The Motor Racing Spectator

Remember remember the 5th of November goes the saying...and I did remember the date as it was Walter Hayes Trophy Day! The "Walter" as the meeting is affectionately known is always a highlight of the season and the perfect way to end the year on a high note. The annual knockout format for Formula Ford 1600 Kent engined cars is now in it's 17th year...hard to believe and this was my 14th viewing of it. Due to working on Saturday I only attended on the Sunday so on a very cold but sunny Sunday morning the first race of the day, on a damp but rapidly drying circuit, was the Progression race. With only the top 6 finishers progressing to the next stages, this race is always a slightly strange affair as the fast runners that suffered problems in their heats start at the back of the grid and try to cut through the field of what are usually much slower drivers. The race was won by Westie Mitchell's historic Merlyn and there was a big surprise when one of the Team USA schol...

For the first time since May, The Spectator made his way to Silverstone for the Historic Sports Car Club's Championship Finals meeting. For many years the HSCC finale was a 1-day affair but due to the ever-growing Historic scene, the meeting is now held over 2 days on the National circuit layout. Sunday dawned cold but sunny and after a couple of qualifying sessions for Historic Roadsports and Classic F3 it was time for the first of 12 races scheduled for the day. Classic Formula 3 lining up ready for Qualifying The Historic Formula Ford 1600 championship has seen some fantastic grids and races in 2017 and the pair of races on this day definitely didn't disappoint! With three drivers vying for the title...Michael O'Brien, Callum Grant & Richard Tarling...the action in both races was superb. With the National circuit having 3 long straights, slipstreaming was everything and the lead battle seemed to consist of 10 cars at one point in race 1! With 4 and 5 a...

The last car meeting of the year at Donington meant The Spectator simply had to go to the Sunday of the 2-day BRSCC organised finals weekend. 12 races were on the schedule..a very ambitious schedule given the time of year...more of which anon. Kicking off the day, bright and early at 9.05am was the first of two races for the Fiesta Junior Championship. The market for 14-17 year old drivers to try their hand at circuit racing is a curious one, watching youngsters race around while still not legally able to drive on the public highway. With 12 entries, it is a crowded market these days for the precocious teenager to choose from. New for 2017 Clio Junior plus the more established Junior Saloons and Ginetta Junior championships all trying to encourage parents and sponsors to part with the cash to go racing. Nicholas Reeve won both races on this day, the second of which was red-flagged due to an incident at the Chicane and subsequently restarted. The Alfa Romeo Championship is sadly a ...

As is the way in 2017...after an enormously long gap between meetings it was 2 in a week for The Spectator and back to Donington Park for the 750MC Finals weekend on the (much better for racing..) National circuit layout. It didn't seem 5 minutes since the opening 750MC fixture back in March and after a long and varied season for the club it was time for their final "normal" meeting of the year aside that is from the Birkett Relay at Silverstone later in the month. On paper this meeting always looked a cracker and it certainly didn't disappoint! After a rather strange 20 minute Closed Wheel Practice..which saw mainly Civic Cup contenders gain a little track time...plus a couple of qualifying sessions, it was racing all the way starting with the first of two Formula Vee races. After overnight rain the track surface was slightly damp for Ian Jordan's victory but was drier for the day's later race which saw Graham Gant triumph. The quality of racing throughout...

After a 6 week hiatus..(it's been one of those years!!)..it was to Donington Park for the final rounds of the British GT Championship and it's support package. A package that saw 13 races scheduled for a very full day's racing on the 2.5 mile Grand Prix circuit layout at Donington organised by the BRSCC. Indeed the Midlands centre of the BRSCC were amazingly organising 3 separate meetings on this day...Donington plus Mallory Park and a Ferrari meeting at Silverstone! Simply crazy and a sad reflection on how race meetings are organised in these modern times...The Circuits offer take it or leave it dates to clubs so if they leave it, it's simply a case of no meeting. The clash between Mallory and Donington was extremely unfortunate, especially as Mallory only has 4 car meetings scheduled for 2017. Indeed I was very tempted to go to Mallory but having not seen the GT Package this season it was all systems go for Donington early on Sunday morning. It was a good job I did...

After no meetings for months it was 2 meetings in 6 days for The Spectator as a rare day off working on Saturday saw a visit to good old Donington Park for an usual (these days) 1-day only meeting, organised by Motor Sport Vision Racing (MSVR). In the week leading up to the meeting it was announced that MSV had been given the go-ahead by the Competition & Markets Authority to fully take over as lease holders at Donington so all being well the MSV'ing (if that's the word?!) of the circuit can take place over the winter and 2018 and onwards bodes well for the future of a venue I've been visiting every year since 1989.... If I was to suggest a plan for Spectator improvements then top of my list would be a designated entry and car park for spectators. The parking area that operated for many years overlooking the Old Hairpin known as Starkeys Parking would be ideal. The current system of entering through a live paddock is not only dangerous but unless you can get your ca...

At last...The Spectator goes to a race meeting shock!! After what seems an age (12 weeks actually!) I was beginning to forget what Motor Racing was, so it was with some relief that The Spectator managed to get himself track side with my first visit to the revamped Anglesey circuit. 2004 saw my last visit to the Island and since then the circuit has been radically altered. To break the long journey up, I stayed overnight in Rhyl the evening before ( tip dear readers....don't go to Rhyl!!) and travelled to the circuit on Sunday morning. What is now known as Anglesey Circuit started off life known as Ty Croes and the circuit is celebrating the 25th anniversary this year of the first motorcycle races on the old army base in 1992. The first car race meeting was held in 1997 after circuit improvements were made and I first visited in 1998. The original circuit was just over a mile in length and was a fantastic club venue and one where spectating was a pleasure. The backdrop of Snowdon...