Sunbeam Challenge at Silverstone this Saturday 10th Aug

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B9471845
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Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2005 11:32 am

Sunbeam Challenge at Silverstone this Saturday 10th Aug

Post by B9471845 » Wed Aug 07, 2013 11:58 am

The annual Sunbeam Challenge race is guesting at this Saturday's Bentley Drivers' Club meeting at Silverstone, National (short) circuit.

Qualifying at 09h50 mixed in with MGs, ACs etc.
Race at 17h00.
Some of the regular racers can't make it but there are still about 8 assorted Sunbeams as of yesterday and still hoping for late entries; David Smallridge is favourite for overall victory.

Sunbeams also participating in the FISCAR 50s race and the Allcomers Handicap at the end of the day, alongside lots of other pre- and post-war historic races.

Do come along if you can!

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gvickery
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Post by gvickery » Wed Aug 07, 2013 5:02 pm

Thanks for posting that info Andrew.

There are a number of free entry tickets for the Saturday available to Members, courtesy of race sponsors J O Engineering - Jim Oven & Marie

Please contact me or Tristan Bradfield in the first instance.

Graham
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B9471845
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Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2005 11:32 am

Post by B9471845 » Mon Aug 12, 2013 12:47 pm

Team Tiger enjoyed themselves on Saturday.

Sunbeam Challenge qualifying was mixed with ACs and Morgans, making for a very busy session on a very slippery surface following on from the pre-war cars. Our section was amalgamated with some reserves and Dave Smallridge was narrowly pipped to pole by a modern Westfield LSL.

Paul and Neil were also out in the Allcomers' scratch race, Tristan was also co-driving the Le Mans Alpine in the FISCAR race so lots of comings and goings in the paddock, surrounded by vintage Bentleys, chrome and brass gleaming in the sun and Castrol R wafting over.

Come race start, all went well until entering the complex at Brooklands when a cloud of grey smoke heralded a backwards-facing blue Tiger, Tristan uncharacteristically missed his braking point but without contact thankfully. He and the crowd enjoyed his fight back through the field but without quite catching the DBS. Dave Smallridge managed to beat the Westfield by 7 seconds in the end. I was expecting a lonely race as slowest Tiger - and as I was driving it home from the circuit I wasn't planning on competing hard, but an electrical gremlin dropped me to the back of the field on lap 2, could be the ignition switch as flipping it on/off resumed normal service, but meanwhile I had it all to do. I eventually caught up with the modern Ginetta but we were well matched, luckily he missed a gear so I snuck underneath him at Becketts on the last lap. All the Sunbeams finished, Chris Draycott taking Alpine class laurels.

Paul, Neil and Chris then shot straight back out in the Allcomers scratch, Paul narrowly hanging on to claim first Sunbeam home in 16th with no brakes, just smoking drums from frantic handbrake use. Chris's Alpine just beat Neil's FIA Tiger home for 18th and 19th respectively.

Prize-giving was highly entertaining in the post-race buzz, with everyone now looking forward to 2014 and a record Tiger turnout in the 50th Anniversary Sunbeam Challenge !

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