham BT6), to take pole.

Bill Hemming confused those on the pit wall, when he pulled off into the short circuit club corner on lap 1, appeared to sit there for a few laps, and then just set off again. Apparently he wasn’t having a snooze, but fixing a loose connection.

Chris Drake, this time in his Elva 300, was second, although 1.5s slower than in the Terrier, with John Fyda (Brabham BT6) in third. First of the five Aussie visitors with us for the weekend was Marty Bullock, in his drum braked Wren, with David Watkins in control of the Elfin issues once more, a close fourth. These were the fastest of a fantastic eight car Class D entry. Barely represented by contrast were Class C, with just Trevor Griffiths (C2 Emeryson) and Peter Edbrooke (C1 Lotus 18). David Kent (Lynx Mk 3) completed the Classes in his E2 Lynx Mk 3.

Front Race 1

The first three took off in order, and were each left to their own devices to admire the sea view, while behind in the battle for fourth, Justin Fleming had a spin on the first lap and took a bit of time getting going again, leaving it a three-way race between the two Bonds and Ian Phillips.

To begin with it was Tart being chased by Phillips with Walker not far behind, until he caught up and took the BMC briefly into the hairpin, but Phillips was back ahead coming down the hill into the bus stop. The Bond pair were then together for a few laps before Mike missed a gear coming out of hairpin on lap 7 and Ian nipped through, to challenge Andrew on the next lap. It was then he who was under pressure, and he locked up going into the bus stop, coming out Phillips spun, and Walker too in avoidance, leaving the finishing positions Bond, BMC, Bond.

Graham Barron was the only retirement on lap 3, when his Gemini Mk II driveshaft popped out.

Rear Race 1

Some marshalling confusion coming out of the assembly area had Richard Wilson driving through the pit lane, but he took up his place at the front of the grid in time for the start, however it was Marty in lead at the end of lap 1. Marty and his Wren managed to hold off the later disc braked Brabham until lap 4 when Wilson got ahead with John Fyda not far behind in third.

Jonathan Fyda (U2 Mk 3) was also going well, right up with Watkins on lap 3, but unfortunately pulled off into retirement two laps later, leaving Watkins to chase Drake. Meanwhile Chisholm was having issues with his brakes, which allowed Sykes to catch and pass him, before getting right up with Watkins. He had a look down the inside coming into target, the first corner, but Watkins held position and it finished in that order.

At the other end of the field Martin McHugh (North Star) and Hemming (Tojeiro) were enjoying a great dice, with Martin taking the lead on their 8^th lap and holding to the finish.

Front Race 2

First sight of the start, once we’d got on the pit wall, was when they came through the back straight, and it was Drake from Morton and de la Roche, but it wasn’t long before Pete was back ahead of Alex with Drake already pulling away at the start of lap 2.

After a first lap spin for Andrew Tart (Bond) this time, it was down to him to play catch up in the battle for 4^th. In the meantime, it was close between Phillips, Fleming and Walker. At the end of lap 2, Fleming was ahead of Phillips from Walker, all on similar lap times, but Tart was lapping quicker and making up lost ground. There wasn’t much in it when Tart caught up by lap 9, and Walker was ahead of Phillips on the same lap. As Ian Titchmarsh remarked from the commentary box; “Ian is going to feel bonded”.  The Bond progress continued with Walker taking Fleming going up the hill, and Tart also following suit by the end, to finish in 5^th.

Everybody clapped everybody from the pit wall, as Phillips made one last push to the line finishing just 0.2 behind Fleming.

Innes unfortunately retired Stanley on lap 6 when the points closed off.

Rear Race 2;

Our final race for the weekend ran through lunch, with Jonathan Fyda unfortunately a non-starter.

Marty was again into the lead at the start, but it was Tom Anstiss who was impressing in only his second ever race meeting, taking a turn in the family Lotus 20/22. At the end of the first lap he was already right on the tail of David Kent’s Lynx, and ahead the next time round, with a nervous Dad watching from the pit wall. Nervous that is, because he suspected Tom would suggest investing in a new engine.

John Sykes (Merlyn Mk 5/7) had a relaxed start to the race following the Lotus 20/22 of Kim Shearn and John Chisholm (Gemini Mk 3A) for a while, but he must have switched a mental fuel injection switch at the half way mark, as the second part of his race was a different story. He passed the pair of them, and then the battling Class D cars of Drake and Watkins too, to finish a great 4^th, at his favourite circuit.

AFJA President Kim Shearn also got past Chisholm, and Watkins, but unfortunately Chisholm retired on lap 5 with a reoccurrence of his brake problems, and Shearn a lap later, another drive shaft gone.

So it was Wilson who had the lead at the end of lap 2 to the flag, while behind Fyda got ahead of Marty too this time, but never managed to pull away.

Trevor Griffiths (Emeryson) had a mostly lonely race, until Richard Ferris (Donford) really got going, working his way up the field, and passing him before the finish. Hans Ciers (Lotus 20) also had a slower start to the race, but sped up to leave Hemming and McHugh to play again, side by side up the hill and changing places.

Sunday prizegiving was around the podium for all, with Annette Freeman joining a jolly group photo.

Sarah

FJHRA/HSCC “Silverline” UK Championship Rounds 10 + 11

Despite qualifying not being scheduled until Friday afternoon, many were already set up as the drizzle stopped and mist lifted on Thursday afternoon, leaving a relaxed 24 hrs in the warming sun, for social and fettle time side by side.

Qualifying;

46 cars headed out to qualifying; unfortunately, early in was Richard Bradley (Brabham BT2), suffering a cam shaft breakage, and a whole host of people were docked their fastest time in the culpable lap for exceeding track limits.

