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SMRC Classic and Sports cars

Morgans Gold as Paterson claims Crown

SMRC final fling – 18 October 

The final races in the Scottish Classic Sports and Saloons were held at a chilly Knockhill on Sunday and despite some intermittent rain the Morgan Plus 8’s of Russell Paterson and Andrew Smith were as dominant as ever.

In the opening race in the morning Smith made the better getaway to lead pole-sitter Paterson into the first corner. Stan Bernard tucked his Porsche 911 into third while Gordon Naismith held fourth in his TR8. Olly Ross came next in his Lotus Europa, now fully operational after his problems at the last meeting when he was forced to borrow a TR7 for the day. Behind Ross was Matthew Gordon in a second 911 who had made a terrific start from 10^th on the grid passing the Lotus Sunbeam of Michael Connon, Jimmy Crow’s Escort and the Lotus Elan of Donald Laird to move into sixth at the end of the first lap. Also having a good first lap was Connon in his Lotus Sunbeam, moving up from ninth to seventh right behind Gordon’s 911.

Up front Paterson had taken over in the lead on lap 2 and there he stayed winning by 0.354 seconds from Smith, while third went to Stan Bernard, 9.8 seconds behind the winner with Gordon Naismith fourth just under a second further back.

Fifth went to Adam Bernard in another Porsche 911 who had had some work to do after he was passed on the opening lap by Gordon and Connon. He dealt with Connon’s Lotus on lap 3 and Gordon’s Porsche a lap later to go sixth. He finally claimed fifth right a the end passing Olly Ross on the final lap. Ross duly came home sixth with Gordon now seventh and Donald Laird’s Elan eighth. Poor Michael Connon was one of three DNF’s retiring on lap 8

Race two was pretty much the same, the only difference was Stan Bernard got the jump on the two Morgans at the start and led the opening two laps before they managed to get past him. That and Michael Connon not only finished this race but in an excellent eighth place as well, this despite finding himself down in 12^th as early as lap 2. He soon set about putting things right and by the third lap he had moved up to ninth, passing Richard Merrell’s Alfa and Robin Benn’s Capri, the latter then enduring a brief spin on the damp track on lap 4 dropping 4 places in the process and falling to 14^th. Connon however still hadn’t quite finished as he eventually caught and passed Ian Longford’s Escort(pictured above) on lap 7 to claim his eighth place finish.

Up front now that Paterson had passed Stan Bernard’s Porsche it looked like plain sailing for the Morgan driver. Smith(below)however had other ideas....

After a poor start had seen him fall to fourth behind Bernard Snr, Paterson and Bernard Jnr he recovered third place on the second lap and second on lthe fourth. He then set off after Paterson whom he caught by lap 5.  

The pair then circulated together until the flag with a 'testing' moment on lap 9 when Smith got alongside coming out of the hairpin, Paterson was having none of it however and he appeared to edge his team-mate onto the grass as they headed up the main straight in move that looked to be straight out of the 'Schumacher school of Motoring', to go on to win by 0,243 seconds.

Third was Stan Bernard 18 seconds behind with Naismith fourth once more, 3 seconds behind Stan with fifth, sixth and seventh going to Adam Bernard, Olly Ross and Matthew Gordon just as they did in race 1.

So the 2009 season ends with a new Champion in Russell Paterson, bigger grids and some excellent racing. Things are looking up for Classics in Scotland

Morgans massacre!

The Scottish Classic Sports and Saloons Car Championship were out at Knockhill on Satuday, 26 September and  Andrew Smith was in simply devastating form.  The Morgan Plus 8 driver  qualified on pole by over 0.6 seconds from his team-mate Russell Paterson and then proceeded to dominate both races from the moment the lights went out.

In race 1 he leapt into the lead followed by Paterson’s similar car, whereupon the pair simply vanished, such was their speed they both finished nearly half a minute from third placed Barrey Riddell’s TR8. Even Paterson was 5 seconds adrift of Smith such was the winner’s  speed this weekend.  

Behind them there was however some highly entertaining racing, Willy Toye(below) and Barry Riddell fought it out over third for the first few laps, until Toye ran out of brakes that is! So bad were they that it seemed almost a miracle he got it to the flag. By lap 5 Riddell was past and Toye was starting to drop off the pace and his car was starting to look a real handful. This left Riddell free to ease away into a safe third place whilst behind him Toye did everything he could to keep his pursuers at bay and stay on the track, not easy when you can't stop!.

