Prescott Speed Hill Climb - 40 years ago

A Bugatti makes the climb at Prescott 40 years ago.

Today I would have been at Prescott for the opening round of the 2020 British Hillclimb championship.  Of course with the current Covid19 crisis, neither the event or my travel will happen.  By a curious coincidence, yesterday I picked up a long forgotten photo album and found some black and white photos I took about 40 years ago in 1980 at Prescott.

They were taken on a Minolta 430E 110 format camera.  At the time a very compact camera for basic snap shots.  Strangely it makes the photos of a classic car meeting look even more distant and nostalgic!  The format and black and white plus the cars themselves takes you back a further 50 years to the 1930s.   I decided to leave them all in the original 4x3 format.

Another pre-war car makes the climb.

An MG makes the climb

The lower part of the course can be clearly seen.

An Alfa Romeo unless I am mistaken.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.

Another driver in the same MG as before.

From the Archives - 2002 Le Mans Classic

In Plateau No.2 the white 1956 Maserati 250SI of Jeremy Agace races with the 1954 Aston Martin DB3S of Roos, and Hugi whilst exiting Tertre Rouge..

The first edition of the Le Mans Classic was held on the 21st and 22nd September 2002 with five grids of historic sports cars racing around the clock from 4pm on Saturday to 4pm on Sunday.  There were no support races and compared to more recent editions, quite a small crowd of enthusiasts.  I was one of those enthusiasts at the event and took a few photos on my Nikon E855 Compact camera which I share with you in this post.

It was just a three day meeting with scrutineering on the Friday and practice from 9am to 1 am on Saturday and the races commencing at 4pm.    The night time practice actually happened during Saturday evening after the first 4 races.  The tradition of having a dummy Le Mans start and then a real rolling start was in place for this first edition and gave many of us a chance to see our first Le Mans start.

The four plateau or grids back in 2002 were as follows:

Plateau 1 - Cars from 1923 to 1939. (Sponsored by Alfa Romeo)

Plateau 2 - Cars from 1945 to 1956. (Sponsored by Jaguar)

Plateau 3  - Cars from 1957 to 1961. (Sponsored by Aston Martin)

Plateau 4 - Cars from 1962 to 1965. (Sponsored by Ferrari)

Plateau 5 - Cars from 1966 to 1975. (Sponsored by Porsche)

All cars taking part had to be of a model that competed in the 24 Hours of Le Man between 1923 and 1975.

Each Plateau had four races that each lasted around 35 minutes.

...................................................................................................................................................................

Saturday started with a walk around the classic cars from various car clubs parked the length of the Bugatti circuit and the various paddocks<

A number of beautiful Bugattis.   Types 31, 40 and 43 were down to race.

A well known Jaguar powered HW - Alta.

Another beautiful classic car.

Plateau 1

Plateau 1 contained many desirable pre-war cars from Alfa Romeo, Bentley, Aston Martin, Riley, Bugatti and many other marques.   At the end of the race, an Alfa Romeo 8C won from a Talbot 105 and an Aston Martin 2 Litre.

The pre-war cars kicked off the first 30 minute race of the day.

The prewar cars around the Dunlop Chicane.

Plateau 2

Plateau 2 included lots of lovely Jaguars, Maseratis, Aston Martins and Ferraris. First and second places in this plateau were taken by Jaguar D Types with a Lotus Eleven taking third.

The Plateau 2 cars including a C-Type Jaguar, a Ferrari and an Allard exit Tertre Rouge.

Plateau 2 cars including clockwise from top left - Michael Kahn's 1951 Allard J2X, GiuseppeTomasetti's 1956 Maserati 150 Sport, Peter Johns's 1956 Jaguar XK140 and Michel Biscaras's 1951 Jaguar C Type.

More Plateau 2 action.  Clockwise from top left - an Aston Martin DB3S in the Esses, A Maserati 450S at Turn 1, Jaguar XK120 leading a DB and a Porsche through the Esses, A lotus IX leaving the Esses, an Aston Martin DB3S and a Maserati 250 SI.

Plateau 2 early on Sunday morning.

Plateau 3

Plateau 3 was full of more lovely Aston Martins, Maseratis, Ferraris and Lotuses.  However, at the end of the race it was a Jaguar E Type who was the winner.  Runner up was a Maserati Birdcage, followed by another E Type.  Mark Knofpler was driving in this plateau in a Maserati 300S.

The Plateau 3 cars on Sunday Morning.    In the top picture you can make out a Ferrari 250 GT SWB and an Aston Martin DBR1.  In the lower picture is a Maserati 300S and a Lister-Jaguar Knobbly.

Plateau 4

Plateau 4 contained Ferraris, Porsches, Shelby Mustangs and more.  In the end a Ford GT40 won from a AC Cobra and Nick Mason's Ferrari 250 GTO. 

The drivers of plateau 4 get ready for a Le mans start.

A Mini Marcos GT, an E Tpe Jaguar and two Alfa Romeo TZs wait for the sart.

The drivers run to their cars.  From left to right - An Austin Healey Sprite, a Shelby Mustang, A CD Panhard, and a Sunbeam Tiger.

Plateau 5

Plateau 5 was my favourite plateau as it contained a host of Lola T70s and Alfa Romeo 33s, not to mention a Porsche 917.. The winner was an Alfa Romeo 33 from a Chevron B16 and a Porsche RSR.  

Some of the fastest cars in Plateau 5.  Top - the 1970 Alfa Romeo 33 of Won Shipman that finished second in the Targa Florio.  It leads a Chevron and two Lolas.   below - Two Lola T70s lead a Porsche RSR.

