I used to compete at Curborough regularly and well remember running events there too, for the Nottingham Sports Car Club. Hard work. Leaving home at 5am to drive past Curborough to pick up the keys; back to unlock. Overseeing signing on by my ex-wife. Running either one or two cars -1000cc Mini Cooper, later, Wolseley Hornet 998cc later still, with a tired pre-rebuild 1293cc, plus a 1300cc Allegro then an Allegro Equipe. Commentating, printing out results on an old Gestetner duplicator on the day, rather than posting them; locking up; returning the keys, getting back home, somewhat knackered about 8pm!
I had many class wins at Curborough in a popular class I introduced. Up to 1300cc road modified saloons cars. When I managed a run at a fraction under 40 seconds, the timekeeper disallowed it as no one in that class had ever gone under 40, so I had a re-run - and did it again! Tricky track Rhys, with turn 1, the long sweeping left hander being the key to a fast time - and the hairpin.
Happy days, but getting 2 practice and 2 or sometimes 3 runs, on a 900 yard course was expensive, compared to what I paid in NZ for my first race at Pukekohe 1985.
The first 998cc Cooper - with a later temporary fibreglass front end, after a season 1, 1971 crash at Silverstone...
Like the woodsman's axe, the engine and wheels were swapped to another Mini...
...and little did I know that I'd eventually graduate to a Marcos.
...and that engine and those wheels rolled over into the Hornet 1977. Later, fitted with a 1293cc engine. That engine I had rebuilt after setting a new class record, but never ran until I brought it to NZ and it now lives with Mike Lucas. Although the Hornet was being restored in 1982 with new metalwork underneath, I accepted the job in NZ and sadly, the shell had to be scrapped. My long term plan was to convert it to a Broadspeed replica, as I felt the Hornet/Elf was a better base.
The understairs temporary trophy shelf with the AMMC Dunlop class trophy for up to 1300cc Road Modified saloons, 1979 season.
[CENTER]
[/CENTER]
The Equipe I brought to NZ, 1983.
