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August 2016
The View from the editorial desk
It seemed to me that the end of the school holidays.....yes I can remember that
far back.... used to approach more rapidly the closer it got to go back. Why I
wonder does it seem just the same at FORC at this time of year? No sooner are
the holidays over than events come thick and fast before autumn finally arrives.
Then we still have two or three guest speakers to look forward to - or more
correctly four or five!
First a reminder that we will have our usual FORC presence at Stradbroke High
School CARnival on Sunday 11th September. We enjoy an excellent mutually
beneficial relationship with the organisers: they publicise and support our Legion
Rally in June and we reciprocate in September. Please do come along on 11th
with your sporting car or motor-cycle of any age including competition machines
of any category. It helps enormously if you pre-register - forms from
www.stradbrokehigh.co.uk - see our Friends Events web-page, and do let
Roger Shipp (rogershipp@icloud.com) know you are coming so that we can
allocate space for everyone around our gazebo.
Continuing with the outdoor theme there are two more FORC events shortly to
be announced so keep an eye on your mailbox and be ready to book!
I mentioned guest speaker evenings: booking is due to open any minute for 'The
Three Chiefs' at Stradbroke Community Centre on Wednesday 28th September.
Meanwhile I'm delighted to announce that our guest speaker 'Live at The Apollo'
on Thursday 8th December will be current WEC Audi LMP1 works team driver
Oliver Jarvis - a big date to put in your diaries now!
Be seeing you
Steve
Jack Sears
It was a privilege to have witnessed one of the memorable drives in Jack's
career. At the 1964 British Grand Prix meeting at Brands Hatch the processional
Formula 1 Grand Prix was overshadowed by the GT support race. Jack was
black flagged on the first lap for starting from the wrong grid position to which he
had been directed in error. His subsequent drive in the Willment Cobra (below)
from dead last to overtake the whole field, including leader Jackie Stewart in the
Coombs Lightweight E-type Jaguar, to win was nothing short of spectacular!
One of those unforgettable motor-sport moments.
As expected many motor-sport figures attended Jack's service at Ashill on
Thursday 18th August, including those who, in addition to Jack, had graced the
FORC platform in the past. Many FORC members were also in the
congregation. Donations to the Big C Cancer Charity were invited. On your
behalf FORC contributed £100.
Steve Wyatt
HSCC Autosport Historic Race Meeting Snetterton 5th June
The day following The Legion Rally saw us at Snetterton for what is usually the
commemorative Autosport 3 Hour race for Sports and GT cars.
Until last year Kay Swinger presented the annual Peter Swinger Trophy for the
team demonstrating the competitive spirit of her late husband Peter, a founder
member of FORC. Peter had driven in the original 3 Hours Race in the 1960's in
a Reliant Sabre, was an MSA Steward and leading figure in the HSCC. It was
Peter who persuaded former Lotus Grand Prix driver Martin Donnelly to come
and talk to FORC in January 2002. Traditionally Kay asked Norman and Steve
to choose the recipient(s). Last year FORC agreed with Kay that, in future, the
Club would make the award.
This year, among other issues, Dunlop tyre supply problems meant a change to
a one hour format for pre-1969 Sports Racing cars. It was a challenge to find a
candidate that matched the criterion over such a short race so we settled on the
team who, at the end of the race, had most improved over their starting grid
position. This turned out to be Patrick-Ward Booth and Iain McDonald in their
Ginatta G16 who finished 6th from 12th on the grid.
The Patrick-Ward Booth/Iain McDonald Ginetta G16.
Picture by Richard Styles
Patrick Ward-Booth & Iain McDonald receive the FORC Peter Swinger Trophy from Kevin Turner, editor of
Autosport.
Picture by Richard
Styles
U S Racing ...with the Good 'Ol Boys
by Mike Dixon
Part 3
23 March 1992
Welcome to Darlington, South Carolina, "The Track too tough to tame " and
home of the (in)famous Darlington Stripe. One of the oldest tracks on the
NASCAR circuit Darlington's unique egg-shaped Tri-oval first hosted racing in
1950. Why the strange shape? Just Google it and all will be revealed - it could
only happen in The South.
My first experience of driving in the States was a trip from Columbia to
Darlington with a couple of work colleagues, one of whom was keen to see if
Tom Cruise was still filming "Days of Thunder" at the circuit. He wasn't, but we
were able to walk onto the 24 degree banking before being shooed off.
