Big Healey Race - Castle Coombe

[DerekJ]

A fantastic day's racing on Sunday at Castle Coombe, with grids for Aston Matin, Jaguar, Vintage Sportscars and Fifities Sportscar race series. Highlight of course was the Healey Drivers International race for Big Healeys with a grid of 25 cars including visitors from Sweden and Holland.

Anders Schildt won again this year but this time he was driving in David Grace's car. Grace is ex 5 times British Hill Climb Champion. Second place went to the John Chatham car driven by Joe Chatham and Dan Cox. Cox was also co driving Eric Woolley's car in which he had a massive off, destroying the entire rear of the car.

David Smithies, who won the Fordwater Trophy at Goodwood, in TON 792 was driving his own car, unfortunately his co-driver wrecked it.

I attach photos of the two damaged cars. An expensive weekend! But that's racing, these guys don't take prisoners.

 

[richberman]

Derek,
It looks like the Smithies car can now see around corners better at night (right side only). Bummer to see cars like that, but then it keeps the parts businesses and mechanics busy for another season!
Rich

 

[Healey 100]

I know that Healeys have a long history as racers. But seeing destruction of two vintage Healeys on the racetrack make me pretty uncomfortable. The fact is 50 year old racing cars are relatively ill-handling and who knows how skilled these vintage race drivers are. I drive my own Healey thousands of miles on the road -- but always with full awareness that its brakes, steering, and crashworthiness are marginal by today's standards. I know it was a high performance sports car, but now it is an antique that I drive only with care and respect. I see no point to pushing the envelope with it. I have no issue with vintage racing, but do fear for the drivers and the cars who do this going "full chat" trying emulate Moss and Fangio.

 

[DerekJ]

Bill, I have to disagree with you there. These cars are made to be used and the guys racing them know the risks. The cars have many more safety features than they did at the time and the drivers racing yesterday have extensive experience from competition at places like Spa, LeMans and Silverstone.
Both these cars will be back on the track for next season.

Here's another photo of the Woolley car which now resembles a TVR!. Amazingly it still drives straight, unlike the Smithies car which has a bent chassis.

 

[John Turney]

From what I can tell, and have been told, the attitude toward vintage racing in Europe is much different that it is in the US.

 

[TimK]

Reckless is not wreckless any more

 

[BoyRacer]

Bill, These are not "50 year old race cars". These are brand new race cars using frames and bodies from the 50s and 60s. These cars use modern racing tires, modern braking components, modern race suspension components, uprated springs, shocks and anti-roll bars, collapsible steering columns, modern racing fuel cells, full roll cages, 6 point driver restraint systems, Hans or similar neck and head restraints, and more. And that is not even mentioning the modern engine components that make these engines spin 7000 RPM and propel these cars to 160 MPH.
While your car may be "ill handling", I can assure you these race cars handle extremely well.
Also, unlike vintage racing here in the US where contact with other cars is frowned upon, Historic racing in Europe is real racing. Both here and in Europe and the UK, we racers hold competition racing licenses. I have no doubt that those drivers at Castle Coombe were experienced and very competent racers.
Lastly, in order to add one more dimension to this issue, I would opine that to build one of these race cars from scratch (assuming you already have the car to start with), you would be looking at least $100,000.00, and that's if you were engaged in doing a lot of the work yourself. And that's just to get you into mid-pack, if you're lucky. And then every season thereafter that you continue to race that "vintage" race car it's even more $$$$$$, just like modern racing.

 

[AN6-TX]

The 1990 Challenge Series when the overseas contingent brought their wares to US soil was an enlightening and awesome experience. All the UK/European drivers were forced to wear the SVRA's "Rookie Stripe" as they hadn't raced in the US prior to the series. Needless to say, there were quite a few non-Healey entrants that were a bit peeved when these guys hit the course.

I believe Mr. Mayor participated in that series and can probably provide some first-hand insight as to the experience.

 

[dougie]

Bill -

I have to agree with both Derek and Richard (Boy Racer), we prepare our cars with all the necessary modern safety items required and spend countless hours at local track days and sanctioned club track lapping events in addition to race schools to obtain a competition race license. Even with all the car and driver preparation, accidents still occur. It's racing, your trying to out do, out run, and out shine the bloke next to you. It's the adrenaline and testosterone that fuels the vintage racer, not the Sunoco 110 we run in the car. When the red mist rises, %&# happens. I have my red badge of courage and can say that it stung..... I'm a better driver for it, and my car is much better after the repairs and upgrades give to it. DMH raced his car to promote the brand, in my small way I think it's important to carry on that tradition. There's way too may Porsches, Alfas, Triumphs and MG's getting all the attention on the vintage race grids. It's time for the Healey to take the banner back....
.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/27357414@N02/7354768484/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/27357414@N02/7647589674/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/27357414@N02/9737532189/

 

[EV2239]

Here's Marc Campfield starting from the back of the grid at Spa.

 

[EV2239]

And another gentle jaunt at Zolder

https://youtu.be/eTchL-rmvS4

sorry to just post the link, but try as I might I cannot get this contrary forum to let me link to another YouTube clip.

Is it anti Apple?