Motor Racing, H:O Scale Slot Cars, Classic Cars, the building of my slot car circuit

Les courses automobiles francaises et voitures classiques
Showing posts with label motor racing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label motor racing. Show all posts

Sunday, 4 November 2018

Porsche Rennsport Reunion VI - PCA Scholar-Friedman Cup

John Seidell in a 1997 Porsche Boxster leads a 911 at the Corkscrew.
The Porsche Club of America (PCA) is the largest single marque racing series in the World with 2000 licensed racers and 32 sanctioned races a year.  This is amateur club racing but forms one of the seven races at the Rennsport Reunion.  At this meeting they race for the Scholar Friedman Cup, which is named after two of PCA's founders who started the racing series in the early nineties.  One of those founders, Alan Friedman, was actually racing.  As you will see below a large variety of cars take part.
Alan Friedman racing a 1973 Porsche RSR.
The Porsche Rennsport Reunion is a unique event, that is held once every three or four years, dedicated just to classic and more modern racing Porsches, their drivers and the men and women who made it all possible.    Porsche Rennsport Reunion VI held over four days in September 2018 was again located at Laguna Seca like the last one in 2015.  No surprise as Laguna Seca is in California, which also happens to be the biggest market for Porsche.   This year the event was subtitled The Marque of Champions - a name that speaks for itself.  The event was also part of Porsche's 70th birthday celebrations.
A large variety of cars take part.  Here a fairly standard Porsche 944 is overtaken by a RileyDaytona prototype.
On the wonderful 2.238 mile Laguna Seca road course, seven groups of Porsche cars raced over the weekend.  The PCA Scholar-Friedman Cup event was for the amateur club racers of the PCA.  Fifty cars started the race.
The lead cars on their pac e lap at the Corkscrew.
The Race
What was nice about this race was that we saw a number of cars that we hadn't seen race all weekend.  It was also nice to see the fastest car have to fight for victory.  Great club racing.
Eventual winner was this 2008 Riley Daytona Prototype driven by Pierce Marshall.
The early leader was Robb Todd in a 2018 Porsche GT3 Cup car.  He eventually came second.
Third place went to a 2015 Porsche GT3 Cup driven by Jesse Menczer.  He won his class.
In sixth place came a 2016 Porsche GT4 CS driven by Chris Bellomo.
This 2012 Porsche Cayman R came ninth driven by Geoff Isringhausen.
Rich Polk finished tenth in this 1973 Porsche 911
A 2000 Porsche Boxster driven Jan Sussman finished thirteenth.
Claudio Kaempf came seventeenth in this 1970 Porsche 911.
A very popular car was this 2000 Boxster S in Highway Patrol colors driven by Chris Murray.  It finished nineteenth.
Twentieth was this 1981 Porsche 911 driven by Sean Neal.
A 1986 Porsche 911 driven by Evan Close  came 35th.
A spin for this 1972 Porsche 911 RSR in qualifying.
A beautiful 1981 Porsche 911

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. 
A 1998 Porsche Boxster driven by Trygve Isaacson.


Sunday, 1 April 2018

Fifty Years On

The grid for a single seater race at Brands Hatch in 1968.  This was a picture from one of my first ever race meetings.
This year, 2018, marks my fiftieth anniversary of becoming passionate about motorsport.   In February 1968 I bought my first edition of Motor Sport magazine.  Then in May 1968 I went to my first circuit event, the Aston Martin Owners Club St John Horsfall meeting at Silverstone.   From then on I was hooked.  My passion hasn't always been at the same level.  After being very passionate about motor sport at the end of sixties and through the seventies, the combination of Ronnie Peterson's death in September 1978, the advent of the ground effects cars and meeting my first wife meant that my interest waned a little until about 1983.  Again during the Schumacher era and after meeting my second wife, my interest waned from 2003 until 2009.  In 2014 I became totally hooked on motor racing photography and hence this blog.
The grid of a single seater race at Silverstone in May 1968.  This was a picture I took at my first ever race meeting.
What I cannot remember is what ignited my interest in motorsport.  None of my family had even the slightest interest in motor sport.  Funnily enough none of my friends at the time had any great interest in motor sport either.   So what was it that made me a motor racing fan?

I had a friend with whom I played Scalextric but I think my interest in slot cars really developed from
an interest in motor racing rather than the other way round.   From day one I was a Graham Hill fan so so maybe my interest developed from seeing him on television but I am not sure this was so.  Certainly, Graham inspired me to be determined and competitive and this has enabled me to be relatively successful in my life.   Funnily enough in my school class the register used to go ...Etherton, Graham, Hill......

My dad had a colleague, Tom May, who was an Ecurie Ecosse  Jaguar C Type restorer and certainly Tom was the source of many pictures that ended up on my bedroom wall.   I am also sure that it was him who suggested the St John Horsfall meeting as my first meeting.  However, I have no actual recollection of meeting Tom so I am not sure it was him who started the bug off.  Certainly, he later offered to taker me around Brands Hatch in his Jaguar but my mum scotched this idea as too dangerous.

As a young teenager I used to read a lot of biographies.  The ones about mountaineers I particularly remember.  I also read Champion Year by Mike Hawthorn.  Maybe this got me started?

Before I even became a teenager we did have some neighbours who had a couple of boys who were older then me but fans of motor racing.  Apparently I did go and watch televised motor races from Goodwood and elsewhere in the early to mid sixties.  One of the brothers built a Mallock U2 and he took me around the block in this.  However, it was sometime after that the bug bit so I am not sure this is an answer either.

Perhaps, I will never remember!

