THERE will be an action-packed programme of speed hillclimbing at Wiscombe Park with the main focus of attention being the annual Vintage Sports Car Club meeting this weekend.
Always a first-class event for enthusiasts of historic and pre-war cars, this weekend’s meeting has amassed an entry of more than 110 vintage and historic cars spanning six decades.
A typical entry is that of Dorchester’s Terry Crabb, who has campaigned his ex-works R12C in recent seasons, both at speed hillclimbs, such as Wis-combe to good effect.
Last month saw the combination in action at Silverstone in the VSCC meeting where Crabb claimed a fourth place in the Scratch Pre-War Sports Car race.
As one might expect at an event for machines of the vintage era a great number of the cars have an interesting history and the Crabb machine is no different.
The car was purchased in 1938 by Prince Chula of Siam for his White Mouse Garage and has subsequently been driven by such motor sport celebrities as Prince Bira and Raymond Mays.
As has become customary this meeting attracts a superb selection of vintage machines, from the Austin Sevens through to the mighty 1929 Napier Bentley.
Tomorrow sees the 500 Owners’ Club making their annual visit to Wiscombe.
There will be great variety on the hill with motorcycles, a number of cars powered by motorcycle engines and a selection of more contemporary saloons and sports cars, both road-going and modified in addition to sin- gle-seater racing cars.
A large number of the competitors from the following day’s vintage meeting will be ‘flexing their muscles’ in the 500 event.
The entry includes fastest time of the day candidate, with Frampton’s Rod Thorne making his season debut at the wheel of the Rover V8-powered Pilbeam MP43 sports racer in which his wife Hayley will also be driving.
The motorcycle entry includes Tommy Hodges on his Team GV Honda CRF with local solo riders including Weymouth’s Keith Haines (Aprilia SXV) and Nigel Glover, from Portland, on his Tricati seeking success in the 501cc-750cc class.
The side-car class includes Kevin and Sara Dewell, also from the island, who will be seen aboard their SKR Honda.
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