The 1967 Lola T70 Mk3 of André Bailly exiting the Esses and descending towards Tertre Rouge.   The Jackie Epstein car that finished fourth in the Spa 1,000kms of 1967.

The 1967 Porsche 910 of Franck Leonesio.   This is a car that won its class at the Targa Florio.  

A Lola T70 in Jo Bonnier colours and  the 1973 Alfa Romeo TT33 of Joe Nastasi.

Francois Bourdin's 1966 Lotus Elan and a Porsche 910.

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.

Le Mans late in the evening.

Le Mans at night.

From the Archives - 2010 Crystal Palace Sprint

The ex- Gerard Larrousse / Jo Siffert Automobiles Racing Chevron B19-Ford driven by Amanda George.

My favourite motor sport venue when I as young was the Crystal Palace motor racing circuit in London, near where I was brought up in the fifties and sixties.  I used to go there regularly between 1968 and 1972.  So it was with great pleasure that I returned there in 2010 for one of the Motorsport at the Palace Sprint meetings.  It was a two day meeting and I spent a happy few hours there on Saturday May 30th afternoon.   Thank you Sevenoaks and District Motor Club!

The Sprint Course runs through the green parkland of Crystal Palace Park using sections of both pre-war and post war track.  It is roughly half a mile long.   Crystal Palace held the very first motor race in Great Britain back at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.  The pre-war circuit was used from 1937 to 1939 and a shorter post war circuit was used from 1953 to 1972.  A sprint has been run since 1997.   Thus, great to see this venue still being used for motor sport.  I see that the 2020 event has been cancelled so I hope this blogpost will give some pleasure to those who will miss the event.  I hope they will eventually organise another one.

Looking back, there were lots of interesting cars and I was able to take some half reasonable pictures with my compact camera - Panasonic DMC-TZ5.   At the time I used to work very close to Crystal Palace Park and I often used to walk around the old circuit during lunch hour.  Thus, I knew the circuit well and at the Sprint meeting walked off to take pictures of the cars as they did the return loop back to the start on a combination of the pre-war and post war track.   Hence my pictures are from different angles than many others found on the web.   As it is nearly ten years since I took these pictures I have had to make a guess at what some of these cars were - apologies if any are wrong and feel free to correct me in the comments.

Bernard Armitage in his Ford Escort MkII ThunderSaloon starts the course.

Roland Knott - 1988 Jedi Mk1 racing car.

An Austin Healey Sprite being readied for the start.

Fyrth Cross in a 1972 F3 Ensign LNF3.   Lovely to see this car.  I remember Mike Wilds driving the same car at a 1972 F3 event at Crystal Palace.

Barrie "Whizzo" Williams in an Ex-Richard Longman Austin Mini Cooper S.

This picture of a nineties Ferrari F355 GTB at the old Park Curve shows how close residential houses were to the circuit, which of course led to noise complaints.

Duncan Rabagliati in a 1959 Formula Junior Alexis Mk1.

1962 Ford Anglia 105E Deluxe on the section that pre-war was called Fisherman's rise.

1959 Series 1A Lotus 7 on the old pre-war section of the course between Fisherman's Bend and Fisherman's Corner.

Christopher Mann arrives in his 1954 Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 PR.  A very pleasant surprise!

Alfa Romeo 3 litre 6C engine.

Alfa Romeo 6C in the paddock.

Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 PR.  Definitely my No.1 car of the day.

No apologies required for yet another shot of the Alfa.

An Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA just after the start heading up to Pond hairpin.

1977 Austin Mini "Minus" at Big Tree Bend.

The mayor flags away an Alfa Romeo Giulietta..

Alfa Giulietta action at Parfitt's Chicane.

2004 Stohr DSR Sports car at Fisherman's Bend.

Simon Taylor in his 1950/1956 HWM-Chevrolet "Stovebolt Special" comes out to play.

Austin Seven racing car leaving the paddock to have a run up the Sprint Course.

My second favourite car of the meeting was this 1947 Monaco 500cc racer.  It was driven by John Potts.

1947 Monaco 500cc racer.   it was a car commissioned by George Hartwell and built by Monaco Motors in Watford.  It was one of the first cars to be powered by a Norton engine and is small so that it could be put on the back on a small truck.

1975 Roysle RP21 Formula Ford car.

1962 GSM Delta with the lake behind it as it approaches the old Fisherman's Bend.  Had to ask to know what this was!

A BMW heads into the link between the pre-war and post-war circuit.

1959 Freddy Owen Special with a 3442cc Jaguar XK motor.  Never seen this before!

1954 Cooper 500cc Mk8 exiting Fisherman's bend as it was called pre-war.

A Lotus Cortina Mk1 heads along the old Terrace Straight toward North Tower Curve.

1998 Jedi Mk4.

1959 Standard Vanguard Vignale just after the start.

1972 BMW 2002.

A Ferrari heads through the old Glade to Park Curve section.

1960 Chevrolet Corvette

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.

Austin A35 with the lake in the background.

Fifties MG TB saloon in the car park.

Lotus Cortinas beneath the famous Crystal Palace TV mast.

Seeing this Alvis TD21 reminded me of my first time at Crystal Palace Circuit back in 1968.

Austin Healey "Frogeye" Sprint

The Ensign F3 car again but around the North Tower Crescent and the Glade section.

A 1979 MG Midget just before the New Link that led down to the Pre-War Start-Finish straight.