Umbrellas at Mallory

Mallory Park, 13th July 2003

But not for the rain – Sunshades were an absolute necessity and golf umbrellas were in demand as, for the second year, we had fantastic weather for the Morgan Motor Company Challenge race meeting. We debated whether Tony Oliver had a special prayer he uses or a pact with the devil. Whatever arrangements he makes, the spectators, who normally shiver and squelch through most meetings, were thoroughly grateful even if the drivers were sweltering in their fireproofs. It was so warm that a certain not-to-be-named male driver did suggest to an un-named blonde lady that she should “get her kit off” just because she was wearing trousers instead of shorts [Ed: I am sure that he was thinking solely of the lady’s personal comfort ...]. As we drove into the paddock the cars parked on the left were the 3-wheelers which were participating in the first race of the day. Last practice, first race – apart from allowing all the incoming crowds for the afternoon to see them twice, it enabled the marshalls to rearrange themselves to accommodate the extra loop...

The 4-wheelers were grouped along the collecting area with various apparatuses for keeping cool. Some of us just huddled beside our cars, others had put-u-up marquees (usually used for keeping the rain off) or covered trailers. And there were the motor homes, including the newly purchased one belonging to Andy and Alex Green which will prevent the family from shivering overnight under canvas in the future. Cool bags were in evidence plus a nifty water cooler of the Burrys – the car washing bucket filled with cold water. Jack, of course, compared the weather with that at Le Mans...

No problems with noise levels this time and so everyone was lining up for their various practices (some of our number were participating in other races – both the Anglo-American Challenge and the Saloon Car Race). All running to time and, that rarity, a tannoy that was intelligible asking for the 4 wheel Morgans to appear. They all did, apart from Philip Goddard whose car had blown up on the motorway – at least the RAC will rescue you from the hard shoulder if not from the paddock. Sorry you were not with us Philip and hope you are back soon. And Chris Acklam was a little tardy in appearing because he was aiding James Paterson in mending his accelerator cable after it broke in the AA practice. (Question from James for Mark Aston: Is it out of warranty yet after only 34 years?) James himself was able to join practice only a few minutes late thanks to the help he received from Chas and others.

General comments about practice: “Hot”, “Very hot”, “Too much traffic”, “Brakes getting long”. Adam Jones vied with Rick Lloyd going into Gerrards and went off (“the brake pedal failed” – I think that means he did not press it soon enough.) This resulted in a rather stylish foliage arrangement in the vent holes in Adam’s front spoiler and some crumpling from the barrier. Some couldn’t stand the heat and came in early: Chris Dady’s car started overheating after 3 laps so he slowed and then conserved car and driver; Rick lost a plug lead; Peter Horsman found Chris A in his way so stopped trying to get past and went back to the paddock. The heat got to brakes and to engines as well. Matthew Wurr’s engine was misfiring at 6,000 revs when it got hot, but he still felt that he was getting close to Rick’s power. Kelvin had replaced his brakes (again) after the AA race and the new ones gave good service, as did Philip McKelvey’s. Simon McDermott was trying new brakes but by the time he had got the bias right he was caught up in traffic.

Class C seemed to have forgotten that this was only practice and not the race itself as Paul Burry, Simon Orebi Gann and Andy Green diced with each other. Exciting to watch until they all decided to give each other space, only to find that they too ran into a busy track. Most of those who were in the AA practice felt that they were doing less well as the day heated up, for example Tim Bryan, Phil Hollins and Leigh Sebba. (Leigh had the embarrassing task of reporting to race control to collect his spare balaclava which had “flown” out of his car during practice – what was it doing there in the first place?) Mary Lindsay was the only one who had scrutineering problems when the sticky ticket provided an unwelcome distraction as it stuck to her glove rather than the car during the first few laps.

Welcome back to Matt Taylerson who found getting into first gear with the Moss Box a tad difficult at the hairpin so thrilled the crowd by proceeding sideways. He still managed to catch up with David James and keep him focussed. Our 2 newcomers this season, Richard Plant and Frank Grimley did well. Richard proudly told us that he had been shopping in his race car the day before, though the brakes had seemed to work better in town.. And Frank on his first time out, having tested earlier in the week, was able to keep a low profile and just found the practice over too quickly. Jack, of course, would rather have been in Le Mans.

Between practice and race there was much to keep us occupied: watching the start of the 3-wheeler practice with a mixture of starting handles, primitive electrics and pushing; waiting, and waiting, for qualifying times; deflowering and taping up Adam’s front end; inspecting James’ car which was shunted in the Anglo-American race; weighing of all the cars and drivers – and keeping cool. Sadly we had lost Phil Hollins whose steering column had partially seized in the AA race. As usual every attempt had been made at a repair but to no avail.

A little later than planned the call came again for 4-wheelers to line up. Tim had obviously got plans for some in-race refuelling as he headed for the collecting area with his funnel still inserted in the fuel tank. (Dangerous, but others might find it useful to solve any underweight problems with a quick top up). It was a hot start in more ways than one. Rick on pole with Matthew and Simon McD alongside and behind, and Adam only separated from them by Peter and James in their Class B cars. Then a sprinkling of Classes C and B before the remainder of Class A as Philip McK, Richard and Tim start ahead of the 3 Class D and 2 Class E drivers.

