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In today's world it often seems that it's vital for us all to be busy, indeed too busy. Happily for me I've arrived at a time in life where I can choose my level of activity, although when I ponder the past and running my own business that's probably always been the situation.
 Perhaps it's just a question of being a bit selective and deciding on the priorities and not wanting to have it all - immediately? More will become apparent if you have the time to browse this blog although, by way of a warning, I'm retired, married with 2 grown up sons, live in the South West of England with my wife and amongst other things I'm a bit keen on motorsport. I'll chat about that and other bits and pieces that come to mind and if you scroll down you'll find an occasional diary about my recent activities, in the main describing competative motorsport sprints and hillclimbs in the UK together with links to some interesting related web sites. Everything on this blog is the copywrite of fyrth.com and borrowed images are acknowledged. I can also be found here if you want to communicate.More to follow - site under reconstruction!
MY OCCASIONAL MOTORSPORT DIARY
12th May 2010
An away day trip to Wiscombe Park, nestling in a deep valley south of Honiton, truly one of the quietest and most beautiful places in which to enjoy a day of hill climbing. This event was organised by the 500 Owners Association, a club supporting those eccentric 500cc bike engined cars that were the forerunners of today's UK motorsport industry back in the 1950s. Many of these cars still exist and are regularly used and I personally think that this is one of the best kept secrets in the hillclimb calendar with a full entry of cars and bikes, everyone there for a day's fun messing about in cars. After the desperately wet conditions a fortnight previously it was pleasant to compete on a dry and sunny day, the newly re-laid track dry and grippy, drivers cheerful and warm in shirt sleeve conditions.
Naturally enough there were plenty of 500s, two groups, pre and post 1954. Regular front runner Mark Riley flew up the hill on 48.16s in the Creamer JAP whilst Nigel Ashman’s Cooper Norton led the moderns on 47.27s.
 There were three 1000cc Coopers in class 4, Richard Ashford’s JAP engine actually 1100cc which probably helped his class win on 48.61s. Similarly just three Formula Juniors supported class 7, Elva 200,  I'd seen John's superb GRD on trestles in his workshop but this was the first time in action, although John has already done a couple of events this year. A typical 1972 Formula 3 car, modern monocoque chassis with side water radiators and powered by a 1600cc Lotus Ford twincam, as were most of these cars in period. More to the point it was running well although there was a minor panic in the morning and the cam cover had to be removed.This was the first time out for the Mallock since last August and both car and driver needed to become aclimatised once again. It took the first run to clean up the tyres and blow the cobwebs out of the engine, thereafter times improved and whilst not the best the car has done at Wiscombe I was happy enough, the two times for the official runs differing by 0.02s so the Mallock was probably going about as fast as it could on the day. For those interested the day's times are here.  |
There was a large entry of cars and bikes, many seen rarely on the hills. Class 1A contained several Dellows, Roger Hodgson arriving with his ‘new’ 1172cc sv, reacquainted with this make having owned one in his youth. First runner of the day, David Bain took this class, Road Going up to 1965, in his pretty Sprite Lenham Le Man coupe on 56.06s. Class 1B, Roadgoing after 1966, was well supported by Volvo Amazons, the youthful 2 litre Mitsubishi of John Harding securing the class on 46.95s. Class 2A was exclusively VSCC cars and the 1935 Wolsley Hornet special of Tim Greenhill was definitely on the pace with his winning 49.35s. Austin Sevens had class 2B to themselves, regular climber Terry Griffin’s special winning on 52.63s.