That he managed to do so for another 5 laps was astonishing in itself. By then however his brakes had become so non—existent that on lap 8 he shot across the gravel trap at the foot of Duffus Dip, once assumes because he had no other choice! He then dropped from fourth to tenth in the final 2 laps as all he had left were thin strips of steel instead of brake pads!

For much of the time he was followed closely by Gordon Naismith in another TR8 with Jimmy Crow keeping him company in his Ford Escort Mk1 in sixth. At the flag the pair, by now up to fourth and fifth after they had passed the brakeless TR of Toye, were separated by just 0.15secs!

Behind them in another close fight that lasted for much of the race was Ian Lonford in his Escort MK1, Donald Laird’s Lotus Elan and Richard Merrell’s Alfa Giulia GT. These three were pretty much tied together for most of the race with none of them ever getting the upper hand, leaving Longford to come home sixth while the others finished right behind in  7^th  and  8^th effectively ‘joined at the hip’!  Ninth place? That went to Willy Toye who somehow kept his TR8 on the road, although having seen the remains of his 'brake pads' (thin slivers of steel actually) it’s a mystery !

NIc Boyes(jeft) in a Mini had also looked set for a good result after a race long battle with Harry Simpson’s Hillman Imp and Ian Morton’s Midget until he suddenly lost power coming out of the hairpin on the;last tour and with it two places.

The second race was much like the first and even with the top 8 starting in reverse order Smith still managed to grab the lead by the second corner, Scotsman. As usual he was followed by his team-mate Paterson and as usual they scampered into the distance, winning on this occasion by 34 seconds. Paterson 6 seconds off the winner’s time.

Once again Barry Riddell completed the podium although this time he was kept honest for nine of the 10 laps by Gordon Naismith who sadly failed to finish his final lap.

Fourth, after Naismith retirement, was Jimmy Crow’s Escort with Donald laird’s Elan just 2 second behind in fifth. Crow had been racing with Ian Longford for the first 6 laps until the latter lost it exiting Car Lube, the spin dropping him down to eighth behind Laird and Richard Merrell's Alfa Giulia GT. 

George Leitch put in a superb performance in his Mini Ogle climbing from 17^th on the grid to finish in ninth. On the way he dealt with some serious opposition including Nic Boyes Mini Cooper and Colin Beveridge’s Alfa Sud.

2008 Champion Olly Ross(pictured right) did not have a good day.  His Lotus Europa had so many problems in practice that he borrowed a TR7 for the races and spend both scrapping at the rear of the field. Hopefully he’ll have his Lotus working next month and be back at the sharp end of the grid where he usually is.

Where was Willy Toye in all this, Sadly after his first race heroics his car failed on the first lap putting him out!

Jimmy Stewart trophy

'Morgans Gold'

Paterson and Smith share the spoils as Giordanelli stars

Russell Paterson and Andrew Smith made it a double victory for the Morgans in the Scottish Classic And Sports Car races at Knockhill’s annual Speedfair over the weekend.

Paterson won the opening race after fighting off a strong challenge from the TR8 of Willy Toye while Smith dominated the second event to win not only the race but the Jimmy Stewart Trophy as well.

Race one saw 33 cars line up on the grid for the first of the two Classic Sports and Saloon encounters with WillieToye’s Triumph TR8 taking the lead early on from Paterson’s plus 8. The latter’s team-mate Andrew Smith was in third with Robert Giordanelli’s superb Lotus Elan fourth. In a very unfamiliar fifth was Stan Bernard’s Porsche 911 which hadn’t even qualified well starting in a lowly seventh, clearly all was not well with the German car.

Into the fourth lap and Giordanelli moved to third slipping past Andrew Smith, but he only stayed there for a solitary lap before the Morgan was past and back into third.

Up front Toye’s TR8 was becoming a bit of a handful as it’s tyres appear to go ‘off’ and the car was really starting to slide around in the corners. This gave Paterson his chance and on the fifth lap he was through and into the lead which he held to the end winning by 3.6 seconds.

