Brands Hatch 9th April 2011

Round 1 of the new HRDC series: “Grand Touring Greats”

It was a glorious sunny spring day with a clear blue sky over the Kent circuit of Brands Hatch for the inaugural race of Julius Thurgood’s new race series for small GT cars. Seventeen of the twenty-eight starters were based on Sprites or Midgets : 4 WSMs plus BXN (some call a WSM), 2 Lenham GTS and 2 Lenham Le Mans, Elwell’s MEG 199, Tony Davis’ Sebring Rep, Prentice’s Le Mans Sprite and 5 Ashley bodied cars. The remainder included a Lotus Elite, a GSM Delta, Tornado Talisman, an Alfa Giulietta, a Lenham Spitfire a couple of Abarths and a Morris 1000.

Practice laps:

Around the Paddock

Clive Cocks’ WSM Sprite

WSM Midget of Brian Arculus

Ian Burford’s Lenham Le Mans

Shaun Rainford with his replica of John Britten’s Lenham GT, SS1800

Jim Prentice’s 1965 ex-works Le Mans Sprite

As at Goodwood last September, Gordon Elwell made a fantastic start leading into Paddock, with Shaun Rainford and Rae Davis hard on his tail. Wouldn’t Douglas Wilson-Spratt, who sadly passed away just a few days later, have loved to see 4 of his WSM Sprites in that front group plus Paul Woolmer’s BXN which also has WSM origins. By lap 2 Rainford had got past Elwell and Davis was pressing him, so by the next lap it was Rainford, Davis and Elwell out front. Then followed a race-long battle for the lead between Shaun and Rae, the lead changing many times, until towards the end of the 30 minutes alotted Davis’ engine went on 3, letting Rainford get away. The WSM picked up and gave chase but its motor was unwell and Rae had to be satisfied with 2nd place. Gordon came home 3rd and Paul Woolmer came out the victor of his race-long duel with brian Arculus these two 4th and 5th. Mike Haigh’s lenham completed the Sprite-based top 6.

The Race

Shaun dedicated his win to the late John Britten who had generously agreed to him making a replica of his former race car and using the registration number on the track. I look forward to more of these excellent races – We just need a few Speedwells, perhaps a Jacobs Midget, and one or two more W & P Sebrings for it to be perfect.