Report By Steve Hare / Photos By Andy Ellis:

 As we’re not planning to be out next season, Nick, Nim & I were determined to savour our last weekend of racing for some time. Having visited the WHT paddock as a spectator last year, it was clear that it was a great weekend of racing, but it wasn’t until we took part in this year’s event that we realised just how much fun competing in the knockout trophy competition was.

I counted 39 pre 82 cars on the 150 plus entry list, of which I recognised about 24 as members of the CFFR. As the BRDC had spread the ages of the cars through the Heats, we ended up with around 7 older cars in each Heat. It was good to see Bernard out again, borrowing James Hagan’s Crossle, other welcome returnees included Stephen Mawhinney & Paul Hubbard. Unfortunately Alan Crocker’s name on the entry list didn’t materialise into the Crock actually turning up with his ‘Lomu’ Ray.

Friday

We weren’t out until Heat 4, so free practice for Heat 1 was already underway as we finished getting the RF81 scrutineered. As we waited for our ticket suddenly there was an almighty bang, followed by a huge scraping nose, everyone looked towards Copse & saw an RF89 flying off the track upside down. Seconds later we were all relieved to see the driver helped from his car by the marshals looking pretty much unscathed. I later found out the driver is in his 70’s & can’t wait to go racing again next season – impressive stuff. Apparently his only problem might be convincing the wife !

Having 15 minutes of free practice was a treat (something I’ve only experienced once before in this country – at Brands at a season opener about ten years ago). However, any chance of really being able to get up to speed was scuppered early in the session by someone managing to do a complete lap of the circuit on the racing line dropping a nice slug trail of oil. I tried to push as hard as I could whilst avoiding the oil but felt the session hadn’t gone that well. I was therefore surprised to find we were second on the time sheets & ahead of some more rapid drivers like Moore & Cunningham.

I was excited to see on FF1600.co.uk in the WHT build up that one J Herbert was on the entry list & was even more excited when I realised he was gong to be in our heat. It wasn’t until after the free practice session that I found out Herbert’s car was infact being driven by McLaren Autosport winner Oliver Jarvis – shame (no disrespect to Oliver).

As we ventured out for our Heat qualifying session, I knew coming second again was not on the cards but did think maybe there was a chance of nicking one of the last semi final qualification places awarded to the first eleven, or at least securing a good grid position in the Last Chance race.

The WHT Trophy drew cars produced over 5 different decades

Mid session I found myself circulating with & following Neil Cunningham in James Beckett’s RF79. I got a good tow along the start finish straight & prepared to try & pass him into Copse, he dived to the inside to defend, I thought this was a little unnecessary for a qualifying session – especially for Heat 1 of a knockout competition, but didn’t ponder it too much and moved to the outside to attempt to run round the outside of him. As we entered the braking zone, he swerved back over to the left leaving me no choice but to brake sharply & go straight on in to (fortunately) the tarmac run off area, Neil was then long gone, not to be seen again by me in the session. He may be a professional race driver but the move looked decidedly amateurish from where I was sitting.

The other memorable moment of qualifying for me was Gavin Wills coming past me on the National straight with such a speed differential I thought he was in an F3 car !

We still managed to qualify the RF81 eighth with Paul Walton in tenth. Other pre 82 drivers to automatically qualify for the semis included Historic Champion Nelson Rowe, Paul McMorran, Jamesy Hagan & David Leslie.

Saturday

It was strange to drive out onto the grid for our Heat race on Saturday afternoon having not been on track already that day. This is however not a good enough excuse the poor start that followed ! On the green flag start I used about 5400 revs (I know this because I can see the rev counter on my onboard footage – who needs a data logger !) and got a huge amount of wheelspin – fine for getting some heat in the tyres but I knew I needed less for the start. Unfortunately on the real start I didn’t keep the revs steady and as I brought my foot off the clutch they had dropped to 4000 ! The result was I bogged down and lost two places – including one to Paul, to add to the misery, as I applied the brakes for Copse I locked my front wheels & lost another couple of places on the run to Becketts. A guaranteed place in the semis was starting to look decidedly unlikely.

