Bentley Drivers or I'm TT
Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 12:30 pm
Despite a rainy start to the day, nothing could spoil the quintessential English tradition that is the annual Bentley Drivers Club Meeting at Silverstone. This has been held since 1949 probably making it the longest continuous running meeting at the circuit.
Following a wet practice the Sun made it's appearance just as racing commenced and therefore only the first race was held on a really wet track, but as it contained no Morgans we can gloss over the result. Race 2 was the grandly named ADVAN YOKOHAMA MG T REGISTER AC & MORGAN RACE, but is known more simply by readers of this item as the TT, for it incorporated the third running of the Turbo Techniques Trophy for 4 cylinder Morgans, sponsored by Brian and Tracy Gateson of the same name. Despite it's title the event had not attracted any AC's and it became a Morgan Field Day with the marque dominating the grid and the results. The first attempt saw an MG smite the barriers even before it had crossed the start line causing a red flag, luckily only the drivers pride was hurt and the car with just a bit of red paint added to the bodywork. From the re-start Barry Sumner made a brilliant getaway to lead the field round on lap one ahead of Jonathon Rushton and Mark Gilbart-Smith. Lap two and Barry's yellow car still lead from Jonathon with James Bellinger now closing in third. As the track dried out and Bellinger's tyres warmed up he moved into a commanding lead taking the chequered flag from Mark, Jonathon and Barry with David James close behind, and Keith Ahlers in the SLR next up. John Clarke lead home Adrian Van Der Kroft in XOV before the first of the MG's, with John Emberson, in his latest acquisition, and William Sergeant 12th. and 13th. and David Phillips 18th. Poor Mark Shears lost a secure 12th spot when he lost power on the straight ending up 22nd and last. The cause of the problem is unknown at this stage as the car fired up on the button after the race and ran perfectly.
Race 4 was the Power Torque Challenge and gave Keith Ahlers, now in his plus 8, a clear win ahead of James Edgerton, Phil Hollins, Chris Acklam, (who had been praying for rain) Robin Pearce and Phillip Goddard. Last year I watched this race from Copse and caught Roger Whiteside on camera executing not one, but two seperate, 'triple salkos'. This year only one car spun and was captured by my lens. Sorry Roger!!
Chris Acklam took victory in the Works Sports Car Race leading home Simon Orebi-Gann with Richard Thorne fourth, Andrew Potter 11th., Ulrich Vierhaus 14th., and the aforesaid Roger 17th. closely followed by Phillip Tisdall in 18th. place. Kelvin Laidlaw took second place in the final handicap race just one second behind the winner in a Lotus 23b. and Emma-Jane Gilbart-Smith came home 16th. in her MGB, despite the weight of a double hyphen.
After race 4 we collected at the Turbo Techniques gazebo for the prize giving, where Phil Garlick presented the trophies for the TT. I was somewhat confused as I had believed that a James Bellinger had won the race, yet it was a Billy Bellinger who was called forward to pick up the prize. Was this the same Bellinger who finished just in front of Miss Lindy in the Power Torque race? I know from past correspondence that Mary is obsessed with beating a certain Jack Bellinger, and in his absence she is trounced by yet another of the clan. Doesn't seem fair.
Apart from the racing it was also a great day off track with Tracy and Mum supplying a fair old spread for the assembled crowd -thank you to both- and lots of old friends about and new ones to meet, confirming what I have been told many times, that Morgan drivers are a friendly bunch.
Morgan Media Mutterings
Tim: "Where did you get that hat, where did you get that tile?"
Mark; Did you really switch of the fuel pump by mistake?
Andrew P; I did not see you around, were you off with a bunch of nubile young ladies in between races?
Chris; I have a book on Red Indians which may contain a rain dance formula, I'll check it out.
I understand that Catherine has been promoted from Gopher to Team Manager of Equipe Emberson which, means that she was able to take control of the 'bubbly' won by 'hubbie' John for some act of heroism on-track. Perhaps she could swap it for a pair of socks for him.
Peter Horsman was about but not driving apart from ferrying one of the Clarke Morgans home.