What I do know is that the first couple of race meetings made a big impression on me.  Seeing Sid Taylor in his big Lola T70 MkIII-Chevrolet especially, but also my first encounter with single seater racing.

The paddock behind the pits at Silverstone in May 1968.
Not very good pictures but remember they are fifty years old and taken with an extremely basic camera.


Friday, 30 December 2016

New Year's Motor Racing Quiz

A 21 question quiz for you to test your knowledge of motor racing.  Some easy, some medium, some difficult questions.   Link to the answers below.

1.     Only two drivers have won both the Indy 500 and the Le Mans 24 Hours.  Name them both (1 point for each).
2.     Only four drivers have won both the F1 World Championship and the Le Mans 24 Hours.  Name all four.  (1 point for each).
3.     Only five drivers have won both the F1 World Championship and the Indy 500.  Name all five (1 point for each).
4.     Name each of the following four drivers pictured (1 point for each).  Which one has won the Le Mans 24 hours? (1 point).

5.     These two drivers have won eight Le Mans 24 hour victories between them.  Name them (1 point for each) and the eight years that one or other or both of them won the Le Mans 24 
       hours (1 point for each).













6.     Name these nine circuits (1 point for each).


7.     Name this Frenchman on the right (1 point).  During which 3 years did he participate in F1? (1 point for each) What was the highest position he achieved in a World Championship GP? (1 point)






8.  Which race have all of the following drivers won?   Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, Ralf Schumacher, David Coulthard, Antonio Felix Da Costa, Vern Schuppan, Geoff Lees, Ricardo Patrese and Rickard Rydell.  (1 point).  Which four of these drivers have one it twice? (1 point for each). 
9.  On which circuit have all of the following drivers won the big race?   Jacky Ickx, Larry Perkins, Rickard Rydell, David Brabham, John Fitzpatrick, Armin Hahne, Win Percy and Rauno Aaltonen. (1 point).  Which one of them won there in a Jaguar?   Which World Champion died there?  (1 point).
10. Who was the last Frenchman to take part in the French GP? (1 point).  Which three French drivers have won a World Championship French GP? (1 point for each).
11. Which six drivers have won the F3 race at Monte Carlo and then gone on to win the Monaco GP? (1 point for each).  
12.  Who won the RAC Tourist Trophy four times in three different makes of car and on two different circuits with 21 years between the first and last victory?  (1 point each for the driver, the makes of car, the circuits and the years he won). 
!3.  Who won the International Trophy F1 race at Silverstone in a Theodore, who finished fourth in as Theodore in the Race of Champions F1 race and which two drivers scored World Championship points in a Theodore F1 car?  (1 point for each).
14.  Peter Warr, Michel Knight, John Surtees, James Hunt, Damon Hill, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton have all won which Grand Prix?  (1 point).  Who won this GP in 2016? (1 point).
!5.  Names the three circuits that have held the World Championship F1 Grand prix of two different countries? (1 point each).  Note that the European GP doesn't count as one as it is not a country.
16.  Which three F3000 champions went on to win a World Championship GP? 
!7.  Which three F2 champions who weren't Frenchmen went on to win a World Championship GP?
18.  Which three GP2 champions went on to win a World Championship GP?
19.  Name all the marques that won endurance races counting for the International Championship for Makes in 1969.  (1 point for each).
20.  Name all of the drivers who won a World Championship GP in 1966? (1 point for each).
21. Name these seven marques of car pictured.

Maximum points are 101.  Let me know if you spot any errors.  Good luck.  Feel free to share.  To see the answers click here.



Saturday, 3 December 2016

French Motor Sport and Classic Car Calendar Winter 2016 / 2017

Early morning photo of the 2015 Rallye du Medoc.

Not much to do at this time of year but here are a few French events to consider going to in the coming months.  Please check with the organiser's web site before travelling long distances.

2016, December 10th & 11th, Saturday & Sunday - Rallye du Medoc.   Pauillac. http://asacso.free.fr/crbst_8.html

2017, January 8th, Sunday.  Traversée de Paris Hivernale. Paris. http://vincennesenanciennes.com/blog/category/sorties/traversee-de-paris/

2017. January 27th, Friday, Monte Carlo Rallye Historique, Départ Reims. https://acm.mc/en/rallye-monte-carlo-historique/2017-edition-rmch/presentation-rmch/

2017, February 8th to 12th, Wednesday to Sunday, Salon Rétromobile, Paris.https://www.retromobile.com/

2017, February 25th, Saturday, VdeV Official test at Magny-Cours.http://www.vdev.fr/#

2017, February 25th & 26th, Saturday & Sunday, Rallye de la Cote Fleurie, Normandy.http://www.ecurie-cote-fleurie.fr/Accueil-CF-2017.191.html

2017, March 4th & 5th, Saturday & Sunday, Rallye du Pays Avallonnais, Burgundy.
2017, March 25th & 26th, Saturday & Sunday, Course de Cote de Lugny, Burgundy.
2017, March 26th, Sunday, Slalom de la Ferté Bernard, Near Le Mans.


A Simca finishes the Traversée de Paris in 2016 giving colour to a winter's day.

Click here to get the flavour of the 2015 Traversée de Paris.


Famous French rally driver Bob Neyret about to set of from Reims in his Citroen on the Rallye Monte Carlo Historique.

Click here to see coverage of the 2015 Monte Carlo Rallye Historique and what you might expect to see.

Exhibitors at last year's Retromobile.

Click here to get a flavour of the 2016 Retromobile exhibition.

2016 Ralle de la Cote Fleurie.
For picture from the 2016 Rallye de la Cote Fleurie, click here.

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.