I knuckled down & managed to put in some mistake free laps & was able to make three places back. The last few laps were pretty lonely, I could see Paul Walton about three seconds up the road but was unable to make any inroads into his lead. Whilst disappointed with my start and first corner, the main thing was we managed to qualify for the semis and having had Gavin Wills win our Heat in the fastest time of any Heat meant we would be the first 9^th place of 3 on the semi grid – ie 25th.

Other ‘old car’ drivers to automatically qualify for the semis were Jamesy Hagan (an excellent sixth in Heat 1), John Nash, Dave Lowe (who yet again seemed to be suffering mechanical gremlins), David Leslie, Neil Cunningham, Thomas Brimblecombe and Jason Minshaw. Just missing out on automatic qualification, Dave Penlington & Jake Oliveria (driving Dave Gathecole’s RF80) had a cracking scrap in Heat 6 to finish 12^th & 13^th.

Sunday

All the Classic drivers did well enough to avoid the Sunday Storm race (demonstrating the excellent standard of CFFR drivers & cars). Though around seven would be on the grid for the Progression race including Joe Walton who was having a good weekend until he had a spin in his Heat. Paul McMorran & Joe subsequently finished in the top six of the Progression to qualify for the Last Chance race. Jon Davis & Dave Penlington finished an excellent 2^nd and 3^rd in the Last Chance (the only silverware to be won by Classic drivers all weekend !). Stephen Mawhinney just missed out on qualifying for the semis by coming 9^th, he was unfortunately not quite on his usual pace all weekend.

The Last Chance race sadly ended with an accident at the finish line, Paul Hubbard’s Merlyn ended up hitting the outside wall just before Copse. I didn’t find out from him why it happened, but several times over the weekend I got caught out at the chequered flag by cars lifting off completely as soon as they passed the flag. Although we don’t have a written rule on this, in CFFR races after the finish line we tend to maintain something like race speed until approaching the next corner. This is much safer because mixing cars that are frantically having a last go at making a place as they approach the flag with cars just in front that have crossed the line & lifted off completely is asking for trouble. Not sure if this is what happened to Chubby or not but a word of warning for anyone thinking of entering WHT next year for the first time. 

The Semis

For a while it looked as though the rest of the meeting might be cancelled, an accident in the Superkart race had resulted in a fatality. This was the first (& needless to say pray the last) time I have been to a race meeting where someone has died. As the tragic news began to sink in, it was a powerful reminder that a fun day of motor racing very occasionally ends in the worst possible way.

The semis finally got the go ahead with just two hours of light remaining.

Old cars to make it to the final 72 included Neil Cunningham, Nelson Rowe, myself, Paul Walton, Jamesy Hagan, Jason Minshaw, Jon Davis & George Fowler. I had only one target in my semi – to get from 25^th on the grid to 18^th and therefore the back row for the final. It looked as though any chance of doing this evaporated as the lights went out for the start of the race, as I committed the ultimate schoolboy error of not actually looking at the lights ! Still mindful of my poor start in the Heat, as the red lights came on I glanced at my revs only for the lights to immediately go out – I looked up & everyone had gone ! Alright not quite, in reality I think as I heard everyone start to engage their clutches I did the same thing but it still cost me time & a few places – that I couldn’t afford to lose.

My poor start was made even more embarrassing with a few friends being sat in the grandstands directly opposite my grid slot. I managed to make a few places back on the opening lap and came across Walton senior and got a tow off him down the back straight. Yet again, as we have done all season we had a clean dice.

Jamesy Hagan spins away any chance of a good finish in his semi

The race was stopped on lap 2 due to an incident. I was up to 20^th for the restart, only 2 places away from the final, as the lights went out I got away okay (helped by watching them) and I was closing on the 2 cars on the row in front, as I got my nose between them they both started to move towards each other and I knew I had two choices – 1) go for it and either a) manage a heroic dive though the middle & emerge from Copse on the run to Becketts ahead or b) end up going straight on at Copse minus all four wheels ! or 2) dab the brakes and tuck in behind them, I chose the latter and for the third time in as many starts watched as two or three cars come flying past as we entered Copse. One of which was Paul, I remember thinking at the time it was amazing how similar Paul’s & my pace was – even if you mix us up in a 150 car trophy meeting, we still end up wanting the same bit of track ! Again I managed to make up a few places & again was able to get a tow off Paul. This tow was to be the last one I got all weekend – I was amazed how little assistance you get off following a newer car, even something like a 1990 model, the chassis manufacturers obviously worked hard on aerodynamics through the 80s.