The tradition of two 500-milers each season became threatened by NASCAR's
"realignment" during the 1990's with, to the horror of its many supporters the
loss of the long-established Labor Day Southern 500 to a track in California of
all places. Down to just one event a year, and with even that being given a very
unsuitable calendar slot, things looked bleak. But common sense has prevailed,
facilities have been improved, and its future looks more certain.
These shots are from the Mk III Vans 200, a round of the Busch Grand National
series, the prime feeder to the (then) Winston Cup. Y'all enjoy.
The race leader is Mark Martin in the Winn Dixie Ford Thunderbird who was the
man to beat in the series that year. However his Darlington race didn't last long
as a you can see with him up against the wall with a blown engine.
The race was won, after a last corner move, by Robert Pressley from the much
more experienced Harry Gantt, a little too easily in my book.
Later that year Jeff Gordon (#1) moved to the Cup series, scoring a total of 93
victories and four Championships before retiring at the end of 2015 ( If season
points totals had continued instead of the farcical "Chase" format he would have
had 7 titles equalling those of Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt - but so be it).
The following year a couple of us attended the Southern 500, watching Harry
Gantt start his remarkable run of victories that September on a day with the
temperature in the mid-90's. Conditions for the March '92 race shown here were
more benign for the visit during our first holiday in the Carolinas. The shots were
taken from the back-stretch stands, soon to become the front-stretch with the
addition of a new high-rise stand above the existing ones.
Editors note: Drivers hitting the wall are considered to have received their
'Darlington Stripe' thanks to the missing paint on the right hand side of the car!
We hope Mike can be persuaded to share some more of his pictures in the
future. Thanks Mike.
Do you want to know the history of your classic car?
By Roger Shipp
Want to get more history about your car, whether it is a classic or not? Well I did
and this is a good place to start.
One of our members, Douglas Tatem, told me about this so I thought I would
pass it on to you all and give it a try myself and it was certainly worth it.
I wanted as much ownership history of my MGB GT with any possible recorded
mileage. Knowing details of recent owners would give me the chance to contact
them for any information related to when they owned it.
It is very simple and cheap, just go to the following web page:
www.gov.uk/request-information-from-dvla
Then scroll down until you see the link to form V888 open it and print it off. It's
easy to complete and only costs £5.00.
Fill out what you are specifically asking for in question 4 and the reasons for this
request in question 5.
In my case I asked for "All previous owners of the car from first registration
including the dates each owner had the vehicle including any recorded
mileage".
Giving the reason "To build up the heritage of the vehicle with as much
information as possible and help verify the mileage".
In my case it took about 5 weeks to get a response and what a surprise I got!
The response included a photocopy of every UK Registration Certificate from
the original old style logbook that contained 3 keeper details. Unfortunately as it
was not mandatory no previous owner had filled in the mileage section when
they sold the car on, so I still cannot verify the mileage.
It did confirm that the vehicle chassis number and the engine number on the car
are the same as from new, unless someone went to the trouble of changing the
plates over. Also in 1976 it had its colour changed from 'Gold' to its current
'Tartan Red', that was a good decision by that owner.
I am sure that the earlier owners no longer live at the addresses shown but I
can at least go back to the more recent owners for information.
Keep our cars alive and give it a try.
Roger and Brenda in the 'Tartan Red' MGB GT on the 2016 PWR.
Picture by Rory Aldridge/Greg Last
Your 2016 holiday planning guide: If unforeseen circumstances affect our
plans we place an announcement on the home web-page. If time allows we will
email all members a News Flash backed up with local broadcasters.
Please make sure you have these dates in your 2016 diaries :
Wednesday 28th September: 'Three Chief Mechanics' at Stradbroke. Bob
Dance, Nick Goozee, and Neil Trundle all served as Chief Mechanics of
respectively Lotus, Penske, and McLaren. Put them together with the brief to
talk about their 'drivers' and we can be sure of a revealing and at times probably
hilarious evening!
Thursday 27th October: Fred Gallagher - Live at The Apollo, Harleston
November to be confirmed - watch for news on the Website.
Thursday 8th December: Oliver Jarvis 'Live at the Apollo'
Our 'Friends Events' web-page contains news of upcoming events which
FORC members are invited to support.
Footnote
John and Nick Holder in their Cannon concentrate on the job in hand in at the
Historic Sporting Trials Association event at Plashes Farm, Ware, on 20th
August. Note the FORC sticker!
Picture courtesy Leigh Trevail