R3A – the ERA race car famously campaigned in period by marque founder and tuning ace Raymond Mays – will be in action at the VSCC Welsh Speed event in Pembrey this coming weekend.
VSCC hot shoe Mark Gillies is flying from the US to be behind the wheel of the iconic English Racing Automobiles car, which will be joined on track by ERA R12C. Gillies – who already has a quartet of Historic Seaman and Patrick Lindsay Memorial Trophies under his belt – is hoping to rack up a fourth Hawthorn Spanish Trophy this time in R3A on 4 September. The famous racer is owned by American Mary Smith, widow of the collector and racer, the late-Rodney.
The meet starts with a Sprint on Saturday when 70 or so vintage cars, ranging from Austin Sevens to pre-war single-seaters such as James Baxter's single-seater Frazer Nash, will compete on the Welsh circuit.
Racing takes over on the Sunday and will be up against a raft of challengers, though Terry Crabb running the smaller-capacity ERA R12C is more likely to be mixing it with the Bugattis than Gillies.
Frazer Nash, Morgan, Kurtis Indy car, Cooper Bristol, Alvis, GN and an American Ford track racer also line up for the combined Boulogne and Hawthorn Memorial Trophies, the feature race of the meeting.
