See Red

[Bob Bull]

This year See Red was suprisingly low key, the number of spectators were not worthy of the term 'crowd' and the paddock also relatively uncluttered. A shame because the entry was pretty good and we saw some excellent racing.
Our very own Tony Lees had his Viper on full sting and won the Edwardian Race despite close attention from a (sic) 'Mors Mors Curtiss', (do you remember those?)
An average speed of 60.95mph is not bad for car even older than me! Tony also did well in Pre War Scratch Race finishing 12th. out of 21 starters.
Mark Shears was the lone Morgan in the two GTS events, on Saturday he ended up 25th after a fairly conservative strategy (!), however, on Sunday he moved up a gear or two and raced extremely well, having a close tussle with an Alfa for many laps before a derring do charge past at Redgate as an absolute horde of very fast MG's lapped the pair of them. Obviously there is a touch of the 'Schumacher's' lurking behind that placid exterior.
Peter Horsman and Tony Lees (Lotus 17)finished 2nd. in class in the 1950's sports car race, with one of them setting fastest lap, I wonder who it was?
James Patterson and Rick Bourne brought up the back of the class in another Lotus.
Adrian Van Der Kroft won his class in the legends race and finished 24th overall driving his 4-4 TT Replica. Oh! By the way, there were only 24 finishers.

Away from the racing it was nice to meet Mark and Tony, they both knew instantly who I was simply because I was taking their photograph. Maybe people don't take their photo very often.

Hi! Guys it was indeed nice to make your acquaintance(s) and also to meet Jenny and the boys. Jenny appeared to be knitting a scarf, but I suppose driving the Viper is fairly draughty!

Mark, my daughter thought you were a very nice man.

How was Snetterton? Anybody?

Bob The Reporter.

Pictures to appear shortly at the usual web address.

[Chris Acklam]

Interesting - thanks Bob. Isn't Donington a bit off your patch?

I can't think of two cars more poles apart than the Viper and a Lotus 17, so it must have been a mind-blowing experience for Tony adjusting from one to the other. Great to hear it went so well.

Chris

[TonyLees]

It was a great weekend; Chris is quite right about the experience - I'm still feeling a bit "out of body" at the moment
Very good to meet Bob at last - and thanks very much Bob for the CD of pics; much appreciated.
I agree - there seemed to be very few spectators - I hope the VSCC didn't make a loss!
Cheers, Tony

[Mark Shears]

Bob,

It was very nice to meet you and your daughter at the weekend - she's obviously a very good judge of men!!!

My 'derring do' at Redgate plus getting the bit between my teeth with those MGB's elevated me to 18th!

I had been inspired by watching Tony go into Redgate 'on' the Vauxhall on his first race lap! I couldn't stay Tony because my race had already been called but it certainly left an impression on me and Julian Ghosh as we watched from the pit wall!

Great racing though - all weekend. Just a shame there weren't more people - especially on Sunday.

And thank you too Bob from me for the super photo you took of me and the cd - very much appreciated.

Cheers

Mark

[Bob Bull]

In my time Chris I have been to Aintree, Birmingham (street race), Boreham, Brands Hatch, Cadwell Park, Castle Combe, Crystal Palace, Donington, Goodwood, Isle of Man, Le Mans, Mallory Park, Oulton Park, Silverstone and Snetterton, but you are pretty well right. In my dotage, I tend to spend a lot of time at the 'Home of British Motor Racing' as it is close and does not involve a lot of driving, however, I make an annual pilgrimage to See Red and the Revival Meeting.
Not quite 'I've Been Everywhere, Man', but between them all it has been 60 years of my life. Chuck in an odd sprint and a few rally Stages and it has been a thoroughly misspent youth.
Many memories, of course, but I have shaken the hands of Juan Manual Fangio and Michael Schumacher along the way, and 'met' 13 World Formula 1 Champions and interviewed seven of them.

All of this pales into insignificance compared with the many Morgan drivers I have brushed shoulders with.



BB

[Chris Acklam]

Of course. I was rather intending to mean that Donington was outside the now famous Three Counties area - and so, perhaps, beyond the scope of your microphone lead.

But it goes without saying that you would throw off the yoke of your employers in order to travel further field to watch the subtleties of Morgan driving (and drivers). The fingertip control of Tony in the Viper must have been a delight and probably up there with the Senna lap in the rain.

Chris

PS Crystal Palace? I have a few pictures of meetings that I spectated at there (one below - note the emphasis on safety) - but I can't remember a thing about the circuit ...

[Bob Bull]

Chris,
You should not take the ramblings of semi senile Old Gent too seriously, but let's not talk about Tony L...!
I suspect your snap of 'The Palace' was from the last meeting held there, which was an historic meeting (1976?). If that is your best photographic effort, well ......... don't give up the day job! (Have you noticed my tendency to disparage people?).
I did not go to the early meetings at the circuit, but I went along to the first post war one in 1953, when Tony Rolt in Rob Walker's Connaught won the Coronation Trophy.
It was a brilliant spectator circuit and the drivers loved it, it was all up close and personal and when you waved at your favourites they could wave back at YOU.
It was also used for cycle racing and many professional continental riders would come over to take part in the Kentish Grand Prix, I was also treasurer of the British Cyclo Cross Association, when we held the World CC Championships there in 1973, only 50p to get in.

Getting back to Mr Lees and his prowess as a racing driver, I suspect he could have done a lot better in the Lotus if he had not insisted on sitting on the roll hoop to see where he was going as he was rather confused after driving the Viper!!

Seriously ... the boy done good.


Bob.

Thinks!!! How many members of the forum have I insulted today?

[Jim Mountain]

you can almost smell thr Castrol R in that pic

[Bob Bull]

Sorry to put up yet another post here, but I missed out Tim Hill when mentioning the Morgan attendees at See Red. Somewhat unusually I was hailed by a vaguely familiar face in the paddock, normally it is me waylaying people.
Tim told me about his accident, when a 4X4 ran into the back of the Morgan that resulted in serious damage to both car and driver, I am glad to say he looks fit and well now. I don't suppose the Moggie is looking too good as yet.

I must apologise, Tim, for my instant non-recognition, I can only tell you I assumed you were someone I owed money to!
Next time we must share a bacon buttie and spend some quality time together.(as they say)

Castrol R, Jim? I bet you even remember the doppler effect of the old 500cc cars.

Bob

[Bob Bull]

Check the usual web site for some snaps from See Red.

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/Bob.bull.photos" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mark looks happy, but I'm not sure what Tony's gesture signifies.

[TonyLees]

Great pics Bob! I'm sure I didn't mean to look like that!
Video of the Edwardian race here: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6irGz27pF5Y
Cheers, Tony

[Mark Shears]

Great pictures Bob. Once again many thanks for mine.

See you at Silverstone at the MGCC International Meeting on 13th-15th June? The Morgan Challenge boys and girls will be there - I will be there with Jim Lowrys Equipe GTS again.

Cheers

Mark

[Bob Bull]

To Mark S and Tony L.
A couple of additional pics on the usual site from See Red.

See you Saturday,

Bob

[John Clarke]

Castrol R, Jim? I bet you even remember the doppler effect of the old 500cc cars.

Do we really want to go down the route of oily old 500cc cars.....it just so happens..........but then again I think we've been there before.