This was the first track outing of the year for many. An opportunity to blow the cobwebs out in preparation for the fast approaching season.
This years JEC track day was the first away from Mallory Park for many years! There were a number of notable absentees compared to previous events. Most of the Coventry Cats failed to show. Ray Hill did make an appearance however with his recently acquired ex Chris Boon hire car, that managed a 3rd place at Anglessey last year at the hands of Gail Hill & Chris. Ray intends to make his comeback in the XJS Championship this season.
Ray Hill's new car, with Simon Seath's green machine & the Hyper Team bus in the background.
Simon Seath made a rare appearance back out on track for the first since Brands Hatch 2007. Simon is unsure about his plans for 2008, apart from concentrating on his recent new Jaguar servicing venture in Eastbourne.
Paul Hands also made his return to the track, trying out the ex Matt Wallace V12 XJS.
The XJS's of Richard Crossley & Paul Hands followed by an old Ford!
Richard Crossley was back out with No.10 & hopes to be out for some of this seasons races.
The meticulously engineered V12 XJS initially built & raced by the late Matt Wallace. Now for Sale!
There were a few non race prepared cars & their drivers simply trying their hands at negotiating the famous Kent tracks delights.
Andrew Harrison terrorizing the normal folk, out for a nice little drive around Brands
Jaguar turnout was a tad low, suggesting that Northerner's are somewhat reluctant too make the journey south! As a consequence the track day was offered to other marques. This was not necessarily a bad thing, as several interesting Non Jaguar cars also hit the track.
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A brace of GT40's, the second one being in the famous Gail Hill colours. (Also used by Gulf!).
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Pic1 Stewert Lyddall's handsome XJS & a dodgy looking Italian car. Pic2 Cliff Ryan's Mk1 Escort
Cliff Ryan will be out & about at various tracks this year, but will be concentrating on his Son's new venture with the above Escort. It would appear that its not only V12 Jags that have cooling problems judging by the amount of rusty looking antifreeze all over the engine bay of this otherwise smart looking Ford!
Melvyn Hooker making a few tweaks to his seriously modified XJS. Just needs to find somewhere to race it!
Great to see Johnny Hassell back out on track and having a great time!
Despite a few little medical problems Johnny Hassell was determined that the show must go on! His latest acquisition, a VW in the same colour scheme as his old V12 XJS (now in the hands of Dave Ball).
New recruit to the XJS championship Ian (I think) car looks good!
Unfortunately I have a brain like a sieve, but I'm fairly sure that the above car belongs to Ian, who will be out racing for the first time in the XJS Championship. Ian has previously done some Karting, & the car apparently has been raced before, but prior to any requirements for safety features! Looks pretty good on & off the track!
One of many of the Brian Stevens classic Jaguar collection. Looks like he might be campaigning this XJ12 in with the CTCRC this season.
As with the majority of Brian's fleet, this XJ12 certainly looks the part. Would be interesting to see how it fares against the varied competition in the CTCRC? My money's on the Jag!!!
Mark Russell made the trip over from Ireland for testing, Colin Mckay prepares to hit the track again!
Marks car did not arrive at the track until about mid day! Ray Ingman of Classic Spares who looks after the car had presumably been experiencing a few last minute problems!
Two of a few pictures sent to me by Colin McKay and snapped by Colin's Daughter Amy. Many thanks!
Colin will be out with the JEC Saloon Championship this year, but I think its only a matter of time before we see him racing another one of the Coventry companies models!
The E type in the background has been in mothballs for a couple of years, but should be out racing again this year. Allan Glover was helping to get the car back in shape and is very keen to contest the PBJ again in 2008 with his Jaguar powered Luego Viento.
2007 Championship winning car
What could be more embarrassing than taking out the Championship winning car, and spinning it a few laps later causing a red flag and the end of the session for all drivers? Answers on a postcard please! All I can say is that "its not my fault"!!!!!! but then you would probably expect me to say that!!!
John Lock foolishly allowed me to take his very swift race winner out for a blast around Brands! The session did not start well with a strong smell of petrol making me a bit nervous, and Cliff Ryan sitting alongside telling me that my racing lines were hopeless and probably wondering how on earth I had ever passed my ARDS!!
In my defence, I hate people observing me and telling me what to do. This is probably why I left school when I was 9 & a half! Plus having never driven this car before, I was more interested in the first couple of laps finding out how the brakes worked, and where the gearstick was. The racing line was furthest from my thoughts!!! Sorry Cliff!!
How did I come to throw it in the kitty litter? Well, as I explained to John Lock as I slowly removed the pieces of gravel from the suspension, one grain at a time, "I have no idea, it just went!?"
I also got a telling off from the guy removing me from the gravel, I was trying to steer one way, and he the opposite.
Then it was off to see the Clerk of the Course, who had already reprimanded me earlier for not checking that I had my driving licence with me! I explained that I was very sorry and it probably happened because I'm an idiot. She agreed, and was by now quite happy until I told her that I would probably be racing here later in the year!
I can't say that this was one of my better trips to a race track, and all in all I wished I had stayed at home and finished knitting my new jumper!
Thing took a slightly better, unexpected turn for the better however, when I received an email from John later that evening, to say that he had later discovered that the front anti roll bar link had snapped causing the rear end to be very tail happy. I'm now considering going back to Brands to tell the Clerk of the Course that I was lying when I told her how nice her hair looked!
See the Drivers page for more news & gossip on what the Jaguar drivers are up to this year!