The TR8 continued to hold second despite Smith trying every which way to get past and althought the third placed Morgan looked the quicker car Toye was not to be denied finishing in second barely two tenths up on the Plus 8.

Giordanelli came I home fourth just over a second off the Morgan’s boot while Stan Bernard’s Porsche was a distant fifth, clearly suffering from some malady or other. Whatever the car didn’t appear for the second race later that day.

That second race, the Jimmy Stewart Trophy went to Andrew Smith who led all but the opening lap after Gordon Naismith’s TR8 had taken an early lead. Willy Toye’s similar machine had taken third at the start but he was forced into retirement on lap 2.

Giordanelli was fourth ahead of Paterson with Barry Riddell in yet another TR8 sixth followed by the rejuvenated and restored Datsun 240z of Willie Robertson, back for the first meeting since he high speed crash earlier in the year

By the second lap Smith had taken over at the front and was pulling away from Naismith while Giordanelli’s Elan was all over the TR8.  However it wasn’t until lap 7 that he was able to claim second by which time Smith had a big lead. No matter the Elan driver put his head down and went for it, slowly and inexorably closing in on the Morgan. Naismith’s good run sadly came to an end a lap later as he became the second TR8, after Toye, to retire.

Meanwhile things were getting hot up front. With a couple of laps to go Giordanelli had got his Lotus Elan to within a second or so of the leader after he had reeled off a series of quick laps  and it looked as though he might just catch the lead car on the final lap.  Smith didn’t have to worry though as the grandstand finish never materialised. Giordanelli had a had a brief moment in the final moments at the Scotsman which culminated in a trip off track. The ‘off’  not only lost him a chance at the lead but very nearly lost him second as Russell Paterson closed to within 1.5 seconds as the Elan regained the track. 

Up front Smith went serenely on his way to win by 10 seconds, Giordanelli held onto second with just over a second in hand over Paterson while Barry Riddell brought his Triumph home in fourth with Willie Robertson fifth and Tommy Gilmartin’s Capri sixth after he had tracked the Datsun for most of the race. Brian Berverly’s Escort was seventh and then last of the unlapped runners.

First there was Adam!

The Classic Sports and Saloons car races at Knockhill had a familiar look on Sunday morning as a white Porsche 911 crossed the finish line to win the first of the two races. To add to the familiar pattern it was driven by a Mr Bernard as well but that was then the familiarity ended!

For once the car carried number 3 rather than 4 and it was driven by Adam Bernard not Stan. 

Adam, standing in for his father, who had withdrawn after hurting his back, led the field into Duffus Dip for the first race in damp conditions and was never headed, although is was close at the end.

On the opening lap Adam made the best start to open a small gap to second placed Andrew Smith’s Morgan +8 who was followed by his team-mate Russell Paterson in a similar car and Olly Ross’s Lotus Europa

Into lap 2 and for a brief moment it looked as though Bernard had thrown it all away at the hairpin when he dropped a wheel on the dirt and allowed Smith to close up onto his tail. However he gathered it all together and soon had the gap opening out once again.

He was inadvertently aided by Smith’s Morgan team-mate Russell Paterson who kept the second placed man’s focus rearwards for the first 4 laps as Paterson search for a way through. He finally managed it on lap 5 and set off after the Porsche.

Initially Paterson could only chip away at the gap, Bernard putting in equally quick times until, that is, we got to the final lap.

As they crossed the line for then penultimate time the gap was a comfortable 1.4 secs, by the time they got to Car Lube , two third around the lap, it was half a second! Whether Adam was being extra careful or not he did seem comfortable as he crossed the line to take a well deserved victory by that half second margin.

Andrew Smith came in third now 8 seconds adrift of the leaders.

Olly Ross was a long way back in fourth with Tommy Gilmartin’s Capri fifth and Knockhill debutant Stuart McPherson from Manchester taking a fine sixth in his Lotus Elan. This of course meant he would start Race 2 from pole by virtue of the rule that reverses the top six in the SMRC Classic Series .

As race 2 got underway, this time on a totally dry track, Andrew Smith made a good start from fourth to lead the first lap with Adam Bernard second after an even better opening lap. From sixth on the grid Bernard had taken third at the off before snatching second from Paterson’s Morgan at the hairpin.

