The Vintage Sports-Car Club's annual Prescott meeting over 6-7 August featured an enticing blend of on-track action, pretty scenery – and the country's finest impromptu open-air car museum in the form of the pre-war car park – along with a memorial display for the late Bill Boddy.
A dodgy weather forecast failed to deter the strong attendance at the famous Gloucestershire hill climb and only the odd shower got in the way of the picnics and rapid hill ascents.
Saturday was dedicated to practice runs for the 16 competition classes, which were followed by a live music entertainment in the paddock while the car parks were packed out with an array of members' fantastic vintage and classic cars.
The first competitive runs on Sunday were reaching their climax when Class 16 (pre-war racing cars over 3000cc) got underway, but Richard Scaldwell's fabulously grimy GN Jap Grand Prix (lead photo) made everyone within earshot of Pardon Hairpin wince when it shattered its driveline while accelerating away from the corner.
The clean-up took a while, with much cement dust required to deal with the oil. Just then, the heavens opened, and all chance of a fast run seemed to have disappeared for the day.
James Baxter did his best in the record-holding Frazer Nash/Alvis (above), but slithered to a slow time by his own high standards.
Happily, by the end of the afternoon, enough dry weather had intervened to allow Baxter to crack 41 seconds for his final run, and Fastest Time of the Day was duly his.
Lunchtime entertainment on each day included a parade of cars associated with the late Bill Boddy, who until his recent passing was the last surviving founder member of the VSCC.
A small flock of Gwynnes, the TT Humber racing car and the fabulous Napier Railton made a pleasant memorial to Boddy who was one of the world’s longest-serving magazine editors.