Walton chases the Hare

I managed to cross the finish line 18^th and just get onto the back row of the final – more by luck than a judged drive. We were to be only one of three older cars to make it to the final – along with Cunningham & Rowe.

Hare manages to grab 18^th spot in his semi

The Final

By the time the Final got underway the light was fading & the temperature was plummeting. We probably should have been adjusting the car to suit the cold by taping up the water & oil radiators. Unfortunately the water temp gauge had failed before the semis and although we could check it with a probe in the paddock we had no idea what we were running at on track so decided to err on the side of caution & let it run a bit cooler rather than cause it to run too hot. This was one of only four minor technical problems I have had with the car all year – a great testament to Nick & Nim’s hard work and attention to detail, and as with the other three issues (leaking brake caliper / engine oil leak / clutch adjustment) the problem was quickly found & fixed or at least addressed to allow us to compete.

As we lined up on the grid and I strained to see where the start lights were, I thought to myself, okay your target is to just not come last ….. which is of course exactly what I went & did ! But it was good fun trying, I managed to make up a few places on the chaotic opening lap but as the field spread out, I got picked off on the straights one at a time by my more slippery pursuers. I didn’t help myself with a missed gear at Becketts either.

Hare makes up a few places at the start of the Final – only to lose them one by one

As everyone who was there knows, the evening produced a spectacular sunset. It was quite a surreal experience racing with it as a backdrop. If I’m honest it wasn’t particularly safe. Approaching Becketts on lap 5 and facing directly in to the setting sun, I couldn’t see Gavin Wills black Van Diemen stranded sideways on the exit until after I had passed. I missed it by about three feet but was chasing someone and could quite easily have chosen a line putting me four feet wider – I wouldn’t have known anything about it until it was far too late. It must be a difficult call for race officials to decide if conditions are suitable to keep racing – especially when the race is to be the climax of a great weekend. The drivers will never (or nearly never) make the decision on their own that conditions are unsafe – they only have adrenalin flowing through their veins at the time. So it is up to race organisers to make the ballsy decision which is of course a ‘no win’ for them – cancel & definitely cheese off the drivers & spectators or go ahead & risk an incident that could have been avoided.

The sun sets on the WHT weekend & the 2006 season

The race finally ended behind the (second) safety car with me in 29^th and last place. I never thought I’d finish a race last with a smile on my face but I did.

Our showing in the WHT capped off a great season for us. To get to the Final, finish 29^th out of 153 cars and knock half a second off our best lap time achieved back in April was superb, but to keep my feet on the ground, Neil Cunningham & Nelson Rowe’s pace and positions in the Final are a reminder of what these (even older) cars are actually capable of ….

Having spent some time over the weekend wandering down the pit lane I was amazed & impressed by some of the teams set ups – decidedly F1 like. So to beat some of them is very satisfying. That goes for other Classic drivers who had their own battles with much newer cars throughout the weekend too.

For those of you who have already taken part in the WHT, I know I don’t need to try & convince you how much fun it is, for those of you who haven’t yet experienced it, I promise you you won’t regret entering. Whilst it might sound off putting to race a lot of newer cars, many of them aren’t actually any faster and how many other motorsport categories anywhere in the world can get over 150 cars together for a knockout competition ? And rumour has it James is aiming for 200 next year …….

Although ironically the weather was so good the Classics (plus a couple of uninvited newer cars ?!) didn’t need pit garage 8, it was a pleasure to spend the three days working side by side with so many CFFR drivers. It reminded me of Anthony Will’s ‘resignation’ letter’s comment on the importance of us all making sure we stick together in the paddock.

Big thanks to Nick & Nim for all their help and to Andy for the great photos.

Hope everyone has a great break and I look forward to coming along to watch a few of the Classic races next season.