A weekend at the races
Jaguar Enthusiast Club (The Toyo Tires/Watchdogapp.com Jaguar Saloon & GT Championship) Round 11 & 12 Castle Combe 12th & 13th August 2017 a spectators perspective.
Sometimes as we quietly waft along the country roads in our comfortable luxury upholstered Jaguars or eat up the miles effortlessly along our motorway network it is easy to feel and understand that this is what our cars were designed to do and it is, however as I drove both along the motorway and country roads at the weekend towards Castle Combe race circuit, I couldn’t help but think about and make the connection between the car I was driving and what I was about to witness and enjoy. Somewhere in the DNA of all of our cars there is thoroughbred race car, it’s just sometimes hard to make that connection until you witness it first-hand.
I appreciate that motor racing may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but having paid just £20 for a ticket for the whole weekends entertainment it would be hard to argue that it isn’t great value. I would therefore say that if you have never been then give it a go and financially at least you haven’t a great deal to lose.
The cars that run in our club championship will be familiar to all of us. Running throughout the series and at Castle Combe this weekend were X300’s, XJ40’s, XJ6’s, XJ12’s, XJR’s, XJS’s 4.0 & 6.0l, and an XK8 with these cars ranging from 1971 – 1996.
Arriving early on Saturday to witness qualifying, I manage to get parked at Camp corner near the paddock entrance. Not many spectators come to watch qualifying and the race action doesn’t begin until after lunch but I’m keen to get some photo’s from Quarry corner which is normally busy with spectators when racing starts.
Most circuits allow paddock access including Castle Combe so you can see the cars up close and talk to the drivers and mechanics. All the drivers are Jaguar Enthusiasts Club members and are as passionate about the brand as the rest of us. They are happy to talk about the cars, the modifications and why they are racing a particular car etc.
I wander over and talk to Gary and Tom Robinson from Swallows Jaguar in Somerset. This Tom’s first year in the championship and he’s running a 1995 XJR in Class D which is for fully modified saloon & GT cars. He tells me what work they have done on the car since the previous round at Croft. Sitting alongside Tom’s car in the paddock is Adam Powderham’s car also a 1995 XJR prepared by Swallows. Adam runs the Jaguar Select dealership from his premises in Hailsham in Sussex. Adam is the current Class D championship leader and won Class A for standard unmodified cars the previous season. David Howard is close by and I take a look at his 1971 XJ12, what a beast his car is, a heavily modified Class D car. I also spot, although it’s hard to miss the bright orange Tom Lenthall XK8 driven by Derek Pearce another Class D car. Lined up next this are several XJS’s, I recognise a couple from previous rounds I went to earlier in the season in particular James Ramm’s 1981 car and Colin Philpott’s Powerbell Services livered Class C cars for modified Saloon & GT cars. The other Powerbell Services car is here also an XJS driven by Rodney Frost but in Class B for Standard Modified cars.
Qualifying
As the engines start to burst into life the Castle Combe track is still damp from the overnight rain and some of the drivers are concerned that there may be more rain. Qualifying for the CSCC Swinging Sixties Group One begins, these cars bring a smile to my face as they are the cars of my childhood, Mini’s, Cortina Mk1’s, Austin Healey Sprite’s, MGB’s etc.
I leave the paddock and take a walk up to Quarry to get into position to photograph the Jaguar qualifying, stopping along the way to grab a bacon bap and cuppa from one the many vendors at the track. Most of the various circuits around the country started life as WWII airfields but now have modern catering, toilets, and hospitality areas etc; and it’s hard recognise their previous incarnation. In place at the exit of Quarry I’m happy, I can get some decent pictures and I watch the last few qualifying laps for the sixties cars. They’ve managed to dry out the racing line pretty much before the Jaguars come out onto the circuit and as they do the sun appears to improve conditions even more.
The contrast between the small sixties cars and the giant Jaguar saloons is not lost on me but despite this they handle the bends and two chicanes here remarkably well. You get a real sense of the power and purpose of these cars as they hurtle around this circuit, most of them managing to average 80mph plus for a lap, which means they are probably reaching around 120mph at the fastest part of the circuit.
Qualifying lasts fifteen minutes before the next group begins. When the Jags have finished, I return to the paddock and the qualifying times are soon posted up. Our local man, Tom Robinson has done well and qualified sixth overall in a twenty-one car grid and first Class D car, he’s making quick progress as the season goes on. The whole weekend is run by the Classic Sports Car Club so there are plenty of interesting cars to look at in the paddock not just Jaguars, so I spend some time wandering around and chatting to the drivers.
Race 1
Racing begins after lunch and there many more spectators lining the banking from Bobbies down Dean straight to Camp corner the last before the start finish line. I decide to watch from Bobbies and have good view as the cars come down from Tower corner. The Jags come around on their formation lap behind the safety car before lining up on the grid. Then it’s lights out and they are under way, the commentary over the tannoy that I’m stood next to announces that pole sitter James Ramm in the XJS is leading up Avon Rise and is approaching Quarry and that car number four Tom Robinson has made a poor start, however by the time they reach me Tom has regained sixth place where he started and I can hear the whine of the supercharger on his XJR as he goes past.