Into lap two and Paterson retook second getting down the inside of Bernard’s Porsche at the Hairpin, although Bernard did his best to re-take the position on the exit trying to get back up the inside, The Morgan however had the better exit speed, got it’s power down better and pulled clear across the start/finish line.

Bernard then effectively dropped out of the reckoning with a spin at Scotsman dropping him to fourth behind Olly Ross’s Louts Europa. He did retake third on lap 5 but by then both the Morgans were long gone.

Up front the lead pair fought tooth and nail over the lead, Paterson getting alongside after Smith had a ‘moment’ at the hairpin on lap 6, Smith managed to hold his place up the straight and despite another side-by-side sprint up the main straight one lap from home Smith kept his nerve to win by 0.8 secs.

Bernard was 12 secs behind the two Morgans at the end with Olly Ross was distant fourth, with Barry Riddell’s TR8 fifth. This from eleventh on lap 2 after he made a less than ideal start. He had climbed to eighth on lap 3, then sixth on lap 4, getting down the inside of Kenny Allen’s Elan at the hairpin. Then after 3 laps reeling in Stuart McPherson’s Elan he claimed fifth, just 4 seconds behind Olly Ross.

McPherson took his second sixth place of the day, which added to his pole position start made his first trip North of the Border well worth the effort. 

Contact and Controversy

The Classic Sports and Saloons were embroiled in controversy at Knockhill on Sunday 31 May after the first race saw a red flag, an exclusion and a possible pass under yellows, the last of which was later proven not to be the case.

Russell Paterson started the first race from pole in his Morgan Plus 8 with Stan Bernard’s Porsche alongside. It was the latter who made the best start leading the pack into Duffus Dip form the first time with not Paterson behind him but the second Morgan of Andrew Smith who had rocketed off the line from fourth.

The pack had barely got halfway round then lap when the red flag came out, something of  a habit at Knockhill on Sunday(I think there were five or six!). On this occasion George Leitch’s Mini Ogle had become beached on the kerb at the Chicane right on the racing line so it was back to the start.

Once again Stan Bernard ( pictured right) made the best start followed this time by Paterson who had Smith’s similar machine on his tail. In fourth was Matthew Gordon with Willie Robertson’s Datsun 240Z fifth, more about whom in a moment.

That moment came within a couple of laps of the restart. As the cars headed onto the back straight out of Car Lube Willie Robertson moved out to pass Matthew Gordon’s Porsche. For whatever treason the latter moved over on Robertson’s Datsun which went off in a big way, ripping the front wheel off ,damaging the chassis, and among other things, going mischief to various other ancillaries. Whatever the Datson was out.

Gordon was subsequently excluded for poor driving standards while Robertson stood quietly fuming at the side of the track. It remains to be seen when he will get his car back together , Datsun 240Z part’s aren’t exactly common!

Up front meanwhile, Paterson had taken the lead from Stan Bernard at the hairpin on the third lap of the restart. Initially there was some doubt as to whether or not the move was under yellows but this was later discounted by the officials and the result stood

Whatever for the rest of the race Stan didn’t appear to be driving with his usaal verve and seemed to settle for second, coasting home to finish 11 seconds behind the Morgan.

In third  was Willy Toye in his Triumph Tr8 who had looked as though he might have caught Bernard’s Porsche in the later stages but he in fact finished 3 seconds behind.

Fourth was Olly Ross in his Lotus Europa, whose description of the Gordon/Robertson crash was simply put, ‘I didn’t see much I was too busy avoiding Datsun shapnel!’

Behind Ross in fifth was Ian Longford’s Escort Mk1 (Below) with Richard Merrell’s Alfa GTJ sixth.

Race 2

The second race was more straightforward with Willy Toye in his Triumph TR8 leading the first 2 laps from Russell Paterson’s Morgan Plus 8. Olly Ross was third initially, but not for very long as by the end of lap 1 Stan Bernard’s 911 had moved passed.

Into lap three and Paterson had taken the lead from Toye then it was Bernrad with Olly Rooss behind him

On the fifth lap Stan moved into second ahead of Toye who held station behind. Olly Ross’s Europa meanwhile was coming under increasing pressure from Andrew Smith’s Morgan, the  Morgan supplanting the Lotus oen lap later but it was only for a couple of laps as it retired on lap 7 handing fourth back to Ross.

