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8
Since my previous Ramblings we have lost two great drivers of the
classic era of motor racing, Chris Amon and Jack Sears. There are
many stories about both drivers and I recommend
Forza Amon
by the
late Eoin Young and
Gentleman Jack
by Graham Gauld for those who
wish to know more about these gentlemen of the circuits.
One story that deserves to be told and that I couldn't fit into my
appreciation of Amon and Sears on page 9 is of Sears at the British
Grand Prix meeting at Brands Hatch in 1964. He was driving the
Willment Racing Cobra roadster in the GT support race and was
annoyed with himself for only being fourth fastest in practice. When the field lined up, Bob
Olthoff 's Cobra was missing from pole position because of a practice crash. Jackie Stewart,
second fastest and in the centre of the three-car front row, moved into the vacant pole
position. Roy Salvadori, third fastest, also moved his Tommy Atkins Cobra over one place,
so when sears arrived late on the grid he saw that the remaining front row position was
vacant. Assuming that everyone had been moved up one place he moved up to the front
row. Just before the start an official rushed up and told him he was on the wrong row. An
annoyed Sears shouted back, "It's too late!".
He made a fairly poor start and came round after one lap to find a black flag being shown
with his number. He pitted to be told that he had started from the wrong row and this was
his penalty, now he could continue. He left the pits absolutely furious, shaking his fist at all
and sundry. In his words: "I was so angry I think my first lap was around two seconds faster
than my practice time, and I was eating people ahead of me, passing them right, left and
centre."
From dead last at the start of lap three of a 25-lap race he blasted through the field, finally
disposing of leader Jackie Stewart in John Coombs' Lightweight E-type with consumate ease
to win the race. He admitted later that he ran the race in a total red mist.
Incidentally, the photographs on page 9 were lifted from
Classic and Sports Car
magazine
photo galleries. I trust the people at the magazine will forgive the liberty.
You'll find another great "From the Library" book review on pages 22 and 23. Now that the
library is in the meeting room you have no excuse for not browsing the extensive collection
of motoring books and sampling them. Remember, it's free!
Thank you to everyone who helped with this issue. It's a nice big one - again.
Finally, if anyone has good pictures from the Targa West Sprint or other events, please send
them to me - nice and big, please.
Bob Campbell
Editor's Ramblings
WORKSHOP
DAD’S ARMY
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September
03/09/16
27/09/16
October
08/10/16
25/10/16
November
05/11/16
29/11/16
Dad's Army Dates
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2016
Remember! Deadline for articles and advertisements for the October issue is September 11.