The commentary allows me to follow what’s happening even on the parts of the track I can’t see. James Ramm starts to open out a healthy lead at the front until lap five when the virtual safety car is deployed (a code 60) which is signified by the marshals waving purple flags, all the drivers are meant to maintain the same gap to the car in front at sixty kph but it’s clear some are using it to close the gaps, I later learn that they are threaten with penalties if this is repeated in future. I can’t see the reason from my position for the code sixty but the bright orange XK8 of Derek Pearce hasn’t come around so I surmise that he has a problem, which turns out to be the case. The code sixty soon ends and we are racing again on lap eight. It’s fifteen-minute race and they manage to complete thirteen laps James Ramm (Class C) wins comfortably from Tom Butterfield (Class B) also in an XJS, with Alasdair McGregor on his first outing of the season is third in an X300, Rodney Frost forth in his XJS and Tom Robinson fifth overall taking the Class D win. Ian Drage is the first Class A car home in 10th place.
I get a cup of tea and give the drivers time to recover from the race before going over to chat to them. The results are posted up and I go and attend the prize giving. Terry Dye the Jaguar Enthusiasts Club Competitions Secretary is MC. Trophies are presented for the first three in each class plus an award for drive of the day, which goes to Alasdair McGregor. After watching a couple more races and an ice-cream I decide to head home to Bristol just over half an hour away.
Day 2
Castle Combe is bathed in glorious sunshine when I arrive midday on Sunday and already there are considerably more cars parked in the car parks than on the previous day. I immediately spot an immaculate red XJS V12 and beautiful Series 1 E Type, sometimes just walking around the car park at these race meetings is like a free car show. Within space of a few yards there is very smart Ferrari 308, a Lamborghini Aventador and a concours standard 1980’s 911 complete with whale tail. There are a lot of families today enjoying the sunshine and having a picnic before the action begins.
Making my way to the paddock, I can see on arrival that there is already a lot of activity as the Jaguars are being made ready, they are first up for the afternoons racing.
I decide to watch from the far side of the track as the sun will be behind me and better for taking photo’s so I head off to the Esses which is the first chicane at the end of Farm straight after Quarry from here I can see back up to Quarry to my right and down to Old Paddock bend to my left. It’s not long before the Jaguars appear around Quarry behind the safety car and it’s a mightily impressive sight as they come down Farm straight in formation.
They disappear out of sight and then there is a sense of anticipation as I can hear the engine notes rising with the cars on the grid and even though I’m on the other side of the circuit they collectively still sound loud as they pull off the line. James Ramm in the Class C, XJS once again leads the pack as they approach the Esses for the first time. Adam Powderham is crawling down the escape road of the chicane clearly with a problem and as he pulls up beneath where I’m viewing I can clearly see and smell fuel leaking out near his front nearside wheel. The marshals in their bright orange overalls are quickly on hand to make sure that the XJR doesn’t burst into flames. Where would we be without the orange army, racing simply can’t happen without these wonderful volunteers? Racing continues past Adam’s stricken car which is parked in a safe position but yellow flags are waved as a precaution for a couple of laps. It has been a bit of a frustrating weekend for Adam and I can’t help but feel sympathy for him as I look down on the scene.
In the meantime, James Ramm is extending his lead at the front and the field has become a little more strung out in today’s race. Class C and championship leader Colin Philpott’s challenge is soon over too and he eventually retires on lap seven. Tom Butterfield’s XJS is now second closely followed by the impressive Alasdair McGregor in the X300 and as the race enters the final laps Rodney Frost is making headway in the Class B XJS. Then on the penultimate lap Butterfields engine gives way and there is large cloud of smoke coming up from Tower corner, more work for the orange army. Last lap drama as Frost passes McGregor to take second with Tom Robinson comfortably in forth and taking maximum points for the weekend in Class D. Ian Drage completes the double in Class A followed by Michael Holt in the XJ40. As the cars come around for the warm down lap they are enthusiastically applauded by the large afternoon crowd who clearly have thoroughly enjoyed seeing these big cars on track.
I make my way back to the paddock for the trophy presentation and I chat to Tom Robinson who is delighted with his third consecutive Class D win and I promise to send him some pictures from the race. Next race is about to start which is the popular CCRC GT Championship so I watch it with the Swallows boys from the banking at Camp corner from here we can see all the way up the start finish straight and as the cars approach from Westway down the Dean straight.
It's been a great weekend racing and I have thoroughly enjoyed making a connection between my cars the Jaguar brand and the feeling of something special, that Jaguar racing is alive and well and accessible to all of us.
The next round is at Donnington which is a fantastic circuit, on 9th & 10th September, I look forward to meeting fellow members there.
Colin Porter