Matthew passed Rick into the first bend but was swiftly overtaken by him as they went into the Esses. Simon McD also had a good start and was up with them both. James kept ahead of Peter at the start and they maintained that position for a couple of laps until Peter got ahead at the Esses. Adam had a blinding start, though Andy who was behind him and then went to the right of him noticed smoke as Adam disappeared.. Adam had outbraked himself at the first corner and although he recovered quickly found himself at the back of the field. Paul had a good start defending his line against Andy alongside him. Philip McK pushed through from 14th place to 9th but had found a space a little narrower than his car and scraped Simon OG along the nearside. Simon was forced to hang back and Tim also got ahead of him, moving up from 16th to 10th. Further back Kelvin got ahead of Frank and Leigh, Jack also overtook Leigh and Mary had a cracking start getting past David and Matt.

At the front the race the first seven drivers started to spread out as Rick pulled away in the lead. Matthew’s engine started misfiring after Lap 4 and Simon McD kept in touch with him. Once James was overtaken by Peter, he could not stick with him for more than a couple of laps. Paul established some distance between himself and Andy and then tried to conserve his brakes. Behind them those whom Philip McK had shamed at the start were taking their revenge. On lap 2 Tim and Simon OG both overtook him and then spent the next 16 laps dicing with each other, Tim being faster on the straight and Simon faster into and round the bends. Adam was regaining his (rightful?) Class A positioning by scything through the field. On lap 2 he overtook Leigh, Jack and Frank and then, on successive laps, Kelvin, Chris Dady and Philip. More discretely at the back the new Class A drivers were making headway. Richard got past David on lap 2, Mary on lap 3 and Jack on lap 5. Frank lost a place to Jack on the third lap but regained it on the sixth. Matt had a dice with David who held him off for 4 laps but then was passed at Gerrards. David and he were inches apart for about the next 5 laps. During that time we lost Chris D who had noticed that he was overheating and making a few funny pinking noises (at least his car was) and so decided to withdraw while he could still drive the car.

For a while from a spectator’s point of view it looked a little like a procession and we had time to listen to the commentary – (Rick Lloyd is aged 21!!!! – he wishes... ) but then the lapping started and some of those racing each other managed to get closer to each other. Adam continued his progress through the field, passing Simon OG and then Tim to catch up on the Andy/ Chris battle. Chris overtook Andy at Gerrards, but Andy got back at the hairpin. Andy thinks there were several more overtaking manoeuvres but Chris believes only one more to take him ahead again. Frank got ahead of Kelvin on lap 9 and Richard passed not only Leigh on lap 10 but also Jack on lap 13 and Kelvin a lap later. By this time everyone was trying very hard. Adam in his enthusiasm to get past Andy got pushed onto the grass a few times; as did Jack once when Peter came round Gerrards rather exuberantly. David locked up in the Esses and examined the rumble strip and the grass at the hairpin as did Leigh when he was dicing with Frank in Chris A’s old Class B car. Matthew was wearing his brakes out as he was trying too hard; Simon McD was ignoring warning lights on his dashboard in his anxiety to catch Matthew.

Jack and Kelvin were having their usual battle from laps 10 to 13 and again after Leigh got past Kelvin from lap 18 onwards. Jack finally triumphed but maybe only because of a final lap incident (of which more later). Mary was ahead of Matt T until 5 laps from the end but was finding the big boys lapping a trifle scary and narrowed her rear enough for Matt to squeeze past. Of course he then had to defend his position against her for the rest of the race.

On lap 17 Simon OG managed to get past Tim at the Esses but was retaken on the hairpin. Next lap Tim missed a gear at the hairpin but Simon was too close to change direction to get past him and had to brake hard to avoid a coming together (at least he didn’t go straight on through the gates again – heartfelt thanks from wife!) Finally on lap 19 Simon managed to come out of the hairpin more cleanly than Tim and held the line into Gerrards, overtaking him there and staying ahead, even drawing away, through to the end of the race. Paul was suffering again with his brakes going and Chris A caught up with him. They raced for several laps and Chris came up on the inside at Gerrards. Paul lost it as entered the bend and was sure that Chris would get ahead until he lost it too. The cause of their difficulties was the spillage from Frank Grimley. Frank had been catching Philip McK but on the final lap heard a “funny tinkling sound” on the straight and lost all his coolant at the start of Gerrards. He span on his own mess and went off into the gravel closely followed by Richard Plant. Richard had a horrid off – his spin resulting in a shunt into the Armco which reshaped his car somewhat in several directions. Meanwhile at the hairpin Matthew, who was being closely chased by Simon McD, locked up and shunted into the rear of Kelvin’s white car. (Kelvin was later able to boast about having a better class of red paint on his rear from the usual red of Mary or Jack). This enabled Simon McDermott to come 2nd behind Rick Lloyd and Jack Bellinger to beat Kelvin Laidlaw to the head of Class D. Class B was won by Peter Horsman with James Paterson 2nd, Class C by Paul Burry with Andy Green close behind. Matt Taylerson ended his first race of the season beating David James to the Class E cup.

Such a long race – 23 laps – meant that the drivers and the spectators had their money’s worth. The audience invariably do not know which Class each of the cars is in and, although it can be frustrating for those who are not really racing each other to be held up by others not in their class, it makes for a better spectacle for those who have paid to watch. Lapping can also cause problems with faster cars trying to wend their ways through a slower pack, but mostly, unless they are defending their line against another of their own class, it seems that the Morgan drivers are much more considerate than those in any other race series. Long may we keep it this way and avoid the sort of appeals and disputes which kept Mark Aston from seeing much of the action, including the Morgan race, as he acted as one of the stewards. Once again the timing mechanisms didn’t function fully, so many thanks to Jan for her lapcharts and to Serena for sorting out the final revised results. The overwhelming view was that the day out in the sun was very enjoyable and good fun – we hope that those whose cars need mending are soon out to join in again.

Kate Orebi Gann (with thanks as always to roving reporter, Liz Burry).