Early session leader was Chris Chilcott (Brabham BT2), but Chris Goodwin (Lotus 22) was soon lapping faster and faster, enjoying at last the full potential of his car now the Goodwood misfire was fixed and he took pole with a 2m 48.742. Greg Thornton (Lotus 20/22), like Goodwin, was benefiting from the experience of having had more lap time earlier in the day in qualifying for other races and was 2nd (2m 53.451) with Stuart Roach in his Alexis MK 4 in 3rd (2m 54.447).

First timers out not only at Spa, but in their recently acquired cars, were newcomer Keith Pickering in the ex-Michael Ashley-Brown Britannia, and David Drew, in the ex-Alex Morton Ausper T3. Whilst Drew went on to take 2 chequered flags, and a 13 sec improvement on lap times, with a huge grin inherited from Team Morton, sadly Keith’s qualifying ended prematurely with a misfire and lack of power, and his race never got going as he pulled off with a broken cam shaft on lap 1.

Also not completing the session were James Murray (Lola MK 5A), whose distributor came loose, changing the ignition timing and melting a piston, which put him out for the remainder of the track action, and Adrian Russell (Lotus 22). Adrian saw his gearbox problems however as another race opportunity, so set off shortly after qualifying with his son James around 6pm, back to the UK to load up the spare gearbox and return in time for Race 1 the next morning! They made it back and were so close…another 45 mins and he’d have been on the start.

Jeremy Deeley (Cooper T52) reported a crunching sound at the back, which miraculously cleared enabling a fun session, and Tony Olissoff (Elfin MK 1) was fine tuning his one-handed driving skills, having to hold fourth gear in place.

The end of the session unfortunately came a few minutes prematurely with a red flag, when Peter Fenichel (Cooper T56) had a moment and made sliding contact with the wall, settling up partially on track. Before the results were out, there were already Cooper T56 vultures borrowing pieces of his car for their own.

Race 1

FJ were first out on the chilly track on Saturday morning, but a perfect formation rolling start led by Chris Goodwin, with Roach tucked as close as possible behind, headed into La Source. However, not all who went in, came out, and as the mid field pack bunched, Niklas Halusa (Lotus 20) was clipped, and as he spun, Tom de Gres path was blocked leaving him with a split radiator and damaged Cooper nose as a result. Further on round, Thornton (Lotus 20/22) spun, dropping him back to 10th. As he made his way back up through the field, unfortunately an optimistic move at the bus stop on lap 3 meant his Lotus caught the Brabham BT6 of John Fyda. After what seemed like an initial clean escape, it escalated quickly, as it transpired that the contact had ripped the tyre valve off Fyda’s rear wheel, and by Eau Rouge, the Brabham lost control with its tyre now fully deflated. Pete de la Roche squeezed through the narrowing gap but Chilcott next through had nowhere left to go and the Scottish Brabham duo had a sad end to their weekends, luckily with no physical harm.

So, Goodwin and Roach’s somewhat actionless races up front initially, were livened up when the safety car pulled in – at least in Stuart’s case. He just kept ahead for second, but Bullock (Lotus 27) got him on the run down to Eau rouge, after which he tucked into Marty’s slipstream along the Kemmel straight, before making the pass that he held onto to the flag, behind Goodwin. Mowle and Buhofer were hot on their heels too, and a few held breathes on the pit roof as they all negotiated the bus stop for the last time.

Further down the field, Pete de la Roche had transferred his skills beautifully from playstation to track on his first outing at Spa, and made up position from 12^th in qualifying to 6^th at the line and Class D2 victory. Andrew Taylor won the Class C2 battle of the Cooper T56’s, and further down in the drum braked class Trevor Griffiths and Jeremy Deeley were having a great dice.

Alex Morton was continuing his lightning form in his Condor to take Class B2, with Tony Olissoff (B1) and Clinton McCarthy (C1) the sole 1 litre runners, but they finished to earn their trophies!

Race 2

A problem with the circuit communications led to a long safety car period during the HSCC closed wheel race a couple before ours on Sunday afternoon, so we had a 15 min delay and a quick start procedure out of the Eau Rouge assembly area.

Chris Goodwin and Greg Thornton on row 1 were late into their cockpits having been in the previous Masters Sports Car race, but thankfully enough time to pass the message to get circulated through the field about oil on track.

So 37 cars headed out, David Kent only just getting away late with a misfire, later admitting he really rather enjoyed racing from the back and making up the places. Chris Goodwin was already well ahead by the end of lap 1, but behind him in midfield Guarino (Lotus 22) ran wide off line coming in to the bus stop and hit Buhofer’s Lola with nowhere to go and quite an impact. The marshals, perhaps understandably tired after a long weekend, didn’t seem in the same hurry as those racing for the stricken Lola to be lifted onto the flat bed so it was 2 safety car laps before the restart.

Off again, and Thornton spun again, on the exit of La Source, facing the field blind in the middle, waving madly, but luckily all avoided. He managed to swing it round after the pack had passed into the end of the pit lane and the marshals tucked him out of the way quickly and the race carried on unaware.

Saturday’s dual between Roach and Bullock resumed, with Drake and Mowle in close pursuit, until the very last lap when Marty spun out of the chase, and left the podium spots to Roach and Mowle, with Pete De la Roche 4^th for a Class win, and a big tick off his bucket list.

Morton had a moment at the bus stop on the last lap but was still well clear for front engined honours, while Besley got even with the Cooper win over Taylor.

Last on track, but delighted not to be so on the results, was Guy Verhofstadt (Elva 100), after Olissoff crossed the line in the pits just behind him.

Thanks to timekeepers, the results were available straight from the podium and a quick prizegiving attended by all ended a great sunny Spa weekend despite sadly not everyone being able to load up their precious cars in the same condition they’d unloaded them, before a dash for the ferries, and a reunion for some in the queue at Calais!

Sarah