I will put my photographic efforts on the usual; picasaweb.google.co.uk/Bob.bull.photos web site asap.
Kind regards,
Bob the Reporter.
Following a wet practice the Sun made it's appearance just as racing commenced and therefore only the first race was held on a really wet track, but as it contained no Morgans we can gloss over the result. Race 2 was the grandly named ADVAN YOKOHAMA MG T REGISTER AC & MORGAN RACE, but is known more simply by readers of this item as the TT, for it incorporated the third running of the Turbo Techniques Trophy for 4 cylinder Morgans, sponsored by Brian and Tracy Gateson of the same name. Despite it's title the event had not attracted any AC's and it became a Morgan Field Day with the marque dominating the grid and the results. The first attempt saw an MG smite the barriers even before it had crossed the start line causing a red flag, luckily only the drivers pride was hurt and the car with just a bit of red paint added to the bodywork. From the re-start Barry Sumner made a brilliant getaway to lead the field round on lap one ahead of Jonathon Rushton and Mark Gilbart-Smith. Lap two and Barry's yellow car still lead from Jonathon with James Bellinger now closing in third. As the track dried out and Bellinger's tyres warmed up he moved into a commanding lead taking the chequered flag from Mark, Jonathon and Barry with David James close behind, and Keith Ahlers in the SLR next up. John Clarke lead home Adrian Van Der Kroft in XOV before the first of the MG's, with John Emberson, in his latest acquisition, and William Sergeant 12th. and 13th. and David Phillips 18th. Poor Mark Shears lost a secure 12th spot when he lost power on the straight ending up 22nd and last. The cause of the problem is unknown at this stage as the car fired up on the button after the race and ran perfectly.
Race 4 was the Power Torque Challenge and gave Keith Ahlers, now in his plus 8, a clear win ahead of James Edgerton, Phil Hollins, Chris Acklam, (who had been praying for rain) Robin Pearce and Phillip Goddard. Last year I watched this race from Copse and caught Roger Whiteside on camera executing not one, but two seperate, 'triple salkos'. This year only one car spun and was captured by my lens. Sorry Roger!!
Chris Acklam took victory in the Works Sports Car Race leading home Simon Orebi-Gann with Richard Thorne fourth, Andrew Potter 11th., Ulrich Vierhaus 14th., and the aforesaid Roger 17th. closely followed by Phillip Tisdall in 18th. place. Kelvin Laidlaw took second place in the final handicap race just one second behind the winner in a Lotus 23b. and Emma-Jane Gilbart-Smith came home 16th. in her MGB, despite the weight of a double hyphen.
After race 4 we collected at the Turbo Techniques gazebo for the prize giving, where Phil Garlick presented the trophies for the TT. I was somewhat confused as I had believed that a James Bellinger had won the race, yet it was a Billy Bellinger who was called forward to pick up the prize. Was this the same Bellinger who finished just in front of Miss Lindy in the Power Torque race? I know from past correspondence that Mary is obsessed with beating a certain Jack Bellinger, and in his absence she is trounced by yet another of the clan. Doesn't seem fair.
Apart from the racing it was also a great day off track with Tracy and Mum supplying a fair old spread for the assembled crowd -thank you to both- and lots of old friends about and new ones to meet, confirming what I have been told many times, that Morgan drivers are a friendly bunch.
Morgan Media Mutterings
Tim: "Where did you get that hat, where did you get that tile?"
Mark; Did you really switch of the fuel pump by mistake?
Andrew P; I did not see you around, were you off with a bunch of nubile young ladies in between races?
Chris; I have a book on Red Indians which may contain a rain dance formula, I'll check it out.
I understand that Catherine has been promoted from Gopher to Team Manager of Equipe Emberson which, means that she was able to take control of the 'bubbly' won by 'hubbie' John for some act of heroism on-track. Perhaps she could swap it for a pair of socks for him.
Peter Horsman was about but not driving apart from ferrying one of the Clarke Morgans home.
I will put my photographic efforts on the usual; picasaweb.google.co.uk/Bob.bull.photos web site asap.
Kind regards,
Bob the Reporter.