At the flag Paterson led Bernard by a more realistic margin this time of 2.738 secs with Willy Toye a further 10 seconds behind.  Fourth was Olly Ross less than 3 seconds behind the TR8 with Donald Laird fifth in his Lotus Elan and Ian Longford sixth in his Escort.   

A classic start

Race 2 start

An impressive 25 car grid lined up for the first race of the SMRC Classic and Sports cars season at Knockhill on Sunday. Up front was last year’s pace setter Stan Bernard in his Porsche 911 but for once he wasn’t on pole. That honour fell to the Morgan Plus 8 of Russell Paterson.

At the off Stan Bernard made the best getaway to lead the pack into Duffus Dip for the first time followed by Paterson and Willie Robertson’s Datsun 240z. Behind them came Willy Toye and then 2008 Champion Olly Ross in his Lotus Europa.

Initially it looked as though Stan was going to do his usual disappearing act and leave everyone trailing in his wake, Paterson however had other ideas.

With 4 laps complete he was right on the Porsche’s tail and appeared to be looking for a way past, although as they say, catching is one thing , passing is another thing entirely.

Behind the leading pair came a gaggle of 6 cars led by Willy Toye in his TR8 after he had demoted Robertson’s Datsun 240z on lap 2. Next  came Olly Ross’s Europa , Tommy Gilmartin’s Capri, Matthew Gordon’s 911 followed by Jimmy Crow’s Escort.

On lap 6 Stan Bernard made his first break when he came up to lap some backmarkers, he was past pretty smartly but Paterson was held up, albeit it briefly, but it was enough for Stan to put some air between them. It was only a temporary respite thoough, for as soon as Paterson had got past into clear air he soon closed back onto Stan’s rear and once again looked slightly quicker.  

The same thing happen again on lap 8 and this time Stan appeared to put the hammer down and managed to hold the gap to the flag winning by just over 1 second. 

In third after a race long battle was Toye’s Triumph TR8. Early in the race he had fended off the Datsun 204z of Willie Robertson bfore Olly Ross and his Lotus Europa took up the fight at half distance. Towards the end Robertson re-asserted himself to re-take 4^th from Ross with jtwo laps to go. The Datsun then closed in on the bootlid of the TR8 but that was as close as he got finishing less than a second down at the flag.

Matthew Gordon took fifth, demoting Ross to sixth on the final lap.

Race 2 had the first 6 finishes starting in reverse order thereby giving pole to Olly Ross. Rain over lunch had left the track damp which suited the Lotus driver down to a tee, and although the track was starting to dry out it was still wet enough to allow him to lead the opening lap. Second was Matthew Gordon’s Porsche 911 with Stan Bernard putting in a great first lap to move up to fourth from 6^th.

If Stan’s start was good, so then was Russell Paterson’s in the Morgan. At the end of lap 2 he was up to third which soon became second with Bernard following him through to move into third. Willy Toye meanwhile had dropped it at the hairpin on only the second lap falling from 4^th to 8^th in the process.

Up front the Morgan was closing in on Olly Ross’s Europa and by lap 4 Paterson was through, one lap later so was Bernard while Ross now came under close scrutiny from Roberston’s Datsun. Matthew Gordon’s race meanwhile had gone downhill and he was now down in 11^th.

By lap 5 the race was settling down, Paterson was leading from Stan Bernard with next up Olly Ross followed closely by the Datsun of Willie Roberson. In fifth was Kenny Allen in a Lotus Elan then Gordon Naismith in a second TR8 with Tommy Gilmartin’s Capri following behind.

Allen then had the first of two spins at Duffus Dip, dropping him down the field to  11^th  followed closely by Willy Toye who had his second spin  before he to rejoined behind Allen. Allen was to repeat the ‘move’on lap 7 dropping him further down into the pack.

Up front Paterson held the lead with Bernard in close attendance and there they stayed, the Morgan eventually taking the laurels with 0.7 secs to spare.

Third was Willie Robertson’s 240z after he had disposed of Ross on lap 7, to finish just 6 seconds behind the winner, his car obviously working well in the damp/drying conditions.

Ross came home fourth therefore while Tommy Gilmartin and Gordon Naismith completed the top 6.

All in all a promising start to the season with a full and varied grid and some serious competition for Stan Bernard.

words and pictures Richard Pascal