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05/04/2014
Goodwood 72nd Members Meeting
The Clark Stewart race at the Goodwood 72nd Members meeting for 1.5-litre Grand Prix cars and 1-litre F2 and F3 cars of a type that raced between 1961 and 1965, provided a good opportunity for some of our Association members with early cars who had been invited to enjoy this spectacular meeting.
Ian Bankhurst, Chris Drake, John Counsell, Jon Waggitt, Max Blees, Nigel Winchester, Mauro Poponcini and Angelo Delea had been invited, mostly with cars as they normally race, but with Dunlop tyres on a maximum of 9” rims. The only exception was John Counsell who had for some reason been asked to change from down-draught to side-draught.
A beautiful spring day and the circuit in immaculate condition greeted all for qualifying. Ian Bankhurst Alexis Mk8 was soon on the pace before a minor problem saw him have to pull off. Max Blees Brabham BT15 then took up the challenge finishing up with sixth overall behind five F1 cars including Jimmy Clarks’ Lotus 21 and just ahead of Robs Lamplough in his screaming Lola T60 Cosworth F2, followed by Bankhurst. Chris Drake was unlucky to have had some serious problems with the Spyder, limiting him to only a couple of laps and forcing him to scratch from the race.
Another wonderful spring day greeted all for Sunday, race day, Ian Bankhurst had resolved the issue with the Alexis and took his place on the third row directly behind Max Blees. These two circulated in close company throughout the race slowly bring their lap times down but never more than a couple of seconds apart and frequently only a few tenths. This duo were slowly pulling in Alex Morton, third place, in the Lotus 21 getting to within a couple of seconds until the last lap when Max, lapping another car, just put a wheel on the grass and had a big moment just missing the lapped car and Ian who took a then comfortable 4th overall with Max a lap down but in 5th place.
Meanwhile Nigel Winchester, Mallock Mk 3, was comfortably quickest of the rest of the F3s,but as their race went on his was joined by Mauro Poponcini, Cooper T76, Jon Waggitt, in the Andrew Thorpe Lotus 31 on really skinny Dunlop’s and initially Angelo Delea, Brabham BT16. Angelo had a couple of excursions on to the grass and lost touch with this group who were enjoying a good dice. The battle being resolved in favour of Jon, 11th place, then Nigel who being lapped just before the finish missed out on another lap to continue the fight. Mauro Pononcini’s ultra reliable Cooper let him down on his last lap with a broken throttle spring leaving John Counsell, Brabham BT 18, to cross the line just 6 seconds behind Nigel with Angelo Delea a distance back in 14th place.
Everyone was delighted with the meeting, no doubt helped by the weather, and are looking forward to the next invite.
Keith Messer
All Photos courtesy of Michael Hedger
