Le Mans Classic 2022

[Richard Smith]

Any Mogs taking part? Always the highlight of my visit there.....

[Philip Tisdall]

Hi Richard,
Yes there are,
[Plateau 1
King - Tisdall
Goddard - Smith
Sebba - Cole
Van der Croft

Plateau 2
Sebba - Cole
Shears - Plant

Plateau 3
Kivlochan
Oribi Gann
Van Der Croft

Drop by and say hello

[Leigh Sebba]

https://www.peterauto.fr/wp-content/upl ... -entry.pdf

[Richard Smith]

Thanks Philip and Leigh....great responses...really grateful...see you there!

[Jochem Kentgens]

Hi Richard,

We are still on the reserve list for plateau 3 with my red Plus four ss spec car. Position 4 on that list to be precise.

We have decided to go and to keep the fingers crossed, free practice and qualy are 100% and race only if at least 4 DNS!

Hope it will work out!

Come and see us in te paddock! Jochem

[John Clarke]

The time table for LMC 2022 has been released.

https://www.lemansclassic.com/language/en/timetable/


The timings set a number of challenges for competitors and mechanics.

This year, Plateau 1 will start in the middle of the night by a rolling start. This will challenge the Series 1 drivers
1) All the cars should be running generators rather than alternators (hmmm)
2) The start depends on the pace car keeping the grid bunched up (hmmm again)

For the Series 1 drivers, a pace car that is too slow the lights will dim, too fast and the Mogs will be strung out from the leaders. NB The faster Talbots can do a lap in 6 mins, the Mogs in 8 mins. Hmmm.

So the Mogs could start their race ‘late’ and when the winner crosses the line, the Mogs could just be embarking on their final lap…. that is should they cross the line before the leader takes the chequered flag! Hmmm again.

Fastest laps are here
http://peterautoracing.alkamelsystems.c ... CE%201.PDF

For those drivers in Plateau 1 and 2 and for that matter 2 and 3, the sequence of drivers will be critical. So any delays in completing a race can be off set by the driver order.
The timings are

Plateau 1 (Series 1)
Saturday 20.00 – 20.55
Sunday 03.30 – 04.30
Sunday 11.00 – 12.15 (Le Mans Start)

Plateau 2 (Flat Rad +4)
Saturday 21.15 – 22.15
Sunday 04.50 – 05.45
Sunday 13.00 – 14.10 (Le Mans Start)

Plateau 3 (+4)
Saturday 22.35 – 23.30
Sunday 06.05 – 07.05
Sunday 14.50 – 16.00 (le Mans Start)

Please check LMC website as times are likely to change.
Cheers
john

[machiel kalf]

Dear Morgan race-friends,

We wish you all the very best for Le Mans Classic. Of course, we hope you will be very successful, but most of all: have fun!

Let's hope that Jochem can do what he likes to do: racing at Le Mans with his own Plus 4.

Best regards, Machiel & Ingrid Kalf.

[Richard Smith]

Just been chatting to a pal of mine, whose grandmother...or great grandmother....was Prudence Fawcett, who drove a Series 1 to victory at Le Mans some...many....years ago...

[peter rafter]

Pro, a Sheffield lass, her car 1938 registered BNP 370 was driven across France to the circuit , The engine was prepared to 1098cc with a down draught carburettor, magneto ignition and an 8:1 compression. The car was tested at Brooklands and found capable of speeds just less than 100mph. In the race, Prudence and Geoff White changed drivers and filled up with petrol every 15 laps. A misfire caused by valve problems and water loss through a leaking radiator hose were their only problems late in the race. The Morgan finished a commendable 13th overall out of 42 starters and secured entry into the Biennial Cup. The Morgan had covered 1,373 miles at an average speed of 57.2mph. By comparison, the winning Delahaye averaged 82.4mph and the Alfa Romeo of Sommer was recorded as reaching nearly 150mph on the Mulsanne straight!

[Mark Shears]

Hi Richard and Peter,

And when I posted back some information to Patrick Peter the lady in the Post Office asked me what I was sending (for insurance purposes) and when I told her I was racing a Morgan at Le Mans, she said ‘well how interesting, a relative of my husband was called Geoff White. He raced Aston Martins you know before the war.”

So of course I had to tell her…!

Cheers

Mark

[peter rafter]

Do we know whether her car survived? Does an Ipswich supporter (one of the few) know of its whereabouts?
ps
in these inflationary times a cold shower saves both energy and water.
regards

[peter rafter]

John Clarke has posted a video about Pru .. an extraordinary tale recounted in a wonderful talk given at Brooklands by her Son then Chairman of the Bugatti owners club some 5 years ago.. Do watch it. It may also answer my query on what happened to the car, although I had thought it had been imported back to the Uk from America.
I live in Dore which at that time was part of Derbyshire before it was sequestered by the peoples republic of South Yorkshire.
Charles Trevelyan romps through a fine register of cars, Bugatti, Aston, Lagonda ,Bentley, Bristol et al through to a humble minivan although the one car he wished he had in his collection was of course his mothers Morgan.
regards
ps
She had friends in high places and In a self effacing way Charles name drops the family connections.
I often avoid name dropping as it exaggerates and elevates the importance of the speaker, seeks aggrandisement, demeans the intended listener or audience, implies connections of importance and or wealth etc.
Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh told me that.

[John Clarke]

Update...Saturday late evening (French time)

Grid 1

g]

Qually interrupted by slow' zones but all ok. Simon (DLJ) qualified 48th, Leigh (FXD) 51st and Sharlie (SL2490) 68th.

Then there was free night practice....Simion and Sharlie took to the track and were OK......FXD and crew didn't appear but OK.

Grid 2



Qually saw both +4 flat Rads being delivered back to the paddock on a truck. Mark with charging problems and Leigh with a bottom hose leak.

Both managed to set decent times to qualify 54th (Mark) and 59th (Leigh). Free night practise went OK so I assume all problems solved.

Grid 3



John E led the way in 28th, then Adrian 31st and Simon 35th.

Will post photos and vids later....from my 'man' on the ground and yours truely courtesy of WhatsAp

Full results here

http://peterautoracing.alkamelsystems.com/

john

[machiel kalf]

Dear Morgan friends,

How about Jochem Kentgens. Did he start?

Machiel.

[John Clarke]

Grid 1 Race 1

The series 1 all finished with Leigh leading the way from Sharlie and Simon. Leigh drove solo and reported that setting sun was an issue.

Problems with Sharlies engine during qually were rectifed and the car sounded much better and went quicker


Engine rectified and ready for race 1 (just as I remebered it!)


Grid 2 Race 1

No problems for Mark and Richard and a solid 1st race. Leigh's flat rad sufferred a radiator problem and failed to finish.

Grid 3 Race 1

Great race between John E and Adrian VDK with john taking the +4 plaudits.


RU being prepped before the race

Simon OG was a worthy 3rd +4 home



Then followed Kentgens, Kivlochan in choc ices, and Rogeony who only managed 1 lap


Choc Ices respendid in pale blue livery

Now race 2, for most in the middle of the night.

Photos by my friend at LMC transmitted to me in NZ by WhatsAp...the power of the internet!!

cheers
john